When a person has
a mental health disorder,
they often feel isolated, frustrated, and overwhelmed.
Almost every area of your life is affected, including the way you
think, feel, and act
.
But there are symptoms and signs to detect it in time and receive appropriate treatment, according to
psychology.
Reactions to
stressful situations
, changes in relationships, insecurities in the face of new challenges, intense feelings, depression.
Who has not gone through some of these examples once or several times, without giving it too much importance.
However, sometimes these reactions hide something else.
The answer is not so obvious, or rather,
to identify what it is due to.
Mental illness alters the way of thinking, behavior and mood
A
USAGov guide in Spanish
can be helpful in
recognizing warning signs
and finding resources to seek support and provides a key difference to keep in mind.
Mental health is not the same as mental illness or disorder
It is common to hear that people use
mental health and mental disorder
as if they were synonymous, however,
they are two very different things.
Mental health:
includes a person's emotional, psychological, and social well-being.
It also determines how a human being handles stress, relates to others, and makes decisions.
Mental illness or disorder:
alters a person's way of thinking, behavior and mood.
The best known are depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
It is worth clarifying a key distinction: there are conditions that are temporary, while
mental disorders are permanent
.
The reference is that mental health may be severely affected, but this does not necessarily imply that they develop a mental illness.
Loneliness and depression.
Photo Shutterstock.
And as a counterpart, a person with a mental illness can go through
periods of emotional stability and social well-being
, describes the health site.
How to identify mental health conditions
To shed light on these gray spots, specialists at the prestigious
Mayo Clinic in the US
offer help identifying mental health conditions.
A mental disorder can occur when patterns or changes in thinking, feeling, or behavior
cause distress or impair a person's ability to adapt
.
A mental health disorder can affect your ability to:
Maintain personal or family relationships
function in social settings
Performance at work or school
Learn at a level commensurate with age and intelligence
Participate in other important activities
Depression, addictions, loneliness can also occur during adolescence.
Photo: Fernando de la Orden
The
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
(
DSM
), published by the American
Psychiatric Association
, addresses the symptoms of hundreds of mental health conditions.
In cases such as
anxiety
,
depression
,
eating disorders
,
post-traumatic stress
, and
schizophrenia
, to name a few examples, the DSM provides criteria for a diagnosis based on nature, duration, and impact.
Another option is the World Health Organization (WHO)
International Classification of Diseases (ICD
) guide .
Symptoms and Warning Signs of Mental Illness
Both psychiatrists and psychologists have the appropriate tools to evaluate potential patients and determine whether or not they need treatment.
Some points to take into account to base a diagnosis could be:
Psychologists or psychiatrists use certain questions for evaluation.
Medical history of physical illness or mental health disorders
Complete physical exam to identify or rule out a condition that may cause the symptoms
Questions about current concerns
Questions about recent changes: relationships, work, death of a friend or relative
Questionnaires to find out your thinking, feelings and behaviors in certain situations.
Inquiries about past and present use of alcohol and drugs
History of trauma, abuse, family crises, or other major life events
Interview someone who knows you well, such as a parent or spouse
When help or treatment is needed
It is clear that there are dozens and dozens of mental health disorders, and each one can have a different impact on each person.
Difficulty disconnecting creates insomnia.
Photo Shutterstock.
For this reason, beyond generalities,
a visit with a professional is always essential to choose the best path.
But although it is worth some enumeration of cases in which a professional is used for a mental health condition:
sleep problems
Diet changes
Inability to cope with daily problems
Unusual or “magical” thoughts
Excessive and frequent anxiety
Sadness, depression, or apathy for a long period of time
Thoughts or statements about suicide or harm to others
People with emotional dysregulation experience emotional ups and downs and outbursts of anger.
Photo Shutterstock.
Substance abuse
Excessive anger, hostility, or violent behavior
Feeling of disconnection or withdrawal from normal activities
look too
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