Mental illnesses are on the upswing across the board. It is a common health problem. It happens due to a change in your brain and includes a variety of conditions, such as anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder. Mental ailments affect people’s thoughts, feelings, and behavior.
Very often, people suffer from and exhibit early signs of illness. Find out what these signs are so that you or someone you know can get help. Knowing the initial warning signs or symptoms can lead to an intervention that could help reduce the severity of the disease and even delay its onset and development.
When we think of cancer, heart disease, or diabetes, we don’t wait for years to treat them. We always start with prevention.
When people are in the primary stages of these diseases and begin to show signs or symptoms such as a persistent cough, hypertension, or high blood sugar, we immediately try to reverse these symptoms. We do not ignore them.
In fact, we develop an action plan to reverse and sometimes stop the spread of these diseases. So we should do the same for people facing potentially serious mental illness.
The path to better health.
Warning signs of mental ailment vary by person and problem. Below we’ll bring up some of the most common symptoms. Talk to your doctor if you have more than one of these. Also, be aware of if they come on suddenly.
- Changes in mood. Your feelings may change over time or suddenly. Also, they can vary from one moment to another. For example, you may feel excited or happy one day or in a particular situation. Then you may feel upset or sad the next day or in a different position.
- Changes in sleep. You start sleeping excessively and feel like you cannot get out of bed. On the contrary, some may feel like they don’t need much sleep at all.
- Fear of restlessness. You may start to feel scared, anxious, nervous, or panicky.
- Decreased performance. Your job is affected. You may find it more challenging to complete tasks that were once easy or enjoyable. If you are studying, you will notice that your grades begin to drop.
- Lack of interest. There are abundant reasons that can cause you to lose interest in certain things or people. It can lead to prolonged or total seclusion.
- Alteration of the senses. Your basic senses (hearing, smell, touch, or sight) may become more or less sensitive.
- A feeling of unreality. A fuzzy feeling of being disconnected from oneself or from what surrounds us.
- Changes in lifestyle. You feel sleepy all the time and sleep more than usual or cannot sleep at all or have trouble sleeping. In turn, you could develop an eating disorder in which you eat more, less, or nothing.
- Disturbance of the mind. You become incapable of thinking clearly, making it difficult to concentrate, remember, or process things.
- Changes in behavior. Your actions may change abnormally for you.
- Loss of control. With passing time, you may lose the ability to handle stress, tasks, or the demands of life.
- Loss of contact with reality. Mental illness can cause you to disconnect from your ambiances. You may feel numb, lost, and distant. You may have nightmares or hallucinations. You may forget how to communicate with others or how to show affection or concern.
Other possible warning signs include:
- Alcohol or drug abuse.
- Sexual abuse
- Anger or violent feelings, thoughts, or actions.
- Unexplained physical indications, such as stomach pain and headaches.
Stages of mental health conditions.
Every 1 in 5 adults has a diagnosable mental illness in a year. Fifty percent of people meet the criteria for a diagnosable mental illness at some point in their life, and half of these people develop conditions before the age of 14.
Stage 1. Mild warning signs and symptoms.
In Stage 1, a person begins to show symptoms of a mental health condition, but can still maintain the ability to function at home, at work, or school, although perhaps not as easily as before starting to have symptoms. In general, there is a sensation that something is “not right.”
Stage 2. Symptoms escalate in frequency and severity and interfere with the activities and functions.
In Stage 2, it often becomes evident that something is wrong. The person’s symptoms may be more robust and last longer, or new symptoms may begin to appear in addition to existing ones, creating a snowball effect. Work or school performance will be hampered, and a person may have trouble meeting family duties, social obligations, or personal responsibilities.
Stage 3. Symptoms worsen with relapses, and recurring episodes accompanies serious interference with life roles and activities.
In Stage 3, the severity of symptoms continues to increase, and many symptoms often occur at the same time. An individual might feel like he is losing control of his life and the ability to fulfill his roles at home, work, or school.
Stage 4. The symptoms are severe, persistent, and life-threatening.
In Stage 4, the combination of extreme, prolonged, and persistent symptoms and disability often results in the development of other illnesses and has the potential to develop into a crisis such as unemployment, hospitalization, homelessness, or even imprisonment. In the worst cases, untreated mental illness can result in loss of life an average of 25 years earlier.
Early identification and intervention.
Early detection of mental illness is known as early identification and intervention. However, many times people do not realize that their symptoms are caused by a mental health condition or are embarrassed to seek help due to the stigma associated with mental illness.
It is up to all of us to know the signs and take action so that we can detect and treat our mental illness at an early stage, and we can live to our fullest potential. Although mental illness may require intensive long-term treatment and a lot of hard work in the later stages, people can (and do and get back to their lives) recover.
Aspects to consider.
It is vital to discern the symptoms of mental illness, as it affects numerous people. You or someone you know may possibly have an issue at some point in your life. If you recognize the warning signs, you can spot them early. The more readily you see a doctor and get a diagnosis, the sooner treatment can begin.
Don’t ignore these warning signs. They can make your mental illness worse and harm others. When you learn of mental illness, share information with others, and talk about your story, it helps stop the stigma.
When to see the doctor.
Speak to your doctor if you have manifold warning signs. He or she will conduct an exam and discuss your health. Only a doctor can detect mental illness. If someone you know shows these symptoms, talk to them about your apprehensions. Propose that they visit a specialist to find out what is going on.
Remember, mental health disorders are not only common, but they are also treatable. There is a comprehensive variety of treatment options for mental illness, ranging from talk therapy to medication to the support of peer leaders, and it can take time for a person to find the accurate treatment or a combination of treatments that works. But when you do, the results can be truly amazing and life-changing.
