Mental illness: Symptoms and when to see a doctor

Mental illness includes a number of mental health conditions and is also referred to as mental health disorders. These include disorders that impact your thinking, mood, and behavior. They include illnesses such as depression, eating disorders, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, and addictive behaviors.

Mental health concerns are not the same as mental illnesses. Many individuals face mental health troubles once in a while. But this becomes a mental illness when the associated symptoms and signs are persistent, cause stress often, and negatively impact your ability to perform normally in daily life including work, school, and relationships.

Symptoms of mental illness

The symptoms of mental illness may differ from one person to another, based on the type of disorder the person has, the circumstances affecting them, and various other factors. Usually, these symptoms affect the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors of the affected individual.

Some of the commonly exhibited symptoms include:

• Feeling sad or low

• Inability to concentrate on simple tasks

• Confusion

• Unnecessary worries and fears

• Sudden and frequent mood swings

• Feelings of guilt

• Withdrawal from social activities

• Delusions, hallucinations, paranoia

• Extreme tiredness and low energy levels

• Trouble sleeping

• Incapacity to handle everyday problems

• Alcohol or drug abuse

• Inability to understand people and situations

• Changes in sex drive

• Significant volatility in eating patterns

• Extreme hostility, anger, or violence

• Thoughts of suicide

Sometimes mental illness symptoms manifest themselves in the form of physical problems as well, including back pain, stomach pain, headaches and other unusual problems.

Causes of mental illness

Various genetic and environmental factors are considered to be the causes of mental illnesses. These include the following:

• Through inheritance: Studies have shown that people whose close blood relatives have a history of mental illness also have a higher chance of getting the mental illness. Specific genes passed on from one generation to another can increase the risk of you developing a mental illness. The illness can be triggered by your life’s circumstances.

• Brain chemistry: Neurotransmitters are natural brain chemicals that carry signals to other parts of your brain and body through neural networks. When these networks are weakened, the nerve receptors and nervous systems change their functions. This results in depression, anxiety, and other emotional disorders.

• Exposure to environmental factors before birth: If an unborn child is exposed to environmental stress, toxins, inflammatory conditions, alcohol, or drugs while still in the womb of the mother, it can lead to mental illness.

Risk factors associated with mental illness

There are specific factors that can increase the risk of getting a mental illness. These include:

• A family history of mental illness

• Existing chronic medical conditions such as diabetes

• Extremely stressful situations in life such as the death of a loved one, financial problems or divorce

• Brain damage due to a serious head injury

• Alcohol or drug abuse

• Severely traumatic experiences such as assault, war, or military combat

• Neglect or abuse during childhood

• Previous cases of mental illness

• Poor social circles such as few friends or not many healthy relationships

Mental illness is more common than you think. About 20% of adults suffer from a mental illness every year. It can originate at any age, anywhere from childhood to adulthood, but in most cases, mental illness begins early on in life.

It is possible for a person to have two or more mental illnesses simultaneously. For instance, you can have a disorder related to substance abuse and depression at the same time. The effects of mental illness may impact you for a short while or can also be long-lasting.

How to prevent mental illness

You cannot prevent mental illness from developing. However, you can take measures to control your stress, increase your resilience to its effects, and enhance your self-esteem in order to control your symptoms. The following measures may help:

• Look for warning signs: Talk to your therapist to identify the triggers that aggravate your symptoms, and what you must do if the symptoms resurface. If you feel any symptoms acting up, or there are changes in how you feel, ask your family and friends to help you look for warning signs, and contact your doctor.

• Don’t wait to get treatment: If you wait for your symptoms to become worse, your mental illness will be harder to treat. A good way to prevent the symptoms from relapsing is to go in for long-term medical treatment.

• Get regular medical attention: Have regular medical checkups, especially when you aren't feeling well enough. You may be going through the side effects of a certain medicine or you may have developed a new health condition that requires immediate treatment.

• Self-care is important: Make sure you get enough sleep, regular physical exercise, and are eating well. Try and stick to a schedule since this will help you focus better. If you’re unable to sleep properly or have issues with eating, contact your doctor right away.