Mental Health Disorders: An In-Depth Look Into Issues Affecting the Mind

When we talk about health in general terms, we're referring to having a sound mind and body. However, in some cases, a physically healthy person may suffer from symptoms affecting their thoughts, perceptions, behavior, and mood.

These symptoms could suggest an underlying mental illness that might hinder a person's capacity to handle relationships, work, and cognitive tasks. Understanding mental illness can be complex. Nevertheless, these issues cannot be swept under the rug.

In this digital age, platforms like REAN HealthGuru are vital in bridging the gap between patients seeking help for mental illnesses and health providers. Our platform’s visual, text, and voice-based interface provides crucial insights and guidance about mental illnesses.

Awareness of the types of mental illnesses and their causes is instrumental in guiding you or your loved ones to seek the right medical help.

Common Disorders Affecting Mental Health

These disorders are not signs of personal frailty or character defects but serious conditions that demand empathy and medical attention. Their roots are diverse, entangling biological, experiential, and familial threads.

1. Anxiety Disorder

Anxiety is your response to a challenging situation characterized by excessive fear, unexplained worry, and dread. The challenging situations include conditions where you might feel persistently anxious about various life aspects, experience sudden intense fear episodes, or fear social interactions to the point of avoidance. Anxiety disorders are of several types:

• Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by excessive worry
• Separation anxiety disorder which manifests as fear and worry when being away from a person.
• Panic disorder which manifests as intense panic attacks
• Social anxiety disorder which is an intense dread of being in social situations.
• PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, triggered by witnessing or experiencing a terrifying event.

Treatments for anxiety disorders include counseling, psychological treatments, and medication, depending on the severity of the issue.

2. Bipolar Disorder

This mental health issue is categorized under mood disorders. Persons with bipolar disorder experience varying mood swings of elation or depression. During depressive episodes, the person may experience sadness, irritability, loneliness, and loss of interest in any activity.

Conversely, during manic episodes, they may exhibit a heightened sense of activity, energy, talkativeness, less sleep, increased self-esteem, and impulsive, reckless behavior.

The exact cause of bipolar disorder remains unknown. However, it could be linked to a family history of the disorder. Healthcare professionals may also use the term Bipolar Affective Disorder, which means the disorder relates to moods or emotions.

Options like psychoeducation, stress reduction techniques, and medication can help manage bipolar disorder.

3. Clinical Depression

Depression is more than just feeling momentarily sad. It is an extended period of experiencing:

• Sadness
• Loss of interest
• Poor concentration
• Hopelessness about the future
• Suicidal thoughts
• Guilt
• Loss of appetite
• Insomnia
• Listlessness

These feelings become so bad that they interfere with everyday life. A person may go into a depressive state due to:

• Bad experiences in personal life
• Loss of a loved one
• Financial crisis
• Physical, emotional, or sexual abuse
• Loss of livelihood
• Bullying or assault
• Chronic health issues
• Thyroid and parathyroid issues
• Medication side effects
• Family history
• Drug and alcohol abuse

Extreme depression can lead to suicidal or erratic behavior, which is why it is critical to seek help when the symptoms are mild.

Also Read: The State of Youth Mental Health Today & Why We Need To Act Now

4. Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a complex psychotic disorder characterized by a distorted perception of reality and disruption of rational and emotional thinking. The symptoms may start abruptly or develop gradually. The person may exhibit:

• Poor self-care
• Social withdrawal
• Hallucinations
• Delusional thoughts
• Impaired thinking

Schizophrenia diagnosis can be challenging, hence early intervention is vital. Key treatment options include medication and supportive therapies to manage symptoms and improve functioning.

5. Eating Disorders

Basically, an eating disorder is a difficult connection or relationship with food. There are several eating disorders like:

• Anorexia Nervosa
• Bulimia Nervosa
• Binge Eating
• Purging

The diagnosis is based on the person’s eating patterns, weight, BMI, and vital blood-related metrics. For example, those with Bulimia may binge on excess food in one go, following which they may experience shame and guilt and, therefore, purge themselves of the food they’ve eaten.

Anorexia Nervosa, on the other hand, is often mistaken for extreme dieting or forgoing food. However, the underlying reason could be low self-esteem and intense distress.

Binge eating is a compulsive eating disorder or an extreme reliance on food to compensate for negative feelings.

Unless treated on time, these extreme eating disorders can profoundly affect the person’s physiological and psychological health.

6. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD

OCD is characterized by obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions comprise urges, fear, unnecessary worries, and doubts that persistently recur in the mind, causing more distress. Compulsions are repetitive actions done in response to distressed feelings. For example, repeatedly checking locks, cleaning the place, saying a specific word, or making a particular gesture are all OCDs.

This disorder is a vicious cycle. The compulsion starts as a feeling that makes you feel better. However, the more you indulge in a compulsion, the stronger the urge to repeat it.

Early recognition and treatment options like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy can help manage OCD better.

7. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD

PTSD is a condition that follows after a very traumatic event like a near-death experience, the loss of a loved one, physical or sexual assault, survival after a natural disaster, difficult childbirth, etc. PTSD was first observed in war veterans suffering from traumatic war-related incidents like death, violence, separation, and mass killing.

PTSD often leaves the person shell-shocked, numb, and extremely distressed. The person may become routine within a few weeks. On the contrary, if the symptoms persist beyond a month, it may indicate PTSD.

8. Paranoia

Paranoia is an inexplicable feeling that someone’s out to get you. This disorder stems from conditions like delusional disorder, paranoid personality disorder, and schizophrenia. Paranoia treatment includes psychological support and medication.

9. Dissociation and dissociative disorders

Dissociation is when people disconnect from their thoughts, feelings, memories, or sense of identity. It can lead to conditions such as dissociative amnesia, depersonalization disorder, and dissociative identity disorder.

Encouraging Mental Health, Awareness & Support

In conclusion, the importance of understanding and support in helping yourself or others navigate the complexities of mental health disorders cannot be overstated.

At REAN Foundation, we make massive efforts to provide accessible healthcare solutions that empower people to manage their mental health. Let's join hands in creating a future where mental wellness is a top priority and accessible to all. Together, we can make a positive change and help build a more supportive and inclusive society for everyone.