A lot of mental illnesses exist in the world today with different symptoms and treatment plans. Early diagnosis is the key to managing these illnesses which can destroy a person’s ability to gain control over their minds and lives. Five of the most common types of mental illnesses are discussed below.
Anxiety disorders
Anxiety disorders are disorders characterized by excessive, uncontrollable fear which affects the quality of a person’s life. Anxiety is normal in certain situations, but it becomes a source of concern when a person is extremely distressed because of fear of something unknown. Statistics have shown that anxiety disorder is one of the most common mental illness in the United States. The common examples of anxiety disorders are obsessive-compulsive disorder, agoraphobia, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, specific phobia, generalized anxiety and social phobia. People with anxiety disorders find it difficult to maintain relationships at the workplace, school or social gatherings.
Mood disorders
Mood disorders such as bipolar or depression affect the ability of a person to regulate their mood and give appropriate responses to incidences. Depression is the most common mood disorder in the world, and a lot of people live with this disorder undiagnosed. Individuals who experience depression disorder have feelings of hopelessness, emptiness, and sadness. Depression can eventually affect the whole body and cause irregular sleeping and eating patterns if left untreated. Another mood disorder is bipolar disorder. People having bipolar have two dramatic mood swings from manic episodes (feelings of happiness and lots of energy) to depressive episodes (sadness, forgetfulness, suicidal thoughts and many more). Bipolar disorders can be managed through proper medical advice.
Personality disorders
A mental illness which prevents people from having social relationships at work or gathering because of their thought patterns and feelings is known as a personality disorder. People with this disorder have deep irrational thoughts about themselves and act on the thoughts by acting strangely towards others and staying away from outside company.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common mental health disorder in children. A person with ADHD is unable to focus or concentrate on a particular subject for a long time, and persons experiencing this conditions are usually hyperactive and impulsive not considering their actions. ADHD occurs more in young boys than girls; a few adults have also been diagnosed with ADHD. Children with ADHD have a hard time in school and social gatherings, while adults with the condition are not able to stay organized.
Eating disorders
Eating disorders are related to how a person eats and occur mostly in teens and young adults. Eating disorders often have to do with a person’s need to change their physical appearance and body image. Anorexia is one of the most popular eating disorders in teens characterized by the need to control the quantity of food eaten by eating tiny portions, significantly less than what the body needs. Binge eating disorder is a mental illness where a person overeats because they have been starved of food for a long time. Persons with this type of eating disorder eat large quantities of food at a time, and takes laxatives to binge and purge the food to regulate their body weight and shape.
As much as the prevalence of mental illnesses have increased over time, the management methods have also improved. Most mental illness are manageable with proper care.
Need medical help? Primary Medical Care Center is only a phone call away: 305-751-1500