World Mental Health Day 2020: Mental health problems are very common and can be experienced as a reaction of a person. It is important to seek medical assistance to fight mental illness. Here are 5 common mental illnesses you must know.
World Mental Health Day 2020: Your mental health is as important as your physical health
HIGHLIGHTS
- World Mental Health Day is observed on October 10
- Depression is one of the common mental health disorders
- A healthy diet and lifestyle is essential for your mental health
World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October each year. This day tries to create awareness about the need to give enough emphasis on mental health. One should always keep their mental health as a priority. Today mental illness has become one of the most common health problems around the globe. How a person feels, thinks, behaves, and interacts with other people significantly reflects the mental health of that person. Mental health problems are very common and can be experienced as a reaction of a person. It can be a great deal for the person who is experiencing it and can affect their surroundings. There are many mental health problems but the most common are anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and somatoform disorder. On the occasion of World Mental Health Day 2020 let us know about common mental health issues.
World Mental Health Day 2020: 5 common mental health issues
1. Anxiety
Anxiety disorder is a serious mental illness. Anxious people feel upset, uncomfortable, and tense whenever they are under stress, experiences threat or danger. An individual's anxiety disorder can affect day to day functioning. Some most common symptoms of anxiety disorders are generally accompanied by breathlessness, severe dizziness, intense physical sensations like your heart is skipping beats or fluttering rapidly. However, feeling of nausea, sweating, trembling, abdominal distress, and feelings of losing control are a few other common symptoms of anxiety disorder.
2. Depression
Depression is a mood disorder that can interfere with a person's life and causes distressing symptoms which can affect how a person feels and thinks. Depression is a common mental disorder can cause long-lasting and severe sadness, hopelessness, loss of interest or pleasure in previously activities, decreased energy, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, and poor concentration. These problems can be long- lasting and can lead to substantial impairments in an individual's ability to take care of his or her everyday responsibilities. If not taken care depression can even lead to suicide. Depression can come with symptoms of anxiety as well.
Mental Health Day 2020: Depression can affect your day to day activities
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3. Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia could be a serious and lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. People with schizophrenia hear voices or see things that aren't even there. The most common symptoms that people experience are delusions, hallucinations, disorganised speech or behavior, and might also suffer from cognitive impairment. Sometimes these behavior can frighten and upset people around and even the person with the illness. The illness may affect a person that they might sit at one place for hours without moving or talking. People with Schizophrenia might look perfectly normal until they talk about what they are thinking or speak of strange or unusual thoughts.
4. Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder also known as manic disorder and is a serious mental illness. People suffering from bipolar disorder can experience extreme and unusual mood and behaviour changes which can seriously impact a person's life. While everyone experiences normal ups and downs, it might not be same in people with bipolar disorder. The manic episodes can make a person to go from very happy and very active to very sad 'down' and inactive. These mood shifts can last up to 3-12 months. Bipolar disorder most commonly develops during late adolescence (teen years) or early adulthood. Sometimes It can also appear in children as well. It is one of the most common mental illnesses that can lead to suicide, job loss, and family discord.
5. Somatoform disorder
Somatoform disorder is a mental disorder where mental or emotional problem can cause physical symptoms such as headache, feeling of sickness, chest pains, tiredness, dizziness, and back pain. However, people with this mental illness usually disagree that their symptoms are due to mental factor and are convinced that the cause of their symptoms are due to a physical problem. Genetic and familial factors, increased sensitivity towards pain, inability to process emotions and anxious personality are few common factors that can lead to somatoform disorder in some people.
Some mental health related issues can be identified at an early stage and can be treated effectively. Lifestyle modification can help but it cannot be the mainstream treatment for some patients. Each mental disorder has its own specific characteristics and may respond well to the combination of psychological counselling and medication.
(Dr. Manish Jain, Consultant- Psychiatry, BLK Super Speciality Hospital)
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