What Are The Major Symptoms of Mental Illness?
Adults:
- Long-lasting sadness or irritability.
- Extreme highs and lows in mood.
- Excessive fear, worrying or anxiety.
- Social withdrawal.
- Distinct changes in eating or sleeping habits.
- Strong feelings of anger.
- Delusions or hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not really there).
- Inability to cope with daily problems and activities.
- Suicidal thoughts.
- Denial of obvious problems/ refusing to face reality.
- Many unexplained physical illnesses.
- Abuse of drugs and/alcohol.
Adolescents:
- Frequent outbursts of anger.
- Extreme highs and lows in mood.
- Intense fear of gaining weight.
- Excessive complaints of physical problems.
- Distinct changes in eating or sleeping habits.
- Long-lasting negative mood, often along with poor appetite and thoughts of death
- Delusions or hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not really there).
- Inability to cope with daily problems and activities.
- Denial of obvious problems/ refusing to face reality.
- Abuse of drugs and /alcohol.
Younger Children:
- Changes in school performance.
- Poor grades despite strong efforts.
- Excessive worrying or anxiety.
- Social Withdrawal.
- Hyperactivity.
- Persistent nightmares
- Persistent disobedience and/or aggressive behavior.
- Frequent temper tantrums.
What Causes Mental Illness?
1. Physical Causes: ,
Trauma to some parts of the brain has been linked to mental illness. Substance abuse can also cause or exacerbate the symptoms of mental illnesses.
2. Environmental Causes: ,
The kind of environment one is exposed to is a major factor in determining mental health. Stress is increasingly becoming one of the leading causes of mental illness in today’s world. It stems from pressure to adhere to societal expectations, dysfunctional families, poverty, low self-esteem, anxiety, loneliness, substance abuse or exposure to it, unemployment, the psychological burden of caring for someone with a mental illness etc.
3. Psychological Causes: ,
The kind of environment one is exposed to is a major factor in determining mental health. Stress is increasingly becoming one of the leading causes of mental illness in today’s world. It stems from pressure to adhere to societal expectations, dysfunctional families, poverty, low self-esteem, anxiety, loneliness, substance abuse or exposure to it, unemployment, the psychological burden of caring for someone with a mental illness etc.
4. Heredity (Genetics):,
The kind of environment one is exposed to is a major factor in determining mental health. Stress is increasingly becoming one of the leading causes of mental illness in today’s world. It stems from pressure to adhere to societal expectations, dysfunctional families, poverty, low self-esteem, anxiety, loneliness, substance abuse or exposure to it, unemployment, the psychological burden of caring for someone with a mental illness etc.
Is Mental Illness Common?
According to the 2011 Kenya Human Rights Commission Audit of the Mental Health System In Kenya, it was estimated that up to 25% of out-patients and up to 40% of in-patients suffer from some form of mental health condition. However, the numbers are much higher because a lot of cases go unreported and undiagnosed.
Is There A Cure For Mental Illness?
Few mental illnesses can be prevented; but nearly all can be successfully managed and treated.
How Do I Help Someone I Believe Has A Mental Illness?
- Learn more about the illness and what caregiving entails.
- Do not put pressure on them to recover.
- Join Support Groups it will help you see their illness from different perspectives.
- Be actively involved in their treatment plan e.g. support them in group counseling.
- Treat them with respect no matter how ill they are.
- Do not treat them as the ‘sick person’. Treat them as you would if they were well
- Be a source of positive energy for them.
- Try your best to be patient and understanding.
What Factors Should Guide Me When Choosing a Mental Health Practitioner/Doctor?
- Make sure you rule out any medical cause of the symptoms by seeing a physician. For example, fatigue and lethargy could be symptoms of an underlying disease. .
- Try and get at least two referrals to choose from. .
- Ensure the doctor has experience treating people with your condition.
- Make sure the doctor is interested in the uniqueness of your illness and doesn’t have a blanket approach to your treatment plan..
- If you are not satisfied with the treatment plan or the doctor, there is no harm in exploring another option until you find a good fit?.
How Do I Know I Am An Addict?
- If the drug or substance is taking high priority in your life.
- If it makes you feel better, in control and you can’t do without it.
- If you find yourself partaking of it with increasing frequency. You keep pushing your limits.
- If your anxiety heightens without it or at the thought of not having
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