You might be surprised to learn that over 20% of the population struggles with mental illness. If a loved one or acquaintance has a mental health illness, they will most likely exhibit certain symptoms. Before delving into these warning signals, it is critical to understand that not everyone exhibits the same symptoms of a mental health problem. Furthermore, not all symptoms will be manifested to the same degree.
People have been suffering from mental illnesses for thousands of years. Looking back in time, we can see that indicators of mental illness were evident long before we recognized or understood what they were. We've learned a lot about mental illness in recent years. As we understand more about mental illness and what it's like to suffer from it, we've discovered that millions of people suffer from various sorts and severity levels of mental health illnesses every day. Indeed, as we understand more about the various sorts of mental health issues, we are coming to grasp how widespread mental illness is and how manageable it is if properly detected and managed.
5 Common Signs of Mental Illness
1. Isolation from Family and Friends
People with mental illness are more prone to withdraw from family, friends, and loved ones when they experience symptoms. There are several causes for this. For instance, if your loved one does not understand why they are feeling low or 'off,' they may believe that others would not either. If the mental disease produces confusion, anxiety, or a low mood, they may begin to deal by isolating themselves or withdrawing. A withdrawing person will be less interested in activities they used to enjoy, may appear apprehensive or uncomfortable in social situations, and may even begin to avoid engaging or speaking with others around them.
2. Indications of Stress
A person with a mental illness will be stressed due to their internal changes and symptoms they are experiencing. The stress will increase over time, causing a variety of changes in the way the individual thinks, feels, and behaves. If you suspect a loved one has a mental illness, check for signs of stress in them. Among the indications are the following:
- Taking a stance
- Irritability
- Fits of fury that are unexplained or excessive
- Being easily overburdened
- Crying fits
- Oversensitivity
- White deceptions
- Fatigue
It is also normal for someone just starting to deal with mental illness to display indications of discomfort when presented with settings that appear scary, different, or uncomfortable. This might be overwhelming for your loved one, so be mindful of symptoms of stress and approach that person softly and patiently.
3. Personality Change
A person with a mental illness will notice a change in personality and conduct. When an individual has a mental illness, they begin to view themselves and the environment differently and, as a result, begin to behave differently. Often, the shift will be slow and on the decline. Here are some instances of how behavior patterns and personalities may change:
- A shift in a social group
- Anxiety or anguish about doing routine duties, such as going to school or work; a lack of drive
- Finding new or odd things fascinating or amusing
- Inappropriate emotional expressions for the scenario
- Displaying more or less affection considerably
4. Deterioration in Functioning
A person with a mental illness may not know how badly they are impacted by what is happening within and around them. They may begin to forget things, fail to recognize strange behavior, or fail to be self-aware and focused on the current moment. Some symptoms that your loved one's functionality is deteriorating include:
- Graduation problems or other academic challenges
- Unfinished chores and obligations
- Consistent feelings of perplexity or apprehension
5. Loss Of Interest In Previously Intriguing Activities
Your loved one may exhibit indicators that indicate they are suffering from a type of mental disease causing some psychotic symptoms, depending on the type of symptoms and the degree of the mental health issue. Psychotic symptoms are those that arise when a person loses touch with reality. They are frequently severe and can cause major injury if adequate professional care is not sought. The following are some indicators that your loved one may be suffering from a serious mental health issue that causes psychotic symptoms:
- Expressing lofty, strange, or unique beliefs
- Having paranoid or delusory thoughts
- Speaking to persons who do not appear to be present
- Speaking quietly or agitatedly to oneself or herself
- Claiming to be hearing voices or seeing persons that are not present
- Catatonia, or states of non-responsiveness
- They come from a family with a history of mental illness.
According to research, a considerable hereditary component adds to the chance of getting a mental health condition. People with a direct family member who suffers from a mental health condition (parent, grandparent, sibling, aunt, or uncle) are much more likely to suffer from that mental health disorder than those who do not.
The National Institute of Health discovered that the beginning of mental health disorders has a major hereditary component. Recent research took a sample of 33,000 persons suffering from one of the five mental health problems to analyze its genetic influence:
- Autism
- Attention Deficit Disorder Hyperactivity Disorder
- Bipolar illness
- Major Depressive Disorder
- Schizophrenia
According to the study's findings, each person in the sample who suffered from one or more mental health conditions had at least one of two distinct genes. This supports the notion that suffering from one or more mental health illnesses has a substantial genetic and hereditary component.
The Bottom Line
Even though mental health issues can run in families, this does not imply that a person must have a family member with a mental health condition to suffer from one. Even those with no family history of mental disease can acquire a mental illness. This is because other factors such as environment, upbringing, socializing skills, capacity to cope with stress, physical health, and self-esteem all contribute to the emergence of mental health difficulties.
