Mental health disorders affect one’s thinking, emotions and behavior (or a combination). They may cause interference with daily tasks like working, playing, studying or caring for oneself.
People living with mental illness can benefit from a range of treatments to help them cope and enhance their quality of life. These may include psychotherapy, medication, and lifestyle modifications.
Depression
Depression is a severe mental health condition that impacts how you feel, think and act. It has the potential to negatively impact your life and relationships as well as cause physical symptoms like weight gain, low energy or insomnia.
Many people who experience depression may not even be aware that they have it; their feelings could simply be ordinary grief over the loss of a loved one.
However, if these feelings of sadness or depression persist for more than a few weeks or months, they could be indicative of an underlying mental health disorder.
Depression is believed to be caused by differences in neurotransmitters, chemicals found in your brain that depend on genetics and environmental influences. People may have more or fewer of these neurotransmitters depending on their genotype and environment.
Anxiety
Everyone experiences anxiety or fear at some point. It’s an instinctive response to danger and helps us stay alert and focused on what matters most.
Anxiety can become out of control, excessive, or causing distress in daily life if left untreated. Anxiety has the potential to negatively impact a person’s relationships, productivity at work or school, as well as their health.
Stress can prevent people from living their best life. It may cause them to worry excessively, feel afraid or overwhelmed even when they realize that they’re overreacting.
Different anxiety disorders exist, such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Each has its own set of symptoms.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition in which individuals experience intrusive thoughts or urges, known as obsessions, and repetitive behaviors, known as compulsions. Both can be highly distressing and difficult to manage.
OCD can have a profound impact on your daily life, relationships and career prospects.
Manage obsessions and compulsions with psychotherapy and medication. Some prescriptions may include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Medication can help you feel less anxious and reduce your obsessions and compulsions. Speak to your healthcare provider about which psychiatric medications may be most suitable for you.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Anyone can develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This includes war veterans and people who have endured physical or sexual assault, abuse, accidents, disasters, or other traumatic experiences.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can leave a person feeling stressed, scared, or sad even after the event has passed. Additionally, it may cause changes to one’s behavior and thinking patterns.
Doctors can diagnose PTSD when someone exhibits four symptoms that persist for more than a month, including intrusion: repetitive, involuntary thoughts; distressing dreams; or flashbacks of the traumatic event.
Avoidance: Refusal to engage in activities or situations that trigger memories of the traumatic event. This may lead to difficulties with daily tasks like working, studying, and socialising.
Children and teenagers may display symptoms of PTSD, though the signs may differ from adults’. For instance, they may lose interest in playing or become very distressed over seemingly insignificant things. They may also display disruptive, disrespectful, or impulsive behaviors.