Last Updated on April 16, 2021
3. Intense mood swings
Frequently experiencing dramatic mood swings is a huge red flag. Especially when it occurs suddenly and without a reasonable explanation. This mood swing disorder, as some people call it, is often an early sign of mental illness. Strange as it may seem, these mood changes don’t just manifest themselves through random sadness or anger outbursts. In some cases, people can feel excessive euphoria when there’s nothing special going on in their lives.
4. Isolation
Having some alone time can be important when dealing with serious problems. Some people need this to reflect on their lives. But completely withdrawing from social interaction for months is not a good sign. That’s something that people with severe anxiety and depression often do. If you find yourself constantly avoiding social gatherings with your closed ones, you might be dealing with some form of mental disorder.
5. Anxiety disorder
Anxiety is an integral part of our life and is a perfectly natural reaction in certain circumstances. Knowing how to manage it is an essential skill. However, when your worry or anxiety gets out of control and starts interfering with your life (by forcing you to make decisions you wouldn’t normally make, for example), it might be a sign of an underlying mental health problem.
6. Weight and appetite changes
Sudden changes in weight and appetite are known symptoms of severe depression. There is a proven correlation between both depression and obesity, and depression and weight loss. As we have already stated before, eating disorders are in themselves a mental illness.
7. Substance abuse
Did you know that roughly 25% of people who are dealing with mental illness take drugs as a coping mechanism? That’s a huge amount. If you’ve recently started abusing drugs or alcohol, you should try to understand why it is happening. Chances are you are not in a good place, mentally speaking. Seek help before you get highly addicted to a substance that may end up destroying your life.
8. Suicidal thoughts
Suicidal thoughts and thoughts of inducing self-harm usually happen after a major loss, trauma, or abuse. These feelings are uncontrollable, and dealing with them can be extremely overwhelming. Medical experts estimate that about 9 out of 10 people who committed or attempted to commit suicide had a severe mental illness. It is possible to stop suicidal thoughts. It might take some time, it might require great efforts, and you might need professional help. But with willpower, determination, and resilience, it is possible to overcome even the most complicated obstacles. There are several suicide prevention phone lines in the vast majority of countries – use them! On the other end of the call will be someone caring and ready to help you. Mental illness is caused by a mix of genetic and environmental factors. Although there is no magic recipe to prevent mental disorders, taking good care of yourself can help a lot. Get good sleep, practice physical activity regularly, maintain a healthy diet, and keep an active social life. Bear in mind that there are several types of mental illness, some of them share some similarities between them, and others are completely different. That’s why it is so important to consult a mental health specialist. This expert has the necessary skills to make a correct diagnosis of your situation and advise you in the best possible way. Treatment of mental illness varies from case to case. It depends not only on the specific type of disease but also on its intensity. In a large number of cases, treatment involves the use of prescription drugs: antidepressants, mood-stabilizing, antipsychotics, and anti-anxiety meds are some of the most frequently used psychiatric medications.
