Mental Health Problems — An Introduction
Despite their frequent interchangeability, mental illness and mental wellness are distinct concepts. A person can have poor mental health without a diagnosable mental disorder. Similarly, a person with a mental disease may go through improved health and happiness phases.
The state of your mental health is dynamic and subject to change for various reasons. Your mental health may suffer if your demands exceed your resources and coping skills. Your mental health might take a nosedive for several reasons, including but not limited to: excessive work hours, caring for a sick family member, or financial difficulties.
Mental health refers to a state of well-being that goes beyond the absence of mental disease; it is vital to both your physical health and the quality of life you lead. Taking care of yourself may be essential to preserving your mental health and bolstering your treatment and recovery if you have a mental illness. While the specific etiology of most mental disorders is unclear, research shows that biological, psychological, and environmental factors can cause them.
Some mental health issues may run in families, according to research. If one or both of your parents have schizophrenia, it increases your risk of developing the disorder. However, it is unclear if this results from your genetic make-up or other influences, such as your upbringing or the thoughts, coping mechanisms, and behaviors you pick up from your parents. Researchers have not identified any particular genes that cause mental health disorders, but there is evidence that our genes play a role in developing several mental health issues.
Some studies have shown a correlation between changes in serotonin and dopamine levels and mental health issues, but the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. In other cases, some mental diseases have been related to congenital disabilities or injuries in specific brain regions.
Researchers have discovered that certain viruses cause brain damage and mental disease or intensify their symptoms. A neuropsychiatric autoimmune illness connected to the Streptococcus bacterium has been indicated to cause obsessive-compulsive disorder and other mental disorders in young people.
Another cause is chronic drug misuse. Studies have shown that chronic drug misuse leads to mental health problems such as anxiety, sadness, and paranoia. Furthermore, not getting enough to eat or exposure to toxins can cause mental illnesses.
The complexity of diagnosing mental health issues stems from the fact that they come in various manifestations with sometimes overlapping sets of symptoms. But certain illnesses are widespread and affect individuals of all ages. For example, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD causes inattention, impulsive conduct, excessive activity, or difficulty sitting still. Although common in young people, this condition may also affect adults.
Another common mental illness is Bipolarism. Bipolar illness creates a cyclical alternation between manic and depressed episodes. Alternating between moments of intense activity and heightened emotions, manic and depressed phases each have their unique characteristics. Most of the time, the cycles do not happen all at once.
Anxiety and depression are also common mental disorders. Anxiety disorder is characterized by intense attacks of fear that something terrible will happen or a feeling that bad things are about to happen. In comparison, depression is a broad term that describes several different emotions and behaviors, including a chronic low mood, a loss of interest in everyday life, and periods of lethargy and exhaustion.
Many physical health issues, especially chronic ones like diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, are made worse by depression. In the same way, having a chronic illness can make you more likely to get a mental illness.
