In the most basic terms, mental health refers to our mind’s ability to intercept and respond to various events and thoughts that we encounter every day. In other words, it has a direct impact on our social, economic, behavioral, and intellectual domains besides being directly linked to our physical health. This article is all about mental health and Mental Health Problems that you need to be aware of.
What is Mental Health?
Mental Health refers to the way we think, act, and feel. Also, it is related to the way we deal with problems, handle stress, and make choices in our life. In simple words, we can say that Mental Health involves social, emotional, behavioral, cognitive, and psychological well-being. Good mental health allows you to even fight with severe diseases and deal successfully with conflicting situations and serious dilemmas in your life.
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Why Mental Health Is So Important?
There was a time when the term “Health” was only used for physical well-being. But now many of us have realized that it is mental health that comes first. Many research works have shown that a stress-free mind forms the basis for stronger immunity.
More importantly, the stretching everyday issues and our relationships with others require us to be in our best mental conditions to make the right call. In short, nothing equals a peaceful mind, not even money. Thus, to spread awareness among the people and realizing them the importance of mental health, every year World Mental Health Day 2020 and Mental Illness Awareness Week is celebrated around the globe.
Causes Of Mental Health Problems
We all go through challenging times and every one of us has his own set of complexities to deal with, which is a lot different from others and therefore the cause of mental health problems widely varies from individual to another. Here we are enlisting some common causes
- Excessive Thinking or Overthinking – We have been taught our whole childhood that “Excess of everything is bad”. The same goes for thinking. Thinking is necessary to deal with our everyday matters, in fact, it keeps us a step ahead of others. However too much thinking, instead of helping can lead to anxiety and stress which surely make things worse. It wastes too much of our time which if we utilize it in doing something and solving the issue will be very helpful.
- Bullying or Harassment – Bullying has become a lot more common in schools and other institutions than it used to be. Harassing a child can leave behind a painful memory which is not easy to get rid of and results is long term Mental Health Problems.
- Childhood Experiences – One of the main causes of mental health problems that originate in childhood is when a kid witnesses conflicts or in some cases separation between his parents, These factors contribute to the growing mental distress that leaves a permanent imprint in mind.
- Rejection – We all hate being rejected whether it is form a career opportunity or by someone we love. Rejection means that we are not enough for it. This is one of the most common causes of depression these days and ultimately can lead to numerous Mental Health Problems.
- Loneliness – People who spend most of their time alone have a higher risk of being subjected to Mental Health Problems. No one likes being abandoned. Telling someone about your problems and thoughts helps to overcome fear and anxiety.
- Mental Illness – If someone has a history of mental illness or hangout/live with someone who has then they are at a higher risk of developing Mental Health Problems. Such diseases include conditions like Schizophrenia in which the patient’s brain cannot interpret things normally. Conditions like Epilepsy can also cause mood swings.
- Confused Thinking – If you are someone who is confused and faces a lot of difficulties while making simple decisions then you could probably become an over-thinker which is one of the primary causes of problems related to Mental Health.
- Lack of Sleep – Sleep is important for our mental health as it is for our physical health. Sleep freshens our mind to an extent that we don’t even realize. It is just a very simple way of pushing away negative thoughts. Less sleep increases the risk of anxiety in many folds.
Various Forms and Types Of Mental Health Problems
The problems related to mental health are extremely diversified. This makes it difficult for people to realize the fact that indeed they are suffering from one. Almost every other person has to deal with these problems at least once in their lifetime.
Sometimes you can easily recognize a person suffering from poor mental health but other times it becomes extremely difficult to correctly diagnose the situation. Here we have tried to make the task easier for you by explaining some of the basic, prevalent and common types of mental health problems.
Anxiety Attack: It is one of the most common mental health problems. Anxiety happens during tense situations when someone panics, mainly due to fear. As a result of typical symptoms such as increased heart/pulse rate, sweating, and decrease the inability to respond to the situation. Sometimes it is aggravated due to sleeplessness.
Psychosis: In psychosis, the person faces the difficulty or false interpretation of the events and things around him. This results in the generation’s negative thoughts. The main symptoms associated with it is, that the patient experiences hallucinations and misapprehensions like thinking that everyone is against you.
Excessive Eating Disorder: Major mental disorder related to eating is Binge Eating Disorder in which the patient starts eating too much without realizing it. Depressive thoughts decreased morale and being unable to deal with your feelings and thoughts can result in stress eating. If left unchecked, it can give rise to other physical issues like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Anorexia nervosa and Bulimia nervosa are some other examples.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: It mostly occurs as an aftermath of a trauma or a dreadful event such as abuse or witnessing an accident. PTSD is very common in soldiers after returning from war. The person generally suffers from dark thoughts, sleeplessness, being frightened most of the time as a result of recurring thoughts of the traumatic event.
Bipolar Disorder: It is also a relatively common disorder which is chiefly recognized by extreme mood swings. These mood swings range from being too despondent/depressed to being effervescent. This results in making rash decisions or sometimes trouble to sleep and a decrease in energy. It is further categorized into three types based upon the difference in symptoms. They are named Bipolar I Disorder, Bipolar II Disorder, and Cyclothymic Disorder.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: This disorder causes the person to perform certain activities repeatedly without any reason. The person doesn’t realize and to them, these repetitive actions are normal. Some general examples of these actions include over thinking about certain things that might not be of much importance, excessive washing of the hands, continuously arranging things in your room, refrigerators and repeatedly checking door locks, etc.
Factitious Disorder: In this type of Mental Health Disorder the person concocts or exaggerates the symptoms of illness when in reality he is not experiencing them. The person performs these actions unintentionally, without any motive. In severe cases, the person even attempts to adulterate the lab samples to prove him right.
Dissociative Disorder: This type of disorder involves many Mental Health Problems that vary from loss of memory (amnesia) to unintentionally escaping from reality. Such people may abandon/ separate themselves from their feelings or emotions. It mainly results from trauma and failure to deal with bad memories.
Learn How To Deal With Mental Health Problems
These were some common mental health problems. There are many treatment options available that we can use to deal with these Mental Health Problems. Want to know the possible solutions to these problems? Given below are the safest and possible solutions to deal with these prevailing mental problems to make you live happy, peaceful, and stress-free.
Psychological Therapy: It is the most common method of treating Mental Health Problems. This treatment involves repeating treatment sessions with your Psychological Therapist. He first understands the thoughts and emotions of the patient and then helps/ guides him to find new ways of dealing with those problems and improving mental health conditions. A psychologist can help you overcome trauma, stress, and other mental issues.
Support Group: It is a group of individuals dealing with similar Mental Health Problems. These people share their experiences and help each other to overcome these mental problems, They also motivate each other by telling everyone about the progress they’ve made.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A very effective way of dealing with psychological issues is CBT. In Cognitive Behavioral therapy sessions, the patient gets rid of negative thoughts and undergoes behavioral modifications with the help of more practical solutions under the supervision of a psychiatrist. It is very helpful for people suffering from PTSD.
Medication: When we talk about Mental Health Problems, medications are not a cure. But indeed it helps in the reduction of symptoms and extreme panic attacks. Some common medications include:
- Antidepressants: mainly used in case of depression and anxiety disorders like OCD
- Mood Stabilizing Medications: Important for treating extreme mood swings as in Bipolar disorder.
- Sleeping Pills: Anxiety and insomnia issues are mostly dealt with by the use of these medications
- Antipsychotics Medications: Helps in the treatment of hallucinations and diversions as in schizophrenia.
Hospitalization: In severe cases it is best to contact your psychiatrist and then ultimately to admit the patient in a hospital to keep a close eye on the patient and proper administration of medications.
To Sum Up,
The main purpose of this article is to increase self-awareness and to make people learn and know more about these prevailing diseases and disorders related to Mental Health Problems. Therefore, we have tried to briefly explain some of the major aspects including problems itself their causes, and the possible solutions to adopt in mild and severe cases.
It is best to diagnose the problem at its initial stage as the damage caused by these problems and diseases is irreversible. Also, there is a sheer need to accept these problems as a society and help those in need by supporting them rather than making it a social dilemma.
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