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When it comes to mental health there are 7 common types of disorders. 

These include:

Depression

Anxiety (general, social, panic and phobias)

OCD (Obssessive Compulsive Disorder)

Bipolar

PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)

Schizophrenia

Personality (borderline, narcissistic and anti social)

 

Potential causes:

Genetics or a family history of the disorder

Environment 

Chemical imbalance in the brain

Substance abuse

Trauma during childhood

Stressful circumstances during childhood

Poverty and low levels of social support

Symptoms of these conditions

Depression:

Not caring about things one used to 

Feeling sad, down, or hopeless most of the day, nearly every day

Weight gain or loss

Sleeping too much or too little

Fatigue/lack of energy

Feelings of guilt or worthlessness

Forgetfulness 

Confusion

Moving and speaking more slowly than usual

Restlessness or have trouble staying still

Thoughts of death or suicide

Anxiety:

Worry

Fear

Feeling on edge

Tiredness

Muscle tension

Stomach aches

Chest tightness or pain (see a doctor if this occurs – chest pain may be a sign of a medical emergency)

Fear of embarrassment

Blushing

Sweating

Trembling

Rapid heartbeat

Headache

Dizziness

OCD:

Obsessions

Repetitive and persistent thoughts (of contamination), images (violent or horrific scenes), or urges ( to hurt someone)

These are not voluntary or pleasurable 

Patients with OCD attempt to ignore, avoid, or suppress obsessions or to neutralise them with another thought or action (performing a compulsion)

Compulsions

Repetitive behaviours (e.g washing, checking) or mental acts (e.g., praying, counting, repeating words silently) that a person feels compelled to perform in relation to an obsession or according to rules that must be applied rigidly or to achieve a sense of completeness

Compulsions are not connected in a realistic way to the feared event or are clearly excessive 

Bipolar:

Depression 

See depression symptoms above

Mania

Feeling abnormally and persistently happy, angry, hyperactive, impulsive, and irrational at different times

Feelings of special powers and superiority

Decreased need for sleep

Restlessness

Excessive talking 

Increased activity

Racing thoughts

Short attention span

Inappropriate laughing or joking

Getting into arguments

Inappropriate spending sprees or sexual activity

PTSD:

Reliving the trauma, memories, nightmares, or flashbacks

Feeling “numb” 

Avoiding certain people or places 

Intense feelings, such as anger, fear, or worry

Trouble sleeping

Schizophrenia:

Hallucinations 

Delusions 

Disorganised thoughts or speech 

Lack of emotion and or changes in facial expression 

Minimal movement or talking 

Poor hygiene

Lack of interest in spending time with people or having fun

Problems learning and remembering

Difficulty understanding speech or other forms of communication

Difficulty making sense of new information

Difficulty solving problems

Anxiety 

Depression

Personality Disorders:

Mood swings

Angry outbursts

Social anxiety which causes difficulty making friends

Need to be the center of attention

Feeling of being cheated or taken advantage of

Lack of impulse control/difficulty delaying gratification

Not feeling there is anything wrong with one’s behaviour

Externalizing and blaming the world for one’s behaviours and feelings

Please reach out for help if you are concerned about any aspect of your mental health.

For UK residents you can click the button above to go to a list of contacts.

It is ok not to be ok.  We all need support at one time or another, do not be afraid to ask for help. 

Remember you are not alone and you can get through this.

Love
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