A mental health disorder is a condition that affects an individual’s behaviors, emotions, and overall thought process. These mental health disorders come in multiple types: mood, anxiety, personality, eating, and etc.
A mental health disorder can be caused by genetics, brain chemistry, and/or life experiences regarding an individual’s environment. While some people are likely to develop a mental health disorder due to their family genetics, some people are likely to develop a mental health disorder because of past traumatic experiences.
The possibility of having a mental health disorder can show through the following symptoms:
Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder characterized by its extreme mood swings. This includes having extreme highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression). Hypomania is a less extreme version of mania. When depressed, someone with this disorder may feel sad, hopeless, and lose the interest they’d usually display in most activities. However, when experiencing mania or hypomania, they may display very excited and happy behavior and become full of energy. This affects energy levels and their overall behavior. There are two types of bipolar disorder: Bipolar I disorder, where the person experiencing it has had at least one manic episode, and bipolar II disorder, where the person experiencing it has had at least one major depressive episode and one hypomanic episode, but not a manic episode.
Major depressive disorder is a mood disorder characterized by recurrent feelings of sadness, angry outbursts, feelings of emptiness, loss of interest in activities, trouble sleeping, and more. Depression can make it extremely difficult for people to function in their daily life, as depression can also cause physical symptoms. Suicidal thoughts are also common in people that are diagnosed with this disorder.
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder is a mood disorder (typically occurring in children or teenagers) in which the person diagnosed experiences ongoing anger, irritability, and frequent outbursts. Many may think that DMDD is just a “bad mood”, but its symptoms are much more severe. People with DMDD may experience frequent outbursts, constant irritability, and trouble functioning in a lot of places.
Generalized anxiety disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by a persistent worry that plagues the mind of the person who has it. This persistent worry can often make life disabling for individuals who have this disorder. Along with this persistent worry, people with this disorder often experience fatigue, irritability, overthinking, tension in the muscles, and trouble sleeping. Worries can vary depending on how old you are.
Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by recurring panic attacks. Symptoms of this disorder include mild to severe anxiety and panic attacks. This disorder may cause someone who has it to begin living in constant fear and worry, which can result in even more panic attacks. This disorder can make it very challenging to live life normally.
Selective mutism is an anxiety disorder that results in a person being unable to speak in certain scenarios due to fear or anxiety. It is more common in children, but is not impossible in adolescents or adults. Its symptoms include avoiding social situations, speaking as little as possible, mumbling, acting out due to anxiety, freezing up or hiding, and responding without words (such as with hand gestures).
Schizoid personality disorder is a personality disorder in which a person displays very little interest or ability to form relationships with their peers. Along with this, people with this disorder struggle to properly show their emotions. They may also seem unaffected by what’s going on around them. Symptoms of this disorder include wanting to be alone, not enjoying relationships, feeling little pleasure from usual activities, lacking humor, and more. People with this disorder may also be perceived as odd or unusual.
Borderline personality disorder is a personality disorder characterized by a strong and persistent fear abandonment. This fear often results in severe mood swings within short periods as well as impulsivity. This disorder often makes it more difficult for people who have to keep relationships they’ve formed. Symptoms of this disorder include fear of abandonment, unstable relationships with their peers, impulsive behavior, and wide mood swings.
Dependent personality disorder is a personality disorder characterized by a constant and excessive need to be taken care of by those around them. People with this disorder are often very reliant on others for their own physical and emotional needs. They can often be perceived as clingy or overly needy. People with this disorder often don’t realize that their behavior is troubling for other people. Symptoms of this disorder include having trouble making decisions without reassurance, experiencing difficulty being alone, and having a fear that they are unable to take care of themselves.
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by a strong fear of gaining weight. People with this disorder often severely limit their food intake. It is common for those with anorexia to believe that they are overweight even when they are not. Anorexia can cause physical symptoms due to its long-term effects on the body. Emotional symptoms of anorexia include a persistent concern about being overweight, trouble sleeping, and a focus on appearance. Physical symptoms include extreme weight loss, dizziness or fainting, stomachaches, and trouble withstanding the cold.
Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder in which the person diagnosed with it eats large amounts of food in one sitting. Later on, they often try to get rid of the food through the use of vomiting or laxatives, which is called purging. People with bulimia often are overly concerned about their body weight, and try to lose weight in unhealthy ways. Symptoms of this disorder include, repeatedly binging, vomiting on purpose, fasting, and being unhappy with one’s body.
Avoidant or Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is a disorder that causes those diagnosed with it to limit food that is eaten by them. Unlike other eating disorders, it is not the result of wanting to lose body weight. Instead, it is a disorder that can cause people with it to fear the consequences of eating certain foods, which can result in choking or vomiting. Symptoms of ARFID can include weight loss, dizziness, little to no appetite, and picky eating.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder/disability characterized by patterns of hyperactivity and impulsivity. People with ADHD may display difficulty in properly focusing on a task, and may appear disorganized. They may also seem hyperactive and exhibit repeated forms of impulsivity that can make it difficult for them to navigate their daily life. ADHD can be difficult to recognize in children, as its symptoms align with how children typically behave.
ASD is a developmental disorder/disability characterized by its effect on social skills, communication, and behavior. People with autism spectrum disorder may display behavior typically considered improper, such as decreased eye contact, an inability to recognize social cues, or having little to no facial expressions. Along with this, people with ASD are known to be more prone to sensory issues, often leading to meltdowns that come as a result of sensory overload. ASD can be difficult to properly recognize in children, often leading to people being diagnosed later in life.
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