Mental disorder symptoms are a form of illness like any other, no more and no less than diseases of the body. But how to prevent and treat them?
Everyone agrees that having good mental health is essential to a healthy life. But we often tend to assume that our brain is developing healthy and completely normal, and that seeking psychological counseling is a special case, only for those who are weak or in distress caused by unlucky infinite events in life though in reality, it’s perceived in a completely different way.

What is mental health?

Mental health, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), is “a state of well-being in which one can perceive himself, overcome normal stresses in life, work efficiently and contribute to the development of community life around them”. Therefore, it is the foundation for everyone’s happiness and the right functioning in a community. Dig deep down to the meaning level of this definition, it is in a consistent correlation not only to individuals, but to society as a whole.

An individual’s mental health is largely influenced by the social context in which he or she is born and raised (family environment, economic circumstances, etc.) and by personal characteristics ( genetics, history of life, etc.), so it can develop at different stages in life. In short, mental health, like physical health, needs intuitive care. It is the result of a balance that sometimes, with the right support, can help us maintain or turn on a healthy mode.

How to take care of it?

Today, we live in a society that places great importance on performance, excellence and competition among individuals. However, humans are inherently imperfect and they are also weak at times. We can’t always be successful, happy or radiant.

So, it’s important to know yourself well, respect your limits, and learn to be kind to yourself.
Taking care of yourself is a very personal thing. While some people relieve stress through sports, others choose to go for a walk or eat with friends, take a nap, or have sex. The most important thing is to move, get out of the house, change your surroundings, and combine activities and relaxation.

In addition to using words, creative activities also allow positive or negative emotions to be exposed. This helps relieve stress or anxiety.

Finally, don’t forget to cultivate relationships with those around you, family, friends, neighbors or the community. By talking to others, listening to them, we will organize our thoughts in an orderly manner and will often manage to dissolve our existing stressors. This will give us a sense of understanding in an atmosphere of non-judgment.

Life events that might affect mental health

At every new stage in our life, certain events will present many challenges and will require efforts to adapt. These moments can have a powerful effect on our mental health, especially if they happen suddenly and involve major changes in the way we live.

For example, when a loved one dies, gets divorced, loses a job or becomes seriously ill. These events, especially if they occur consecutively, can be a major source of stress and impair mental health that, in many cases, does not cause long-term psychosis. Sometimes you can overcome obstacles on your own, but sometimes, it’s no shame to seek help from qualified people who can help you get through it more easily and quickly.

Common mental disorders

Sometimes emotional damage cannot be repaired and will lead to psychological turmoil. Today, however, people suffering from this type of condition are still victims of stereotypes and discrimination, often due to a lack of understanding of the origins and manifestations of these diseases. We often ignore the fact that it is entirely possible to recover from a psychological disorder in order to restore a quality life. With the condition, from the very beginning, the patient was correctly diagnosed with the type of disorder they had.

The following general information about common psychiatric disorders is intended only to provide information about their associated symptoms and behaviors. These explanations do not allow for self-diagnosis. Only a psychiatrist is allowed to diagnose the disorder you have. In addition, when making a diagnosis, there is a need for discussion between the patient and the doctor, so that they can come up with more accurate and appropriate explanations.

Anxiety disorders

Anxiety is a state when the mind is agitated and restless, not necessarily related to a particular subject. It is often accompanied by depression, sadness, withdrawal from yourself, underestimation and can lead to suicidal thoughts.

There is a difference between general anxiety disorder (lasting more than six months without regard to a particular subject or situation), panic attacks (intense fear without the presence of a hazard is really dangerous in about thirty minutes, and the condition is repetitive), something aversion syndromes (phobia) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Depression

Depression is manifested by a feeling of constant sadness, loss of interest in all activities, and a lack of energy. These symptoms are also accompanied by low self-esteem, unreasonable guilt, difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbance, loss of appetite and decreased libido, etc.

Bipolar disorder

It is characterized by mood swings: the patient goes through a period of intense euphoria (known as the “manic episode”), followed by a depressive episode, interspersed by a steady moment. Manic episodes lead to a huge acceleration in thought processes, increased physical activity and desire to speak, difficulty concentrating, decreased need for sleep, increased sexual ability, or more gregariousness, or even buy things regardless, without thinking.

On the contrary, depressive episodes manifest themselves as sadness, loss of interest, fatigue, appetite and / or sleep disturbances, loss of self-esteem, difficulty concentrating, and suicidal thoughts; etc.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a psychological condition that comes in different forms. It presents through a loss of mental unity, which leads to certain disorganization and strange behaviors in an individual that is not understood by those around them.

Another symptom may be a misperception of reality: the person sees, hears, smells or feels things that don’t seem to exist. The person may also feel deeply harmed and anxious.

Addictive disorder

These include alcoholism, smoking, drug addiction (drugs and illegal drugs) and addictive behaviors (gambling addiction, internet, etc.).

Eating disorder

The main two types of eating disorders are anorexia and binge eating.
Anorexia is commonly found in teenagers due to intentionally losing weight and wanting to maintain a low body weight, but also by eating only certain foods.

Anorexia is manifested by eating large amounts of food over a very short period of time and repeatedly, and sometimes due to excessive weight control leading to cravings. In some cases, this causes the person to vomit or have to use laxatives to get rid of what they’ve eaten.

Borderline personality disorder

This disorder can be seen through instability and impulsivity, especially in relationships with others. Symptoms can vary widely from person to person. The person may experience extreme emotions (fear of being abandoned, for example). In addition, it is also possible to take actions that place oneself in danger (self-harm, substance use, unsafe sex, craziness, etc.), suicidal behavior, severe mood swings (irritability, anxiety, anger, fighting, etc.) or even feeling empty.

Suicidal

Attempting to commit suicide is a sign of extreme despair. When a person takes that action, it is because they see suicide as the only way to end suffering that they cannot bear anymore. Here are some warning signals that can help you discover your patient’s intention to do the above behaviors: fatigue, sadness, irritability, sleep disturbance, eating disorders, withdrawing, quitting routine activities, etc. Normally, everyone would talk about suicidal thoughts before taking action, either directly or indirectly. This is why it is most important to pay attention and listen to these vulnerable people.