Kern County Mental Health: Mental Illnesses

Mental Illnesses

Introduction | Types of Mental Illnesses | Symptoms | Mental Illness in the Community

Introduction

Mental illnesses are disorders affecting one or more functions of the mind. They interfere with emotion, thought processes, behavior and perception. A mental illness causes variable amounts of stress and suffering to the person involved. People should seek help to overcome a mental illness just as they do for any other illness of the body. Mental illness is not characterized by retardation or lower intellectual capacity, nor is it explained by an individual not living up to society's expectations. Around 20% of people will experience some form of mental illness in their lifetime. The frequency and severity of mental illnesses vary from person to person. Some psychotic episodes are short-lived and occur irregularly. Other people may have a recurring, lifelong battle. With support and medication, most people with mental illness can lead rewarding lives.

Mental illness can be broadly classified as psychosis or other Mental Health conditions or other diagnosis. There is not always a clear distinction between them.

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Types of Mental Illnesses

Mental illness can be broadly classified as psychosis or neurosis. There is not always a clear distinction between the two.

Psychosis

Psychosis refers to a state where people lose contact with reality and/or create a reality of their own. People with schizophrenia and manic depression (bi- polar disorder) may have episodes of psychosis.

Neurosis

Non-psychotic illnesses are characterized by neurosis. This is when a sense of reality is maintained but thinking and behaving become dysfunctional and suffering results. Neurosis may result from the interaction of stress and a vulnerable personality. Such illnesses include: anxiety, depression, obsessions and personality disorders.

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Symptoms

A mental illness develops gradually and early signs sometimes include: anxiety, depression, insomnia, tension, sweating, and difficulty in concentrating. We may all experience these difficulties occasionally, however, there may be a problem if they are persistent and cause distress.

Symptoms of Psychosis include: Hallucinations including seeing, hearing and feeling something that is not real. Delusions are false beliefs, also not consistent with reality. They may be intense paranoia or visions of grandeur.

People with schizophrenia typically have the above symptoms and thought disorders. Manic depression (bi-polar disorder) is distinguished by massive mood swings and incidence of psychosis. Individuals can have delusions of grandeur, along with agitation and irritation. Symptoms may severely affect lifestyle and relationships and can include even longer periods of clinical depression.

Common non-psychotic disorders and their symptoms include:

Generalized anxiety disorder - a fear, a dread, with tension and nerves upsetting life.

Phobias and panic attacks - can also interfere when specific situations are anticipated.

Agoraphobia - one of the most debilitating of anxiety disorders marked by a fear of being in a public place, the individual often ends up house bound.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - a compulsive act of repeatedly checking over a certain thought or mental image.

Clinical Depression -enduring feelings of unhappiness and despair with disturbance in sleep, appetite and concentration.

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Mental Illness in the Community

Mental illness is becoming better understood in society. Gone are the days when people with mental illnesses had limited rights or were confined in hospitals for the insane. Community and authority attitudes were most certainly governed by ignorance.

For a long time now, mental illnesses have lagged behind other disorders of the body in gaining acceptance from the community. People experiencing mental illness require support, acceptance and understanding. They have rights like anyone else.

People are often fearful of strange or unusual behavior. This is a normal reaction. However, consider the person and the illness they endure. At times they could be lonely, disturbed or very frightened. A person who is mentally ill may have lower self-esteem. Discrimination from people around them can create this. They may find it difficult to get adequate housing, employment and custody of children. They do not need to face further stigma and alienation from people who are not disadvantaged in this way.

Remember: People who are mentally ill require support, acceptance, and understanding.

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Last Modified
1/18/2005

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