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Online Psychiatrist 75144
Mental illness is also known as mental health disorders. These conditions affect your mood, thinking, and behavior. Mental illness includes depression, anxiety disorders and schizophrenia.
People have mental health issues from time to another. But a mental health concern becomes a mental illness when ongoing signs and symptoms cause frequent stress and affect your ability to function.
A mental illness can make you miserable and can cause problems in your daily life, such as at school or work or in relationships. In most cases, symptoms can be managed with a combination of medications and talk therapy (psychotherapy).
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of mental illness can vary, depending on the disorder, circumstances and other factors. Mental illness symptoms can affect emotions, thoughts and behaviors.
Examples of signs and symptoms include:
Feeling down or sad
Confused thinking or reduced ability to concentrate
Excessive fears or worries, or extreme feelings of guilt
Extreme mood changes of highs and lows
Retire from friends and other activities
Significant tiredness, low energy or problems sleeping
Detachment from reality (delusions), paranoia or hallucinations
Inability to cope with daily problems or stress
Trouble understanding and relating to situations and to people
Problems with alcohol and drug abuse
Major changes in our eating habits
Changes are driven by sex
Excessive anger or hostility, violence
Suicidal thinking
Sometimes, symptoms of a mental disorder manifest as physical problems such as stomach pain, backache, or other unexplained aches, pains, and discomforts.
When should you see a Online Psychiatrist 75144?
You should see your primary care provider if you are experiencing any symptoms or signs of a mental disorder. Mental illnesses are not easy to treat. If left untreated, they can get worse and lead to serious complications.
If you have suicidal thoughts
Some mental illnesses can lead to suicidal thoughts or behavior. Get help immediately if you suspect that you might harm yourself or try suicide.
Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.
Call your mental health specialist.
You can call a suicide hotline. In the U.S., call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) or use its webchat on suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat.
Seek help from your primary care provider.
Reach out to a close friend or loved one.
Contact a minister, spiritual leader or someone else in your faith community.
Suicidal thoughts are not something that can be treated on its own. Get help.
Helping a loved one
Talk to your loved one if they show signs of mental illness. You may not be able to force someone to get professional care, but you can offer encouragement and support. You can also help your loved one find a qualified mental health professional and make an appointment. You might even be able go with your loved one to the appointment.
If your loved one has done self-harm or is considering doing so, take the person to the hospital or call for emergency help.
Causes
Mental illnesses, in general, are thought to be caused by a variety of genetic and environmental factors:
Genetic traits. Mental illness are more common in those whose family members have a mental disorder. Your life circumstances may cause you to be more susceptible to developing a mental disorder.
Environmental exposures prior to birth. Sometimes, mental illness can be caused by prolonged exposure to stressors, inflammatory conditions or drugs, as well as to toxins, alcohol, and other drugs.
Brain Chemistry. Neurotransmitters, which are naturally occurring brain chemicals, transmit signals to other parts and bodies of the brain. If the neural networks that contain these chemicals become impaired, it can lead to depression and other emotional disorders.
Risk factors
Some factors can increase your chances of developing a mental disorder, such as:
A history of mental illness in a blood relative, such as a parent or sibling
Stressful life situations such as financial difficulties, the death of a loved one, or divorce can cause stress.
An ongoing (chronic) medical condition, such as diabetes
Brain damage as a result of a serious injury (traumatic brain injury), such as a violent blow to the head
Traumatic experiences, such as military combat or assault
Consumption of alcohol and recreational drugs
An egregious childhood history of neglect or abuse
Few friends, or few healthy relationships
A previous mental illness
Mental illness is very common. In any given year, 1 in 5 adults will experience a mental disorder. Mental illness can begin at any age, from childhood through later adult years, but most cases begin earlier in life.
The effects of mental illness can be temporary or long lasting. You also can have more than one mental health disorder at the same time. For example, you may have depression and a substance use disorder.
Complications
Mental illness is a leading cause of disability. Untreated mental illness can cause severe emotional, behavioral and physical health problems. Mental illness can sometimes lead to complications such as:
Unhappiness and decreased enjoyment of life
Family conflict
Relationship problems
Social isolation
Problems with alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs
Absent work or school or other problems related work or school
Legal and financial problems
Poverty and homelessness
Self-harm, suicide or homicide.
Your immune system is weak, and your body will have a difficult time resisting infection
Heart disease and other medical conditions
Prevention
There's no sure way to prevent mental illness. If you suffer from a mental illness, there are steps you can take to reduce stress, improve your resilience and increase self-esteem. These are the steps to follow:
Be aware of warning signs. Discuss your symptoms with your doctor. Make a plan so that you know what to do if symptoms return. If you notice any changes in your symptoms, or how you feel, contact your doctor or therapist. Consider involving family members or friends to watch for warning signs.
Seek routine medical care, even if you're not feeling well. You may have a new health problem that needs to be treated, or you may be experiencing side effects of medication.
Get help when you need it. Mental health conditions can be harder to treat if you wait until symptoms get worse. A long-term maintenance treatment may also be helpful in preventing relapses.
Take care of yourself. Healthy eating habits, regular exercise, and adequate sleep are all important. Maintain a consistent schedule. Talk to your Online Psychiatrist 75144 if you are having trouble sleeping, or if there are questions about diet and exercise.
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