Online Psychiatrist 76209

Online Psychiatrist 76209

Mental illness, also called mental health disorders, refers to a wide range of mental health conditions -- disorders that 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

Depending on the condition, circumstance, and other factors, signs and symptoms of mental illness may vary. 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 or drug use

Major changes in eating habits

Changes are driven by sex

Excessive anger or hostility, violence

Suicidal thoughts

Sometimes symptoms of a mental health disorder appear as physical problems, such as stomach pain, back pain, headaches, or other unexplained aches and pains.

When to see a Online Psychiatrist 76209

If you have any signs or symptoms of a mental illness, see your primary care provider or mental health professional. Mental illnesses are not easy to treat. If left untreated, they can get worse and lead to serious complications.

If you have suicidal thoughts

Suicidal thoughts and behavior are common with some mental illnesses. If you think you may hurt yourself or attempt suicide, get help right away:

Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.

Contact your mental health professional.

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.

Get help from your primary physician.

Reach out to a friend or family member.

Reach out to a minister, spiritual leader, or another member of your faith community.

Suicidal thoughts are not something that can be treated on its own. Get help.

Supporting a loved one

If your loved one shows signs of mental illness, have an open and honest discussion with him or her about your concerns. While you may not be in a position to force someone to seek professional help, it is possible to offer support and encouragement. 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

A variety of environmental and genetic factors are believed to cause mental illnesses.

Inherited traits. Mental illness is more common in people whose blood relatives also have a mental illness. Your life circumstances may cause you to be more susceptible to developing a mental disorder.

Environmental exposures before birth. Exposure to environmental stressors, inflammatory conditions, toxins, alcohol or drugs while in the womb can sometimes be linked to mental illness.

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:

An ancestor with mental illness, such as a parent/sibling, has a history

Stressful life situations, such as financial problems, a loved one's death or a divorce

A chronic (permanent) 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 combat or assault in military service are examples.

Use of alcohol or recreational drugs

A childhood history of abuse or neglect

Few friends or few healthy relationships

A previous mental illness

Mental illness is common. In any given year, 1 in 5 adults will experience a mental disorder. Although mental illness can occur at any age, including childhood and later adult years of life, most cases start 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 conflicts

Relationship difficulties

Social isolation

Problems with alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs

Missed work or school, or other problems related to work or school

Legal and financial problems

Poverty and homelessness

Self-harm and harm to others, including suicide or homicide

Your immune system is weak, and your body will have a difficult time resisting infection

Other medical conditions, such as heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases

Prevention

There's no sure way to prevent mental illness. However, if you have a mental illness, taking steps to control stress, increase your resilience, and boost low self-esteem may help keep your symptoms under control. These are the steps to follow:

Be aware of warning signs. Discuss your symptoms with your doctor. You will know what to do in case your symptoms return. Contact your doctor or therapist if you notice any changes in symptoms or how you feel. Consider involving family members or friends to watch for warning signs.

Get routine medical care. Don't neglect checkups or skip visits to your primary care provider, especially if you aren't 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. Long-term maintenance treatment also may help prevent a relapse of symptoms.

Take care of yourself. Healthy eating habits, regular exercise, and adequate sleep are all important. Maintain a consistent schedule. Talk to your Online Psychiatrist 76209 if you have trouble sleeping or if you have questions about diet and physical activity.

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