Online Psychiatrist 76633

Online Psychiatrist 76633

Mental illness, also called mental health disorders, refers to a wide range of mental health conditions -- disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behavior. Examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders and addictive behaviors.

Many people have mental health concerns from time to time. A mental health problem can become a mental illness if you have persistent symptoms that cause stress and interfere with 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. Most cases can be treated with medication and psychotherapy (talk therapy).

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 sad or down

Reduced ability to focus or confused thinking

Extreme guilt or excessive fears and worries

Extreme mood swings of lows and highs

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 health disorder appear as physical problems, such as stomach pain, back pain, headaches, or other unexplained aches and pains.

When should you see a Online Psychiatrist 76633?

If you have any signs or symptoms of a mental illness, see your primary care provider or mental health professional. Most mental illnesses don't improve on their own, and if untreated, a mental illness may get worse over time and cause serious problems.

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.

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 thinking doesn't get better on its own -- so 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. 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:

Inherited traits. Mental illness is more common in people whose blood relatives also have a mental illness. Certain genes may increase your risk of developing a mental illness, and your life situation may trigger it.

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 are naturally occurring brain chemicals that carry signals to other parts of your brain and body. When the neural networks involving these chemicals are impaired, the function of nerve receptors and nerve systems change, leading to depression and other emotional disorders.

Risk factors

Certain factors may increase your risk of developing a mental illness, including:

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

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

Traumatic brain injury (brain damage) is caused by a serious injury, such as a head injury or a violent blow.

Traumatic experiences, such as military combat or assault

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 very common. About 1 in 5 adults has a mental illness in any given year. 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. It is possible to have multiple mental disorders at once. For example, you may have depression and a substance use disorder.

Complications

Disability is most often caused by mental illness. Untreated mental illness can cause severe emotional, behavioral and physical health problems. Complications sometimes linked to mental illness include:

Reduced happiness and enjoyment of life

Family conflicts

Relationship difficulties

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 and harm to others, including 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

Mental illness is not preventable. 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. Follow these steps:

Be aware of warning signs. Discuss your symptoms with your doctor. You will know what to do in case your 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.

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. A long-term maintenance treatment may also be helpful in preventing relapses.

Take good care of yourself. Sufficient sleep, healthy eating, and regular physical activity are important. Try to maintain a regular schedule. Talk to your Online Psychiatrist 76633 if you are having trouble sleeping, or if there are questions about diet and exercise.

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