What is Mental Health?
The definition of mental health from the World Health Organization (WHO) characterizes it as “… a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.” Clinically, mental health can be broken down to mean “an absence of a mental disorder.” However, it goes beyond the absence of a disorder and encompasses your emotional, behavioral and physical well-being, including your ability to take pleasure in your life and achieve balance.
According to statistics, 20 percent of Americans experience a mental health issue each year, while nearly five percent of American adults have a serious mental disorder – and many have more than one. In fact, in most of the developed world (including the United States), psychological issues are one of the primary causes of disability. Research has shown that anyone has the potential to develop a mental disorder, though it can be caused by trauma, genetics, addiction or any number of possible factors.
Most Prevalent Types of Mental Illness
The most prevalent types of mental illness seen in mental health treatment centers are:
- Anxiety disorders – The most common form of mental illness, an anxiety disorder occurs when someone has feelings of anxiety or fear linked to certain people or situations. Includes generalized anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) and phobias. Help is available through our anxiety treatment program in Laguna Beach, CA.
- Mood disorders – Also known as depressive disorders, people with mood disorders may experience both short- and long-term mood changes. Includes depression, major depression, chronic depression, bipolar disorder and seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
- Schizophrenia disorders – Schizophrenia is a complicated condition that is still being studied to determine if it is a singular disorder or one of a group of combined disorders. It typically shows up for the first time in people between the ages of 15-25, and symptoms include delusions, hallucinations, withdrawal and mood changes.
Symptoms of Mental Health Issues
Diagnosing mental illness is something that may take time, so if you notice yourself or a loved one acting differently than usual, it may be time to seek the advice of a doctor. Though all mood disorders have symptoms, it is difficult to tell which one may be the culprit, as some symptoms are consistent in many conditions. Some of the universal signs of a mood disorder include (but are not limited to):
- Withdrawing from family, friends or activities they used to take pleasure in
- Sleeping too much or not enough
- Changes in appetite
- Low energy or lethargy
- Feelings of apathy and hopelessness
- Displaying emotions that are out of character
- Using more drugs or alcohol than usual on a more frequent basis
- Inability to complete simple daily tasks
- Thoughts of harming yourself or others
Mental health is a topic that we hear a lot about – phrases like “needing a mental health day” are often used to describe taking some time off for yourself away from the everyday tasks and stressors in your life. There are also millions of articles and frequent conversations about mental health, from providing better treatment options, like those at Laguna beach, California’s mental health treatment center. Also to how to recognize symptoms of mental health issues in friends and family.