Many people have mental health concerns from time to time. But a mental health concern becomes a mental illness when ongoing signs and symptoms cause frequent stress and affect your mood, thinking and behaviour.
Common types of mental health disorders
1. Anxiety disorders
This is a mental health disorder characterized by feelings of worry, anxiety or fear that are strong enough to interfere with one’s daily activities.
You are bound to get anxious when stressed at work, taking an important exam or making a life changing decision but anxiety disorders involve more than temporary worry or fear.
For a person with an anxiety disorder, the anxiety does not go away and can get worse over time. There are the five major types of anxiety disorders: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Panic Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Social Anxiety Disorder
2.Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
It is a chronic condition that affects children and teens and can continue into adulthood. ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed mental disorder in children.
Children with ADHD may be hyperactive and unable control their impulses and they may have trouble paying attention.
3. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
This is a developmental disorder that affects communication and behavior. Although autism can be diagnosed at any age, it is said to be a “developmental disorder” because symptoms generally appear in the first two years of a child’s life.
ASD affects individuals differently and to varying degrees and diagnosis is applied based on analysis of all behaviors and their severity.
4. Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic depression, is a mental illness that brings severe high and low moods and changes in sleep, energy, thinking, and behavior.
The elevated mood is known as mania or hypomania, depending on its severity, or whether symptoms of psychosis are present. During mania, an individual behaves or feels abnormally energetic, happy, or irritable.
The need for sleep is usually reduced during manic phases. During periods of depression, there may be crying, a negative outlook on life, and suicidal tendencies.
5. Depression
Depression (major depressive disorder or clinical depression) is a common and serious mood disorder that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Depression is treatable.
6. Dementia
Dementia isn’t a specific disease. Instead, dementia describes a group of symptoms that may include memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language that are severe enough to interfere with your daily functioning.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia.
7. Schizophrenia
It is a chronic and severe mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. It is characterized by delusions, hallucinations, and other cognitive difficulties.
People with schizophrenia may seem like they have lost touch with reality and may have difficulty distinguishing between what is real and what is imaginary.
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