One of the types of mental illness can cause severe mood swings

Types of mental illness

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Types of mental illness

There are many types of mental illness, but a lot of people think they are only inherent (something you are born with and cannot get rid of), but what if I told you that I was recently ill and couldn’t come to work – would you not think of the possibility that I simply had a fever? Or the flue? Or something else that I had not always had? A mental illness is the same: your brain can acquire a mental “infection”, or condition, just like you can get an infection on a wound you got because you fell while skateboarding.

 

Types of mental illness: A cure

And just like with a lot of physical conditions, mental illnesses can be cured. A good example is depression. A lot of people every day no doubt think to themselves “am I depressed?” and it’s a good question, because depression is a grey area. Some forms of depression are considered illnesses, others are mere mood swings. But there are depression treatments just like there are treatments for most, but not all, mental illnesses.

 

Types of mental illness: More illnesses than meets the eye

That being said, depressive mood disorder is but one out of hundreds of recognized mental illnesses. And you wouldn’t believe how many illnesses the medical world actually recognizes. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is more or less the psychologist’s bible, categorizes mental illnesses into different boxes. As such, there are mood disorders, anxiety disorders, dissociative disorders, sleep disorders, eating disorders, and so on. Most versions of the manual top a thousand pages and includes all kinds of conditions that you might never have heard of or considered having. So if you feel overwhelmed by indecisiveness and often cannot decide between options – if you, for instance, cannot decide whether or not to go for a walk and spend long time weighing arguments against counterarguments – you might have what is called Aboulomania. Or if you just think you’re just a bit antisocial, you might really have signs of depression and in reality be suffering from Avoidant personality disorder (AvPD).

 

Test yourself

Do you think you might have any of the types of mental illness that you didn’t know about? Take our quick mental health test to find out!

 

When you are generally feeling well then you have answered what is mental health

What is mental health?

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What is mental health?

Although professionals define mental health in different ways, most concur that it’s a simple matter of feeling well. But you might feel well and still have some scrupulous doctor diagnose you with something you’ve never even heard of. Because the medical world recognizes God-knows-what as mental illnesses, it is often impossible to know whether there is something “wrong” or not. To make matters worse, doctors and health organizations around the world disagree on what constitutes a disorder and thereby whether a person’s mental health is sound or not. Some laypeople even consent that drug and alcohol abuse counts as mental illnesses.[1]

What is mental health: When am I healthy?

Well-being is the most important theme in mental health. If you don’t feel well over long periods of time for whatever reason, e.g. if your mood is constantly down, if you feel like you have to eat without being hungry, or if you are too scared to leave the house, fearing some sort of pervert assault, then your mental health might be suffering. However, we all have bad days every now and then, and mental health is about generally feeling well. The aforementioned feelings have to be constant and prevalent in order to characterize a condition – being annoyed with your husband because he didn’t fix the light in the basement doesn’t count.

What is mental health: More than feeling well

But mental health is actually more than just feeling well. It is also about being able to comfortably cope with life’s ordinary demands and routines, according to Mental Health America.[2] For example, it’s a warning sign if you cannot do what other moms seem to be doing with ease. Furthermore, many large urban schools in America have well over 50% of their students manifest significant learning, behavior, and emotional problems, indicating an unhealthy mental state.[3] And it is not just the students who face issues, as half of all American households have someone seeking mental health treatment, a survey from American Psychological Association shows.[4]

If you, or your household, do not want to be part of that half, download our e-book and ensure sound mental health for all family members. We also have a mental health test that you can take.

 

 

 

 

 

[1] http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.89.9.1328

[2] http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/recognizing-warning-signs

[3] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1525289/

[4] http://www.apa.org/monitor/julaug04/survey.aspx

A constant need to wash hands that are already clean is a sign of OCD and one of the signs of mental illness

Signs of mental illness

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Signs of mental illness

Signs of mental illness explained: In the global medical world, there is a name for just about anything you could imagine – and mental illnesses is no exception. Far from it. There are literally hundreds of symptoms and hundreds of diagnosable illnesses. Below are listed some of the most common.

 

Signs of mental illness: Indication examples

As a rule of thumb, it’s a sign of mental illness, if you see behavior or attitude patterns in yourself that you do not see in people around you. However, a person suffering from ADHD or Tourettes will obviously see patterns of abnormal behavior in themselves, but this article will not describe chronic disorders. It will only describe signs of mental illnesses that can be acquired and thus cured. Some examples of signs could thus be:

  • Being afraid of, and thus uncomfortable by, things that people are normally not afraid of (e.g. being in public areas, being in an elevator, shaking someone’s hand and fearing germ infection or seeing spiders and fearing what they might do)
  • Feeling down, guilty, sorrow, and having no interest in anything is a sign of depression among others. Read this article for more signs of depression.
  • Your mood going up and down constantly, even outside of menstrual periods
  • Being unable to perform daily tasks because you cannot remember how, what to do, or what for (dementia)
  • If you hear voices inside your head or see impossible things. People like Joan of Arc or other people who claim to have been visited by angels, ghosts, dead family members or something else may just have been victims of Schizophrenia.
  • Constant bad dreams about the same thing (a sign of PTSD)
  • If orderliness is extremely important – if everything in the house has its correct position and it bothers you if they are gone or replaced by just an inch (OCD)
  • If you cannot bring yourself to throw things out, but pile everything together (mania)

 

Signs of mental illness: What you can do

Do you recognize yourself in some of these signs, but can’t be bothered to see the doctor? Or you just don’t want to talk about it? We know that feeling which is why we have made apps specifically to cope with shyness, anxiety and depression. We also have a mental health test that you can take.

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Mental Health Tips for Winter: How to Stay Positive and Sunny When the Weather is Gloomy

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Mental Health Tips for Winter: How to Stay Positive and Sunny When the Weather is Gloomy

 

Mental health tips for winter are essential because when the sun goes into hiding, depression, sadness and gloominess can come out easily!

 

Yes, they don’t call it the “winter blues” for no reason. However, this year, you can be prepared and beat the blues with these tips for a positive attitude and perfect mental health

Mental Health Tip #1. Boost Your Immune System

 

Begin by boosting your immune system and eat healthy so that you can keep illnesses and infections at bay. Being physically sick plays havoc with your mental health so boosting immunity is a good way to stay healthy, physically and mentally.

 

Eat snacks that are rich in antioxidants and also, have mood-boosting properties, like nuts, fish, fruits instead of fatty, sugary, carbohydrate-rich snacks that can cause both energy slumps and unnecessary weight gain too.

 

Also, keep infections at bay with a regular hand washing routine and stay hydrated as well.

 

Mental Health Tip #2. Connect with Your Community

 

 

The cold, dreary winter months can seem quite dull and lonely, so make sure you take time to connect with friends and family.

 

Whether it is through a dinner at home, Sunday evenings at the park or middle-of-the-week phone calls to a friend, staying connected will boost your mood instantly. Connect with those who make you feel positive, happy and good about life and yourself.

 

Mental Health Tip #3. Do Fun Feel-Good Exercises

 

It may be cold and bleak outside but you can still get the warm fuzzies by doing some feel-good activities, like volunteering, donating to charity or simply, starting and maintaining a daily gratitude journal.

 

Mental Health Tip #4. Soak in the Sun Whenever You Can

 

Sure the sun may not come out to play as much as it does during summer, but when it does, be sure you soak it up.

 

Get outdoors for a walk during the middle of the day and you’ll not only get some much-needed Vitamin D but also, exercise and fresh air, both of which are proven mood boosters.

 

Mental Health Tip #5.  Go on a Short Holiday

 

Finally, the winter months can be a good time to plan that weekend break and get a change of scene. A holiday refreshes the mind, body and soul so scheduling one at this time can keep you mentally healthy in more ways than one.

 

Need some more quick and effective mental wellness tips?

 

Want to learn how to improve your mental health?

 

Download our eBook The Fastest Guide to Mental Health right now!

Mental-Health-Tips-How-to-Ace-Your-Job-Interview-With-a-Positive-Mindset

Mental Health Tips: How to Ace Your Job Interview with a Positive Mindset

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Mental Health Tips: How to Ace Your Job Interview with a Positive Mindset

Mental health tips can be really handy to remember when you’re headed for a potentially stressful life event, like a job interview. Having the right attitude and focusing on the positive are just a few things that you can do to not only feel more confident and clear but also, do really well in the interview.

 

Here are some handy ways to ace that job interview using the power of positive thinking and visualization.

 

 

Mental Health Tips to Do Well at a Job Interview

 

1. Develop the Right Mindset

 

Start even before you apply for the job by working on your mindset. Whether you download an app or read an eBook and apply the steps, do it. Move towards a growth mindset or a global mindset to experience the benefits they bring in helping you lead the life you want and get the success you deserve.

 

Recommended resources:

 

The Fastest Guide to Mental Health [eBook]

Mindset Apps for the iPhone and Android

Everything about Growth Mindset

 

2. Focus on the Positive Outcome

 

Next, focus on the positive outcome. Visualize yourself getting that job, flowing through the interview with ease and confidence and feeling the thrill of getting a “you’re hired” letter! Really feel the emotions to give your visualizations more power.

 

3. Use Words that Support Your Intentions

 

Words are powerful so make sure that the words you use reflect your positive, growth mindset. Use affirmations. Write them down in the present tense and repeat them often. Like visualizing, experience and feel the emotions in order to give your words added impact.

 

Also, in regular conversations, focus on using words that are positive especially when talking about your job hunt and interviews.

 

4. Surround Yourself with Positive, Supportive People

 

Finally, surround yourself with people who lift you up, give you the support and encouragement you need and help you further build the confidence and mindset that you’re developing. In short: Surround yourself with people who practices positive thinking

 

If you notice there are people in your social community who pull you down, are negative or just too critical, try to avoid meeting them and instead, focus on creating connections that give you the confidence boost you need and help you to improve mental health.

 

So, the next time you get a call for an interview, celebrate, delight and revel in it and put your energies towards preparing for it with confidence and positivity!