By Dr Anuj Khandelwal , Psychiatry
The mental or psychological condition of a person can refer to mental health. How good or bad the mental health is, depends upon the condition and behavior of that person.Good mental health is a sense of wellbeing, confidence and self-esteem.
What are mental health problems?
Mental health problems range from the worries we all experience as part of everyday life to serious long-term conditions. They can be difficult to clearly diagnose, unlike physical illnesses.
Some of the Most Common Mental Health problems include:
- Anger.
- Anxiety and panic attacks.
- Bipolar disorder.
- Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).
- Borderline personality disorder.
- Depression.
- Dissociative disorder.
- Drugs :It tells effects of street drugs such as alcohol, cannabis or cocaine.
- Eating problems.
- Hearing voices:About voices, who hears them and how to cope if they are a problem.
- Hypomania and mania.
- Loneliness.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
- Panic attacks.
- Paranoia.
- Phobia.
- Postnatal depression.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Psychotic experiences.
- Schizophrenia.
- Self-esteem:Explains how to increase your self-esteem, giving practical suggestions for what you can do and where you can go for support.
- Self-harm.
- Sleep problems:Having insomnia and other sleep problems.
- Stress .
- Suicidal feelings.
- Tardive dyskinesia.
Causes:
The causes of mental problems:
- Genetics (heredity): Mental illnesses sometimes run in families, suggesting that people who have a family member with a mental illness.
- Infections: Certain infections have been linked to brain damage and the development of mental illness or the worsening of its symptoms.
- Brain defects or injury: Defects in or injury to certain areas of the brain have also been linked to some mental illnesses.
- Prenatal damage.
- Poor nutrition and exposure to toxins.
- Environmental Factors involving setbacks or rebuffs in social or occupational life of a person.
Symptoms:
- Confused thinking.
- Prolonged depression (sadness or irritability).
- Feelings of extreme highs and lows.
- Excessive fears, worries and anxieties.
- Social withdrawal.
- Dramatic changes in eating or sleeping habits.
- Strong feelings of anger.
- Strange thoughts (delusions).
- Seeing or hearing things that aren’t there (hallucinations).
- Growing inability to cope with daily problems and activities.
- Suicidal thoughts.
- Numerous unexplained physical ailments.
- Substance abuse.
How can we improve our mental health?
A few tips for positive mental health are:
- Talk about or express your feelings.
- Exercise regularly.
- Eat healthy meals.
- Get enough sleep.
- Spend time with friends and loved ones.
- Develop new skills.
- Relax and enjoy your hobbies.
- Set realistic goals.
- Talk to your GP or a health professional.