Mental illness is happening everyday, in fact 1 in 4 people suffer from a mental illness. It’s something that happens in your own neighborhood, it’s on the news everyday, and yet people keep quiet. It’s a serious problem and in the majority of the cases, when people see someone suffering from mental illness, they ignore the problem, rather than doing something about it. But what can you do?
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What is Mental Illness?
A mental illness can refer to a variety of mental health conditions, which can affect the way you’re feeling, your thinking, behavior or mood. Examples of mental illnesses include:
- Anxiety disorders
- Mood disorders
- Psychotic disorders
- Eating disorders
- Personality disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Dementia
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Schizophrenia
- Mental and substance abuse disorders
- Sexual disorders
- Impulse control disorders
When it comes to mental disorders, the symptoms can vary depending on the disorder, but most of these can affect your memory, emotions, thoughts and behaviors, which is when people need help. Some of the symptoms can include:
- Feeling sad or depressed
- Confused or unable to concentrate
- Fears or worries
- Extreme feeling of guilt
- Mood changes
- Withdrawal from family and friends
- Tired all the time
- Low energy
- Problems sleeping
- Delusions
- Inability to cope with everyday problems
- Changes in eating habits
- Excessive anger, violence
- Thoughts of suicide or hurting others
Many times we make excuses when we know of someone suffering from these symptoms. We say that they’re having a bad day or are just acting weird, when in fact we should do something. The first thing to do is to talk to the person and find out if they are getting the help they need. If they’re not, then look for help. There are many organizations that are dedicated to helping people cope with mental health.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is a good place to start. They have a National Helpline (1-800-662-HELP), which is free and confidential and available 24 hours a day. If you don’t know what to do, they can help guide you and even help you look for the resources that you need.
One of the best things that you could do for another human being is get them the help they need. Reassure them that you care about them and have an open and honest discussion about their concerns. Remember that just because you have a mental illness, doesn’t mean that you’re crazy, and there is treatment for many types of mental illnesses. Don’t stay quiet, because you can potentially save their lives, if not improve their quality of life by getting them the help they need.