If you are worried that a family member or close friend has a mood disorder, try talking to them about it in a supportive manner and either suggest that they consult their general practictioner (GP) or another mental health professional.
Remind them that there is help, resources, mental health services and support out there for them. You can offer to take them or go with them to therapy or a support group if they don't want to go alone. You can also give them consistent support and reassurance. Let them know you believe things will improve for them.
Clear, honest communication is crucial for all family members. For example, don't be afraid to ask both your ill and healthy children how they feel about the changes to the family. Keeping a line of communication open will help things go more smoothly—both at the time of a new diagnosis, and well into the future.
The Warning Signs and How to Spot Mental Health Red Flags
Strong resistance to attending school or absenteeism. Problems with memory, attention or concentration. Big changes in energy levels, eating or sleeping patterns. Physical symptoms (stomach aches, headaches, backaches)
The outward signs of a mental illness are often behavioral. A person may be extremely quiet or withdrawn. Conversely, they may burst into tears, have great anxiety or have outbursts of anger. Even after treatment has started, someindividuals with a mental illness can exhibit anti-social behaviors.
When Is It Time to Walk Away? In some cases, the decision to leave is obvious. If physical abuse is present to any degree, and especially if the individual fears for their own life or well-being or that of their children, it's important to leave as soon as possible. Safety is the number one priority.
If assisting someone else is overtaxing your time, energy, or resources—stop! Even if you agreed to do something, if the cost becomes too great, whether that's financial or emotional, you can back out or adjust how much you can help. If you are harming yourself, that is not helping.
Continue to be supportive.
Ways that you can do this are providing them with assistance if needed like taking them to or from treatment and helping them with daily chores. You could also encourage activities like exercise, going out to dinner with friends, or watching a funny movie. Most importantly, don't avoid them.
An inability to cope with problems or daily activities. Feeling of disconnection or withdrawal from normal activities. Unusual or "magical" thinking. Excessive anxiety. Prolonged sadness, depression or apathy.
According to the World Health Organization, people with severe mental health disorders have a 10–25-year reduction in life expectancy. Schizophrenia mortality rates are between 2 and 2.5 times those in the general population, while individuals with depression have a 1.8 times higher risk of premature mortality.
Without treatment, the consequences of mental illness for the individual and society are staggering. Untreated mental health conditions can result in unnecessary disability, unemployment, substance abuse, homelessness, inappropriate incarceration, and suicide, and poor quality of life.
mood disorders (such as depression or bipolar disorder) anxiety disorders. personality disorders. psychotic disorders (such as schizophrenia)
Instead, a mental health crisis or a breakdown of your mental health is a situation that happens when you have intense physical and emotional stress, have difficulty coping and aren't able to function effectively. It's the feeling of being physically, mentally and emotionally overwhelmed by the stress of life.
First Steps to Finding Help
You can get referrals from your family doctor, clergy or local Mental Health America office (which also may provide mental health care services) and crisis centers. Consider getting a few names, so you can interview more than one person before choosing.
Major signs of deterioration identified in inpatient settings included aggression and violence, agitation and anxiety, depression, medical deterioration (including delirium), psychosis, self-harm, social withdrawal and self-neglect, and suicidality.
Examples of red-flag symptoms in the older adult include but are not limited to pain following a fall or other trauma, fever, sudden unexplained weight loss, acute onset of severe pain, new-onset weakness or sensory loss, loss of bowel or bladder function, jaw claudication, new headaches, bone pain in a patient with a ...
Personality disorders are some of the most difficult disorders to treat in psychiatry. This is mainly because people with personality disorders don't think their behavior is problematic, so they don't often seek treatment.