People may not always realize that they are suffering from mental health symptoms. They may not understand the point at which their emotional state or their behavior is a legitimate problem. Being familiar with these signs of possible mental illness can help you identify when an evaluation may be necessary.
Signs of Mental Illness
- Risky Behavior or Acting Out – People with different types of mental illnesses may behave in ways that are risky or even dangerous to their health. They may act out physically, verbally, or sexually as a reaction to their disorder.
- Thoughts or Intent for Self Harm and Suicide – Issues of depression, anxiety or other disorders can become very serious when the person begins to hurt themselves or consider suicide as way of coping. Their feelings have become unmanageable and suicide may seem like the only solution to deal with their pain.
- Intense Mood Changes – Someone with a mental health problem can have very difficult mood changes that cause them to feel intense ups and downs. Someone with depression may have persistent feelings of hopelessness or low energy that affect them every day. Someone with anxiety or other disorders may feel worried or afraid, irritable or angry.
- Physical Issues like Insomnia, Body aches, and Pains – Our mental state can strongly affect the health of our body. People suffering from mental health issues often have trouble sleeping, experiences changes in their weight or their appetite or may have physical pains. Body aches, headaches or other types of physical issues can often be signs of a mental illness.
There can be many more signs that point to a specific mental illness but if you are experiencing any of these then it might be a good idea to meet with a psychiatrist for an evaluation. An accurate diagnosis can help you get started on getting the kind of treatment you need.