Detecting Mental Illnesses

One group of mental illnesses is centered on serious depression. The World Health Organization reported that Major Depressive Disorder or Bipolar is the leading cause of disability in the United States and Canada. Many people wonder how to tell the difference between serious mental illness and just having "the blues." The American Psychiatric Association characterizes clinical depression by time endured. If "the blues" don't go away within two weeks, then there may be a more serious underlying problem.

Other symptoms prey upon the body and make the simplest of day-to-day tasks almost impossible. These include decreased energy and motivation, loss of pleasure in hobbies, social withdrawal, thoughts of death or suicide, feelings of helplessness, guilt and worthlessness, irritability, insomnia, loss of appetite and persistent emptiness. It is believed that most depression is caused by the lack of naturally-occurring monoamines like serotonin, norephinephrine and dopamine. Antidepressants can help stimulate production of monoamines and psychotherapy can further prevent relapses.

Another group of mental illnesses are the personality disorders. These involve ongoing patterns of thoughts and actions and create social impairment for the sufferer. For example, the person with Avoidant Personality Disorder (APD) withdraws from social contact and has an intense fear of inadequacy and being disliked. There are extreme fears of being rejected or of being in social situations, making it much like a chronic phobia or panic disorder at times. In fact, research suggests that approximately 50% of the people who have agoraphobia (fear of open spaces, public settings) also suffer from APD.

Paranoid Personality Disorder occurs when someone suspects, without basis, that others are out to get him or her. There is a feeling of underlying terror and suspicion always. People with mental illnesses of this sort always feel like people are putting them down and trying to hurt them, which generally causes social withdrawal for fear of betrayal. Delusions can become commonplace. While paranoid schizophrenia is a very real mental illness, it's not necessarily linked with psychotic disorders.

Schizoid Personality Disorder is fairly rare and occurs in 1% of the population, but results in coldness towards others, lack of emotion, indifference to social norms, odd behavior, indifference to praise or criticism and preoccupation with fantasy. The Schizoid has no sexual drive; few close relationships and may feel superior to others or extremely independent.

Some schizoids may give an outward appearance of giving and receiving, but may in fact give or receive very little because they are merely "playing a part." Schizoid's are an interesting breed of people with mental illness because they seldom care to resolve it and feel quite comfortable in their own dueling loneliness and superiority. However, long term mental health treatment can be done through therapy, which involves adopting a whole new way of thinking.

Whether depression, schizophrenia or a personality disorder, mental illnesses can be extremely debilitating. Sufferers may find themselves lying in bed staring at the ceiling for weeks at a time, or frozen in fear before engaging in even the most basic kind of social interaction, like going to the grocery store. There's a social stigma about taking medication, but sometimes it's the best course to pursuing happiness when chemicals in the brain aren't as they should be.

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