| There are many different types of mental health | | | | cleaning, checking and rechecking that doors are |
| disorders, any of which could affect any one of us at | | | | locked and windows closed etc. Someone with OCD |
| any time of our lives regardless of our age, gender, | | | | can feel intensely anxious if they don't carry out their |
| background or status. The most common type of | | | | rituals so performing them is a way to relieve their |
| mental health disorders are anxiety and depression | | | | feelings of anxiety and distress. |
| related disorders. | | | | Depression |
| Certainly, all of us can experience anxiety at times, | | | | Depression is more than a period of the blues. Clinical |
| especially when we have a particularly difficult | | | | depression can be said to exist when the symptoms |
| situation to deal with, like taking a driving test for | | | | of depression persist for longer than a couple of |
| example, or going for a job interview, but when the | | | | weeks and are severe enough to interfere with |
| anxiety is so severe that it disrupts our daily lives, | | | | normal daily routines. There is also a loss of pleasure |
| then it could be that we are suffering from an | | | | in activities that were once enjoyed. There are many |
| anxiety- related mental health disorder. | | | | symptoms associated with depression including |
| Similarly, each of us know what it's like to feel a bit | | | | feelings of sadness and despair, lethargy, sleep |
| down in the dumps, we may even say we are | | | | disturbances, changes in eating patterns, sudden |
| depressed, but true depression is where the | | | | changes in behaviour and mood, anxiety, guilt, and |
| symptoms don't subside after a short period of time, | | | | thoughts of death and suicide. We can all experience |
| they persist and are severe enough to impair our | | | | some of these symptoms at times but when truly |
| ability to carry out our normal routines. | | | | depressed these symptoms don't just subside, they |
| The following list represents some of the more | | | | persist. |
| commonly known mental health disorders with a brief | | | | Bipolar disorder (manic depression) |
| description of their typical symptoms. | | | | Bipolar disorder is characterised by extreme |
| Phobias | | | | fluctuations in mood with episodes of euphoria and |
| A phobia is an anxiety related disorder characterised | | | | mania alternating with episodes of depression and |
| by extreme fear, perhaps fear of a situation, an | | | | despair. During a manic phase the bipolar sufferer |
| object, a place or a creature and this fear is | | | | may need very little sleep, may think and talk very |
| completely out of proportion to the norm. There are | | | | quickly, can be highly creative, appear completely |
| literally hundreds of known phobias but common ones | | | | confident and without inhibition, they could leave their |
| include fear of public places, confined spaces, flying, | | | | job, go on a spending spree or behave in other |
| spiders, and fear of heights. A sufferer will try to | | | | potentially destructive ways. During a depressive |
| avoid their fear at all costs, and when faced with it, | | | | episode they may experience strong feelings of |
| will experience severe anxiety which can include | | | | hopelessness and despair and find themselves unable |
| palpitations, nausea and panic attacks. | | | | to muster the energy to do even the simplest of |
| Panic attacks | | | | tasks. They may also withdraw from social situations |
| A panic attack can be a terrifying experience. | | | | and even contemplate suicide. Bipolar is a lifelong |
| Someone experiencing a panic attack is engulfed by | | | | disorder affecting around 1% of the population. |
| overwhelming fear and panic often without warning. | | | | Schizophrenia |
| Various physical symptoms can accompany a panic | | | | Schizophrenia is a particularly severe kind of mental |
| attack, which include difficulty breathing, trembling, | | | | health disorder, which is characterised by |
| palpitations, dizziness, sweating, and nausea and a | | | | hallucinations, delusions, and strange behaviour and |
| feeling of impending death. | | | | beliefs. |
| Post traumatic stress | | | | Conclusion |
| Post traumatic stress can follow an intensely | | | | Mental health disorders are complex so making an |
| disturbing experience such as a car crash, violence or | | | | accurate diagnosis yourself can be difficult, many |
| rape, being in extreme danger or basically any event | | | | people will present with symptoms of more than one |
| that causes severe psychological distress. The | | | | type of disorder and many of the symptoms of each |
| symptoms include constantly reliving the event in the | | | | disorder overlap with each other. Consequently, it is |
| mind through flashbacks and nightmares, disturbed | | | | important to seek the right help. In the first instance |
| sleep, anxiety and depression. | | | | you should speak to your doctor who will be able to |
| Obsessive Compulsive Disorder | | | | make full medical assessment and guide you towards |
| Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety | | | | an appropriate course of treatment. |
| related disorder manifesting itself in irrational and | | | | Sadly, many people are afraid of seeking help and as |
| obsessive thoughts that spark illogical rituals and | | | | such, will suffer in silence which can be an isolating |
| behaviours or compulsions, for example, constantly | | | | and lonely experience with potentially devastating |
| thinking (obsessing) that your hands are not clean | | | | effects. Fortunately, mental health disorders are |
| causing you to repeatedly wash your hands (a | | | | treatable and those who do seek help can go on to |
| compulsion). Other examples include excessive | | | | lead normal lives once again. |