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