“Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not just the absence of disease or infirmity,” says the World Health Organization’s (WHO) constitution. No matter how old or young you are, you are likely to have mental health problems at some point in your life. Mental illness affects nearly half of the American population, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). While not everyone may have a severe mental illness, nearly all people go through some kind of mental health challenge in their lifetime. Here are five common ones:
Depression
Depression is a mental illness that causes feelings of sadness, emptiness, and despair. Depression can also cause you to lose interest in previously enjoyable activities. It may also make it difficult to concentrate, sleep, or think clearly. People suffering from depression may experience physical symptoms such as headaches or stomach aches in addition to feeling constantly sad or anxious. There are treatments for depression, which is great news. Many people benefit from talk therapy (psychotherapy), and antidepressant medications can help improve your mood.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a state of worry, nervousness, or unease. It can pertain to any aspect of your life, including finances, relationships, and employment. When experiencing anxiety:
- Your heart races and pounds so fast that it feels like it’s going to explode out of your chest.
- You feel like there’s no air in the room (even though there probably is).
- You have sweaty palms and/or clammy hands that stick together despite the fact that your hands should be dry and not do this.
It is important to note that having an anxiety disorder does not imply that a person is broken or insane; it simply means that they experience certain things differently than others. Anxiety disorders are a common mental health issue, affecting nearly 7 million adults in the United States annually; however, the majority of people are unaware of how much help is currently available for those in need.
Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are serious mental disorders characterized by extreme food-related behaviors. Eating disorders are distinguished by:
- Anorexia nervosa is characterized by calorie restriction and/or vomiting after meals.
- Bulimia nervosa is characterized by bingeing on large quantities of food or purging after meals (typically by vomiting).
These are about an unhealthy relationship with food that may be influenced by anxiety or depression. Eating disorders also affect physical health and, if left untreated, can be fatal.
Self-Harm, Suicide, and Substance Abuse
Self-harm is a way to cope with difficult emotions, but it can also be a sign of mental illness. If you’re self-harming, you may have been using this method for so long that it seems normal and even necessary. However, if you find yourself doing it too often or feeling the urge to do so in situations where there’s no apparent reason—like when under stress or feeling emotionally overwhelmed—you might want to consider seeking help from a therapist or doctor.
Self-harm is not always an attempt at suicide; sometimes people just want to feel something other than pain and suffering in their lives. In fact, some people who hurt themselves say they feel better after doing it than they did before. Others, however, may feel guilty afterward. This makes sense: when we experience physical pain unrelated to emotional pain, our bodies release endorphins into our bloodstreams, which act as natural analgesics or painkillers, making us feel better almost immediately. It makes sense if viewed through this lens, but still isn’t really healthy behavior overall because it reinforces negative thought patterns and can lead to sabotage or fatal outcomes.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious mental health condition that can happen after a scary event or ordeal in which serious physical harm happened or was threatened. PTSD can be caused by things like combat in the military, natural disasters, serious accidents, sexual assault, and other violent attacks on the individual. In the United States alone, about 5 out of every 100 adults (or 5%) have PTSD in any given year. In 2020, about 13 million Americans had PTSD according to the National Center for PTSD.
Our minds are no doubt powerful and remarkable. But that doesn’t mean that we’re immune to everyday stresses, anxieties, and insecurities. Everyone has mental health challenges from time to time. It’s crucial to take preventative measures to ensure you’re taking care of your mental wellbeing and treating symptoms before they paralyze you and hold you back from living your life to the fullest.