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Types of Mental Health Disorders

Mental health disorders are group of illnesses that create abnormalities in a person’s thinking, perceptions, mood or behaviour. These abnormalities make it difficult for someone to cope with work, relationships and often create unsafe living surroundings for them. Types of Mental Health Disorders will be discussed in details.

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Types of mental health disorder

According to the Center for Disease Control reports, one in five Americans meet the criteria for a mental health disorder in a given year. That’s over 19% of the population. There are over 200 diagnosable disorders to date.

Here are few types of Mental health disorders

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Types of Mental Health Disorders

Depression

Depression is a mental state characterised by lowering of mood, loss of interest and enjoyment, and reduced energy. There are different types and symptoms of depression. Some may feel sadness and become tearful for no apparent reason. Some find themselves sleeping more than usual, with a feeling of dread each time they think about starting their day.

Severe depression can lead to increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviours.

For more information see: Depression

Anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders is a group of mental disorders that include a wide range of symptoms, from generalized worry to panic attacks. There are also symptoms like fear, dread, inability to sleep, post-traumatic stress, nightmares, racing thoughts, and phobias associated with anxiety disorders.

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Anxiety disorders when not treated can lead to significant impairment on people’s daily lives.

Bipolar disorder

 Bipolar disorder previously referred to as ‘manic depression’ is a type of mood disorder.  It refers to the two moods involved with the illness; mania (elation) and depression.

Mania is sometimes seen as positive because you have a lot of energy; you accomplish a lot. However, you may also participate in risky behaviors that can be fatal. Then, when you cycle back into a depressive mood, the crash can be devastating to you, your family, and even your employment.

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The exact cause is unknown, but a genetic predisposition has been clearly established. Environmental stressors can also trigger episodes of this mental illness.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can happen if you have experienced traumatic events.

This can be sexual abuse, a car accident, war-related events, torture, or natural disasters such as bushfires or floods.

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 Symptoms of PTSD include severe anxiety, nightmares, flashbacks, and the inability to control your thoughts about the trauma.

Insomnia

Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep. Even if you can fall asleep, it can be difficult to fall back asleep when you wake up during the night. Insomnia is a disorder that can be related to other mental health illnesses like depression and anxiety.

Eating disorder

Eating disorders may include anorexia, bulimia and other binge eating disorders. Many people with eating disorders feel out of control in other areas of their life.

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People with anorexia have calorie restriction as the main objective. With bulimia, a person will binge eat and ingest enormous amounts of calories. Once they are done binging, they will feel guilty and the overwhelming need to purge the food they consumed.

Binge-eating disorder also involves consuming large amounts of food but without the purging.

Eating disorders affect females and males and can have serious psychological and physical consequences.

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Dissociation and dissociative disorders

Dissociation is a mental process where a person disconnects from their thoughts, feelings, memories or sense of identity. Dissociative disorders include dissociative amnesia, dissociative fugue, depersonalisation disorder and dissociative identity disorder.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a complex psychotic disorder characterised by disruptions to thinking and emotions, and a distorted perception of reality. Though its unknown how a person develops schizophrenia, its symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, thought disorder, social withdrawal, lack of motivation and impaired thinking and memory.

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In conclusion these types of mental health disorders are treatable. Doctors and mental health professionals can offer different levels of treatments, from medications to outpatient talk-therapy sessions.

You can even start improving your mental health disorder today by reaching out for help.

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