Dr Anirban Biswas Clinic- Endocrinologist , diabetes and thyroid specialist - New Delhi

What is Mental Health?

Mental Health is physiological or psychological well-being. It's the state of mind where your thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, feelings, emotions, and behaviors are all in balance.

How common are mental health problems?

Mental health disorders are very common today. In India, it has been estimated by WHO (World Health Organization) as one out every ten people suffers from some sort of depression at least once during their lives. And many more suffer from other problems such as anxiety, panic attacks, etc.

What problems are faced by persons with mental illness?

Mental health illness causes people to have emotional and behavioral issues that begin to interfere with their ability to function at home, school, work, and in social situations.

What are the causes of mental health disorders?

Mental Illness has many causes including genetic makeup, environmental factors, and stressful or traumatic life events.

What are the types of mental health conditions?

Types of mental health disorders :

Depression

Depression is a mood disorder that causes a person to experience a persistent feeling of sadness. It may involve the loss of interest in things one once enjoyed or feelings of guilt, emptiness, or hopelessness. Depression can be detected through a variety of different symptoms including low energy, insomnia, overeating or undereating, withdrawal from friends and family activities, and poor concentration.

· Anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders are usually characterized by intense fear or unease in response to an anticipated event or object. This can result in panic attacks, phobias, and other emotional and physical difficulties. Symptoms can be physical, but may also include restlessness, headaches, muscle tension, irritability, and trembling. They impact an individual's relationships, work-life, and general quality of life.

· Mood disorders

Mood disorders are a class of mental illnesses that involve the moods or emotional states of a person. There are different types of mood disorders, such as major depression, bipolar disorder, and dysthymia.

· Substance use disorders

Substance use disorders are the compulsive use of alcohol, prescription drugs, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, etc. It is characterized by repeated failure to abstain from using the substance despite consequences like legal problems and relationship difficulties. Symptoms can include cravings, withdrawal, aggressive behavior, depression, and continued substance use despite having physical or emotional problems caused by it.

· Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder characterized by symptoms of psychosis (irrational thoughts, hallucinations, delusions), disorganized speech, abnormal social behavior, and emotional expression. Schizophrenia is characterized by a severe disconnect between one's thoughts and feelings and reality.

· Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder is characterized by alternating periods of depression and mania which can involve flights of ideas, too much energy, an increase in activity levels, delusions, or hallucinations.

· Personality disorders

A personality disorder is a mental illness characterized by abnormal, maladaptive personality traits and patterns of behavior which lead to significant distress in social, occupational, and other areas of functioning. They may also cause inflexible and often problematic thinking with a noticeable lack of close personal relationships. A personality disorder can be mild or severe and it is likely that the severity of the disorder will increase over time.

· Dissociative disorders

Dissociative disorders are characterized by the inability to remember important personal information, including identity. There is a disconnection between their thoughts, memories, actions, and identity. Dissociation is a defense mechanism that produces amnesia, depersonalization, derealization, and identity fragmentation. Those with these disorders often feel like they are living in two realities at once. They may find themselves acting or speaking differently than they would normally, not recognizing themselves in the mirror, and not remembering important information about themselves (like what happened to them).

· Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder can be defined as a mental disorder characterized by compulsions to perform certain behaviors or thoughts repeatedly. For example, an obsession with contamination may lead to hand washing. The compulsive behavior is frequently time-consuming and may interfere with the individual's work or social life. Compulsions are often accompanied by feelings of guilt or inadequacy.