Mental illness is a state of disturbed perception of real reality. How to recognize a mental illness? The patient has hallucinations and delusions as well as disturbed thinking. In mental illness, a false perception or experiencing of the world leads to bizarre, unjustified behaviors and actions. Learn about the different symptoms of mental illness.
Mental illnessis a form of the patient's unconscious escape from the real world.How to recognize a mental illness ? To a greater or lesser extent, the sick person sinks into the world which is the product of his mind.A symptom of mental illnessis that fragments of reality get mixed up with delusions or are experienced in an inexplicable way. Usually, mental illness is associated with a lot of suffering to the patient. However, it does not always completely disturb the patient's life and changes their contacts with reality. Treatment allows people with schizophrenia, depression or bipolar disorder to lead a normal life.
Mental illness - symptoms
The definition of what is a mental illness in terms of medicine and what is just a disorder is constantly changing. Diseases that until recently were in the disease registry are shifted to disorders. However, there are symptoms that are so disturbing that they may very likely suggest a mental illness.
- Disturbed thinking. The mind of a mentally ill person is disorganized. It manifests itself, for example, in a sudden jump to completely different threads, unrelated to the previous ones. There is chaos in my mind. The threads are cut off, the sick person does not finish his thoughts. In a conversation, it is difficult to follow such a person and even find out what they are talking about. The distraction, distraction of thoughts or, on the contrary, the appearance of one or more thoughts to which the patient obsessively returns - may indicate a mental illness.
- Delusions, i.e. false beliefs that cannot be beaten by any rational and logical arguments. A sick person may be convinced that someone is following him or threatening him, he may think that he is omnipotent, he thinks, against all rational premises, that he can become a rich man, a leader, a savior … deliberate attack on yourself. Repertoire of such fake onesbeliefs and interpretation is limitless.
- Hallucinations. These, in turn, are false or untrue sensory experiences. The sick person hears voices that are inaudible to others, sees something that is not there, feels tastes that others do not feel, etc. Hallucinations most often go hand in hand with delusions.
- Emotional changes. The sick person experiences emotional states that are inadequate to reality. He explodes with irrational anger, becomes overly agitated or, on the contrary, lethargic. He has attacks of anxiety or laughter that are completely unjustified for those around him. These emotions are caused by distorted thinking and perception. They suggest that the sick person is in his own world. Sudden indifference to other people and what is happening around him can also be disturbing.
- Withdrawal from life. This symptom does not always occur with mental illness. Sometimes patients, despite disturbances in the sphere of feelings or thinking, function perfectly well in the social world. Withdrawal from life, a tendency to isolation and loss of interest in the affairs of relatives and friends, as well as the outside world, can be an important sign of mental illness.
What to do when you suspect a loved one has a mental illness
First of all, do not try to diagnose it. There is always the danger of misinterpreting behavior and emotional states. The best solution is to get the person to consult a psychiatrist or psychologist. Only a skilled worker is more likely to recognize and diagnose a disease and help with suffering. Because mental illness is usually associated with great suffering experienced by the patient. It is necessary to convince people who have suicidal thoughts to visit a doctor and even report to the hospital.