Are these signs of mental illness?

Mental illness is still a difficult topic, which is discussed in the media and in society with some reserve. It is not easy to recognize a real mental illness, however, despite the development of diagnostics and psychiatry, this subject remains taboo. Different mental illnesses have different symptoms, so it’s important never to try to diagnose yourself. It can be confusing.

Mental illnesses: typical symptoms

• Nervous system disorders
• We have all sorts of delusions
• Depressed mood, or quite the opposite: occurring mania
• Inappropriate behaviors and actions
• Unusual behavior for the person
• False impressions of the world
• Withdrawal, or vice versa: communicating too much, talking too much, strange social behavior
• Unacceptable sexual behavior
• Impaired memory and concentration

Who can get sick and why?

All mental disorders are associated with a certain abnormality in the functioning of the central nervous system. These may be disorders of its function, but also lesions and disorders in neurotransmission. What the patient feels and sees is a figment of his own mind, of which he is unaware. The only disease that deviates from this pattern is neurosis. Here, the patient also has strange, delusional beliefs about reality (e.g., he thinks “I have to wash my hands 100 times until I’m bleeding, otherwise there will be bacteria on them”), but he is aware of the irrationality of his thoughts. Despite the knowledge that these thoughts may be distorted in some way, the strength of the mind and the conviction that something must be done is stronger than rational awareness.

It is worth realizing this and thinking about people (e.g. schizophrenics) who will never reach the place of such deep insight into their illness. They are people trapped in another world, usually hostile and terrible.

Disorders and mental illnesses

Doctors, scientists, psychologists and psychiatrists are still working hard to create a single coherent system of naming and describing diseases and mental disorders. Mental disorders seem to occur much more often, they may have a milder course, they do not interfere with the patient’s life in society in such a strong way.

Mental illnesses: official breakdown

1. Psychotic disorders, in which psychoses or schizophrenia are the main ones. Delusions, hallucinations and disturbances of consciousness develop here
2. Emotional and mood disorders. Here we include, for example, all kinds of depressions, but also manias
3. Neuroses and disorders of the neurotic type
4. Psychosomatic disorders
5. Sensory impairments and personality disorders
6. Addiction to alcohol and other drugs
7. Sexual deviations

Of course, this division is constantly changing, some of the diseases are called disorders, other disorders grow to the rank of diseases. Nevertheless, this most general division describes well the basic knowledge of today’s psychiatry.