Having evolved from a more primitive ancestor, modern man is always looking for the simplest and most convenient way to solve the problems assigned to him. This is especially noticeable when people try to self-diagnose their diseases using tests and articles from the Internet. However, even choosing a completely working test or reading a scientific article by a respected specialist, a person without proper knowledge is unlikely to be able to comprehend the information and draw the right conclusions.
Please note
In fact, the diagnosis of mental illness is a complex and long-term process. The basis of diagnostic measures, unlike, say, diseases of the digestive system, which can be recognized by a series of tests and hardware examinations, in this case are observation and long-term history taking.
In this regard, it is simply impossible to create a universal method or system that will determine the probability of developing a mental illness in five minutes with an accuracy of 99,9%. However, on the basis of some general signs, it can be assumed with a certain degree of probability that a person is prone to mental illness and, under certain circumstances, can indeed become a patient in a psychiatric clinic.
Explaining with an example
To make it clearer what exactly is at stake, it is enough to give one vivid example. By the way, everyone has observed similar situations at least once in their lives and, for sure, many even faced their consequences.
Imagine that in your environment there is a certain person who is known for all his difficult and even nasty character. Rude, domestic tyrant, hypocrite or grumbler, prone to pessimism and manifestations of aggression towards others. This person may be single, or may have a family, which, by the way, also suffers from his mood swings. Such a person is able to lose his temper at any moment, he doesn’t even need a reason. During friendly gatherings, he is always tense, trying to see the catch in everything, the hidden threat to his own «I». Up to a certain point, those around him justify his behavior with a difficult childhood, a creative profession, workload or bad weather …
And then the moment comes when this person, without any stimulants like alcohol or drugs, suddenly begins to behave very inappropriately: he carries some kind of nonsense, fusses, tries to draw others into his paranoid fantasies. If a person in such a state is shown to a specialist, with almost one hundred percent probability he will make a psychiatric diagnosis for the patient. Why? Because there are all signs of an acute attack. But if the relatives did not justify the brawler and started talking about the problem in time, perhaps the person could have been helped earlier, without starting the disease to such an extent.
Five Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore
- One of the indirect signs of beginning mental problems can be called desocialization. Of course, by myself it is quite harmless to itself, if on accompanies throughout life man, as one of the features of his character. But if open and friendly friend without any special reasons suddenly became a convinced hermit and for a long time is not shown in public here it is better to apply for a qualified help.
- Listen carefully to what a person says what topics are most important to him interesting and how adequate it is point of view. If your «suspect» obsessively declares frank nonsense, most likely scattered delusional ideas have already taken shape in a pathological conviction.
- You should beware if someone sees hears or feels something that is not felt no one else present. Maybe, a person is haunted by hallucinations, making him listen intently to silence, spontaneously laugh or look at empty space.
- Your relative or acquaintance only and does what he runs to the doctors, finding yourself more and more diseases? He already rewrote the will three times, and in the corridor keeps a bag with everything you need for emergency hospitalization? Do not hurry sympathize, maybe it’s just hypochondria attack with manic shade. By the way, this is also one of indirect signs of mental disorders. Most importantly, don’t let him self-medicate!
Constant, unmotivated mood swings or obsessive state, complaints of strange sensations are another sign of possible mental disorders, which alert others and allow persuade a person to visit a psychiatrist.