Awareness

What is a mental disorder?

Every day, our brain allows us to experience emotions, thoughts, and respond to our environment. But our brain also carries the foundation of possible unbalances. "Disorders" appear when an unbalance is pronounced enough to cause problematic behaviors, relationship issues with others, personal malfunction, and/or emotional distress.

Mental disorders comprise a broad range of conditions. Examples are schizophrenia, depression, intellectual disabilities and disorders due to drug abuse.

Can mental disorders happen to anyone?

Yes. Mental disorders are not a personal choice nor are they caused by personal weakness. Environmental and inherited factors can raise the probability of mental disorders, but every brain owner is subject to the risk.

How to identify a mental disorder?

Some of the symptoms to look for:
- Feeling sad or down.
- Problems with alcohol or drug use.
- Extreme mood changes of highs and lows.
- Suicidal thinking.
- Excessive anger, hostility or violence.
- Detachment from reality (delusions), paranoia or hallucinations.
- Significant tiredness, low energy or problems sleeping.
- Withdrawal from friends and activities.
- Excessive fears or worries, or extreme feelings of guilt.
- Confused thinking or reduced ability to concentrate.
- Inability to cope with daily problems or stress.
- Trouble understanding and relating to situations and to people.
- When someone is unable to think, feel and react in the ways she/he wants.

Contexts and risk factors to look for:
- Regular drug/alcohol abuse.
- An ongoing medical condition, such as diabetes.
- After a traumatic event or stressful life situations, such as hurricanes, financial problems, a loved one's death, a divorce, etc.
- A childhood history of abuse or neglect.
- A previous mental illness.
- Few friends or few healthy relationships.
- Brain damage as a result of an injury, stroke, heart attack.
- Old age.

Can mental disorders be cured?

Yes. Most mental disorders can be successfully treated, even more so if they are addressed early. One can recover, delay and/or stop mental health conditions from worsening by reducing biological, psychological and environmental risk factors. Many treatments can drastically improve symptoms associated with mental illness.

How to minimize mental disorders risk?

Mental health is just like physical health. Everybody has it and needs to look after it. A healthy lifestyle is key to mitigate the risk. Here are recommended tips.

Where can I find more information?

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References and information on mental disorders:
- World Health Organization
- Mayo Clinic

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