Nearly 1 in 5 American adults will have a diagnosable mental health condition in any given year. Half will develop a mental health condition by the age of 14.
In part one of our Foundations of Mental Health: A Beginner’s Guide series, Rogers Behavioral Health’s Dr. Heather Jones explained that mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and behave.
In today’s blog, Dr. Jones explains:
- What is mental illness?
- Mental illness symptoms
- Common mental health challenges
Dr. Jones, when someone is struggling with their mental health when does it become something more?
Mental illness involves changes in how a person thinks, feels, or behaves, or a combination of those things. They’re most often associated with distress and problems functioning either in school, work, family activities, or performing daily routines. I want everyone to understand that a person doesn’t choose to have a mental illness.
When someone is having mental health challenges, or meets the criteria for a mental illness, the first thing that we typically see is difficulty performing daily functions. For example, when a person feels persistently overwhelmed or distracted by worry, and starts to miss work or arrives late regularly, that would be a sign to seek help. In general, when an individual isn’t engaging in activities they previously enjoyed, they’re neglecting responsibilities of daily life, like doing laundry and cleaning, or they’re avoiding spending time with family and friends, these may also be signs.
It’s important to understand our mood and motivations can ebb and flow. There are times that our own vulnerability factors, or things that are contributing to our successes and our challenges on a day-to-day basis, cause us to not feel great on a particular day. The concern or warning sign is when those moments turn into hours, and those hours turn into days. That is really an indication that some help is needed.
While everyone has life experiences that cause them to feel sad, anxious, angry, or lonely, signs of mental illness are:
- Feeling sad or withdrawn for more than two weeks
- Not sleeping well at night
- Self-harming
- Having suicidal thoughts or creating a plan to end one’s life
- Engaging in risky behaviors
- Loss of appetite or significant weight loss or gain
- Excessive use of alcohol or drugs
- Dramatic changes in mood and an increase in irritability
Mental illness can range from mild to severe. Many factors can contribute to what causes mental illness, including:
- Adverse life experiences
- Family history of mental health problems/genetics
- Job loss
- Loss of significant relationships
- Chronic difficulty sleeping
Dr. Jones, is it true that a person suffering from mental health challenges is typically the last one to recognize it?
Sometimes that is true. It might be a difference in recognizing and admitting. Oftentimes, we recognize changes in our behaviors or our own internal processes of feeling overwhelmed, but admitting it, or having a conversation about it, takes a whole new level of vulnerability and courage.
I think it’s important for all of us to do some check-ins with ourselves. It doesn’t have to be daily or multiple times throughout the day, but take time to consider:
- How am I sleeping?
- Am I not doing things that I used to do?
- Is there a change in my behavior or in the way that I’m thinking about things?
- What are changes or stressors that are happening in my life?
- Am I not finding joy in things that I used to find pleasure in?
Dr. Jones, what are common types of mental illness?
There are many mental illness disorders, including anxiety, OCD, eating disorders, mood disorders, substance use disorders, and trauma and PTSD.
Anxiety disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), generalized anxiety disorder, and panic disorders
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the US, impacting 40 million adults every year. Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. Everyone worries about things like family and friends, health, and money, but people with anxiety disorders experience constant and excessive worry, anticipating future outcomes that may or may not happen. One of the most common types of anxiety disorders is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Rogers’ Dr. Marty Franklin, PhD, executive clinical director of OCD and Anxiety Services explains.
“What sends people to treatment is not the frequency of the symptoms, but the degree to which they start getting in the way,” says Dr. Franklin. “I can’t do this because I might have thoughts, or I can’t go there because I might have to wash my hands, or the family can’t go to these places because the child might get triggered.”
Dr. Franklin discusses OCD and anxiety, including effective treatments and how accommodating OCD impacts the entire family. You can watch that 5-part video series here. Click here for anxiety facts.
Eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, binge-eating disorder, orthorexia, and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)
Eating disorders are disrupted patterns of eating which cause significant emotional distress, in addition to negatively impacting a person’s physical health. Dr. Nicole Stettler, PhD, executive clinical director of Rogers’ Eating Disorder Services says eating disorders make it difficult for people to be able to do the things they want and need to do in their daily lives.
“When I think about the experience of having an eating disorder, I think about the emotional part of it,” says Dr. Stettler. “Shame, disgust, and guilt often accompany an eating disorder. It makes life small, robbing people of their families, friends, interests, and values.”
Dr Stettler discusses when to get help and how a person can support a loved one with an eating disorder in an 8-part video series. Click here for eating disorder facts.
Mood disorders, including depression, bipolar, borderline personality disorder, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
Depression and other mood disorders are very real and serious conditions. Rogers’ Dr. Peggy Scallon, MD, chief medical officer for the Oconomowoc campus and medical director of Focus Depression Recovery Adolescent Residential Care says feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or irritability can interfere with how a person thinks and experiences everyday activities, like sleeping and eating.
“There’s no doubt the rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality are increasing dramatically,” says Dr. Scallon. “Social media and increased screen use are to blame.”
Dr. Scallon talks about teen depression, including why it’s more common in girls, and how you can recognize signs of depression here. Click here for mood disorder facts.
Substance use disorders, including alcohol and drugs, like opioids and prescription painkillers
“It’s important to treat mental health and substance use at the same time,” says Dr. Michelle Maloney, PhD, system executive clinical director of Addiction Services at Rogers Behavioral Health. “Many individuals who have a substance use disorder also have a mental health disorder, like depression or anxiety. Treating them together addresses the whole person.”
Watch a 9-part video series with Dr. Maloney where she discusses everything from the impact of stigma to getting the right care, and the importance of treating mental health and addiction simultaneously. Click here for addiction facts.
Trauma and PTSD
Trauma is one of five symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Trauma is an individual’s response to witnessing or experiencing a frightening event. Symptoms of trauma vary greatly and can lead to depression, substance use disorder, or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“A common myth about PTSD is that only military veterans can suffer from it,” says Dr. Mitzi Kramer, MD, FAPA, medical director of Trauma Recovery at Rogers Behavioral Health. “A serious injury, abuse, natural disasters, neat-fatal car accidents, or sexual assault or rape can lead to a trauma response or the development of PTSD.”
Dr. Kramer shares more myths here. You can learn more about trauma and PTSD facts here.
Dr. Jones, can someone experience more than one mental health challenge at the same time?
People can, and often do, experience more than one mental health challenge at the same time. Professionals may refer to them as co-occurring disorders. One of the more common co-occurrences is depression or anxiety and substance use. I might be experiencing some depression, feeling down, isolated, and lonely, and turn to substances to mute some of those feelings. Now I have two things happening at the same time that are actually feeding off one another. I may be drinking alcohol excessively and waking up in the morning feeling even more tired and overwhelmed, which contributes to my avoiding other things throughout the day, and adds to my depression getting worse.
The same thing is true with anxiety and depression. I might feel very anxious and worried, so I sleep in order to try avoiding some of those anxious feelings. With sleeping more, I’m missing out on things in my life. I’m not doing things to take care of myself like I should be, then my anxiety increases in addition to my depression. Using sleep as avoidance can worsen that cycle.
It’s important to find a therapist who is skilled at not only diagnosing, but also treating multiple conditions simultaneously. For example, our care teams at Rogers create a treatment plan for each person, addressing multiple challenges so that we can help them resolve the concerns they brought to us.
Mental health and addiction treatment at Rogers
Rogers offers compassionate care for children, teens, and adults in a growing number of communities nationwide.
Next in Foundations of Mental Health: A Beginner’s Guide: How to get help and mental health treatment options.
