Hey boo!

As I stated in my previous post, May is mental health awareness month. And our mental health is very important, but it’s something that many of us neglect, which we shouldn’t. And this is why for the rest of this month I’m going to be stressing the importance of it (honey, I’m going to be riding it until the wheels fall off…lol).

Did you know that, Almost 1 in 5 Americans experiences mental health problems each year (18.5 percent)? I know that’s a lot. In the United States, in 2015, an estimated 9.8 million adults (over 18) had a serious mental disorder. That equates to 4.8 percent of all American adults. Believe it or not, I’m pretty sure we all have experienced some from of mental imbalance in life because mental health refers to our cognitive, behavioral, and emotional wellbeing – it is all about how we think, feel, and behave.

“People with mental health conditions deserve just as much support and compassion as people with physical health conditions.”

Common disorders

The most common types of mental illness are anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and schizophrenia disorders; below I will explain each disorder.

Anxiety disorders are the most common types of mental illness.

The individual has a severe fear or anxiety, which is linked to certain objects or situations. Most people with an anxiety disorder will try to avoid exposure to whatever triggers their anxiety.

Examples of anxiety disorders include:

Panic disorder – the person experiences sudden paralyzing terror or a sense of imminent disaster.

Phobias – these may include simple phobias (a disproportionate fear of objects), social phobias (fear of being subject to the judgment of others), and agoraphobia (dread of situations where getting away or breaking free may be difficult). We really do not know how many phobias there are – there could be thousands of types.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) – the person has obsessions and compulsions. In other words, constant stressful thoughts (obsessions), and a powerful urge to perform repetitive acts, such as hand washing (compulsion).

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – this can occur after somebody has been through a traumatic event – something horrible or frightening that they experienced or witnessed. During this type of event, the person thinks that their life or other people’s lives are in danger. They may feel afraid or feel that they have no control over what is happening.

Mood disorders

These are also known as affective disorders or depressive disorders. Patients with these conditions have significant changes in mood, generally involving either mania (elation) or depression. Examples of mood disorders include:

Major depression – the individual is no longer interested in and does not enjoy activities and events that they previously liked. There are extreme or prolonged periods of sadness.

Bipolar disorder – previously known as manic-depressive illness, or manic depression. The individual switches from episodes of euphoria (mania) to depression (despair).

Persistent depressive disorder – previously known as dysthymia, this is mild chronic (long term) depression. The patient has similar symptoms to major depression but to a lesser extent.

SAD (seasonal affective disorder) – a type of major depression that is triggered by lack of daylight. It is most common in countries far from the equator during late autumn, winter, and early spring.

Schizophrenia disorders

Whether or not schizophrenia is a single disorder or a group of related illnesses has yet to be fully determined. It is a highly complex condition. Schizophrenia normally begins between the ages of 15 and 25. The individual has thoughts that appear fragmented; they also find it hard to process information.

Schizophrenia has negative and positive symptoms. Positive symptoms include delusions, thought disorders, and hallucinations. Negative symptoms include withdrawal, lack of motivation, and a flat or inappropriate mood. 

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Either way mental illness isn’t something that anyone should be ashamed of, it has affected  many of us, whether it’s us personally, a friend, or a family member. Mental illness isn’t a death sentence, and help is available.

Your girl,

keysha