What are mental health problems ?

 Mental health problems are usually defined and classified to enable professionals to refer people for appropriate care and treatment. But some diagnoses are controversial and there is much concern in the mental health field that people are too often treated according to or described by their label. This can have a profound effect on their quality of life. Nevertheless, diagnoses remain the most usual way of dividing and classifying symptoms into groups.

 

Symptoms

Most mental health symptoms have traditionally been divided into groups called either ‘neurotic’ or ‘psychotic’ symptoms. ‘Neurotic’ covers those symptoms which can be regarded as severe forms of ‘normal’ emotional experiences such as depression, anxiety or panic. Conditions formerly referred to as ‘neuroses’ are now more frequently called ‘common mental health problems.’

Less common are ‘psychotic’ symptoms, which interfere with a person’s perception of reality, and may include hallucinations such as seeing, hearing, smelling or feeling things that no one else can. Mental health problems affect the way you think, feel and behave. They are problems that can be diagnosed by a doctor, not personal weaknesses.

Diagnosis

Mental health conditions are treatable and improvement is possible. Many people with mental health conditions return to full functioning. Some mental illness is preventable.

It is not always clear when a problem with mood or thinking has become serious enough to be a mental health concern. Sometimes, for example, a depressed mood is normal, such as when a person experiences the loss of a loved one. But if that depressed mood continues to cause distress or gets in the way of normal functioning, the person may benefit from professional care. Family or friends may recognize changes or problems that a person doesn’t see in themselves.

Some mental illnesses can be related to or mimic a medical condition. For example, depressive symptoms can relate to a thyroid condition. Therefore a mental health diagnosis typically involves a full evaluation including a physical exam. This may include blood work and/or neurological tests.

People of diverse cultures and backgrounds may express mental health conditions differently. For example, some are more likely to come to a health care professional with complaints of physical symptoms that are caused by a mental health condition. Some cultures view and describe mental health conditions in different ways from most doctors in the U.S.

Stigma around mental illness and treatment prevents many people from seeking needed treatment.