Mental Health and Wellbeing Care

|

Mental Health and Wellbeing Care

Mental health refers to the well-being of a person’s cognitive, behavioral, and emotional functions. These factors influence a person’s quality of life and can negatively affect their ability to cope with daily life. These issues may also affect a person’s physical health. These conditions may be caused by many factors in an individual’s life, including the environment, economic situation, family dynamics, relationships, and more. It is important to address these issues and to cultivate psychological resilience.

Mental health is closely tied to a person’s feelings about themselves. Having good mental health may lead to greater self-esteem. A person with good mental health may also be more able to give support to others. Mental health is also related to their self-esteem, which is related to the confidence a person has.

Many people don’t have obvious signs that they are suffering from a mental disorder. However, those with serious problems may have clear signs and may require medical attention. Common forms of mental illnesses include schizophrenia, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Each type of mental illness affects a person’s thoughts and behavior in specific ways.

A person who experiences mental illness can seek help by visiting a therapist. Psychotherapy can help a person understand the causes of their disorder and develop coping methods to address them. Cognitive behavioral therapy, for example, teaches people how to change negative thoughts and behaviors. Some mental disorders can be treated with medications. Different types of medications act in different ways on the brain.

Diagnosing a mental disorder requires a careful evaluation of the patient’s symptoms and behavior. A mental health professional will use diagnostic criteria published by the American Psychiatric Association. The DSM-IV defines various types of mental illness and lists typical symptoms of each type. These diagnostic criteria are used by mental health professionals to determine the severity of a mental condition.

The symptoms of mental illness include fragmented thoughts and difficulties processing information. A person suffering from schizophrenia will have both positive and negative symptoms. Positive symptoms include delusions, hallucinations, and thought disorders, while negative symptoms include lack of motivation and an inappropriate mood. Diagnosing schizophrenia requires several steps, including an evaluation of a person’s medical history. A doctor may also conduct a physical examination to rule out other causes of the symptoms.

Mood disorders are common mental health conditions and can be treated with medication or psychotherapy. Symptoms of major depression include loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities. The person may also experience periods of extreme sadness or hopelessness. Bipolar disorder is another type of depression and involves a rapid change in mood. People with bipolar disorder have high mood periods and low moods, and these periods are known as manic and depressive. People with psychotic disorders may feel paranoid, or have difficulty coping with social situations. In these cases, psychotherapy and medication are necessary.

In California, nearly ten percent of adults report having mental health conditions. That is the equivalent of six times the population of San Francisco. Yet, only about one-third of these people receive treatment. Sadly, the stigma associated with mental illness impedes treatment and recovery for those suffering from mental health problems.