Mental health awareness is an important subject. People are starting to get used to the fact that mental problems should be addressed and that they need to be treated. This can also help by contributing to the decline of the stigma placed on such affections. Despite this, there are many people who don’t know enough about mental problems or how they can be treated. This is why May has been named the Mental Health Awareness Month.
Mental Health Awareness Month and its Importance
More and more people nowadays may be suffering from anxiety, depression or OCD. The problem is that not everybody knows what to address these problems. Some don’t recognize the signs and symptoms of a mental condition. Another issue is the lack of sufficient funding for mental health care.
People still believe that being bipolar means that you are indecisive or that you have OCD because you like to clean your house. These are just stereotypes that need to be forgotten. This is why Mental Health Awareness Month is crucial: to change people’s opinion about mental illnesses. It should also help them find out more about these conditions and how to recognize them.
Having depression doesn’t mean you are sad
Some people may still believe that those who are depressed are just sad and that they need to get on their feet and start doing things. Depression is a severe mood disorder, not a choice. It may also affect the way people think, feel, and act. Some people are unable to eat, sleep, or work normally because of it. Doctors usually place this diagnosis on people that have exhibited its symptoms for longer than 2 weeks straight.
Being bipolar is not the same as being indecisive
The bipolar disorder is a mental health problem also known as manic-depressive illness. This condition causes shifts in energy, mood, and activity levels. It also affects a person’s ability to carry out everyday actions. An individual affected by this mental health problem has different moods that range from down (sad, hopeless) to up periods (energized, manic episodes). There are four recognized types of bipolar disorders: Bipolar I Disorder, Cyclothymic Disorder (also called cyclothymia), Bipolar II Disorder, and Other Specified and Unspecified Bipolar and Related Disorders.
OCD and its effects
The obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic condition which causes people to have thoughts and behaviors that they repeat over and over again. Some of the most common urges include fear of germs, aggressive feelings or the need for things to be in perfect order. These compulsions and obsessions are repetitive behaviors. People with OCD experience compulsions such as excessive cleaning, arranging everything in a certain way, compulsive counting or check-ups.
Anxiety and Panic Disorder
People who suffer from anxiety experience may experience several specific symptoms. Some of these include difficulty concentrating, irritability or sleep problems. Anxiety patients can also suffer from a panic disorder. Those affected by this condition have recurrent panic attacks. These latter happen as a person’s heart rate accelerates, they start sweating and have trouble breathing or controlling their body.
These are just some of the most commonly diagnosed mental health problems, but they are not the only ones. People can also suffer from ADHD, Personality disorder, eating disorders, PTSD or schizophrenia, among others. You can find out more about mental health on the National Institute of Mental Health’s website.
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