8.4: Early Signs of Mental Health Problems
- Page ID
- 216710
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Mental health problems are common. We all experience problems and stressors from daily living at the milder end of the mental health continuum, and at some point in our lives, we are likely to experience emotional problems or concerns. Mental illness, though less common, is nevertheless a frequent occurrence, and it is estimated that approximately one in five Americans will personally experience a mental illness in their lifetime.
Each mental health disorder has specific signs and symptoms, but common signs of mental health problems in adults and adolescents are as follows:
- Excessive worrying or fear
- Excessive sad or low feelings
- Confused thinking or problems concentrating and learning
- Extreme mood changes, including uncontrollable “highs” or feelings of euphoria
- Prolonged or strong feelings of irritability or anger
- Avoidance of friends and social activities
- Difficulty understanding or relating to other people
- Changes in sleeping habits or feeling tired and low energy
- Changes in eating habits, such as increased hunger or lack of appetite
- Changes in sex drive
- Disturbances in perceiving reality referred to as hallucinations (i.e., when a person senses things that don’t exist in reality)
- Inability to perceive changes in one’s own feelings, behavior, or personality (i.e., lack of insight)
- Misuse of substances like alcohol, drugs, or prescription medications
- Multiple physical ailments without obvious causes (such as headaches, stomachaches, or vague and ongoing “aches and pains”)
- Thoughts of suicide
- Inability to carry out daily activities or handle daily problems and stress
- Intense fear of weight gain or being overly concerned with appearance
Mental health disorders can also be present in young children. Because children are still learning how to identify and talk about thoughts and emotions, their most obvious symptoms are behavioral or complaints of physical symptoms. Behavioral symptoms in children can include the following:
- Changes in school performance
- Excessive worry or anxiety, for example fighting to avoid going to bed or school
- Hyperactive behavior
- Frequent nightmares
- Frequent disobedience or aggression
- Frequent temper tantrums
Attribution: This page titled 1.2: Mental Health and Mental Illness is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Ernstmeyer & Christman (Eds.) (OpenRN) .