A complete mental illness list is helpful to understand common mental health disorders that people struggle with in the United States, but finding a comprehensive list isn’t always easy. This is because there are more than 100 mental health conditions defined by the DSM-5, each with their own symptoms and treatment options. That’s why we’re taking a look at a mental illness list of common conditions as well as how to get treatment for mental illness near you.
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Common Mental Illness List
When it comes to a mental illness list, there are typically different categories of conditions to better sort all of the potential diagnoses. These categories usually include anxiety disorders, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, and substance use disorders. Within those categories come common mental illnesses that impact countless people around the country. So, let’s take a closer look at some of these common mental health disorders below:
1. Substance Use Disorders
Did you know that having an addiction to drugs or alcohol is a mental health issue? This is because the addictive substances have a heavy influence on the entire body: physical, mental, and emotional. Research estimates that over 22 million people in America struggle with an addiction. Unfortunately, only a small percentage of those people actually receive help.
Common addictions are to substances such as:
- Alcohol
- Opioids
- Prescription drugs
- Meth
- Cocaine
Plus, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, up to half of people who struggle with addiction also have a co-occurring mental health condition like one of the ones listed below. In those situations, specific treatment known as dual diagnosis programming is required to address both the addiction and co-occurring mental health conditions.
2. Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety is a broad term for frequent worries and feelings of uneasiness. In cases of anxiety disorders like generalized anxiety (GAD), phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or panic disorders, the symptoms can range from mild to severe.
Anxiety disorders like PTSD also come with flashbacks, nightmares, and emotional triggers. Of course, the symptoms of anxiety disorders are not just psychological. They can often physically manifest in the form of stomach aches, migraines, insomnia, and more. Furthermore, addictive substances like alcohol and drugs often make the symptoms of anxiety disorders even worse.
Treatment approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy or group counseling are effective methods to address the current symptoms somebody might be feeling. These therapies can also help somebody to prepare for and prevent future occurrences of anxiety symptoms.
3. Bipolar Disorder
Having undiagnosed and untreated bipolar disorder can leave a huge impact on somebody’s life. This is because bipolar disorder often comes with extreme highs and lows. One week, you could feel as though you can conquer the world (which can lead to dangerous behaviors), but the next you might not be able to get out of bed.
Depression is one of the most common symptoms of bipolar disorder, but there are a lot of other feelings, behaviors, and experiences that a person with bipolar disorder might have, which makes it a challenging disorder to diagnose and treat. However, this doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to manage the symptoms of bipolar disorder. Rather, with the right mental health assistance, medication management, and therapeutic techniques, you can live a happy and healthy life with bipolar disorder.
4. Depressive Disorders
Depression isn’t just a symptom of other mental health disorders—it is its own diagnosis. People often think of depression as being sad, but it’s often much more than that. Depression can impact the way that you feel, think, and behave, as with any other condition on this mental illness list.
Depression can stem from low self-esteem, hormonal imbalances throughout your body, grief and loss, or even other factors like having chronic pain. With depression, you might find it hard to maintain good hygiene or interact with others. But treatments like counseling and group therapy are helpful in keeping the symptoms of depression at bay.
5. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) used to be categorized as an anxiety disorder but now the DSM-5 recognizes it as its own diagnosis with unique characteristics. With OCD comes intrusive thoughts and ritualistic behaviors, such as checking a lock over and over again.
Fighting off the unwanted thoughts and “what if” scenarios that run through your mind is a huge challenge with OCD, but treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy are useful in retraining your brain to feel okay even if you don’t do the compulsion. In some cases, medication is needed to help tamper the intrusions. Usually, a combination of medicine and therapy is the most effective approach for coping with OCD.
6. Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder
Lastly, two of the most common mental health disorders that needs mentioning on this mental illness list are schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders. Schizophrenia is usually known by symptoms of hallucinations, delusions, and erratic thought patterns. Similarly, schizoaffective disorder often presents with symptoms of schizophrenia. But the main difference between these two conditions is that schizoaffective disorder also comes with symptoms of mood disorders, like depression.
Long gone are the days where people with schizophrenia could not function in daily life. Instead, treatment centers for mental health recovery welcome people with these disorders to fully help them manage the symptoms and live life to the fullest.
Getting a Mental Health Diagnosis
There are a few different ways that you can get a mental health diagnosis. First, it’s important to take note of any and all symptoms that you might be having. Even though the symptoms for mental illnesses vary widely depending on one’s personal experiences, there are some common warning signs to keep an eye out for, including:
- Changes in mood and behavior
- Persistent worrying
- Impulsive decision making
- Using drugs or alcohol to “cope” with other symptoms
- Feelings of hopelessness
- Thoughts of suicide
If you’ve noticed that you have one or more of these symptoms, you might be struggling with your mental health. Things like online mental health screenings can help you to better understand the symptoms you could be experiencing. Be sure to speak with your doctor or mental health professional if symptoms change or if you feel you are a danger to yourself or others.
Additionally, mental health recovery centers usually offer psychological assessments upon admission. These assessments take into account your family history, any conditions already diagnosed, current symptoms, and your recovery goals in order to get you the best treatment that’s suited for your needs. With these resources, you can get a mental health diagnosis and move forward with treatment options in order to begin recovery right away.
Mental Health Care Treatment at The Blackberry Center
The Blackberry Center in St. Cloud, Florida is a behavioral hospital dedicated to helping patients recover from all of the conditions on this mental illness list and more. The treatment options mentioned above, such as CBT and group therapy, are only some of the healing opportunities offered here. We also provide family education on mental health, recreational therapy, medication management, and so much more.
If you are ready to begin your mental health recovery journey, call us at 888-512-9802 or fill out our confidential form online. When it’s time to take care of your mental health, we’re here to support you through all of the challenges and successes that come with recovery.
The post Mental Illness List: Common Conditions and Treatments appeared first on The Blackberry Center of Central Florida.
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Original Author: The Blackberry Center
