like fear of germs, excessive cleaning, and compulsive counting.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)...It’s a condition that develops after a traumatic and/or terrifying event. This includes things like sexual assault, the death of a loved one, or military combat. People with PTSD often have thoughts and memories of the event, and can be emotionally detached. There are also other trauma-and stressor-related disorders, such as acute stress disorder, where symptoms last from three days to one month after a traumatic event.
Addiction disorders…Usually alcohol and drug related problems where people start ignoring responsibilities and putting relationships aside. Reminder: the US is in the middle of an opioid crisis. Millions of Americans are addicted to opioids (think: prescriptions like OxyContin). Activities can also be addictive (think: sex or video games).
Personality disorders…when some thoughts and feelings change a person's identity, and can cause problems in how they relate to the world. Examples include antisocial personality disorder, paranoid personality disorder, and narcissistic personality disorder.
These are just some of the common mental health conditions. But there are many, many more.
The good news is that most of these disorders can be treated. Treatment for everyone is different and specialists will make a plan specific to each person, based on the disorder, other mental health issues they may be dealing with, environment, finances, and even family history.
They can. Mental illness is a leading cause of disability. Untreated conditions can lead to conflicts in your relationships, isolation, problems with alcohol and other drugs, financial problems, poverty, self-harm, as well as heart disease and other medical conditions.
No. Reminder: mental health illness affects everyone regardless of culture, race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation. But nearly 60% of adults with a mental illness didn’t get mental health services the previous year.
LGBTQ+ individuals are at least twice as likely to have a mental health condition, mostly because of fear of coming out and being discriminated against. And transgender people experience discrimination because others might not want to or be able to relate.
American Indians/Alaska Natives are more likely to die by suicide than people of other groups. And while rates of depression are typically higher among Black Americans and Latinos than White Americans, depression in these groups is also less likely to be treated. Because people from racial and ethnic minority groups are less likely to receive mental healthcare.
There are lower rates of health insurance for these groups, meaning they likely have less access to treatment. They also might face language barriers, racism, and bias. And there’s a stigma of mental illness among minority groups, which can make it less likely for them to seek treatment.
There's no trick to preventing mental health struggles. But there are things you can do to take care of yourself. Like getting educated, paying attention to warning signs, and always consulting a doctor when in question.
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