How to Know if You Are Mentally Ill

Aren't we all? Perhaps the question should be "To what degree am I mentally ill?"

Steps

1. Identify your mental symptoms.
   
   • Feeling sad
   • Being confused
   • Excessive worrying and anger/hostility/violence
   • Feeling afraid
   • Reclusion
   • Sleeping problems
   • Delusions and/or hallucinations
   • Alcohol or drug abuse
   • Significant changes in eating habits and sex drive
   • Suicidal thoughts.
   • Trouble coping with emotions
   • Difficulty handling responsibilities
2. Identify your physical symptoms.
   
   • Fatigue
   • Back and chest pains
   • Rapid heart rate
   • Dry mouth
   • Digestive problems
   • Headaches
   • Sweating
   • Drastic changes in weight
   • Dizziness
3. Determine how drastic your symptoms are. Many of these symptoms appear in response to day to day events, and are thus not necessarily indicators that you are mentally ill. You should be wary if they do not go away, and, more importantly, if they negatively impact your ability to function in day-to-day life.
4. Pin down any possible causes. While there is no one cause for mental illness, there are a variety of biological and environmental factors that are known to alter brain chemistry and cause hormone imbalances.
   
   • Inherited traits. Has anyone else in your family been diagnosed with mental illness? If so, you may be more vulnerable to developing one due simply to your genetic makeup.
   • Biological factors. Severe head trauma or exposure to viruses/toxins during development can both lead to mental illness.
   • Difficult life experiences. Highly stressful or sad situations in life can trigger mental illness in a person. This can be concentrated in a moment, such as the loss of a loved one, or drawn out, such as a history of sexual or physical abuse.
5. Talk to a doctor. If you believe yourself to have a mental illness, you should get it confirmed and diagnosed by a doctor or other health professional.

Warnings

• Don't try to fix mental illness on your own. Get help.

Sources and Citations

• http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mental-illness/DS01104/DSECTION=symptoms

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