Symptoms of Mental Illness
The symptoms of mental ill health may be evident to
both the sufferer and the observer, neither of whom,
however, may recognize the signs as anything serious
.Because the onset of symptoms may be insidious and
change may occur gradually, true mental illness may be
quite advanced before it is detected. For these reasons,
and because mental illness requires tactful and skillful
treatment, medical consultation should be sought as soon
as nay concern is felt about the behavior of the
individual.
Undesirable behavior symptoms that should be a
warning when they continue are anxiety, depression,
brooding, inability to concentrate, sleeplessness, and
lack of interest in friend, family, job, or accustomed
recreation. Obsessions or fixed ideas, fears that are
baseless, headaches not attributable to usual caused and
physical complaints of an imaginary nature are rather
common symptoms of mental illness. Other observable
symptoms of mental ill health are oversensitivity,
reluctance to mingle with others or to go to new places,
confusion as to one’s identity or that of others in the
family or to one’s surroundings, recurrent daydreams or
hallucinations of an impossible nature, and resentment
toward a person with out apparent cause. Any suicidal
threat is an undesirable behavior symptom that should
never be disregarded.
Some mental conditions of temporary nature,
disappearing as the patient recovers, may accompany
illness or result from the use of certain medications.
The mental condition of the patient who has a high fever
or of one who has a severe infection any kind should be
carefully watched. The very ill patient may become
delirious (a temporary state of mental excitement) or he
may become disoriented (not know where he is) and try to
get out of bed. Because such a patient is not
responsible for what he may do, he should never be left
alone. The elderly patient, especially, may be confused,
delirious, or disoriented because of medications that
have been given. Sedative drugs are particularly likely
to cause such symptoms.
It is believed that many types of mental illness are
buried deep in the patient’s past experiences and that
the causes usually date back to the person’s early
childhood, and his relationships with his parents. It is
not always possible to understand fully the deep seated
causes without long treatment, and the family doctor or
the psychiatrist needs the cooperation of the family
doctor or the psychiatrist needs the cooperation of the
family in learning all he can about the patient.
Attitudes of others toward the patient all he can about
the patient. Attitudes of others toward the patient are
particularly important in the treatment of mental
disorders. Fortunately, mental illness and emotional
disturbances are recognized as health problems that can
be treated.
The line dividing the mentally well from the mentally
ill is a fragile one, and it is no readily discernible
because there are many degrees of mental health and many
causes for mental ill health. Everyone at some time
exhibits unhealthy behavior traits, but most people are
bale to get along with most others most of the time
without undo guilt feelings and can meet the problems of
everyday living.
|
