Mental health is an integral component of overall wellness, yet it remains shrouded in misconceptions and stigmas. Mental Illness Awareness Week allows us to address these mistaken beliefs and enhance understanding. As mental and behavioral health specialists, Hope by the Sea believes in highlighting these concerns and working actively to provide effective care.
According to the World Health Organization, a staggering one in every eight people worldwide lives with a mental disorder. These disorders aren’t merely transient moods or passing phases; they represent significant disturbances in thoughts, emotions and relationships. While effective prevention and treatment options are available, many affected people can’t access effective care.
To shed some light, here are five of the most common mental disorders.
1. Depression
Often characterized by persistent sadness, loss of interest in daily activities and feelings of hopelessness, depression can lead to various physical and emotional problems that decrease your ability to function in daily life. While depression responds well to therapy, medication and lifestyle changes, it may take some trial and error to find an effective treatment regimen.
2. Anxiety Disorders
Excessive worry or fear is a hallmark of anxiety. People with anxiety disorders may fear specific situations or find themselves nervous and edgy almost all the time. As a result, anxiety can interfere with your relationships, job performance and self-confidence. Though anxiety is treatable, many people do not feel comfortable asking for help.
3. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
PTSD is a condition triggered by witnessing or experiencing a terrifying event. Its symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety and uncontrollable thoughts about what you went through. If you have PTSD, you may have trouble relaxing, even at home. PTSD causes changes in the brain regions that govern your fight-or-flight response, causing hypervigilance and difficulty concentrating. A qualified therapist can help you manage your PTSD, process your trauma and enjoy a better quality of life.
4. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
People with OCD struggle with repetitive, unwanted thoughts and believe they must take specific steps to prevent disaster. Examples could include spending hours washing your hands and cleaning and disinfecting your home to avoid illness, or meticulously arranging and rearranging objects. OCD can be one of the most disruptive mental health conditions, detracting from your daily quality of life. An OCD diagnosis requires the presence of compulsive routines that take more than one hour per day, cause significant distress and interfere with daily tasks such as work and family management.
5. Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition marked by extreme mood swings ranging from manic highs to depressive lows. These mood swings can affect your sleep, energy, behavior, judgment and the ability to think clearly. Fortunately, treatment is available to help you find relief from your OCD symptoms and regain control of your life. Even severe OCD can respond well to a combination of medication and talk therapy.
California Dual-Diagnosis Treatment
People with untreated mental health disorders may self-medicate with drugs and alcohol, which can lead to addiction. Unfortunately, co-occurring addiction and mental illness makes both disorders worse and causes more self-destructive behavior.
This Mental Illness Awareness Week, let’s break down the stigma, spread knowledge and foster a society where everyone feels seen, heard and supported – regardless of their mental health status. At Hope by the Sea, we remain steadfast in our commitment to offering effective dual-diagnosis care. Contact us today for your personalized treatment regimen.
