Common Mental Health Problems

Mental health encompasses emotional, mental, social, and interpersonal well-being. It impacts how you think, feel, and behave. It also influences how effectively manage stress, relate to people, and make wise choices. Mental health is essential at all stages of life, from infancy and childhood through adulthood.

Most often, our mental health problems begin during childhood or adolescence. Symptoms of mood disorders and depressive illness usually appear during this period. Some common symptoms of mood disorders include sadness, irritability, hopelessness, excessive guilt, insomnia, suicidal thoughts or attempts, fatigue, suicidal thoughts or attempts, decreased concentration, or changes in personality. Other symptoms of depression or depressive illness include thoughts of suicide or self harm, fatigue, dizziness, or other physical difficulties, or feelings of sadness or guilt. These feelings often lead to self-injury or suicide. As adolescents get older, they may also experience anxiety and substance abuse.

Anxiety is another common symptom of mood disorders and depression. Some common symptoms of anxiety include restlessness, trouble concentrating, sweating, trembling, muscle tension, headaches, palpitations, heart palpitations, chest pain, rapid breathing, or choking feeling. When the body’s autonomic nervous system is affected by anxiety or panic attacks, it sends messages to the brain. People who experience these symptoms may be diagnosed as having an anxiety disorder, or may have post-traumatic stress disorder, which can cause physical symptoms like chest pain. Physical symptoms of panic attacks are often mistaken for heart palpitations, which is when the heart beats unusually fast for no apparent reason.

Depression is a difficult mental health problem to diagnose in adolescents and young adults. Usually, depressed individuals are unable to recognize any physical symptoms that may be associated with their depression. Because of the delicate nature of adolescents’ emotions, symptoms of depression can often go undetected. This makes it very important for adolescents and young adults to be aware of signs of depression, as well as to seek treatment if they experience any of the symptoms associated with depression.

Psychological factors also play a large role in causing adolescent and young adult mental health problems. Adolescent years are a period of significant change. Adolescents go through puberty, which is a period of intense physical and mental changes. They are also more likely to experiment with drugs and other substances, which may contribute to chemical imbalance of the brain. Peer pressure, identity formation, emotional development, parental relationships, and sex, also play an important role in the development of psychological issues.

The inability of adolescents and young people to cope with emotional trauma, along with the complexity of social norms and values during this time in their lives adds to the reasons for many people to suffer from mental health problems. Many teens spend most of their time worrying about how they look, how they are perceived by others, what people think of them, what they want to do for a living, etc. Consequently, when these teens are unable to gain some sense of self-worth, self-direction, and a sense of independence, coping mechanisms like alcohol, drugs, or food become their only means of dealing with life’s realities. Many teens and young adults resort to unhealthy coping mechanisms because they cannot find a way to deal with the feelings that are part of growing up. Anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and overeating are all often used as a means of dealing with difficult feelings.

Teenagers may experience periods of feeling completely blue, a state that is associated with bipolar disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety, adjustment disorders, schizophrenia, or some other type of mental illness. People with these symptoms also have a tendency to over-react when they are confronted with common events in their lives like school, work, or social dates. Some teenagers and young adults will resort to suicide attempts when they are confronted with mental health problems or depression. The mental health problems that can arise from this kind of behavior can range from teenage depression to substance abuse and eating disorders.

Anxiety and depression are some of the most common mental health problems faced by individuals today. People who have never experienced anxiety or depression may mistake them for symptoms of other conditions. Anxiety and depression are much more serious than they are perceived by individuals. These conditions can lead to damaging thoughts and behaviors that may include thoughts of suicide attempts. In addition, if untreated, these problems can lead to a variety of more serious conditions including alcohol abuse, drug abuse, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, psychosis, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or some type of psychotic disorder.