There are many people out there that need to know more about a mental disorder. They might have had one or more of these in the past and might be wondering how they can tell if they have it or not. There are so many different types of disorders out there that you are likely to find something that interests you. Here are some of the more common types of mental disorders and how to tell if you have them.
The first type of mental disorder, we will talk about is Bipolar Disorder. This is usually referred to as a manic depressive disorder, but it is a disorder that can affect one at any time in their lives. The most common symptom for this disorder is the person having trouble with bipolar disorder. They may seem like they are having one episode of this disorder and then the next and have completely no symptoms. For example, a person once diagnosed with Personality Disorder may still end up developing Bipolar Disorder.
Another type of disorder is Major Depression. Major Depression is characterized by an ongoing depression, but the level of sadness is severe and typically lasts longer than a year. The cycles of sadness and elation that happen within someone who suffers from Major Depression are like what happens to a roller coaster ride. There can be a very short period of time where there is not a lot of emotion involved or a depression that does not last very long. On the other hand, there can also be periods of time when the person who suffers from Major Depression is elated and happier than they have ever been.
Another mental disorder is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. This disorder has to do with a person’s experience of something horrible happening to them like being raped or attacked. Some people go through so much stress after something like this that it actually prevents them from functioning well in society. A person with PTSD will often be afraid to leave their home and will keep people that they care about in the dark about what is really going on in their life. If you believe a person has PTSD, they should see a psychiatrist for an evaluation.
The last mental disorder, I would like to mention is Bipolar Disorder. This disorder is marked by periods of mania and periods of depression. Someone who is bipolar will have extreme highs followed by extremely lows. When the highs are experienced, a person with Bipolar will be extremely happy and will have no problems enjoying all the things that make them happy such as shopping trips to the beach.
However, when the lows occur, a person with Bipolar will have extremely sad thoughts and will feel terrible. For most people who have Bipolar Disorder, they either go through every day feeling bad or only having one extremely sad day. Other times, however, people with Bipolar Disorder will go through terrible months where nothing seems to go right. For these people, it is hard to maintain friendships and get themselves motivated to do things that will get them out of the dark. For some people, even things like work or school can become depressing because of their mood swings.
It is important that if you believe that you or a loved one may have a disorder like this that you get help as soon as possible. The sooner that a disorder like this is treated, the better the person will live and the less chance there is of it deteriorating later on in life. I know that this sounds scary but the longer a person with a mental health issue is untreated, the worse it will get and the more the person will isolate him or herself from society.
Getting help for a mental health problem is important no matter what kind of mental health issue that you or a family member has. Getting the help that you need can be easy if you look for it. People who suffer from Bipolar Disorder should look for a mental health professional such as a psychiatrist so that they can receive proper treatment. If you are concerned about someone that you know, getting a professional opinion is always the best way to go.