Mental Illness Awareness Week, observed from Oct. 6 to 12, is a crucial time to spotlight the importance of understanding and destigmatizing mental health issues like depression, anxiety and PTSD, which affect millions of people worldwide.
Common Mental Illnesses and Their Symptoms
Mental illness is a pervasive issue that affects millions of people worldwide, transcending all boundaries of culture, age, gender and socioeconomic status. Despite this prevalence, misconceptions and prejudices remain. Recognizing how mental and physical health intersect is the first step toward getting the help you need to improve your well-being.
Depression
Depression is a potentially severe mental health condition that requires compassionate medical care. Symptoms persist for months and can be pervasive, affecting multiple areas of your life.
- Persistent sad, anxious or “empty” mood
- Hopelessness, pessimism, irritability, guilt, worthlessness or helplessness
- Anhedonia, or an inability to feel joy or pleasure
- Decreased energy or fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions
- Insomnia or excessive sleeping
- Appetite and weight changes
- Suicidal ideation
- Body aches, headaches, cramps or digestive problems without an obvious physical cause that do not ease even with treatment
Anxiety
Anxiety disorders involve ongoing worry or fear that is disproportional to the situation at hand and can get worse over time. Symptoms can interfere with your job performance, schoolwork and relationships.
- Feeling nervous, restless or tense
- Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom
- Increased heart rate
- Shallow, rapid breathing
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Feeling weak or tired
- Difficulty concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry
- Insomnia
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Avoiding people, places or activities that trigger your anxiety
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Some people develop PTSD after experiencing a shocking, dangerous or life-threatening event.
- Reliving the trauma through vivid, intrusive flashbacks and nightmares
- Avoidance
- Hypervigilance, or startling easily
- Feeling tense and unable to relax, even in familiar surroundings
- Difficulty sleeping
- Having angry outbursts
- Negative thoughts about yourself or the world
- Distorted feelings like guilt or shame
Intersection of Mental Illness and Addiction
Many people drink or use drugs to alleviate mental health symptoms. Unfortunately, the harm caused by these substances far outweighs the short-lived relief they provide. A worsening addiction can exacerbate or trigger mental illness, creating a complex cycle that can be challenging to break.
Mental illnesses and substance abuse frequently co-occur, but sadly, the difficulties that arise from a dual diagnosis may make you less likely to seek and receive treatment for these overlapping conditions.
Heal With Plans Made Just for You
The frequent overlap between mental illness and substance abuse underscores the need for integrated treatment approaches that simultaneously target both components of co-occurring disorders.
Hemet Valley Recovery Center & Sage Retreat provides a comprehensive continuum of care in a fully accredited, hospital-based facility, ensuring a balanced approach to recovery. If you struggle with mental illness and substance abuse, reach out to our admissions specialists today for your tailored care plan.