Mental illness: overview and classification
Every second person in Switzerland will be affected by mental illness during their lives. What are the most common mental illnesses?
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What is meant by “mental illness”?
In the article “When to see a psychologist”, you can find out what constitutes a mental illness and how they are diagnosed. Seven criteria are used to assess if a person’s behaviour is abnormal. Everyday negative feelings are different from a mental illness. A person is diagnosed as having a mental illness when their negative feelings impair their everyday life and their daily behaviour differs from the norm over a certain period of time.
What are anxiety disorders?
Fear is not a pleasant feeling. However, it often warns us of dangers, so it can be useful in potentially threatening situations. On the other hand, those with anxiety disorders can struggle to live a normal life. There are five different types: you can find more information in the article on anxiety disorders.
Generalized anxiety disorder: occurs when those affected experience fear and anxiety for months. This doesn’t have to be in connection with a particular situation, but in all areas of life: at work, in family life and among friends.
Panic disorder: panic attacks occur suddenly and without warning. Those affected are suddenly afraid of a disaster or death, although there is no actual immediate danger.
Phobias: are irrational and uncontrollable fears of an object or situation. They are normal, up to a point. However, if phobias interfere with daily life, or sufferers feel the need to invent ways to avoid a particular object or situation, they should seek help.
Obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD): trap people in patterns of behaviour and thought. Images or impulses (e.g. the feeling of being dirty) cannot be suppressed. Intrusive and unhelpful thoughts (e.g. “Did I really shut the door?”) are unstoppable; they become upsetting and restrict the sufferer’s daily life. Certain rules or rituals must be performed to avoid discomfort or feared situations.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): sufferers constantly relive traumatic events in the form of flashbacks, memories and dreams. Find out more in the article on PTSD.
What are mood disorders?
Everyone feels down or happy at different points in their lives. However, some people experience extreme mood swings which negatively affect their daily lives. They can no longer live normal lives as a result.
Major depressive disorder
Depression has a serious effect on sufferers and those around them. It can cause low mood (feeling sad, depressed or hopeless), loss of interest and appetite, inability to sleep, feelings of guilt, problems concentrating and suicidal thoughts.
Bipolar disorder
Those affected have uncontrollable mood swings from depressive to manic phases. A manic episode means the sufferer has an unusually high mood. They have excessive self-esteem and optimism and an unrealistic drive to act. The depressive phase is accompanied by the realization of the damage caused in the manic phase, as well as feelings of guilt and depressive thoughts. The duration and frequency of the phases vary from person to person. Bipolar disorder is statistically less common than major depressive disorder.
What are somatoform and dissociative disorders?
Somatoform disorders refer to physical illnesses or symptoms that cannot be fully explained by actual medical findings. However, those affected feel the symptoms so strongly that the resulting stress affects their everyday life.
Somatoform disorders
People suffering from hypochondria have been examined by healthcare professionals and declared to be in good health. Nevertheless, they are convinced that they are ill, or are constantly afraid of becoming ill, despite not having symptoms.
People with somatoform disorders have a long history of physical complaints that can’t be explained (fully) medically (e.g. stomach pain, diarrhoea, excessive menstrual bleeding, double vision).
A conversion disorder is characterized by loss of motor and sensory skills without any damage to the nervous system or other physical damage. For example, sufferers may develop blindness without an identifiable medical cause.
Dissociative disorders
Issues relating to identity, memory and consciousness are referred to as dissociative disorders. People with a dissociative disorder feel detached (dissociated) from their memories, impressions, thoughts, feelings or their body and behaviour. Their sense of identity and/or consciousness is fragmented.
Those who forget personal experiences suffer from dissociative amnesia. Anyone who also displays escape behaviour (e.g. running away from home or work) suffers from dissociative fugue.
Dissociative identity disorder was previously referred to as multiple personality disorder. Two or more independent personalities exist within one individual. One personality determines the behaviour at any one time. Although often confused with schizophrenia, schizophrenia does not involve multiple personalities.
What are schizophrenic disorders?
The thoughts and perceptions of those affected with schizophrenia are changed. Symptoms typically include loss of reality, disturbances of perception, speech problems and movement problems.
There are five forms:
Disorganized: the sufferer shows incoherent patterns of thinking and disorganized behaviour, communication with others is difficult (e.g. due to childish behaviour, incomplete sentences).
Catatonic: the main symptom is improper motor activity. Sufferers may appear to be frozen or engage in sudden, exaggerated movements.
Paranoid: the sufferer has complex delusions that revolve around a specific topic such as persecution delusion, megalomania or jealousy.
Undifferentiated: symptoms are mixed. It’s not possible to assign the sufferer to one particular group.
Residual: the sufferer had a schizophrenic episode in the past and currently has minor symptoms.
What are personality disorders?
Typical is someone demonstrating long-term, abnormal perception or ways of thinking and acting. These illnesses usually appear in adolescence or early childhood.
Borderline personality disorder
Sufferers display erratic behaviour in their social relationships and have a volatile self-image and mood. They are emotionally unstable and may feel strong excitement, anger, fear, despair or emptiness. They often show self-destructive behaviour such as drug use or self-cutting. Sufferers experience great instability in their personal environment and feel emotions with intensity.
Antisocial personality disorder
Those affected exhibit repeated irresponsible and unlawful behaviour. They violate social norms, lie, steal or use violence. People with antisocial personality disorder feel no remorse or shame for their actions. The disorder often goes together with alcohol or drug addiction. There is also an increased risk of suicide.
What are childhood mental disorders?
Many mental disorders begin in childhood or puberty. However, the following disorders are particularly common in infancy and childhood.
Attention deficit disorder
Often referred to as ADD or ADHD, this disorder has two major symptoms. One is that children show a high level of inattention and have difficulty adjusting at school. The other is that children suffer from hyperactivity and impulsivity (ADHD). A diagnosis requires a child to have had the symptoms for at least six months and for the symptoms to appear before the age of seven.
Autistic disorder
Children with an autistic disorder have trouble forming connections with other people. Language development is often delayed. Interest in their environment can be severely limited. The children take comfort in routines or rituals. For example, they arrange toys in patterns or want everything to be “ordered properly”. Diagnosis is often difficult until linguistic problems arise and the disorder becomes apparent. Children at high risk of autism smile less often and respond less to their name.
Many sufferers seek psychotherapeutic care too late out of shame or ignorance. This article on therapy services can help you find psychological support.
Sources
Gerrig, R. J. (2016). Psychologie (20th edition). Hallbergmoos, Germany: Pearson.