Mental Differentials

Mental health problems are abundant in society and especially affect marginalized groups, such as the LGBT community. A recent poll done by the National Health Interview Survey found that bisexuals have the highest rate of mental health problems. But mental health is a broad topic. How do you know if you truly have a brain sickness or if you’re just dealing with a lot of issues right now?

As someone who used to work in the mental health field, I found mental health problems abundant. Someone may fit the definition of depression for three months straight and then be fine due to some circumstance changing. Someone else may experience those same symptoms, and not be able to overcome them without help of drugs and/or therapy. Everyone is different, and how one overcomes mental health issues is no sign of weakness or strength.

Check out the mental health descriptions below, and if you match the criteria, make some steps to put your mind, body, and life back on track. Most of these conditions can be treated with drugs and/or therapy (emphasis on the and).

Depression: A mental health condition marked by loss of interest in enjoyable activities, thoughts of suicide, feelings of extreme sadness, eating/sleeping more/less, and/or loss of concentration. This condition can warp your sense of reality and make things seem worse than they actually are.

Bipolar: This mental health disorder can meet all of the criteria for depression one week and be followed by several days of what is called “mania.” A manic person is hyperactive, talkative, performs loud displays of action. Bipolar Disorder causes people to alternate between depression and mania and is sometimes referred to as “manic depression.” The periods of each are different for each person.

Anxiety: Anxiety has several disorders and is a blanket term. Let’s go with Generalized Anxiety Disorder for the moment, which is a mood disorder that causes chronic nervousness. Many people with GAD find themselves “keyed up” and unable to relax. We all worry about money, health, and family, but those with GAD worry about those along with many other things with little or no reason to feel anxious about them. They’re convinced that things will generally go badly, and this sometimes prevents GAD sufferers from completing day to day tasks.

There are many and more mental health mood disorders than what I’ve mentioned here. This was a brief overlook on the more common disorders you are likely to encounter either personally or interpersonally in your lifetime. Remember: If you are thinking about hurting yourself or others, tell someone and get help now. Call your doctor, therapist, or a hotline (such as 1-800-273-TALK) right away. ü