What is a Mental Illness?

Mental illnesses are biologically based brain disorders that can profoundly disrupt a person’s thinking, feeling, moods, ability to relate to others, and capacity for coping with the demands of life. Mental illnesses include disorders such as schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder.

Mental Disorders affect one-quarter of all Americans. On any given day one out of every four people you pass may be experiencing a mental illness. By this count more than 2 million of Ohio’s 11 Million citizens experience some form of mental disorder including 200,000 children.

Evidence indicates that mental illnesses are biological based diseases of the brain. Genetics can play a part, but people can develop a mental illness with no family history of mental illness. Others may be emotional or psychological reactions to environmental or social situations. Some of these disorders may be temporary, caused by extreme stress or life change.

The Ten Warning Signs

1. Marked personality change

2. Inability to cope with problems and daily activities

3. Strange or grandiose ideas

4. Excessive fears, worries and anxieties

5. Prolonged depression, apathy, sadness or irritability

6. Feelings of extreme highs and lows

7. Dramatic changes in eating or sleeping habits

8. Excessive anger, hostility or violent behavior

9. Abuse of alcohol or drugs

10. And thinking or talking about suicide