Jahnavi Sarma
... Read More
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookie Policy.
Written By: Jahnavi Sarma | Updated : March 11, 2020 10:04 AM IST
If a happy and cheerful friend suddenly starts looking sad or expresses sad thought, it may be an early indication of mental illness. @Shutterstock
It is not always easy to read the early signs of mental illness. Very often, you may notice a friend, colleague or relative behaving in an unusual manner. But most of us will just brush it off as a 'mood' thing. You may realize only in hindsight that what looked like sadness or stress or depression may have actually been a warning sign of mental disease.
This is unfortunate because if you recognize the signs early and seek proper treatment, the severity of the problem goes down considerably. Such conditions can have many signs and symptoms including mood disorders, changes in thinking patterns and personality and behaviour changes. Some severe mental diseases like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia grow silently with many subtle signs and symptoms. As an alert friend or relative, you can spot these signs and urge your friend to seek help at the earliest. You will notice progressive changes in feelings, behaviours and thoughts before other symptoms manifest.
Here, let us look at a few early signs of mental illness.
If a happy and cheerful friend suddenly starts looking sad or expresses sad thought, it may be an early indication of mental illness. It can lead to depression and suicidal thoughts if proper treatment is not given at the right time.
This can indicate schizophrenia. Early symptoms of this condition are often confusion, inability to give direction to thoughts and inability to concentrate on one thing for long.
This can also indicate bipolar disease and schizophrenia. Clinical depression may also be a cause for these responses. Sometimes, you may also notice abnormal feelings of guilt and extreme mood like highs and lows.
Along with changes in eating habits, you may also notice a marked increase in stress levels and low energy levels. These re all early signs of mental illness.
Be alert if somebody complains of stomach pain, back pain, headaches or just any pain in the body. It may well be an early sign of mental illness. There may be no cause for these physical symptoms, and it may be just in the mind of the patient. This may be accompanied by delusions, paranoia or hallucinations.
