Mental Health
- Is our emotional, psychological, and social well-being.
- It happens during every stage of life (childhood, adolescence, and adulthood).
- It helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.
- It is disturbed by stressors in our daily life.
Mental Illness
- Affects a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, or behavior, such as depression and anxiety
- It is a condition that can last for a long time.
- It affects a person’s ability to relate to others and function throughout the day.
- 50% of mental illness begins at the age of 4 and 75% by the age of 24.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety Disorder
Individuals can experience anxiety daily; however, having an anxiety disorder is when it is persistent and intense for a long period of time. A continuous feeling of worry, fear, and uneasiness. Types of anxiety disorders are social anxiety, panic disorders, and phobias.
What is Depression?
Depression Disorder
Depression is a mood disorder that causes a continuous feeling of sadness that does not go away. It affects an individual’s ability to do activities daily. It is a brain disorder that affects how you feel, think, and behave.
Know your Symptoms, and Get Help!
Anxiety signs and symptoms:
- Feeling nervous, restless, or tense
- A sense of impending danger, panic, or doom
- Increased heart rate
- Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Feeling weak or tired
- Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry
- Trouble sleeping
- Gastrointestinal (GI) problems
- Difficulty controlling worry
- Urges to avoid things that trigger anxiety
Depression signs and symptoms:
- Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness, or hopelessness
- Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters
- Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as sex, hobbies, or sports
- Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much
- Tiredness and lack of energy, so even small tasks take extra effort
- Reduced appetite and weight loss or increased cravings for food and weight gain
- Anxiety, agitation, or restlessness
- Slowed thinking, speaking, or body movements
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or self-blame
- Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions, and remembering things
- Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, or suicide
- Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches
Author: Efua Arthur
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