According to the American Psychiatric Association, mental illnesses are ..."health conditions involving changes in emotion, thinking or behavior (or a combination of these). (APA, 2020)" Of course, all of us will, at some time or Other, experience changes to these things. All of us will feel depressed or anxious or behave in ways that are not usual for us. Does this mean we are all mentally ill? of us all. However, about one in five people will at some time in their life, experience changes to their thinking, emotions or behavior so severe that it interferes with; their ability to work or study, their relationships with family and friends and makes They feel miserable. If this continues for a long time, they may be suffering from a mental illness.
So the symptoms of mental illnesses are exaggerations of those things we commonly experience as human beings. We are not totally sure what causes mental illnesses, but doctors believe they can be caused by chemical changes in the brain or traumatic experiences or both of these things together .
Just like other forms of illness, mental illnesses may come and go and never return or they may persist for a long time. Mental illness is not the fault of the individual. such as the flu or diabetes, people with mental illnesses need care and treatment. mild and not interfere with the person life too much or for too long and other illnesses may be severe enough that the person needs treatment in hospital. Mental illness can happen to anyone regardless of gender, age or ethnicity.
References
What is mental illness?. (2018). American Psychiatric Association. Retrieved May, 11, 2020, from https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/what-is-mental-illness
