Indications of mental instability
Not all of these symptoms are present in every case of mental instability, which is crucial to keep in mind given that there are many disorders linked to this condition. Each person’s symptoms seem different as well. Typical indications of mental instability include:
- Constant mood swings: when a person is constantly experiencing rapid fluctuating emotions very often, this could be a sign of a mental illness. Mental instability can cause a person to be emotionally unstable They can be happy one minute and angry the next. Mood swings are common but the only difference between an average person’s mood swing and a mentally unstable person is that the person with an underlying mental health issue will have no obvious reason for these constant mood swings.
- Withdrawal: sudden withdrawal from friends, family, and social activities might be a sign of a mental illness, especially when there is no reason behind this.
- Paranoia: this is a very unhealthy pattern of thinking that ranges from mild feelings of nervousness to intense suspicion. A paranoid person is prone to distressing thoughts that put their mental health at risk. This is also a common feeling amongst people, however, for mentally unstable people, it is more persistent and dangerous. Paranoid people are unnecessarily defensive and argumentative, they experience irrational fear that makes them unable to relax and they do not trust people.
- Delusions: Mentally unstable people are usually detached from reality. They are mostly in their heads and can be found constantly talking to themselves even when they are in the midst of people.
- Drastic Change in Eating Habits: This symptom is kind of specific to certain mental disorders but when a person suddenly has a major change in their diet that is beginning to reflect in their appearance, along with other weird changes, might just be a sign of a mental disorder.
- Affinity for Violence: Mentally ill people can sometimes be hot-tempered and hostile. Violence can be a way of defending themselves from their delusional fears or a sign of the specific mental illness they are experiencing.
- The inability to think rationally or make simple decisions; inability to cope with normal daily stress and excessive feeling of fear and guilt are also part of mentally unstable signs.
- Suicidal thoughts: this involves the desire to take out one’s life. Medically, there are two types
- Passive suicidal ideation (when a person wishes they could die but does not actively plan to take their own life)
- Active suicidal ideation involves active intents and plans to commit suicide. This is a very serious and the most dangerous sign of mental illness.
Causes of mental instability
- Substance use
The use of hard drugs and excess consumption of alcohol can be destructive to a person’s mental health and render them useless.Relationship issuesPressures
- Financial difficulties
- Genetics
Some mental disorders like schizophrenia have been proven to be transmittable genetically.
- Brain Damage
Some chemical or structural malfunctions in the brain can also be responsible for mental illnesses.
- Isolation
Self-isolation or long-term loneliness can affect emotional health and cause a person to become delusional.
- Trauma
Significant trauma from childhood abuse or at any point in a person’s life can result in mental impairment.
Result of mental health disorder signs
All the above-mentioned symptoms of mental health issues can lead to the following
- Inability to function and focus at work/school
- Difficulty in maintaining a relationship
- Self-harm/suicide tendencies
- Poor physical/mental health habits
- drug/substance abuse
- Unstable emotions. Some mental disorders like bipolar disorder can make a person emotionally unstable.
Treatments for Mental Instability
There are so many treatment options for mental disorders/illnesses and depending on the level of the symptoms or the diagnosis of the doctor, the following treatments can be used:
- Self-help plans
This involves personally implementing strategies that can help improve your mental health. These strategies can be created by a doctor or created by you based on the knowledge of helpful things that reduce your symptoms.
- Medications
Several drugs can be used to induce emotional stability and reduce the symptoms of mental disorders.
- Psychotherapy
This is the use of psychological techniques through interaction with the patient to help understand the root cause of their problem, change their behavior and help them overcome their problems. There are several types of psychotherapy. A medical practitioner will be able to diagnose and recommend the appropriate therapy to help overcome or manage the fear.
There are now many platforms to find the right professional for your mental health. For example, the Calmerry platform cooperates with licensed psychologists and therapists and has a wide range of therapy services.
The common types of psychotherapy
- Behavioural Therapy
This is the use of various techniques to change some maladaptive behaviors to get more desirable results. Some of the techniques used include classical conditioning and operant conditioning. This type of therapy can help with a lot of mental disorders like depression, anxiety, panic disorders, bipolar disorder, alcohol and substance disorder, and so on.
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
This is similar to behavioral therapy but the technique used is that of helping the patient understand the thoughts that influence their disorders and helping them to change those negative thoughts. This type of therapy can help with anxiety, addiction, phobias, and depression.
- Psychoanalytic Therapy
This is done similarly to cognitive behavior but on a broader scope. The therapist dives more into the patient’s personal experiences to figure out what triggered the disorder and at what point the trigger happened.
These therapies can either be done individually, in groups, or with the family members of the patient.
- Peer Support
A group of people who have gotten significant results in their treatment or have completely healed from their disorders is the ones who are charged with helping others in this kind of treatment. The peer support method of treatment has been proven to help reduce the feeling of stigmatization surrounding people with mental health conditions; create an environment for social interaction; encourage recovery and increase the social functioning and interaction of mental disorder patients.
- Alternative Medicine
This is a type of treatment used to complement standard medical treatments. These kinds of medicines do not have a scientific backup to how well they work but can be used based on an informed decision made with the advice of the doctor. The doctor must know about the consumption of these alternatives, just to make sure you do not consume anything that might trigger your disorder; worsen it, or stop your medical treatment from working.
Coping strategies for people who are mentally ill
Inform the person of your worries. Usually, this is difficult because the offended party might take offense. You must, though, express your support for them and urge them to seek assistance.
How to deal with mental illness:
- Consult a medical professional for assistance so they can diagnose you and recommend the best course of action.
- Do not use self-medication
- Find and use healthy coping techniques, such as talking to family and friends, journaling, and other activities.
Conclusion
Having a mental health illness is not shameful, and talking to someone about it and getting professional care are both entirely acceptable.
