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Mental health problems are common but rarely appear out of nowhere. One in four people experience mental health issues during their lifetime and need support.
However, it can be difficult to spot the warning signs and symptoms as mental illnesses often appear gradually. Changes to a person’s thinking, feelings and behaviour may not be obvious at first as symptoms develop over time.
If you are worried and suspect that someone you know may need support with their mental health, it is best to get help and treatment as early as possible.
By intervening early on, you increase the chance of reducing the severity of the illness and speeding up their recovery or, in some instances, prevent the illness.
On this page you will find information about what a mental illness is, how to spot the early signs and symptoms and where you can turn to for support.
What is a mental illness and what can cause it?
Mental illnesses, also known as mental health disorders, are conditions that affect your feelings, behaviour, mood, thinking and the way you interact with others.
There are many different mental health conditions. Common mental illnesses include depression, schizophrenia, social anxiety, bipolar disorder and eating disorders.
Some mental health problems are hereditary while others are triggered by distressing or traumatic events, ranging from losing a job to bereavement or heartbreak.
Most people will at some point in their life worry about their mental health. However, these concerns become an illness when the symptoms start to affect your ability to function.
You may find it increasingly difficult to concentrate at work or build up a fear of social interaction which can greatly affect your overall wellbeing.
Mental health problems are common
Experiencing mental health issues is common and it is estimated that up to 25 per cent of people will suffer from this at some point in their lives.
How people experience these problems is highly individual and some will have more severe problems than others.
Even if it may feel difficult, it is very important to take action and seek support as soon as you feel that something is wrong to put you on the path to recovery.
Signs of mental illness and how to spot them
Identifying a mental illness as early as possible gives you a better chance to successfully prevent, reduce or delay the issues.
There are several signs and symptoms to look out for, but they can be difficult to spot at first. For example, how do you tell the difference between being in a bad mood and something that could be far more serious?
The signs and symptoms of mental illness also vary depending on the disorder and the situation you are in.
Pay attention: If you feel that something is not right and either yourself or a loved one is showing several of the following symptoms and they negatively affect daily life, it could be a sign of a mental illness.
Signs of mental illness:
- Prolonged anxiety and feelings of worry
- Feeling sad, depressed or unhappy
- Having a low mood for a long period of time
- Having trouble coping with stress
- Extreme mood changes and emotional outbursts, such as anger or euphoria
- Extreme feelings of guilt or feeling worthless
- Difficulties to concentrate and learn new things
- Finding it difficult to understand and relate to other people
- Not getting enough sleep or sleeping too much
- Becoming detached from reality or suspicious, including paranoia and hallucinations
- Believing that loved ones want to cause you harm
- Being convinced that they have special powers
- Substance abuse, such as the overuse of alcohol and other drugs
- Having suicidal thoughts
- Becoming withdrawn or isolated
- Repeatedly avoiding social interaction
- Fluctuating weight, changes in eating habits or lack of appetite
If you spot any symptoms of mental disorders among friends and family, try to have an honest discussion about your concerns as it may be time to speak to a mental health professional.
If you have suicidal thoughts, help is always available
There is always someone to talk to and you can get help right now if you need it. It is important to know that whenever you are feeling down, you do not have to go through it alone.
Helplines:
- Samaritans: 116 123 (24 hours)
- HOPELINEUK (for people under 35): 0800 068 4141 (9am-10pm weekdays, 2pm-10pm weekends and bank holidays)
- Campaign Against Living Miserably (for men): 0800 58 58 58 (5pm to midnight every day)
- NHS urgent mental health helpline: Find your local NHS helpline for 24 hour advice and support (England only)
If your life is in danger, call 999 for an ambulance immediately.
How to get support for mental health problems
As mentioned above, the best way to tackle mental illness is to find help early, but where can you get support?
Seeing a GP
If you have concerns about your own mental health, you should first visit your GP and explain your symptoms, your worries and how you feel.
It can be very difficult to talk about personal issues and accepting help, but your GP is there to help you. You may find that bringing a family member or friend along with you is beneficial.
Your GP will be able to help you identify what type of support you need, give advice and provide you with options depending on the severity of your mental health problems, such as medical treatments or referring you to a mental health specialist or expert services.
Therapy and counselling
Mental illnesses are generally treated with both medication and talk therapy. Counselling typically focuses on specific issues, for example addiction or stress management, whereas psychotherapy is more long term.
A psychiatrist may manage your care and treatment depending on how severe your mental health problems are.
The NHS offers psychotherapy in some areas by referral from your GP and there may be a long waiting list.
An option is to see a private psychiatrist, but you would have to pay for this yourself.
Social care
If you are diagnosed with a mental illness, it might mean that you have social care needs. You can arrange for a needs assessment through your local authority, which they are legally obliged to carry out.
Many home care providers offer services to support people with mental health problems in a variety of ways. Browse our directory of providers to find out who provides mental health support and read their reviews.
Helping yourself
If you are struggling with mental health problems, there are ways you can try and help yourself.
Doing some research about how you are feeling can help you understand why you are feeling that way and in turn help you recover.
There many self-help guides online, including NHS’ mental health and wellbeing site where you can take self-assessment quizzes and find mental wellbeing guides.
Mental health charities
Many charities in the UK operates to support people with mental health illnesses, including therapy, group support and emotional support.
Mind is a charity dedicated to empowering anyone experiencing mental health problems. They also have useful information on how to help someone else.
Rethink tirelessly works to improve the lives of those with severe mental illness and those affected by it. The charity offers services that help people’s needs from escalating and support them to find the right care.
