Abode of Wisdom - 2

THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS of mental illness

1.       Loss of Appetite and Refusal of Food: Reduced eating or not eating at all due to depression, not feeling hungry or too busy to find time to eat.

2.      Sleep Disturbance: Difficult to get to sleep, wakes up early in the morning and is unable to go back to sleep.

3.      Amotivation: Needs to be motivated for each and everything.

4.      Asocialization: Withdraws from interacting with people, gatherings, etc.

5.      Anxiety: Always has a vague fear of something or the other.

6.      Irritability: Pestering people always or gets on very fast with others.

7.      Restlessness: Unable to concentrate on particular work; keeps pacing and is unable to sit in a place without constantly changing positions or moving around.

8.      Irrelevant Talking: Gives inappropriate answers to questions asked.

9.      Poor Personal Appearance: Appearance is neglected, looks shabby, unwilling to shave, take a bath and change their clothes. Dresses with colorful but old clothes.

10.   Aggression: Verbal and physical assaultiveness is seen.

11.    Absconding Tendency: Running away from home without any reason and may or may not come back.

12.   Wandering Tendency: Roams around without any purpose.

13.   Mutism: Suddenly stops speaking for a period of time. Acts as if he is dumb.

14.   No Connectivity of Speech: No connection between sentences spoken.

15.   Loss of Memory: Not able to remember or recall events occurring a minute ago or an hour before.

16.   Repetition of Words or Actions: Constantly repeats words or carries on doing the same action for a long time.

17.   Destructive Nature: The person becomes destructive to self, others and to the surroundings.

18.   Extreme Happiness: Over happiness without any reason and increased activity due to it.

19.   Lack of Interest in Work, Hobbies and Surroundings: Declined interest in one’s work and other activities. Sometimes become so dull and lazy that they refuse to get up from their bed.

20.  Extreme Sadness: Extremely sad without any specific reason.

21.   Disorientation: Not able to know the time or place properly or fails to recognize a known person.

22.  Confusion: May find difficulty in expressing himself or is unable to recognize surroundings.

23.  False Beliefs: Beliefs like a person are trying to harass him or kill him.  Also believes he is very rich and has supernatural powers. Doubts wife’s faithfulness etc. without any cause or proof.

24.  Illusions: Misinterpreting of a real object; e.g. mistaking a rope in the dark for a snake.

25.  Hallucinations: Persons hearing and imagining things which are actually not there or don’t exist.

26.  Suicidal Tendency:  Thinking of ending one’s life.