SIGNS & SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL ILLNESS

SIGNS & SYMPTOMSSigns and symptoms of mental illness can vary, depending on the particular disorder, circumstances and other factors. Mental illness symptoms can affect emotions, thoughts and behaviors.Examples of signs and symptoms include:Feeling sad or downConfused thinking or reduced ability to concentrateExcessive fears or worries, or extreme feelings of guiltExtreme mood changes of highs and lowsWithdrawal from friends and activitiesSignificant tiredness, low energy or problems sleeping

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS (CONT)Detachment from reality (delusions), paranoia or hallucinationsInability to cope with daily problems or stressTrouble understanding and relating to situations and to peopleAlcohol or drug abuseMajor changes in eating habitsSex drive changesExcessive anger, hostility or violenceSuicidal thinking

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS (CONT)Sometimes symptoms of a mental health disorder appear as physical problems such asstomach pain, back pain, headache, or other unexplained aches and pains.

Common signs of mental illnessDisorder of thoughtDisorder of memoryDisorder of moodDisorder of perceptionDisorder of affectDisorder of motor activity

Disorder of perception -False sensory perception in the absence of external stimulus-Hallucination -It may affect any of 5 senses

Auditory H- [hearing], {very common in schizophrenia} -patient hears voices talking to him -scolding/ abusing/ commanding.

Contd2. Visual H- [sight], {delirium} -see things that are not present

3. Tactile H- [touch], {alcoholism} delirium -feels insects crawling on the skin, people touching her

4. Olfactory H- [smell] -smells something that is not present

5. Gustatory H [taste] -tasted something that is not present

Disorder of perceptionIllusion:An abnormal perception caused by a sensory misinterpretation of actual stimulus. e.g. shadows is perceived as ghost e.g. rope is perceived as snake

( illusion are more common when there is a reduced level of consciousness, for example in delirium)

Thinking Normal human thinking has FOUR charecteristic:Content: what is being thought about.

Form: what manner, or shape is the thought.

Stream or flow: how it is being thought about- the amount and speed of thinking.

Possession: control of our thoughts, feelings and acts.

Disorder of thoughtDISORDERS OF STREAM OF THOUGHT

Circumstantiality: -The patient takes too long to reach goal. He gives too many unnecessary details but never loses track of the topic in hand.

Poverty of Speech (Laconic speech): -Poor content or no content.

Thought blocking: -An unpleasant experience of having ones flow of thought is suddenly stopped.

2. DISORDERS OF FORM OF THOUGHT

Flight of ideas (rapid thought)Loosening of associations (derailment)Neologisms (new words)Perseveration( persistent repetition of same idea)Tangentiality (responding in a manner irrelevant to the topic)Word salad (mixed up words/ incoherence)Poverty of content of speech (few words/empty)

ContdFlight of ideas:Characterized by accelerated flow of thoughts associated with pressure of speech and ideas shift from one topic to another rapidly.

Derailment:Slow and progressive digression from original topic.

Incoherence:Lacks cohesiveness and grammar-meaningless sentence.

ContdTangentiality:Here reply to a question starts with an irrelevant answer not related to a question and patient gives the right or relevant reply at some point and then again moves on to something unrelated.

Neologism:Invention of new words.

Perseveration:Repitition of same word to different question.

Empty speech:Speech gives no information though speech is normal.

Disorder of content (Delusions)A delusion is a false, fixed belief that cannot be corrected by any reason, [out of touch with reality].Hypochondriacal: False belief that something is wrong with individuals body in the absence of any physical injury.Jealousy: He believes that the spouse is having affair that someone else.

ContdUnworthiness (depression)- believes that he is useless and feel worthless to live.Nihilistic is a false belief that a part of individuals body is non existent.Delusion of poverty: False belief that individual is poor or lost his status.Paranoid: belief that people are against him.

ContdPersecutory- delusions in which the central theme is that the person is being watched, attacked or harassed (e.g. someone believing that he is being followed by government agents)Grandiose- delusions about inflated worth, power, or status (e.g. someone believing that he is actually a religious figure)Ideas of reference: False belief that certain remarks or actions of others refer to him.

Disorders of Possession Thought insertion: The experience of thoughts being inserted into the mind.Thought withdrawal: The experience of thoughts being removed or extracted from ones mind.Thought broadcasting: Ones thoughts are being transmitted from ones mind and broadcast to everyone.

ContdObsession: -Repetitive, persistent ideas, impulses or images present in mind against his will.

Compulsion: -An irresistible impulse to act, regardless of the rationality of the motivation. -Repetitive, persistent thoughts-activities done (hand washing repeatedly)

Disorders of affectAffect -the external expression of such a feelingAppropriate affect -same as the situation of speech/ ideaInappropriate affect -crying while reporting feelings of joysLabile affect -rapid change in feelingBlunted affect -no feeling/ response to external situation (severe reduction)Flat affect -lack of emotional response to pleasant external stimuli

Disorder of mood (pervasive sustained emotional state)Euthymic- normal range of moodDysthymic-unplesant moodIrritable- patient is easily angered, annoyedEuphoric/elated- subjective sense of well being and intense feelings of joyExaltation-elation with feelings of grandeur

ContdDepression- sadnessAnxiety- feeling of apprehension without a cause.Apathy- dull emotional state (dont care about surroundings)Ambivalence-two opposite emotions toward same person, object or situation.

Motor activity disorderHyper activity -increased motor activity

Stereotypy -repeated movements (no significance)

ContdMannerism - a habitual or characteristic manner, mode, or way of doing something; distinctive quality or style, as in behavior or speech: He has an annoying mannerism of tapping his fingers while he talks. Tics -irregular, repeated movements involving group of muscles. -e.g. raising shoulder, eye blinking, throat clearing

ContdPsychomotor agitation -restlessness associated with irritability (patient walk up & down, cant stand still)

Psychomotor retardation -very slow motor activity (speech slow, monotonous, sit motionless)

Catatonic (stupor) -markedly reduced movements

ContdPosturing -adoption of unusual bodily postures for an unusually long timeWaxy flexibility -patients limbs can be placed in any position, remains in that position untill asked to changeEchopraxia -imitation of interviewers movementsEcholalia -imitation of interviewers speechNegativism -automatic resistance to all request (asked to show tongue, tightly clenching jaw)

Disorders of motor activityEcholalia: - Automatic repetition of the last words.- A speech disorder in which the person inappropriately and automatically repeats the last words he or she has heard.

Memory disordersAmnesia: -a total or partial loss of memory following physical injury, disease, drug, or psychological trauma.Anterograde amnesia: -loss of memory due to any cause. e.g. brain trauma.Retrograde amnesia: -loss of memory for a period of time prior to any cause.

ContdConfabulation- filling memory gaps with fantasy story

Dj vu- the experience of thinking that a new situation had occurred before.

Other TerminologiesAbuse: -a maladaptive pattern of substance use leading to problems in life. -any harm or injury to child, adult, elder (physical, psychological, emotional, sexual).Abstinence: -voluntary refraining/restraining from a behavior, or use of substance that has caused problem in all dimensions of life.

ContdAddiction: -a maladaptive, compulsive dependence on a substance (alcohol, other drugs) or behavior (gambling,spending)Agnosia: -loss of comprehension of auditory, visual or other sensation, although senses are intact.Anhedonia: -loss of pleasure and interest in activities previously enjoyed in life.

ContdEmpathy: -projecting sensivity and understanding of anothers feeling.

Insight: -the ability tp perceive oneself realistically and to understand oneself and the motives behind ones behavior.

ContdPsychosis: -inability to recognize reality, bizarre behaviors or inability to deal with lifes demand.

Neurosis: -group of disorders where the disturbance of mental functions is mild.

Anorexia nervosa: -eating disorder characterized by excessive dieting and by exercising.

Bulimia nervosa: -an obsession with thinness and a compulsive cycle of bingeing (eating much) and purging (vomit back).