Signs and Symptoms of Mental Illness

The following are some of the major diagnostic categories with related signs and symptoms. The presence of symptoms is not a clear indication that the disorder exists; however, it may indicate the need for a more complete diagnostic assessment by a mental health professional.

Anxiety Disorders: Unrealistic or excessive worry, unrealistic fears concerning objects or situations, exaggerated startle reactions, lashbacks of past trauma, sleep disturbances, ritualistic behaviors as a way to deal with anxieties, shakiness, trembling, muscle aches, sweating, cold/clammy hands, dizziness, jitteriness, tension, fatigue, racing or pounding heart, dry mouth, numbness/tingling of hands, feet or other body parts, upset stomach, diarrhea, lump in throat

Depressive Disorders: Noticeable change of appetite (with significant weight loss or gain), noticeable change in sleeping patterns (fitful sleep, inability to sleep, sleeping too much or not enough), loss of interest and pleasure in activities formerly enjoyed, loss of energy, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, persistent feelings of hopelessness, feelings of inappropriate guilt, inability to concentrate or think, indecisiveness, recurring thoughts of death or suicide, overwhelming feelings of sadness and grief, beliefs not based in reality about physical disease, sinfulness or poverty, physical symptoms such as headaches or stomach aches

Manic Depressive/Bipolar Disorder: People with a bipolar illness differ from those with other depressive disorders in that their moods swing from depression to mania generally with periods of normal mood between the two extremes. The length of this cycle varies from person to person. Manic Phase - A mood that seems excessively good, expansive or irritable and feeling that nothing will change that level of happiness, unwarranted optimism and lack of judgment, extremes in self-confidence, hyperactivity and excessive plans or participation in numerous activities that have a good chance for painful results, racing, uncontrollable thoughts, rapid/loud speech, disorganized and incoherent thought processes, little or no sleep for days without feeling tired, sudden irritability, rage, or paranoia Depressive Phase - Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, helplessness, total indifference and/or inappropriate guilt, prolonged sadness or irritability, withdrawal from formerly enjoyed activities, social contacts, work or sex, problems with concentration or remembering, aches and pains, loss of appetite, fatigue and increased sleep

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Ritualistic cleaning (excessive hand washing, bathing several times a day, scrubbing walls excessively), repeating names, phrases or behavior several times, performing a series of complicated steps in an exact order or repeating them again and again until they are done perfectly, repeatedly checking routine activities fearing they have forgotten (driving around to ensure no one has been hit, returning home to check that the stove has been turned off), spending hours rearranging, delaying tasks because the desk is not neat enough, avoiding anything/anyone likely to cause anxiety, hoarding, slowness which prevents completion of tasks

Schizophrenic Disorders: false or unrealistic beliefs, inflated sense of worth, power, knowledge, identity, or relationships, feelings that someone has conspired against you or is going to attack you, thoughts that are not your own, hearing voices or seeing things that others do not hear or see, physical problems for which there are no causes, disorganized speech and thinking, disorganized behavior, suicidal thoughts or feelings, slowed movement, senseless repetition of a word or phrase, repetition by imitation of the movements of another, social withdrawal.