What are the main causes of mental illness?
What causes mental illness?
- Genetics. …
- Environment. …
- Childhood trauma. …
- Stressful events: like losing a loved one, or being in a car accident.
- Negative thoughts. …
- Unhealthy habits: like not getting enough sleep, or not eating.
- Drugs and alcohol: Abusing drugs and alcohol can trigger a mental illness. …
- Brain chemistry.
How is mental illness regarded in Kenya?
Experts have thus declared mental illness as the continent’s “silent epidemic.” In Kenya for example, mental health experts estimate that 1 in every 4 Kenyans may be suffering from a mental health problem.
What are the four factors that can cause mental disorders?
What causes mental disorders?
- Your genes and family history.
- Your life experiences, such as stress or a history of abuse, especially if they happen in childhood.
- Biological factors such as chemical imbalances in the brain.
- A traumatic brain injury.
- A mother’s exposure to viruses or toxic chemicals while pregnant.
What are 5 risk factors for mental disorders?
Common Risk Factors
- Family history of mental health problems.
- Complications during pregnancy or birth.
- Personal history of Traumatic Brain Injury.
- Chronic medical condition such as cancer or diabetes, especially hypothyroidism or other brain-related illness such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s.
- Use of alcohol or drugs.
What are the signs of a mentally unstable person?
Symptoms
- Feeling sad or down.
- Confused thinking or reduced ability to concentrate.
- Excessive fears or worries, or extreme feelings of guilt.
- Extreme mood changes of highs and lows.
- Withdrawal from friends and activities.
- Significant tiredness, low energy or problems sleeping.
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Can a mental illness be cured?
Treatment can involve both medications and psychotherapy, depending on the disease and its severity. At this time, most mental illnesses cannot be cured, but they can usually be treated effectively to minimize the symptoms and allow the individual to function in work, school, or social environments.
Do people in Africa suffer from depression?
Little data exist on rates of depression and its correlates specifically among older adults in Africa. Among older populations in Western countries, 1–3% percent of the elderly suffer from major depression, and 8–16% has clinically significant depressive symptoms.
What is the prevalence of depression in Kenya?
In Kenya, studies conducted among PLWHA have reported prevalence of major depressive disorder as 32% [6] and other depressive disorders as 15% [7]. Depression has deleterious consequences on the wellbeing and overall health of PLWHA.
Is there mental illness in Africa?
Mental health problems appear to be increasing in importance in Africa. Between 2000 and 2015 the continent’s population grew by 49%, yet the number of years lost to disability as a result of mental and substance use disorders increased by 52%.
What are the top 10 mental illnesses?
This page lists some of the more common mental health issues and mental illnesses.
- Anxiety disorders. …
- Behavioural and emotional disorders in children. …
- Bipolar affective disorder. …
- Depression. …
- Dissociation and dissociative disorders. …
- Eating disorders. …
- Obsessive compulsive disorder. …
- Paranoia.
What mental illnesses are genetic?
Scientists have long recognized that many psychiatric disorders tend to run in families, suggesting potential genetic roots. Such disorders include autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, major depression and schizophrenia.
What are 2 environmental factors that can trigger mental disorders?
These environmental exposures (e.g., green space, noise, air pollution, weather conditions, housing conditions) might trigger mental disorders or be protective factors, facilitating stress reduction, mental recovery, etc. [1,2].
What age is most affected by mental health?
Young adults aged 18-25 years had the highest prevalence of SMI (8.6%) compared to adults aged 26-49 years (6.8%) and aged 50 and older (2.9%).
What are the 5 protective factors?
Five Protective Factors are the foundation of the Strengthening Families Approach: parental resilience, social connections, concrete support in times of need, knowledge of parenting and child development, and social and emotional competence of children.
How do I get better mentally?
How to look after your mental health
- Talk about your feelings. Talking about your feelings can help you stay in good mental health and deal with times when you feel troubled. …
- Keep active. …
- Eat well. …
- Drink sensibly. …
- Keep in touch. …
- Ask for help. …
- Take a break. …
- Do something you’re good at.