There are more than 200 forms of mental illness, the Mayo Clinic reports. There is a great range in conditions, from mental depression to anxiety disorders, from schizophrenia to obsessive-compulsive disorder. Mental illness also may range from mild forms to those more severe. Treatments may include psychotherapy and medications.
Depression
While depression is a mental illness, symptoms of it can show up in other mental illnesses as well. For example you may get very down or feel sad or empty. You may have worries and fears that go beyond the normal range for most people. You also may find it difficult or impossible to deal with everyday stress and your problems. While these all are related to depression, they may mean you have some other mental illness as well.
Hallucinations and Delusions
When your mind begins to go in different directions than most people and society consider normal, it can be a sign of mental illness. This may be true, no matter how real what you are thinking or seeing appears to be. Delusions can take many forms. You may think you are some famous person such as the president of the United States or a superhero or a spy. You may think you are some infamous person such as Jack the Ripper or John Wilkes Booth. You may think you can fly or are bulletproof. A delusion, essentially, is a firm, nearly unshakeable belief in something that is not true. Hallucinations are similar in that they are departures from reality. You may hear things that no one else does, or you may see things that are not there. You also may feel sensations on your skin that do not exist.
Significant Changes
While everyone changes from time to time, significant, sudden changes may be signs of mental illness, the Cleveland Clinic states. For example, you may suddenly eat a lot more than usual or a lot less. You may not want sex nearly as much as you once did. You also may suddenly drink alcohol a lot or take illicit drugs. You may not participate in activities you previously always enjoyed or you may not want to get together or talk with friends. You suddenly may be very angry and even resort to violence.
Physical Problems
Most often signs of mental illness are thought to be purely mental, but there are some things that can occur physically that may indicate a mental problem. For example, if you develop many physical problems that are not explained otherwise, it could be a mental illness. Pain also may occur in your chest or back and you may get headaches. Your heart rate may soar and you may get dizzy. Problems with your digestion also can be signs of this type of problem, as can losing or gaining weight.
