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Mental illness Mental illnesses are emotional and/or cognitive disorders that affect a person’s functioning and ability to think, feel, and relate to others to a mild, moderate or severe degree. Mental illness can occur at any time to anyone, and can affect people with any level of intelligence.Most mental illnesses are considered to be a biological occurrence or the result of trauma. They are not caused by poor parenting, bad companions, or lack of willpower. The causes of mental illnesses may be one or a combination of factors, including genetic inheritance, life stressors, life events, and physical illness. The descriptions that follow are not a comprehensive list of all mental illnesses. The variation between persons with the same disability can be vast. Some people may live with more than one disability including other mental illnesses, physical disabilities, developmental disabilities, or disabilities associated with aging. These descriptions are general in nature due to the range of biological, social, and environmental experiences that affect individuals. Note: A person with a disability is just that, a person. Always put the person first. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and consideration, especially when dealing with issues of abuse. What are the more common mental illnesses? SchizophreniaA person with schizophrenia may experience hallucinations, delusions, or thought and speech disorganization. They may experience difficulty with interpersonal relationships, and have acute sensitivity to stress. Bipolar Disorder A person with a bipolar disorder may experience recurrent episodes of mania and depression. Manic episodes are characterized by high energy, euphoria, insomnia, and making decisions impulsively. Depressive episodes are characterized by low energy, unhappiness, lack of interest in daily activities. Depression A person with depression may experience markedly diminished interest or pleasure in almost all activities, feel slowed down or restless, feel worthless, guilty, pessimistic or hopeless. Have problems concentrating, experience weight gain or loss. Anxiety Disorder A person with an anxiety disorder may experience feelings of intense fear, nervousness, negative thinking cycles, racing heart, blushing, excessive sweating, dry throat and mouth, trembling and muscle twitching.  Back
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