{"id":12711,"date":"2024-12-17T20:59:45","date_gmt":"2024-12-17T13:59:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=12711"},"modified":"2024-12-17T20:59:45","modified_gmt":"2024-12-17T13:59:45","slug":"mental-health-whats-normal-whats-not","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=12711","title":{"rendered":"Mental health: What&#8217;s normal, what&#8217;s not"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"main-content\" tabindex=\"-1\" role=\"main\">\n<!--googleon: all--><\/p>\n<div class=\"by\">\n<h2>Mental health: What&#8217;s normal, what&#8217;s not<\/h2>\n<p><em><\/p>\n<p>What&#8217;s considered normal mental health? Patterns in thoughts, feelings and behaviors can suggest when to get help for yourself or someone you care about.<\/p>\n<p><\/em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/about-this-site\/meet-our-medical-editors\">By Mayo Clinic Staff<\/a><\/div>\n<p>What&#8217;s the difference between normal mental health and mental disorders? Sometimes the answer is clear, but often the distinction isn&#8217;t so obvious. For example, if you&#8217;re afraid of giving a speech in public, does it mean you have a mental health disorder or a run-of-the-mill case of nerves? Or, when does shyness become a case of social phobia?<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s help understanding how mental health conditions are identified.<\/p>\n<h3>What is mental health?<\/h3>\n<p>Mental health is the overall wellness of how you think, regulate your feelings and behave. Sometimes people experience a significant disturbance in this mental functioning. A mental disorder may be present when patterns or changes in thinking, feeling or behaving cause distress or disrupt a person&#8217;s ability to function. A mental health disorder may affect how well you:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Maintain personal or family relationships<\/li>\n<li>Function in social settings<\/li>\n<li>Perform at work or school<\/li>\n<li>Learn at a level expected for your age and intelligence<\/li>\n<li>Participate in other important activities<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Cultural norms and social expectations also play a role in defining mental health disorders. There is no standard measure across cultures to determine whether a behavior is normal or when it becomes disruptive. What might be normal in one society may be a cause for concern in another.<\/p>\n<h3>How are mental health disorders defined?<\/h3>\n<p>The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is a guide published by the American Psychiatric Association that explains the signs and symptoms of several hundred mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and schizophrenia.<\/p>\n<p>The <abbr title=\"Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders\">DSM<\/abbr> provides criteria for making a diagnosis based on the nature, duration and impact of signs and symptoms. It also describes the typical course of the disorder, risk factors and common co-existing conditions.<\/p>\n<p>Another commonly used diagnostic guideline is the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) from the World Health Organization.<\/p>\n<p>Health insurance companies use the diagnostic coding system of the <abbr title=\"Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders\">DSM<\/abbr> and <abbr title=\"International Classification of Diseases\">ICD<\/abbr> in determining coverage and benefits and to reimburse mental health professionals.<\/p>\n<h3>How do mental health professionals diagnose disorders?<\/h3>\n<p>A diagnosis of a mental health condition may be made by a psychiatrist, psychologist, clinical social worker or other mental health professional. Your primary care doctor may also be involved in a diagnostic assessment or make referrals to a mental health specialist.<\/p>\n<p>A diagnosis may be based on the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A medical history of physical illness or mental health disorders in you or in your family<\/li>\n<li>A complete physical to identify or rule out a condition that may be causing symptoms<\/li>\n<li>Questions about your current concerns or why you&#8217;re seeking help<\/li>\n<li>Questions about how recent events or changes in your life \u2014 trauma, relationships, work, death of a friend or relative \u2014 have affected how you think, feel or behave<\/li>\n<li>Questionnaires or other formal tests that ask for your feedback on how you think, feel or behave in typical situations<\/li>\n<li>Questions about past and current alcohol and drug use<\/li>\n<li>A history of trauma, abuse, family crises or other major life events<\/li>\n<li>Questions about past or current thoughts about violence against yourself or others<\/li>\n<li>Questionnaires or interviews completed by someone who knows you well, such as a parent or spouse<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>When is an evaluation or treatment needed?<\/h3>\n<p>Each mental health condition has its own signs and symptoms. In general, however, professional help might be needed if you experience:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Marked changes in personality, eating or sleeping patterns<\/li>\n<li>An inability to cope with problems or daily activities<\/li>\n<li>Feeling of disconnection or withdrawal from normal activities<\/li>\n<li>Unusual or &#8220;magical&#8221; thinking<\/li>\n<li>Excessive anxiety<\/li>\n<li>Prolonged sadness, depression or apathy<\/li>\n<li>Thoughts or statements about suicide or harming others<\/li>\n<li>Substance misuse<\/li>\n<li>Extreme mood swings<\/li>\n<li>Excessive anger, hostility or violent behavior<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Many people who have mental health disorders consider their signs and symptoms a normal part of life or avoid treatment out of shame or fear. If you&#8217;re concerned about your mental health, don&#8217;t hesitate to seek advice.<\/p>\n<p>Consult your primary care doctor or make an appointment with a psychiatrist, psychologist or other mental health professional. It may be important for you to find a professional who is familiar with your culture or who demonstrates an understanding of the cultural and social context that&#8217;s relevant to your experiences and life story.<\/p>\n<p>With appropriate support, you can identify mental health conditions and receive appropriate treatment, such as medications or counseling.<\/p>\n<p><!--googleoff: all--><\/p>\n<p><!--googleon: all--><\/p>\n<p><!--googleoff: snippet--><\/p>\n<menu class=\"social\"\/>\n<p>    <span class=\"moddate\">Dec. 14, 2021<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"expandable references\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"acces-show-hide\" data-show=\"Show references\" data-hide=\"Hide references\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"dvReferenceListPC\">Show references<\/button><\/p>\n<div id=\"dvReferenceListPC\">\n<ol>\n<li>Use of the manual. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-5. 5th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2013. https:\/\/dsm.psychiatryonline.org. Accessed July 8, 2019.<\/li>\n<li>What is mental illness? American Psychiatric Association. https:\/\/www.psychiatry.org\/patients-families\/what-is-mental-illness. Accessed July 8, 2019.<\/li>\n<li>Understanding psychological testing and assessment. American Psychological Association. https:\/\/www.apa.org\/helpcenter\/assessment. Accesssed July 10, 2019.<\/li>\n<li>APA Work Group on Psychiatric Evaluation. The American Psychiatric Association Practice Guidelines for the Psychiatric Evaluation of Adults. 3rd ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2016. https:\/\/psychiatryonline.org\/doi\/book\/10.1176\/appi.books.9780890426760. Accessed July 10, 2019.<\/li>\n<li>Warning signs of mental illness. American Psychiatric Association. https:\/\/www.psychiatry.org\/patients-families\/warning-signs-of-mental-illness. Accessed July 8, 2019.<\/li>\n<li>What is mental health? MentalHealth.gov. http:\/\/www.mentalhealth.gov\/basics\/what-is-mental-health. Accessed July 8, 2019.<\/li>\n<li>Introduction. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-5. 5th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2013. https:\/\/dsm.psychiatryonline.org. Accessed July 8, 2019.<\/li>\n<li>Hall-Flavin DK (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 10, 2019.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/healthy-lifestyle\/adult-health\/basics\/staying-healthy\/hlv-20049421\" class=\"blocklink\">See more In-depth<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--googleoff: all--><\/p>\n<p><!--googleon: all--><\/p>\n<p><!--googleoff: all--><\/p>\n<p><!--googleon: all--><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n                    .&#13;\n                <\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/healthy-lifestyle\/adult-health\/in-depth\/mental-health\/art-20044098\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mental health: What&#8217;s normal, what&#8217;s not What&#8217;s considered normal mental health? Patterns in thoughts, feelings and behaviors can suggest when to get help for yourself or someone you care about. By Mayo Clinic Staff What&#8217;s the difference between normal mental health and mental disorders? Sometimes the answer is clear, but often the distinction isn&#8217;t so &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12711","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12711","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12711"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12711\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12711"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12711"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12711"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}