Mental Illnesses and Disorders
In this section you can find useful information about specific mental illnesses and disorders.
Everyone’s physical or mental health varies from time to time. We may experience problems or distressing symptoms.
A symptom might be a pain or a difficulty with a bodily function - for example someone with a chest infection is likely to find that their breathing is affected causing them some discomfort, whilst someone with schizophrenia may experience hallucinations which may cause them anxiety and problems concentrating.
People with mental illnesses or disorders may experience a wide range of symptoms which can vary in their severity. For example, anxiety may be mild, or so severe that the person affected finds it impossible to concentrate on their work, watch TV, or perhaps will be unable to leave their home for months on end. Other examples of symptoms are difficulty sleeping, feeling hopelessness or guilt, or believing that other people are plotting against you - but as with anxiety, the extent to which different individuals are affected by these symptoms can vary enormously.
People with different illnesses or disorders will have different illness experiences, including;
- the types of symptoms experienced
- how daily life and ability to function 'normally' is affected
- and what types of treatment may be effective.
