Mental illness is a condition that affects a person’s thinking, feeling, and behavior. The mainstream medical community recognizes more than 200 classified types of mental illness.
These conditions can alter your ability to relate to other people, work, and attend school, and can prevent you from living a normal life. Different types of mental illness offer different experiences, and symptoms may vary from person-to-person, even when they share the same diagnosis.
There are five major categories of mental illnesses:
- Anxiety disorders
- Mood disorders
- Schizophrenia and psychotic disorders
- Dementia
- Eating disorders
It’s important to remember that each condition can vary greatly from person to person.
Stigma and mental illness
When you’re concerned about your mental health or that or that of a loved one, you should talk to a qualified health care provider. Many people with mental illness may feel stigmatized for their condition, but treatment for these disorders has come a long way. Mental illness requires the same need for treatment as many physical ailments.