Therefore, I propose to look at some of the symptoms that may indicate a health problem. It must be remembered that a single symptom is not the basis for the diagnosis of a disease, and many symptoms may not only be a disease, but result from exhaustion or be healthy reactions of the human psyche. We are able to observe some symptoms in ourselves, while some of the symptoms are the first to be noticed by our family and relatives. Some of the symptoms of mental health problems are listed below:
- disturbed concentration of attention, problems with concentration, “distraction” of thoughts;
- problems with remembering, recalling recent or distant events;
- auditory, visual, sometimes olfactory, tasting or sensory sensations occurring without the appropriate stimulus, for example, “seeing” absent objects or animals, hearing voices of an absent person or persons;
- problems with recognizing known objects or faces;
- false beliefs, such as persecution, being observed by random people, sometimes reflecting completely irrational and impossible to exist;
- linguistic problems, such as difficulty in “getting the word out”, finding the right word or name, impoverishing the language, using the wrong words, confusing concepts;
- mood changes: depression, irritation, joyful mood inadequate to the situation, excessive lability, mood “swing”, indifference;
- anxiety, restlessness, anxiety, insecurity, “nervousness”, “nervousness”, “excitement”;
motor slowing or agitation; - decrease in energy or its excess;
- thoughts or compulsion to perform certain activities appearing intrusively against our will;
Sleep disorders – insomnia, light sleep, too early in the morning, too long sleep during the day,
Appetite disorders – excessive appetite; fluctuating appetite; loss of appetite often leading to weight loss;
Problems with providing the real date, place of current stay, assessment of the situation, sometimes problems with providing your data, such as name, surname or date of birth;
a belief that there is a serious illness that doctors are unable to recognize; experiencing severe physical ailments, which are not confirmed by tests performed by doctors;
no sense of the disease, denying its symptoms, despite a clear deterioration in functioning observed by the environment. With such a wide variety of symptoms and their prevalence, only some situations are an absolute indication for obtaining professional help. It may be a clear and incomprehensible change in the disposition or functioning of a loved one (interruption of education, loss of job, breaking contact with the environment, withdrawing from life), or reported suicidal thoughts.