6 uncommon mental health conditions you should know about.
Last week was mental health awareness week and the importance of making sure we are mentally healthy. Part of this is talking about our mental health with others and seeking out help when we need it. This could be sharing when we are stressed or when we feel that we can’t cope anymore. It is important to be informed about the wide range of mental health conditions so we can help others and also help ourselves. Did you know that there are over 300 officially recognised mental health conditions meaning that there are so many not being reported or talked about.
Here are 6 you may not know:
PTS
You many have heard of PTSD – post-traumatic stress disorder but have you heard of post-traumatic stress? PTS is fairly common response to trauma and is perfectly normal for the body to do this when it is scared. It is not classed as an illness on its own but is something that can develop into PTSD. This is where you will be getting nightmares, flashbacks and general anxiety. This is when it becomes a mental illness.
Cyclothymia
This is a rare disorder that can make you feel very low or emotionally high. This going unknown can lead to bipolar disorder if untreated. Men and women of any age can get it and it tends to be more common in women. DJ Matt Edmondson from Radio 1 has said that he too has this condition.
Menopause
The menopause can have a huge effect mentally and emotionally. It puts women through an emotional rollercoaster and can take people by surprise. There are also physical symptoms that effect the body too.
Borderline personality disorder
BPD can make you struggle with your emotions and can affect your relationships with others. It is a fairly common mental health condition with 1 in 100 people in the UK having BPD. It is classed as a personality disorder and affects who you are as a person.
Dissociation and dissociative identity disorder
This is another type of personality disorder that affects the way you think. DID makes you feel like you are removed or not connected with your body. Sometimes it will make someone create several different identities. There is so much cultural pressure on people to perform and with social media adding to this pressure, the more connected we are the less connected with real life relationships.
(note: PTS and PTSD had some of these symptoms without developing into something more serious)
Catastrophising
This is a term to explain someone who gets stuck in the mindset of assuming the worst will happen in every situation. It can be a symptom of many mental illnesses and effects your day-to-day life.
How do you know If your behaviour is becoming a problem?
When your behaviour or feelings start impacting your day-to-day life is when you should start to get professional help. If it is interfering your relationships is also a sign that something is not right. Also, if your moods are persistently low or changing. If your normal every day is becoming a challenge or overwhelming, experiencing low moods, panic attacks, extreme tiredness or feelings that stop you doing things, are all signs. The problem could be physiological, hormonal, psychological or a combination of the above.
Seek out help If you are having trouble getting through normal day-to-day activities then the first call should be your GP. They will try give you the right advice or refer you to a professional. You could also reach out directly to a psychotherapist to help you work through your feelings. If you are unsure about reaching out, remember that seeking help will allow you to have a safe conversation and no one this there to judge you. Â You could also look online for help managing your symptoms like: Publications | Mental Health Foundation
