Mental Illness Questions

Have you ever wondered if you have a mental disorder? Most of us have considered this question at one time or another. It's a difficult question to answer. You could purchase a copy of the DSM-IV - the official listing of mental disorders in the U.S. This book lists all of the disorders and the criteria that need to be met. I'm not sure that this is the best approach, however. It is difficult to be objective about our own mental health problems.

A better question to ask is: Are my problems or symptoms getting in the way in my life? If they are, then it's a good idea to seek help do do something about them. You may or may not have a diagnosable mental disorder, but getting professional help will help you get your life back under control. In the DSM-IV this concept of a problem "getting in the way" is usually addressed with words such as "the disturbance is sufficiently severe to to cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning."

Information about different mental disorders is spread throughout this site, but focused in the section Mental Disorders section. You can read about the difference between sadness and depression, for example, but where do you draw the line in your own life? If the sadness is getting in the way, then it's time to do something. Most of us worry at times. If the worrying is starting to cause problems, then seek help. You do not have to be diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder to benefit from professional help if the worrying is causing problems for you.

The purpose of a diagnosis is to convey information about a problem and to suggest some possible solutions. Too much reading about mental health diagnoses can itself become a problem. Most of us have heard of "medical student syndrome" - when medical students read so much about diseases that they come to believe that they suffer from one of them. The symptoms that are listed for many mental disorders are symptoms that most of us can identify with, at least on a small scale. Stay focused on finding a solution to the problems in your life, rather than on getting the "correct diagnosis". If a problem is getting in the way, then get help.

next: How Do You Know If You Have A Mental Illness?

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Reviewed: 03/2006