Mental Illness Questions

Mental illness has many faces, ranging from occasional episodes of depression to severe, chronic conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Unlike broken bones that can be seen by an x-ray, the form of mental illness someone has can be hard to diagnose. It can also be hard to know how severe their condition might be.

It is important to talk to a healthcare professional if you believe that you or a loved one may be suffering from a mental illness. In order to determine if you are ill, a doctor might ask you many questions, such as these:

• Do you have difficulty sleeping, either too much or too little?
• Have you been sad or depressed for a long period of time?
• Have your relationships with loved ones changed?
• Do you ever do things without knowing why you did them?
• Do you ever hear or see things that other people do not?
• Have you ever thought of suicide?
• Do you get nervous or angry easily?
• Are you often anxious or afraid?
• Do you drink a lot of alcohol or take street drugs?

The first step though is speaking to your doctor or a mental health professional.

next: What To Do If You Have A Mental Illness

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Reviewed: 03/2006