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Warning Signs of Mental Illness

 

Many people believe that mental illnesses are rare.  They think, "It will never happen to me."  The truth is that approximately 51 million Americans suffer from some form of mental illness in any given year.  Some of the most common mental illnesses are depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.  Living with someone who suffers from one of these disorders can be very difficult.  Understanding the warning signs and what to look for can help prevent a crises and can assist someone in getting the help they need.  

 

Warning signs in adults: 

  • Students exhibiting emotional distress: signs of anxiety, depression, unmanageable anger
  • Isolated students
  • Adjustment issues
  • A stress level that raises concern
  • Excessive worries
  • Notably elevated or decreased mood
  • Suspected alcohol and/or drug abuse
  • Notable irritability , disruptive behaviors and peer conflicts
  • Fatigue and social withdrawal
  • Threatening and/or aggressive behavior to self and/or others
  • Signs of inability to care for self
  • Indications of self-destructive thoughts (verbalized, written)

Any significant change in a student's behavior, appearance or demeanor
(Retrieved from http://www.cmhs.uconn.edu/faculty_staff.html)

 

In adolescents and young adults:

  • Confused thinking
  • Prolonged depression (sadness or irritability)
  • Feelings of extreme highs and lows
  • Excessive fears, worries and anxieties
  • Social withdrawal
  • Dramatic changes in eating or sleeping habits
  • Strong feelings of anger
  • Delusions or hallucinations
  • Growing inability to cope with daily problems and activities
  • Suicidal thoughts
  • Denial of obvious problems
  • Numerous unexplained physical ailments
  • Substance abuse


In older children and pre-adolescents:

  • Substance abuse
  • Inability to cope with problems and daily activities
  • Changes in sleeping and/or eating habits
  • Excessive complaints of physical ailments
  • Defiance of authority, truancy, theft, and/or vandalism
  • Intense fear of weight gain
  • Prolonged negative mood, often accompanied by poor appetite or thoughts of death
  • Frequent outbursts of anger


Retrieved from (http://www.nmha.org/go/information/get-info/mi-and-the-family/recognizing-warning-signs-and-how-to-cope)

 

If you are a faculty member, parent, classmate, friend, roommate, significant other or you yourself are experiencing any of the above symptoms, please contact the Counseling Center at 392-5475 for assistance.  You may also wish to contact the Health Center at 392-6300 or Campus Police at 392-5375 during evenings/weekends.