It is a well-known fact that the number of mental diseases has been growing over the years. These diseases mostly affect the state of a person’s mind, but sometimes people experience some changes in their bodies, too.

The reasons behind the appearance of mental diseases are still under research, although some of them have been proven scientifically.

Top 5 Mental Diseases

In this article, we are going to look into the five most widespread mental disorders and the ways one might treat them successfully. Some of these diseases can affect a person at the same time, so it is crucial to be aware of the symptoms.

• Anxiety Disorder

Whereas it is absolutely normal to feel anxious from time to time, those who suffer from this disorder repeatedly experience a highly intense feeling of anxiety and fear just out of the blue. This illness is also known as a panic attack. The factors that cause anxiety disorder development include genetics, stressful life events, and the way the brain chemicals work.

The disease is usually treated with specially prescribed drugs and regular sessions with a psychotherapist.

• Depression

This is probably the most widespread mental disorder experienced by about 300,000,000 individuals, and it is worth mentioning that women suffer from it more often than men. It can be caused by traumatic experiences, genetics, medical states, or pills.

Here are the most common symptoms of depression:

• The feeling of being sad and disinterested
• Sleep problems
• Inability to concentrate
• Change of eating habits

Those who are in a depressive state find it difficult to perform successfully at work or school and may have problems with interpersonal relationships. Depression is treated with the help of psychotherapy, cognitive behavior therapy, and antidepressants.

• Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a type of psychosis, which means that everything a person feels, perceives, thinks, and the way one behaves is distorted. It is also common to suffer from hallucinations and delusions, which can have a negative impact on people’s performance at work, study, or in social life.

Schizophrenia usually develops at the early stages of life, and unfortunately, being considered crazy, schizophrenics often lack the opportunity to receive the right health and social support.

• Dementia

Suffering from dementia implies having weakening cognitive abilities, meaning people find it hard to calculate, think and remember things. As the disease progresses, one might lose social and emotional control. There is some medication available for treating dementia as well as psychotherapeutic approaches.

• Bipolar Affective Disorder

This disease is characterized by extreme mood swings. During a manic episode, one feels hyperactive and sleepless, whereas during a depressive episode, a person suffers from the feeling of sadness and low self-esteem. A stable mental state can be supported with the right medical treatment and the help of a psychologist.