How to Recognize a Mental Health Condition & Offer Support - William Kabutu

Millions of people are a­ffected by mental illness each year. Across the country, many people just like you work, perform, create, compete, laugh, love and inspire every day - the only difference is they are struggling on the inside.

Now more than ever, it's important that we bring awareness to mental health issues, and acknowledge that it doesn't always look the same for each person. By gaining some understanding of mental illness, we can learn how to recognize it in others and offer the help and support they may need.

Common Warning Signs of Mental Illness

Diagnosing mental illness isn't a straightforward science. We can't test for it the same way we can test blood sugar levels for diabetes. Each condition has its own set of unique symptoms, though symptoms often overlap. Common signs and/or symptoms can include:

Feeling very sad or withdrawn for more than two weeks
Trying to harm or end one's life or making plans to do so
Severe, out-of-control, risk-taking behavior that causes harm to self or others
Sudden overwhelming fear for no reason, sometimes with a racing heart, physical discomfort or di­fficulty breathing
Significant weight loss or gain
Seeing, hearing or believing things that aren't real
Excessive use of alcohol or drugs
Drastic changes in mood, behavior, personality or sleeping habits
Extreme di­fficulty concentrating or staying still
Intense worries or fears that get in the way of daily activities