Mental illness includes difficulty thinking, feeling, socializing, and functioning. Here are symptoms of depression, bipolar or manic depression, and anxiety disorders.

These signs of mental illness are arranged into six categories: thinking, feeling, socializing, functioning, problems at home and poor self-care. None by themselves are necessarily indicative of a mental illness such as bipolar disorder or depression, but two or three may indicate some sort of mental anxiety.

These signs of mental illness don't cover all the possibilities; these are just the more common signs of depression, bipolar, schizophrenia or anxiety disorders.

Problems with Thinking

• Has trouble concentrating, is easily distracted.
• Can't remember information.
• Processes information slowly, is confused.
• Has to work hard to solve problems.
• Can't think abstractedly.

False or odd perceptions:

• Has perceptual distortions: unusually bright colors or loud sounds.
• Hears voices.
• Feels old situations are strangely new.
• Believes hidden messages are on TV, the radio, or public transportation.

Problems with Feelings

Depression symptoms:

• Decreased appetite, weight loss.
• Difficulty sleeping, interrupted sleep, sleeping too much.
• Intrusive thoughts of death or suicide.
• Unable to make decisions, concentrate, or follow through.
• Feels worthless, hopeless, and helpless.
• Guilty feelings over minor things.
• Loss of interest and pleasure in most things.

Bipolar mania symptoms:

• Overly confident and grandiose about abilities, talents, wealth, appearance.
• Excessive energy, needs little sleep.
• Irritable much of the time.
• Extreme mood swings with no provocation.
• Speaks very fast, difficult to interrupt.
• Is easily angered.
• Excited, euphoric, overly confident, disruptive to others.

Anxiety symptoms:

• Overalert and on guard most of the time.
• Feels anxious, afraid, and worried about everyday events.
• Avoids normal activities (taking the bus, grocery shopping).
• Uncomfortable around people.
• Compelled to do ritualistic or repeated behaviors.
• Has upsetting, intrusive memories or nightmares of past events.

Problems with Socializing

• Has few close friends.
• Anxious and afraid around others.
• Verbally or physically aggressive.
• Has tumultuous relationships, from overly critical to worshipful.
• Hard to get along with.
• Can't read other people.

Problems with Functioning

• Gets fired or quits frequently.
• Is easily angered or irritated by normal stresses and expectations.
• Can't get along with others at work, school, or home.
• Can't concentrate or work effectively.

Problems at Home

• Can't attend to others' needs.
• Overwhelmed by chores or household expectations.
• Can't keep up with housework.
• Instigates arguments and fights with family, passively or actively.

Poor Self-Care

• Does not take care of appearance or cleanliness.
• Doesn't eat enough, or overeats.
• Doesn’t take care of yard or home.
• Doesn't attend to finances, insurance bills, vehicle, etc.
• Pays little or no attention to physical health.

Specific mental illnesses such as depression, bipolar, schizophrenia and anxiety disorders don't necessarily have symptoms that fall into one category. In other words, someone struggling with bipolar disorder could have signs of mental illness from each category (though there are indications that are strictly bipolar, such as excessive energy and extreme mood swings).

Get help.

The only way to determine whether the "signs of mental illness" are indeed indicative of bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety or schizophrenia is to get counselling help.

If you found Signs of Mental Illness helpful, try:

• Psychology Articles
• Double Depression
• Antidepressants & Side Effects
• Phobia or Healthy Fear?

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