What are 4 Types of Mental Illness?

Mental illness is a complex disorder of the mind, emotions, and behaviors that can stem from physiological influences, result from trauma or abuse, and get worse or better. The Mayo Clinic writes what a mental illness is and that there are many varieties of mental illness, and they are referred to as a disorder. Mayo also states how identifying separate mental illnesses as disorders will include separate and specific symptoms.  

Mental illness, also called mental health disorders, refers to a wide range of mental health conditions — disorders that affect your mood, thinking, and behavior. Examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and addictive behaviors. Mental illness signs and symptoms can vary, depending on the disorder, circumstances, and other factors. Mental illness symptoms can affect emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. (Mayo Clinic) 

Mental Illness and the 4 Most Common Types

There are many different types of mental illnesses as disorders. In broad terms, it is helpful to refer to the disorders regarding what it does to the person. For example, someone with depression has a mood disorder because they are not content. Or someone who won’t eat or starves themselves has an eating disorder. We identify four types of mental illness disorders that are most common and include: 

• Mood Disorders (depression, bipolar disorder) 
• Anxiety Disorders (panic disorders, generalized anxiety, phobias) 
• Trauma-related Disorders (post-traumatic stress disorders, reactive-attachment disorders, adjustment disorders, etc.) 
• Substance Abuse Disorders (addiction to drugs or alcohol)

What Therapy is Best for Mental Disorder?

Each disorder mentioned is most well-known and can be treated with evidence-based forms of therapy. The type of counseling that has proven to help someone with a mental illness as a disorder must provide them emotional and mental support as well as helping them to change. It is important to note that many people who have a mental illness often go years without professional therapy or counseling and medications to help them. The fear that holds many people back from therapy is often the belief that mental illness cannot be helped, which is false. 

Garden State Detox provides counseling and therapy to help our patients heal, change, and improve the quality of their lives.  

Where Can I find Evidence-Based Therapy Today?

Evidence-based therapy is very effective in treating a mental illness.  Many types of evidence-based therapy are used for helping people with various mental illnesses. The most well-regarded and well-known evidence-based kind of therapy is cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy. Both CBT and DBT can be provided at a residential treatment setting or through a behavioral specialist at a private practice. These evidence-based forms of treatment help the person understand how what they think about lays the ground for how they feel and act.  

A professional, evidence-based therapy counselor is trained on how to help a person identify their negative thoughts and feelings as patterns and what to do to change them. Most people with anxiety, depression, addictions, or trauma overcome their conditions altogether or have very few symptoms. 

Get Immediate Help at Garden State Detox for A Loved One’s Mental Disorder

It isn’t easy to have a relative who is suffering from a mental or emotional health disorder. Often they can be agitated or sad, and there is likely a lack of trust towards anyone around them. However, they are not at fault, and the best course of action is to offer sincere help through compassion and understanding. 

The experts we have on the phone and available through chat and email are trained to guide you to approach your loved one. Don’t let another day go by as dramatic or complex. The therapy and counseling available right now at Garden State Detox can get your family members to feel good about their lives again. Call, chat, or email for immediate help

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