There are numerous signs to show an onset of a mental illness. Mental health problems arise from a number experiences and the signs vary on a large scale; therefore it can be quite difficult to spot them. Furthermore, these signs will differ amongst individuals, adding to the difficulty of identification – and often the person themselves choose to hide these symptoms in fear of being judged by others.
In general, early signs which illustrate the onset of a mental illness are:
- Change in personality
- Easily distressed
- Poor performance on tasks/work
- Worry about others thoughts
- Change in mood/mood swings
- Loss of interest in activities
- Misjudgement of situations (thinking others are laughing or talking about them, thinking others are trying to harm them)
- Behaviour which seems out of character
- Self-harming (cuts/grazes/bruises)
- Change in eating habits (either eating less or more)
- Hallucinating
- Loss of (or increase in) sexual desire
- Tired/fatigued
- Likes to isolate themselves/withdrawal from socialising
- Feeling ‘high’ even though they sleep less/highly energetic than usual
- Hearing voices/sounds which are not there
These signs will vary in number and severity amongst individuals. However, if you are concerned about yourself or someone you know, we urge that you contact us or your local GP for support.