Having a mental illness can affect many areas of life and quality of life. When mental illnesses are not treated, symptoms may worsen and become chronic just like they can with a physical illness. This is just one of many outcome as things can get better throughout the future.
Behaviour
A person may:
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Become irritable, aggressive or overreact to situations.
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Have communication changes. These could be verbal or non-verbal (may communicate less or seem to respond to unseen objects).
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Show changes in behaviour that are unusual for that person (become repetitive in their behaviour).
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Inflict self-harm; for instance, hitting, biting, cutting, refusing food, swallowing hazardous objects.
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Have reduced motivation to do things, refusing to do things that the person usually enjoys.
Thoughts
A person may:
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Have suicidal thoughts, though may not necessarily act on this.
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Have reduced self-esteem meaning the person feels negative or critical about self (“I’m not good at anything” or "I will never be worthy enough").
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Have inflated self-esteem meaning the person has an exaggerated perception of their status, power or abilities.
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Experience distressing thoughts such as, that others wish to cause them harm.
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Express a negative attitude/outlook ("nothing will ever improve" or "it will never get better").
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Perceive their surroundings in a way that does not reflect reality ("everyone is watching me").
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Have difficulties concentrating such as seeming distracted or as though they are daydreaming.
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Speak more quickly than usual, producing words too fast to understand easily.
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Talk about things that are unconnected, change from one topic to another suddenly and for no apparent reason.
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Environment/ Lifestyle
A person may:
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Fall behind with household tasks such as shopping, cleaning, paying bills.
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Need to change accommodation. For example, a person may no longer be able to live independently, may need to move away from others, or may not be able to afford their accommodation.
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Be absent from family gatherings, work, education, or volunteering activities.
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Miss out on usual leisure activities (e.g. team sports, crafts, hiking).
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Bad hygiene (showering every 5 or 6 days)
Physical health
A person may:
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Use harmful coping methods such as smoking, alcohol or drug use.
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Eat a poorer diet and not exercise.
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Neglect self-care such as washing, brushing teeth, etc.
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Be at greater risk of poverty (due to inability to work, costs of treatments etc.).
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Poor income is associated with poorer physical health.
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Neglect symptoms of illness (or being unable to seek help for symptoms) or not taking medications.
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Have worsened existing physical symptoms (increased pain - there is research to suggest that having a mental illness - particularly depression - can worsen the sensation of pain).
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Neglecting eating due to depression
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Relationships
A person may:
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Experience stigma, where others have negative beliefs about mental illness and therefore behave unfairly towards the person.
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Experience conflict or disagreements with family or friends and feel as though no-one understands or even cares.
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Feels isolated, for example, feeling like others don’t understand them or do not want to be around them.
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Experience family pressure if family or friends become frustrated by not being able to understand or help.
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