Drop in functioning - An unusual drop in functioning, at school, work or social activities, such as quitting sports, failing in school or difficulty performing familiar tasks.Withdrawal - Recent social withdrawal and loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed.Mood changes - Rapid or dramatic shifts in emotions or depressed feelings.Sleep or appetite changes - Dramatic sleep and appetite changes or decline in personal care.If several of the following are occurring, it may useful to follow up with a mental health professional. It may even be possible to delay or prevent a major mental illness altogether. Early intervention can help reduce the severity of an illness. Learning about developing symptoms, or early warning signs, and taking action can help. Major mental illnesses such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder rarely appear “out of the blue.” Most often family, friends, teachers or individuals themselves begin to recognize small changes or a feeling that “something is not quite right” about their thinking, feelings or behavior before a illness appears in its full-blown form. Fifty percent of mental illness begins by age 14, and three-quarters begin by age 24.
MENTAL ISSUES HOW TO
Learn about the early warning signs of mental illness, symptoms, and how to take action at.