Lesson One - Signs and Symptoms of Mental Health
| Site: | MoodleHUB.ca 🍁 |
| Course: | Mental Health & Wellness [1 cr] - AB Ed copy 1 |
| Book: | Lesson One - Signs and Symptoms of Mental Health |
| Printed by: | Guest user |
| Date: | Sunday, 7 September 2025, 6:46 PM |
Information
- This lesson is designed to take approximately 1 hour.
- You have the following tasks and assignments to complete in this lesson:
- Read all Lesson 1 content, including videos, supplementary links, etc.
- Lesson 1 Journal
Lesson Outcomes
- Define terms related to mental health
- Examine signs and symptoms that may indicate a mental illness
Defining Mental Health and Mental Illness
Courtesy of The Health Communication Unit at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto and the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario
You will recall from the first unit that there is a difference between mental health and mental illness. The Canadian Mental Health Association defines mental health as:
A mental illness, on the other hand, is something that affects how someone thinks, feels, behaves, or interacts with other people. It is something that a professional needs to diagnose. Remember that it is important to never self-diagnose a mental illness.
...knowing and accepting yourself, understand[ing] what makes you happy, building meaningful relationships, coping with problems of day-to-day living, and maintaining a sense of humour. It also means striking a balance in all aspects of your
life: social, physical, spiritual, economic, and mental. Mental health is [also] about coping with the challenges of life.
A mental illness, on the other hand, is something that affects how someone thinks, feels, behaves, or interacts with other people. It is something that a professional needs to diagnose. Remember that it is important to never self-diagnose a mental illness.
Common Signs and Symptoms
*Disclaimer: the following are general signs and symptoms of mental illness in a widespread sense. If you or anyone you know are concerned, please see a professional.Most mental illnesses seldom just appear. There are usually signs and symptoms that can be very telling that something is affecting a person. Knowing some of these signs and symptoms can help people realize the early warning signs of an emerging mental illness. Early intervention from a professional may also help lessen the severity of the mental illness.
What are some broad signs and symptoms of an underlying mental illness, then? The following is a list of some overlapping signs that may present with a mental illness.
- Appetite/sleep changes — drastic changes (either an increase or decrease)
- Emotional outbursts — drastic and/or rapid changes in mood
- Withdrawl — from social activities or activities that the person once found entertaining
- Decrease in functioning — unusually low functioning in most aspects of life (school, work, social activities) and/or having difficulty performing familiar tasks
- Problems concentrating — issues recalling memories or logical thought/speech that is difficult to explain
- Increased sensitivity — with all senses; avoiding over-stimulating situations.
- Indifference to activities
- Feeling disconnected — from their support network; having a sense of unreality
- Nervousness — fear/suspicious feelings of others
- Unusual behavour — uncharacteristic behaviour of the person
- Substance abuse — substance use can be a sign of coping with mental illness.
© Healthdirect Australia
* It is important to remember that if one of these points describes a person, that is fine as long as they are aware and are working on it. However, if someone is presenting with several of these at one time, there may be cause for concern. This person
may need professional intervention.