These conditions can impair a person’s mood, behavior and emotions.
Mental disorders (or mental illnesses) can be short-lived or long-lasting, affecting a person’s thinking, feelings, mood and behavior.
Some of the most common conditions are depression, anxiety, bipolar and other mood disorders, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and psychotic disorders like schizophrenia. Some of these conditions are hereditary. Others are caused by major life stressor, serious bodily illness. Some are the result of a chemical imbalance in the brain.
Screenings for mental illness include a physical exam, a patient questionnaire and, sometimes blood work to determine if there is a chemical imbalance.