Mental Health in Chattanooga, TN

Depression is the most common mental health disorder across the United States. Major depressive disorder can severely inhibit your ability to carry out daily activities without help from a mental health treatment center. Over twenty-one million adults have had one depressive episode in the last year. 

Symptoms can include:

• Anxiety, 
• Excessive hunger or loss of appetite, 
• Excessive crying, 
• Social isolation, 
• Problems concentrating, 
• Excessive sleep or inability to sleep, 
• Mood swings, 
• Loss of interest in activities, 
• Hopelessness, 
• Low self-esteem, 
• Getting stuck on the same thoughts, 
• Suicidal ideations. 

Bipolar disorder, previously referred to as manic depressive disorder, is a mental health disorder that causes dramatic mood and energy changes. These changes can last for several months at a time, characterized by severe manic or high episodes and depressive or low episodes. Bipolar disorder affects males and females at equal rates. An estimated three percent of adults had bipolar disorder in the last year, with 4% of adults experiencing it at some point in their lives.

It is common for bipolar disorder to be misdiagnosed as a depressive disorder when individuals seek treatment during a depressive episode. This can lead to improper treatment and ongoing symptoms. 

However, with proper bipolar mental health treatment programs, individuals can acquire the skills and medication they need to manage both manic and depressive episodes. 

Symptoms of bipolar disorder include:

• Severe manic episodes are characterized by euphoria, irritability, hyperactivity, impulsivity, agitation, aggression, delusion, problems sleeping, frenzied speaking, and restlessness. 
• Severe depressive episodes are characterized by fatigue, slowness in activities, unwanted thoughts, crying, guilt, hopelessness, anxiety, loss of interest in activities, weight gain or loss, and excess sleep.

Schizophrenia is a mental health disorder that requires professional mental health treatment programs. Schizophrenia affects between 0.25% and 0.64% of Americans. Schizophrenia can be severe and disabling. 

While it has a relatively low presence compared to other mental health disorders, it is a leading cause of worldwide disability and can have significant economic, health, and social ramifications without care for a mental health treatment center.

Disruptions in perceptions, emotional responses, interactions, and thought processes characterize symptoms of schizophrenia. Individuals struggling with untreated schizophrenia will struggle with the following:

• Hallucinations
• Delusions 
• Difficulty with social relationships 
• Cognitive impairment
• Reduced motivation to accomplish things
• Difficulty expressing emotions
• Thought disorders

Personality disorders are characterized by individuals who sometimes view their experiences as different than they really are and behave differently than expected. This can include unstable moods or social functioning, Intense anger, anxiety, depression, or impulsivity. 

Almost ten percent of Americans have some form of personality disorder. Personality disorders do not impact specific demographics at higher rates than others. Statistically, over half of the individuals with personality disorders also have an anxiety disorder. One-quarter of people with personality disorders struggle with a coexisting mood disorder, impulse control disorder, or substance abuse disorder.

Symptoms can include:

• Paranoia, constantly believing others are trying to harm, demean, or threaten you;
• Patterns of detachment from relationships and limited emotional ranges;
• Intense discomfort with intimacy or close relationships;
• Distorted views of reality, unusual behavior, and superstitions.