A mental illness is the disease responsible for negligible to severe interferences in thought and behavior, characterized by disturbances which are severe enough to prevent the individual from carrying out his or her daily activities. According to mentalillnesses.org, medical attention should be looked for if you are not able to cope with life's ordinary demands and routines. Through proper care and treatment, it is possible to recover and resume your normal activities.

According to mentalillnesses.org, these are some of the popular mental illness symptoms affecting thinking, behavior and emotions:

* Confused thinking
* Feeling sad or down
* Excessive worries or fears
* Problems sleeping
* Detachment from hallucinations or reality (delusions)
* Withdrawal from activities and friends
* Inability to cope with daily problems or stress
* Significant changes in eating habits
* Drug or alcohol abuse
* Changes in sex drive
* Suicidal thinking
* Excessive anger, violence or hostility

According to the website, these are some of the physical mental illness symptoms the sufferer experiences:

* Back pain
* Fatigue
* Chest pain
* Dry mouth
* Digestive problems
* Headache
* Weight gain or loss
* Sweating
* Rapid heart rate
* Dizziness

Millions of Americans are affected by mental illnesses, with about 3% affected by severe and persistent mental illness. However, it is necessary to point out that there are some myths of mental illness, some of which are:

1. The people are less intelligent and/or poor. However, many of them have average or above*average intelligence.
2. Those suffering from mental illness are dangerous and violent. This is not always the case, and the people are more likely to be victims of violence.
3. Mental illness is a rare, single disorder. However, it is a broad classification for different kinds of disorders, such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, eating disorders, organic brain disorders and personality disorders.
4. Personal weakness causes mental illness. This is not true; it is an illness which has nothing to do with lacking will*power or being weak.

It is always necessary to carry out mental illness tests to know if you or your loved one is suffering from this disease. This is necessary in order to prevent serious consequences like suicide or being a victim of violence.

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MentalIllnesses.org is one of the top websites sharing ideas on mental illness symptoms and how to overcome the disease.