What is a mental health disorder?
A mental health disorder is a condition defined by changes in a person’s thoughts, mood, or behaviour, which disrupt their functioning and cause distress.
Approximately one in five Canadians will suffer from a mental health disorder at some point in their lives. By the age of 40, around 50% of people will have lived with a mental health disorder at one time or another.
It is possible to live with a mental health disorder and have good mental health, but this can lead to suffering at times when, for example, treatment or social support is inadequate, or when symptoms are very intense or persist for a long time. Fortunately, support and treatment exist to reduce suffering, so that most people living with a mental health disorder can return to a healthy, satisfying life.
Beware of self-diagnosis
Evaluating and making a diagnosis is the fruit of a complex professional analysis that considers multiple factors: genetic, biological, environmental and experiential.
No single factor can cause a mental health disorder, and the manifestation of certain symptoms does not automatically point to a diagnosis of a mental health disorder.
Physicians, psychologists, and certain professionals authorized by their professional associations are the only ones officially empowered to do so, according to their field of expertise.
The main mental health disorders
If you’re concerned about yourself or a loved one, you’ll find summary information on some mental health disorders here. If you would like to explore this further, please consult a healthcare professional.
Anxiety disorders
Anxiety is much more intense than a stress reaction, but it is not automatically considered a disorder. However, it can become one in the following situations.
- It does not stop when a worrisome situation returns to normal
- It causes an important level of distress
- It has no connection to any specific life event, in other words, it occurs without any identifiable cause
- It continually preoccupies the person
- It has a significant impact on life at work, in society or in other areas of daily life
Mood disorders
Mood is a state of mind dominated by an emotion, such as anger, sadness, or joy. Emotions can be pleasant or unpleasant, and sometimes painful. Usually, we feel in control of our emotions, but a person with a mood disorder experiences their emotions in a more intense, pervasive and long-lasting way than most people, impairing well-being and functioning.
Psychotic disorders
A psychotic disorder refers to a family of mental health disorders that affect brain function by altering thoughts, beliefs or perceptions of reality. These disorders share the presence of psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations and/or delusions. Schizophrenia is the best known of the disorders that include psychotic symptoms, but it is not the only one.
Personality disorders
Personality is generally made up of a combination of traits, emotional reactions, attitudes, and behaviours that develop from birth to early adulthood, and then become relatively stable. For most people, having different personality traits enables them to present a wide range of reactions and coping mechanisms when faced with a stressful situation. Instead, they are rigid in their behaviour and reactions, even when a situation causes them suffering and negative effects in their lives.
Eating disorders
Eating disorders are complex conditions, mainly characterised by abnormal eating habits, an intense fear of gaining weight and a preoccupation with body image. They have serious consequences for physical and mental health and can disrupt family life, friendships and everyday life.
ARE PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS VIOLENT AND DANGEROUS?
Research recognizes that violence does not necessarily stem from a mental health disorder, and that the causes of violence are complex. If we look at mental health disorders in isolation, people with mental health disorders are no more violent than those without. On the contrary, they are far more likely to be victims of violence than to be the perpetrators of violent crimes.
Références
American Psychiatric Association. (2015) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)
Anorexie et boulimie Québec (2023) Troubles alimentaires
Association canadienne pour la santé mentale (2016) Les mythes au sujet des maladies mentales
Association canadienne pour la santé mentale (2022) Faits saillants
Gouvernement du Québec (2024) Mieux comprendre les troubles mentaux.
Gouvernement du Québec (2021) Guide explicatif – Loi modifiant le Code des professions et d’autres dispositions législatives dans le domaine de la santé mentale et des relations humaines
Le manuel Merck (2002) Présentation des troubles de la personnalité
Crédit
Contribution to the article : Isabelle Queval, psychologist
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