MENTAL HEALTH.

Hey everyone!

It's Nile here. This week's topic is going to be somewhat elongated and will continue throughout the month of December because it deserves more than a week. We are going to be discussing the topic of mental health. Nile--Nerdy Naturals' co-founder, and Tee--a YouTuber and contributor from Jersey City, NJ will be sharing their experiences with mental health with you all during the next two weeks.

Before Nile and Tee share their stories with you guys, we decided that we should educate you all about what mental health and mental illness is, and we will list and define the most common types of mental illnesses.

According to MentalHealth.gov, mental health is defined as "emotional, psychological, and social well-being." There are various types of mental illnesses including: anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, eating disorders, OCD, and PTSD. There are more mental illnesses, but these are the ones that we will be elaborating on. (If you want to see a longer list: CLICK HERE.)

Mental Illnesses

• Anxiety: Anxiety disorders come in different categories, including: generalized personality disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and some phobias. The symptoms of an anxiety disorder include fear and dread towards certain situations (or objects) and can cause panic or a rapid heartbeat. These symptoms usually cannot be controlled and can interfere with everyday activities. (Source: http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-health-types-illness)
  

• Depression: Depression causes long-term sadness and can often be seen as simply having "the blues". Unfortunately, it's more serious than that and can require long-term treatment. It causes for a loss of interest, it can affect how you think, feel, and behave, and it can interfere with everyday activities. Clinical depression can even cause suicidal thoughts. (Source: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/basics/definition/con-20032977)
  

• Bipolar Disorder: Also known as manic depression, bipolar disorder causes for intense mood swings ranging from extremely happy to extremely sad. Extreme happiness is referred to as mania while extreme sadness is referred to as depression. These mood swings can occur as often as a few times a week or as rare as a few times a year. (Source: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bipolar-disorder/basics/definition/con-20027544)
  

• Schizophrenia: Schizophrenia is such a severe mental illness that it requires lifelong treatment. It is a combination of many types of abnormal thoughts, including: hallucinations and delusion. Like other mental illnesses, it can interfere with daily life and can impair or disable those with this mental illness. (Source: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/schizophrenia/home/ovc-20253194)
  

• Eating Disorders: This type of mental illness includes: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. Eating disorders describe an extreme obsession with things involving weight and how food affects one's weight. (Source: http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-health-types-illness)
  

• OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder): OCD causes for people to some over and over again out of the fear that something will happen if they don't do that specific "routine". The fear is the "obsession" and the routine is the "compulsion". (Source: http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-health-types-illness)
  

• PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder): Most people begin dealing with PTSD after experiencing a traumatic event such as sexual assault or a car accident. PTSD causes for lasting memories and horrific thoughts about those traumatic events. (Source: http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-health-types-illness)
  

Questions? Comments? Concerns? 

Nile's Instagram: @ineedyoulikethesun

Nile's Twitter: @NaturallyNi

Email: nerdynaturals@gmail.com

NEXT WEEK, TEE (JERSEY CITY, NJ) WILL BE SHARING HER STORY ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH! STAY TUNED.