Do you want to know how much mental illness goes undiagnosed? Absolutely yes. I want to know. From all my studies, I know that mental sickness is common, but it’s often ignored.
Many people deal with it alone and don’t ask for help, so it’s called a “silent disease.” According to the WHO, two-thirds of mental illnesses remain untreated.
Many cases aren’t even found. But that’s not all. If you keep reading, I’ll talk about how many people with mental illness go undiagnosed, why that happens, and much more.
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Now let’s get started.
How Many Mental Illnesses Go Unreported
When self-reports were compared to actual data, it was shown that 81 per cent of people diagnosed with a mental disorder underreported the severity of their disease.
In comparison, 13% of those with general medical disorders did so. The researchers hypothesize that stigma might be a contributing factor.
“It is possible that the stigma associated with mental diseases, in addition to the unpredictable course of mental illnesses, might help to explain, at least in part, the inconsistencies and variances in ages at which mental and physical disorders first appear.
In addition, individuals can feel the need to describe their present medical conditions rather than their history of mental illness since the symptoms associated with general physiological problems might be more frequent in later life.
Why Does Mental Illness Go Undiagnosed?
Most mental illnesses start when a person is in their teens, and most show up by age 24.
Because mental illness usually affects young people, the signs are often mistaken for “hormonal” or “just a phase” behavior that kids go through.
For example, teens often go through mood swings, which can also be signs of bipolar illness. Even though teens often sleep late or don’t feel like doing much, this can signify sadness.
Young adults often use drugs, but they can also be used to hide or deal with bad thoughts and feelings.
As you can see, it’s hard to tell the difference between “typical” problems and signs of mental illness.
This is one of many reasons why people with mental illness might not get treatment or a correct diagnosis.
Sometimes, it’s because they’re scared, ashamed, or don’t know how to ask for help. Some of the most common things that keep people from getting mental health care are, but are not limited to:
1. Worry about what other people will think
2. Being too embarrassed or ashamed to ask for help
3. Not believing that your symptoms are “bad enough” to get help
4. They can’t put their job, school, or home responsibilities on hold
5. Not having insurance and not being able to pay for mental health care
6. Not being aware that someone is having trouble with their mental health and needs help
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Why Do So Many Mental Illnesses Go Undiagnosed
People are also hesitant to ask for help, which makes it harder to figure out what’s wrong. Many people feel embarrassed or ashamed to say they are having trouble.
So, they might suffer in silence, try to hide their symptoms, or play down how bad they are.
“It can also be hard to tell if someone has a mental health problem because their signs can be very different from person to person.
This makes it hard for friends and family to know when someone is hurting. Doctors sometimes struggle to diagnose mental illness since no cure works for everyone.
Here is How to ask for help:
The best way to get a correct evaluation is to talk to a mental health worker, who can look at your symptoms and give you the proper treatment.
If you or someone you know might have a mental health problem, getting help is essential. When someone has a mental illness, getting help early can make a huge difference in how it goes.
What Mental Disorders Go Undiagnosed
Here are some mental health problems that are often not caught: Bipolar disorder, PTSD, and borderline personality disorder are all mental illnesses.
1. Disorder of Bipolar
Bipolar disease, also called manic depression, is marked by sudden shifts in mood. People with this disorder go back and forth between sadness and mania (or hypomania, a milder form).
During a depressed episode, these people may feel lost, empty, tired, or distant. During a manic episode, they may feel energized or overexcited and act in dangerous ways.
2. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD
People get PTSD after going through something stressful, like being abused or attacked, being ignored, being in a disaster, or going to war.
Here are Some of the sign:
· Hypervigilance
· Irritability
· Flashbacks
· Trouble falling asleep
· Isolation from others
· Loss of interest or enjoyment in everyday things
PTSD United, Inc. says that 70% of adults in the US have experienced something upsetting at least once and that up to 20% of these people develop PTSD.
But many of them have no idea. PTSD is often missed or confused with another disease, just like bipolar illness. “The signs include anxiety, sadness, ADHD, and bipolar disorder.
3. Disorder of Borderline Personality (BPD)
BPD is often seen in people who can’t handle their thoughts or emotions well. People with BPD may show serious mood or psychological and behavioral symptoms, such as aggressive behavior, anger, or self-harm.
Mood symptoms include anger, worry, and feeling alone. Psychological symptoms include a skewed view of oneself and a need to be the center of attention.
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What Is The Most Common Undiagnosed Mental Illness
The following mental illnesses are often misdiagnosed.
1. Bipolar illness
One of the most often misunderstood mental health conditions is bipolar. Bipolar disorder affects between 1.4 and 6.4 per cent of persons globally.
However, given the prevalence of incorrect diagnoses, it is difficult to determine which figure is more accurate. Sixty-nine per cent of persons with bipolar disorder had a different diagnosis at first.
For at least ten years, one-third of the patients had the wrong diagnosis. The most frequent misdiagnosis for bipolar illness is depression. A bipolar depressive episode is identical to a major depressive episode that is unipolar.
Low mood, difficulty experiencing pleasure, difficulty concentrating, impatience, weariness, disturbed sleep, feelings of hopelessness, sluggish movements, and suicidal or death thoughts are some of the symptoms.
2. Negative Effects of Misdiagnosis
When depressed episodes occur, when people with bipolar disorder feel awful, they are more likely to seek medical help than when manic or less severe hypomanic episodes occur, when they are energized and feel bigger than life.
The doctor cannot distinguish between depression and bipolar because the manic episodes were not mentioned. Such errors in diagnosis have noticeable effects.
Antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and psychotherapy are frequently used to treat bipolar disorder. Antidepressants without mood stabilizers put bipolar patients at higher risk for manic episodes.
3. PTSD
PTSD, often known as post-traumatic stress disorder, has several symptoms. Some examples are relieving the traumatic experience, avoiding triggers, adopting pessimistic viewpoints about oneself or the world, struggling to fall asleep, and being jittery, impatient, or easily startled.
A mistaken diagnosis might result from specific symptoms being more obvious. For instance, disturbed sleep and a pessimistic outlook on oneself and the outside environment are similar to depression.
On the other hand, insomnia and hyperawareness may resemble an anxiety condition more. PTSD can be confused with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and borderline personality disorder.
4. Misdiagnosis of PTSD
Because no one thinks to check for it, PTSD is frequently misdiagnosed. A war veteran exhibiting impulsivity, irritability, poor sleep, and flashbacks is a candidate for PTSD.
A woman who has experienced sexual assault or a youngster who has seen domestic violence, however, may go unnoticed.
Children, in particular, may receive an incorrect ADHD diagnosis because of their impulsivity or attention deficit disorder. Treatment for PTSD is available, but a proper diagnosis is required.
4. ADHD
A peculiar case is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. On the one hand, it would seem like kids, particularly males, are becoming over diagnosed.
As mentioned above, typical childhood distractibility or even PTSD may be to blame for the symptoms of ADHD that are currently present.
5. depression
Depression is yet another challenging situation. One of the most prevalent mental health problems globally, it is more frequently underdiagnosed in men than women.
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Why Do So Many Mental Illnesses Go Undiagnosed
Issues Associated with Undiagnosed Mental Illness: Since there are so many myths about mental diseases, it is not surprising that they are frequently misdiagnosed.
Age, race, or socioeconomic status have little bearing on a person’s level of mental illness. There is a prejudice among many people toward mental illness.
They view people with mental health problems as outsiders and occasionally think that character flaws cause mental disease.
Due to these factors, parents frequently hesitate to seek treatment for mental illness. For millennia, mental illness has been associated with stigma.
Parents do not want to subject their kids to misunderstandings and discrimination by seeking therapy.
Instead, a large number make a terrible decision. They ignore the warning signals of mental illness until they are impossible to handle.
Untreated mental illness can have many different impacts.
Undiagnosed and untreated mental diseases significantly increase a child’s risk of dropping out of school without a diploma, abusing drugs, or ending up in jail.
According to the Family Guidance Center, about 50% of all young people who are detained or imprisoned have untreated mental illnesses.
Almost half of all mental problems first appear in the early teen years. According to the Family Guidance Center, 70% of young people with mental problems who receive a diagnosis and treatment notice improvements.
The Family Guidance Center has listed a few signs of mental illness below:
1. A shift in sleep
2. Mood swings
3. Changes in appetite
4. Poor academic achievement
5. New indications of anxiety or fear
6. Multiple life-related issues
If a child or adolescent exhibits two to three signs, they should seek emergency mental health treatment.
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Final Thought
Now that we have established how much mental illness goes undiagnosed you can now, do what you must to get your loved one back on track.
Take steps to help your loved one get the correct evaluation and get on the road to healing.
If you need help figuring out where to start, you can always ask for help from Turnbridge. Turnbridge is where teens and young adults can get help with their mental health. We’re here to help.