Is your mind, or the mind of a loved one, unwell? How can you identify it?

Is your mind, or the mind of a loved one, unwell? How can you identify it?

“He/she has changed so much lately. They just stay inside the room and don't go anywhere. They hardly eat or drink. When spoken to, they act as if they didn't hear. There's no sense of order; they often stay without even washing their face, wearing whatever they grab first.”
We often hear stories like this in society. People tend to dismiss these changes by attributing them to external reasons: “Maybe it’s a breakup,” “It’s probably because they haven't found a job yet,” or “Maybe it's because they failed the exam.” Many are used to pushing the problem aside, saying, “It’ll be fine in a few days,” “They’ll be okay once they get a job,” or “They’ll stop this nonsense and return to normal when they feel like it.”
However, the reality could be much more serious than these assumptions. What you are witnessing might be someone suffering from a mental illness. On the other hand, it is also normal for anyone to go through a period of grief, as described above, due to any of the reasons mentioned.
So, how do you distinguish between normal grief and a mental illness?
To do this, you should focus on three primary factors:
1.    Is there a change in the person's way of thinking, behavior, and daily activities? (Example: If someone who was previously very social suddenly and continuously tries to avoid society and stay alone, it is a matter that requires attention.)
2.    Is this change persistent over time, rather than just lasting a day or two? (Example: It is normal to spend a short time grieving or crying after a heartbreak. However, these symptoms should gradually decrease, and the person should slowly return to normalcy. If they continue to grieve and cry indefinitely without improvement, it is a cause for concern.)
3.    Is this condition different from the person's previous "normal" state? (Example: Trying to stay quiet with minimal social interaction is a normal trait for an introvert. For such a person, being alone is not necessarily a sign of mental illness. It becomes a concern if a previously social person suddenly tries to avoid society. If there is a significant "change" in current behavior compared to their previous nature, it needs attention.)
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Understanding the Signs
As shown in these examples, if someone displays characteristics from all three categories, they may be experiencing a mental illness.
Note: Displaying these three signs alone does not automatically mean someone has a mental illness. This must be determined by a psychiatrist. However, if a loved one shows these signs, you should use them as a guide to decide that it is appropriate to refer them to a psychiatrist at that moment.
If we look closer at the first point, these signs can be categorized into Mood changes, Behavioral changes, and Thinking pattern changes.
●    Mood Changes: If the mood fluctuates abnormally, or if the person constantly has a depressed face or an abnormally elated face that is inappropriate for the situation. (Example: Looking sad even during a happy occasion, or behaving with uncontrollable happiness at a funeral where everyone else is grieving.)
●    Behavioral Changes: Behaviors that differ from previous patterns, such as showing extreme aggression, continuously neglecting daily tasks and hygiene, persistent oversleeping or insomnia, loss of appetite or abnormal increase in appetite, withdrawing from social relationships, or constantly acting with excessive, misplaced fear.
●    Thinking Pattern Changes: Constant pessimistic thinking, suspecting even those close to them without any basis, feeling that everyone else is out to harm them, continuous rejection of reality, difficulty focusing, or a sudden dislike for things they previously enjoyed.
Conclusion
If several of the above factors are present, if they persist consistently over time, and if these traits are significantly different from the person's previous nature, one might suspect they are in the early stages of a mental illness. The best thing to do at this stage is to refer the person to a psychiatrist.
"Why does a mental illness occur?" Let’s discuss that in the next part.