A person can experience extreme distress, panic or worry.
Common symptoms include:

• high blood pressure,
• increased heartbeat,
• upset stomach,
• tremors,
• muscle tension,
• feeling restless,
• sleeplessness.

Common symptoms include:

• nightmares,
• having a lot of thoughts of the trauma you suffered,
• sleeplessness,
• startling easily.

Depression affects a person's mood.

Mild Depression: Many people experience mild depression in their lives for example, sadness or not wanting to do anything.

Major Depression:Symptoms may include:

• extreme sadness or despair;

a loss of interest in doing anything for example work, hobbies or hygiene;

• sleeping problems;
• loss of appetite;
• weight loss;
• lack of energy;
• suicidal feelings or wanting to die;
• sense of guilt;
• hopelessness;
• feeling worthless

Depression, whether mild or major, can be the result of reactions to life events for example the loss of a loved one, loss of a job, or trying to adjust to life in a new country. However, it can also have no known external causes.

If you are uncertain of the severity of the depression please seek professional advice.

This affects a person's mood. A person may have extreme mood swings of highs and lows. Symptoms of a 'low' mood may include:

• feelings of failure or unworthiness;
• suicidal feelings or wanting to die;
• depressed mood;
• sleeping problems;
• poor appetite.

Symptoms of a 'high' mood may include:

• irritability,
• speech may be jumbled because of speaking too quickly;
• impulsiveness;
• belief in being someone important or having great powers.

A person with manic depressive distress (also called ‘Bipolar Disorder’) may experience psychosis. Psychosis:This occurs when a person loses touch with reality or is unable to distinguish between what is real and what is fantasy.

The most common psychotic disorder is schizophrenia. Symptoms may include:

• feeling confused or depressed;
• withdrawal from family, friends, and reduced social contact;
• hearing voices of people who are not present or that no-one else can hear;
• believing that people are wanting to cause them harm;
• belief of being someone famous or powerful;
• feelings and thoughts may not match, for example, laughing at a sad thought for no apparent reason;
• inability to perform everyday tasks, for example, looking after personal hygiene or diet.

People experiencing these symptoms should seek medical help. Mental distress is like a physical illness. It is important to receive treatment in order to get well. If a person receives treatment at an early stage, they may be able to recover more quickly. One of the following or a combination can assist the person:

• Medication can help with some forms of mental distress. It helps to control symptoms.
• Support and counselling is talking to someone to deal with problems, to help to cope with the distress and the symptoms.
• Support Group Meetings and being with other people with mental distress. Families getting together who have a member with mental distress. These groups give people the chance to share experiences, learn about mental distress and support each other.

The aim of this help is to restore respect, dignity and confidence to the mentally distressed person.

Primary Care Provider

Your doctor can check to make sure there are no underlying physical problems. They can medically treat the mentally distressed person. Your doctor can also refer you to other appropriate services.

Community Mental Health Clinics

Staff include psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses, occupational therapists, social workers. They offer different forms of help to the person with mental distress and/or their families. This can include crisis assistance.

Psychiatric Hospitals

If someone is very sick they may need to be in hospital. People may be taken to hospital involuntarily if there is a risk that they can hurt themselves or others. Once a person is admitted to hospital, their mental health is reviewed regularly. The aim of a hospital admission is to restore a person's mental health as soon as possible so that they can return home.

Will My Problem Be Kept Confidential?

When seeing a health professional, information about your problem cannot be given to anyone else without your permission. If an interpreter is present they also must keep the information confidential. It is important for a person with mental distress to receive treatment in order to get well. The longer the distress remains untreated the longer it can take for the person to recover.