Mental illnesses are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood or behaviour associated with significant distress and impaired functioning over an extended period of time.
Symptoms vary from mild to severe, depending on the type of mental illness, the individual, the family, and the socio-economic environment.
In the course of a lifetime, every individual experiences feelings of isolation, loneliness, emotional distress or disconnection at times. These are usually normal, short-term reactions to difficult situations, rather than symptoms of mental illness. People learn to cope with difficult feelings just as they learn to cope with difficult situations. In some cases, however, the duration and intensity of painful feelings or disorienting patterns of thought may interfere seriously with everyday life. Ordinary coping skills are overwhelmed, and people may need help in regaining balance and restoring their fullest functioning.