Mental disorders are understood as clinically significant conditions characterized by alterations in thinking, mood (emotions) or behaviour associated with personal distress and impaired functioning.
Characteristics of Mental Illness :
- Changes in one's thinking
- Changes in memory
- Changes in perception
- Changes in feeling and judgement resulting in changes in talk and behaviour
These changes in behaviour cause distress and suffering to individual or others or both.
Changes and the consequent distress cause disturbance in day to day activities, work and relationship with important others (social and vocational dysfunction).