Types of mental illness
2-minute read
There are more than 300 mental disorders listed in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). This is a handbook used by health professionals to help identify and diagnose mental illness.
Some of the main groups of mental disorders are:
- mood disorders (such as depression or bipolar disorder)
- anxiety disorders
- personality disorders
- psychotic disorders (such as schizophrenia)
- eating disorders
- trauma-related disorders (such as post-traumatic stress disorder)
- substance abuse disorders.
The diagnosis of mental illness can be controversial. There have been many debates in the medical community about what is and isn’t a mental illness. The definition can be influenced by our society and culture, but most mental illnesses occur across all countries and cultures. This suggests that they are not just constructed by social norms and expectations, but have a biological and psychological basis too.
Not sure what to do next?
If you or someone you know are finding it difficult to manage mental health issues, try healthdirect’s symptom checker and get advice on when to seek professional help.
The Symptom checker guides you to the next appropriate healthcare steps, whether it’s self care, talking to a health professional, going to a hospital or calling triple zero (000).
Last reviewed: November 2016
Need more information?
These trusted information partners have more on this topic.
Top results
Different types of mental illness
Information about different types of mental illness (or 'diagnoses') and how parents with these illnesses may feel or behave.
Read more on COPMI – Children of Parents with a Mental Illness website
Type 2 diabetes and mental illness.
Mental illness is enough to cope with on its own, so being told you have diabetes as well can feel overwhelming at first. It’s important to remember, then, that there are things you can do yourself to manage the condition well, and that there are trained people who can help you do this – for example, by recommending eating and lifestyle changes.
Read more on Mi Networks website
About mental illness
These short videos can help you to understand your parent's mental illness and how it affects their behavior. What mental illness is, about different types of mental illnesses ('diagnoses'), whether your parent will get better, and how to look after yourself too.
Read more on COPMI – Children of Parents with a Mental Illness website
What is mental illness?
A mental illness is a health problem that affects how a person behaves, feels, thinks and interacts with other people.
Read more on Australian College of Mental Health Nurses website
Mental illness
A mental illness is a health problem that significantly affects how a person thinks, behaves and interacts with other people.
Read more on WA Health website
What is mental illness?
This brochure talks about mental illness, outlining the main types, myths and misunderstandings, what can be done about stigma, and where to go for help.
Read more on Department of Health website
Mental illness: facts from fiction
There are many myths surrounding mental illness, many of which stigmatise those with depression, bipolar, schizophrenia and the myriad of other mental illnesses. Here are some quick clarifcations.
Read more on Australian College of Mental Health Nurses website
Types of anxiety disorders | Your Health in Mind
An anxiety disorder is a mental illness where your anxiety gets out of control and starts to affect your life.
Read more on RANZCP - The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists website
Complementary Therapies and mental illness.
What are complementary therapies? These are ways of helping yourself stay healthy which complement medical treatment. While these can be useful, care needs to be taken, especially when you have a mental illness. Some people use them instead of medical treatment or without consulting their doctor – this can be dangerous as substances used in ‘natural’ therapy are not required to undergo the same rigorous tests for safety as prescribed medications. The term ‘natural’ is also misleading, as most prescribed medications are actually derived from natural substances too.
Read more on Mi Networks website
Types of Treatment
The main components of professional treatment for eating disorders are: physical health management, nutritional advice and mental health management. In addition, drug treatment, support groups and some alternative therapies may be useful.
Read more on Eating Disorders Victoria website
Top results
Supported employment for adults with severe mental illness | Cochrane
People with mental health problems experience high rates of unemployment. There are various schemes delivering support to people with mental health problems who are trying to find employment. Supported employment tries to place people into competitive jobs. People are placed quickly in normal work settings where they receive intensive support and training from job coaches.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Self management interventions for type 2 diabetes in adults with severe mental illness | Cochrane
What are the effects of diabetes self management interventions specifically tailored for adults with type 2 diabetes and severe mental illness?
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Interventions for drug-using offenders with co-occurring mental illness | Cochrane
A number of policy directives are aimed at enabling people with drug problems to live healthy, crime-free lives. Drug-using offenders with co-occurring mental health problems represent a group who access treatment for a variety of different reasons. The complexity of the two problems makes the treatment and rehabilitation of this group particularly challenging.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Day centres for severe mental illness | Cochrane
The last 30 years have seen a large increase in the number of people with severe mental illness receiving treatment whilst living at home. Community care of the severely mentally ill is frequently enhanced by care provided by day centres run by non-medical services (Social Services in the UK, or the charitable sector). In this review we sought, but could not find, any evidence from well-conducted randomised trials of the effects of non-medical day centres. Day centres are currently becoming prominent in service planning, but this is not based on good evidence as to their effectiveness for people suffering from severe mental illness. If a choice between facilities is available, people with serious mental illnesses and their carers are currently left to make their own judgements based on the evidence of experience and a few non-randomised studies.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Psychoeducation for brothers and/or sisters of people with severe mental illness (SMI) | Cochrane
This review compares psychoeducation for siblings of people with severe mental illness versus standard care or any other intervention as a means of improving their own wellbeing and quality of life as well as coping with the care-giving for their mentally ill siblings.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Life skills programmes for chronic mental illnesses | Cochrane
Having a mental health problem can cause difficulties and obstacles in all areas of life, even those as simple as washing, shopping, talking openly with other people, brushing teeth, cleaning the house, managing money, making friends, shaving and being independent.Having a mental health problem, combined with the sleep-like haze of many antipsychotic medications, limits peoples ability to look after themselves, socialise with other people, take part in education or career development and find work.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Compulsory community and involuntary outpatient treatment for people with severe mental disorders | Cochrane
Compulsory community treatment (CCT) for people with severe mental health problems is used in many countries, including Australia, Israel, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Supporters of this approach suggest that it is less restrictive and better to compulsorily treat someone in the community than to subject them to repeated hospital admissions. They also argue that it is effective in bringing stability to the lives of people with severe mental illness. Opponents of CCT fear treatment and support will be replaced by a greater emphasis on control, restraint, and threat. CCT may also undermine the relationship between healthcare professionals and patients, leading to feelings of mistrust and being controlled, which may drive people with severe mental illnesses away from services.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Benzodiazepines for schizophrenia | Cochrane
Antipsychotic drugs are the primary method of treatment for people suffering from mental illness. However, many people with mental health problems do not respond well to antipsychotics which often are very good at treating positive symptoms (e.g. hearing voices or seeing things), but not so good for negative symptoms (e.g. loss of emotions, inactivity). In addition, antipsychotics can sometimes cause debilitating side effects such as movement disorders, weight gain, sleepiness and dizziness. If someone does not respond well to traditional antipsychotic drugs, psychiatrists are faced with the choice of switching to a different type of drug that may work better on its own; or adding a new drug or drugs to supplement the original antipsychotic drug treatment.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
The economic impact of youth mental illness and the cost effectiveness of early intervention
Read more on Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health website
Prompts to encourage appointment attendance for people with serious mental illness | Cochrane
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Healthdirect 24hr 7 days a week hotline
24 hour health advice you can count on
Government Accredited with over 140 information partners
We are a government-funded service, providing quality, approved health information and advice
