Difference Between Mental Illness And Mental Disorder (With Table)

Mental Illness and Mental Disorder are connected to the brain, mind, and body. Mental Illness occurs as a result of poor health, disease, and mind. A mental Disorder happens when there is any disturbance in the body, brain, and mind that leads to confusion or disarray of the body and mind.

Mental Illness Vs Mental Disorder

The main difference between Mental Illness and Mental Disorder is that Mental illness is a situation that affects the person’s perspective of thinking, behavior, and peace of mind, whereas Mental Disorder is the situation where there is an observed disturbance in the mental and physical aspects of the body that leads to various other disorders as well.

Mental illness is a poor health condition that is caused as a result of disease of the body or mind. There is over 300 mental illness categorized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, that helps in identifying and diagnosing the Mental Illness. Mental Illness needs to be treated in an appropriate manner starting with proper consultation with a professional healthcare advisor.

Mental Disorder is categorized under various disorders such as Anxiety Disorder, Mood Disorder, Eating Disorder, Personality Disorder, Psychotic Disorder, Substance Abuse Disorder, and Trauma-related disorder. Mental Disorder has become very common in the present world where it has various treatments associated with it and can be cured at ease.

Comparison Between Mental Illness And Mental Disorder

Parameters Of Comparison

Mental Illness

Mental Disorder

Definition

Mental Illness is a health issue that affects a person’s thinking ability, mind, body, and brain.

A mental Disorder is a state at which there is an observed disturbance in the mind, body, and brain that leads to confusion or disarray.

Types

There are over 300 mental illnesses listed and categorized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

Various types of Mental Disorders are Anxiety disorder, Eating disorder, Mood disorder, Personality disorder, Psychotic disorder, and Trauma-related disorder.

Symptoms

Various symptoms of Mental Illness are social withdrawal, irritability, long-lasting depression, loneliness, frequent mood swings, and excessive paranoia.

Various symptoms of Mental Disorder are frequent changes in interests, feelings, and choices, change in sleeping habits, appetite and change in weight, uncontrollable emotions, and behavioral help-seeking.

Diagnosis

It has been specified that the only way of treating a mental illness is through a change in environment and treatments that result in peace of mind.

Various mental disorders can be diagnosed using the International Classification of Disease System that specifies various treatments for specified disorders.

Causes

Mental illness can be caused due to genetic, changes in the environment, childhood trauma, stressful events, and work-life, and negative thoughts.

Mental disorders can be due to chemical imbalance in the brain, traumatic brain injury, mother’s exposure to toxic chemicals during pregnancy, genes, and family history

What is Mental Illness?

Mental Illness is a situation where a person’s behavior, thoughts, and actions are affected. It can be cured with both medication and change in the environment that causes peace of mind and soul. Mental illness can be diagnosed through standard procedures and measures. Various types of Mental Illnesses are caused due to genetic, family, and surrounding environmental social situations.

Mental Illness affects the brain, body, and mind. There are almost 300 types of mental illnesses categorized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Illness that specifies the illnesses and their diagnostic procedures and treatments accordingly. It has various symptoms and causes that lead to Mental Illness and also it has diagnostic methods that work with it.

Mental Illness has various symptoms such as social withdrawal that specifies loneliness and irritability, long-lasting depression, frequent mood swings that lead to depression and bad relationships in both professional and personal environments, and excessive paranoia. Seeking professional health would always be the best option for Treating Mental Illness.

Mental Illness has various causes such as childhood trauma, changes in the pattern of sleep, bad work-life balance, stressful life, negative thoughts, and loneliness. The treatment for diagnosing the Mental Illness would include a change in the environment and regular intake of medication both physically and mentally.

What is Mental Disorder?

A mental Disorder is a state at which there is an observed disturbance with the mind, body, and brain. It leads to an unstable mind and disarray. There are various types of Mental Disorders such as Anxiety Disorder, Mood Disorder, Eating Disorder, Personality Disorder, Psychotic Disorder, and Trauma-related disorder.

Mental Disorders can be cured and diagnosed using various measures and treatments that are meant to be done for the specified Disorder. But the one that helps in creating peace of mind, body, and brain would be changed in the environmental situation and condition from that which leads to the Mental Disorder.

Mental Disorders have various symptoms like frequent changes in interest, feelings, and choices, change in the pattern of sleeping affecting both body and mind, frequent change in appetite and weight, uncontrollable emotions, emotional imbalance, and behavioral help-seeking. Mental Disorders have various methods of treatment as well.

Mental Disorders are due to the chemical reactions in the brain that causes the change in emotions and behavior, also due to traumatic brain damage or injury, mother’s exposure to toxic cosmetics during pregnancy, and other reasons might be the family history, and genetic disorder as that may also lead to various types of Mental Disorders.

Main Differences Between Mental Illness And Mental Disorder

  1. Mental Illness is a health issue that affects thinking ability, decision making, emotional balance, body, and brain. Whereas Mental Disorder is the disturbance caused to the body, mind, and soul.
  2. Mental Illness has various types that are around 300 types categorized under the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, whereas Mental Disorder has various types such as Anxiety Disorder. Eating Disorder, Personality Disorder, Psychotic Disorder, and Mood Disorder.
  3. Mental Illness has various types of symptoms such as long-lasting depression, social media withdrawal, loneliness, and mood swings. Whereas Mental Disorder has various types of symptoms such as frequent changes in emotions, sleeping habits, mood swings, and depression.
  4. Mental Illness is caused due to childhood trauma, change in environment, and stressful events. Whereas Mental Disorder is caused due to exposure to toxic chemicals during pregnancy, brain injury, and a genetic disorder.
  5. Mental Illness can be diagnosed by various kinds of treatments and changes in the environment. Whereas Mental Disorders can be diagnosed by various procedures mentioned in the disease manual system.

Conclusion

Mental Illness and Mental Disorders are disturbances in the body, mind, and brain that lead to change in the emotion, behaviors of a person leading them to get isolated, withdraw from the social network, loneliness, depression, and bad decision making.

Mental Illness and Mental Disorders can be diagnosed and treated accordingly. Mental Illness has various types of symptoms and around 300 types of illnesses. Mental Disorders have various types of disorders such as Mood Disorder, Eating Disorder, Personality Disorder, and Psychotic Disorder.

References

  1. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1961-01456-001
  2. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1955-07136-000