Top 10 Worst Mental Illnesses
Mental illness affects millions of people worldwide, causing significant distress and impairing daily functioning. Although advancements have been made in diagnosis and treatment, some mental illnesses can be particularly challenging to manage and can have a devastating impact on individuals and their loved ones. It's important to approach the topic with sensitivity and understanding, recognizing the immense struggles faced by those who are affected. With that in mind, this list aims to shed light on the ten mental illnesses that are widely considered to be among the most severe, causing significant disruptions to a person's life, and posing a significant challenge to their mental health and well-being.
Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. People with this disorder often experience hallucinations, delusions, disordered thinking, and other cognitive deficits. Symptoms usually appear in late adolescence or early adulthood, and the cause is not fully understood. Treatment typically involves a combination of antipsychotic medication, therapy, and support services. There are voices and thoughts. They won't stop coming inside my head, no matter how hard I try. When I ask for quiet, they will talk again. The scariest part is hearing my mom and other people repeatedly calling my name. Even when I'm silent, it's so noisy in my head that it feels like it's just going to explode. Then there are shadow people peeping in the windows. I always have to close the windows and bring the curtains down so that they won't see me.
I sometimes avoid looking at the mirror because people coming from the other world might see me. I can't remember things properly - for example, what dress I wore yesterday or earlier. I even experienced a time when someone suddenly asked my name and I totally forgot. I paused and had to look at the ID I was wearing to remember. Sometimes, I forget my birthday and age.
I prefer not to go outside much because I worry that intruders will go inside the house. I can't sleep because I can hear sounds like someone's trying to break down our door. I keep on looking at the door until the banging stops and until I get sleepy and don't notice I'm asleep already. I forget things halfway through what I'm about to say, and people confuse me sometimes because my words mix up.
I always feel that nobody needs me and that useless people like me should die, although those thoughts always end up stopping. I also experienced a time when one of my friends said something and I couldn't comprehend what he was saying. He repeated it five times, but the words didn't seem to go inside my head. I had to tell him to stop.
I also experienced smelling spaghetti when there was nothing inside the house. However, I was sure it was really the smell of spaghetti (I wasn't hungry at that time). I believe that there are other dimensions besides this world, and those beings can enter our world by finding the edges of our universe. My emotions control the weather in our town, so I always have to keep calm. My mind is so filled... more
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a mental illness characterized by unstable emotions, impulsivity, and a distorted sense of self. People with BPD may experience intense and unstable relationships, self-destructive behavior, and feelings of emptiness and abandonment. The causes of BPD are not fully understood, but a combination of genetic, environmental, and biological factors may play a role. Treatment typically involves psychotherapy, medication, and other support services. Been in treatment for over a decade, and now I can function well enough to work, but I do not actually feel any better. Death sounds like an ideal time because it is consistent.
The only permanent thing about life is death, and that, along with the phrase "this feeling is temporary," is supposed to make people feel better. But it only makes me crave dying more. Therapy kind of trained me to stay safe, so I am not actually at risk of suicide, but I just fantasize about it a lot.
I constantly feel so tempted to ruin my own life, so I am consistently depressed because any form of consistency is better than the constant, unpredictable instability. But ask my opinion again in 20 minutes, and I might tell you something entirely different, so who knows.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental illness characterized by intrusive and recurring thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) that the person feels compelled to perform to reduce anxiety or prevent harm. OCD can interfere with daily life and cause significant distress. Treatment typically involves a combination of therapy and medication. The worst part of OCD is knowing every single little detail you worry about is not relevant at all, and that your obsession is irrational. You are quite aware it does not make sense, yet you cannot stop your brain from going into full panic mode once that thought is already there.
It is extremely time-consuming, and for some people, like me, it is a huge waste of money. I can peel my skin off from how dry it is after washing myself in the shower, and the soles of my feet ache every time I take a step from tearing off the skin there.
It is worse when everyone around you swears you're doing any of this to look quirky. If I were, I wouldn't be crying myself to sleep whenever I believe I did something wrong. If you too have OCD, I feel you.
Bipolar Disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a mental disorder characterized by episodes of mania and depression. People with bipolar disorder may experience extreme shifts in mood, energy, and activity levels that affect their ability to function. The cause of bipolar disorder is not fully understood, but genetics, brain chemistry, and life events may play a role. Treatment typically involves mood stabilizing medication, therapy, and support services. I have Bipolar with psychosis and severe anxiety, and I admit that for most of my time with this diagnosis, I was embarrassed about it. But not because of Bipolar itself. Rather, because people think it just means you're moody. They couldn't be more wrong. Bipolar has the highest suicide rate above all other mental illnesses by a lot, including borderline, depression, and schizophrenia.
Bipolar feels like your brain is the rope in a tug-of-war match between extreme mania and crippling depression. During my first psychotic episode, I saw demons and was convinced they were trying to kill me. It disrupted so much I had going for me: good grades, friends, and happiness. I spent all my hard-earned money on useless junk, did weird things that made me lose friends, and I had violent urges (which I didn't act on), hearing voices, not sleeping for days, and seeing demons and alternative realities.
My family "didn't believe" in mental illness and disowned me. I was homeless and bipolar. I tried to kill myself then. Luckily, I got help from a friend who had depression and somewhat understood my issues. Bipolar is unimaginably terrifying, and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.
Depression is a mental disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest or pleasure in activities. Depression can interfere with daily life and cause significant distress. The causes of depression are not fully understood, but genetic, environmental, and biological factors may play a role. Treatment typically involves a combination of therapy and medication. Depression is an overwhelming nothingness and apathy that envelops the victim, forcing rapid deterioration from the inside out. It is similar to the process of termites consuming the core of a healthy tree. Everything appears natural and beautiful on the outside, yet the center has already been hollowed by deadly destruction. Suicide is when that tree collapses because of a lack of people who cared enough to support the degenerated tree.
Depression is characterized by a pain so severe that, even through the prison of rational thought, an individual would commit suicide because nothing, not even the grief experienced by the person's loved ones, could possibly compare to the ever-increasing agony. It is the knowledge that no matter how many medications are forced down one's throat, how many seemingly useless years of therapy the individual must endure, the plague will never cease to haunt, torture, and massacre.
Depression is not weak. It is not cowardly. It is abhorrent, base, and vile, but most of all: futile. If anyone reading this is cursed with this misery, you are impossibly resilient, and deserve the utmost respect and chocolate.
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is a mental illness characterized by the presence of two or more distinct personality states, each with its own unique way of thinking, feeling, and behaving. DID was previously known as multiple personality disorder. The causes of DID are not fully understood, but traumatic experiences in childhood may play a role. Treatment typically involves therapy and medication. I have multiple personality disorder, and I believe it should be #2 on this list. I have three alternate personalities besides myself, and it's hell having this disorder. One minute, you're fine and you're you, then the next thing you know, it's been days or weeks that another personality has been out, and you didn't even know it was happening.
One of my alternates would cut my arms from my wrists halfway down both arms, and my mom or husband would find me just lying in the bathroom. Now, I can't even stand a paper cut, so I know I couldn't do that to myself. It would be days, or maybe the next day, when I'd come back and find my arms wrapped up, hurting, and burning so badly without knowing what had happened. That same alternate made me overdose, and I ended up in a coma for 11 days. It has just caused harm to me.
My protective alternate, Hannah, comes out when something is too hard or difficult for me, or when my mind can't handle it. She comes out to deal with the conflict but usually causes more conflict. She gets out of control and doesn't like to go back. She even got me a theft of property charge for stealing things that I had just paid for. When Hannah becomes uncontrollable, then Hope comes out to make her go back and let me take control again. Hope is really sweet, quiet, and very proper. My husband will say, "Babe, she's just too nice."
They are literally like me and triplets. They each have their own identity and memories. My childhood memories include my dad, but I can't actually see him - those are her memories, not mine. The doctors said my mind must have created Hannah when I was around 4 or 5 because my dad was verbally and mentally abusive to me and my little brother, and physically abusive to my mom.
It's so hard to have this disorder because when your alternate is out, you don't know what they're going to do or if they're going to hurt you or someone you love. I've hurt a lot of my loved ones - the people who love me... more
Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) is a mental illness characterized by a pervasive disregard for the rights of others and a lack of empathy. People with ASPD may engage in criminal behavior, lie or manipulate others for personal gain, and exhibit impulsive or reckless behavior. The causes of ASPD are not fully understood, but genetic, environmental, and psychological factors may play a role. Treatment typically involves therapy and other support services. I think this disorder should be number one. It has nothing to do with whether the person can get to work on time or keep a steady job. It's about its consistently "manipulative" nature due to the inability to feel empathy for others. This disorder was formerly called "psychopath," meaning psychologically damaged.
I have severe OCD and am on the bipolar spectrum. During one of my manic episodes, I met someone with antisocial personality disorder. Initially, I thought he was bipolar, but he quickly picked up on what I liked and emulated it perfectly. Last night, while I was hanging out with him (he didn't smoke), I smoked pot and started recognizing that he does not meet the "criteria" for bipolar disorder. His eyes were what gave away his disorder. They were empty when he was not trying to impress me.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a mental disorder characterized by excessive and persistent worry and anxiety about everyday things. People with GAD may experience physical symptoms such as muscle tension, restlessness, and fatigue. The causes of GAD are not fully understood, but a combination of genetic, environmental, and biological factors may play a role. Treatment typically involves therapy, medication, and other support services. The panic attacks are so bad, I start shaking and it gets hard to breathe. It feels like I'm dying, and I get it multiple times a day.
It's hard to sleep, hard to do anything. It's horrible. I'm constantly worried and in a state of panic.
Imagine the feeling you have when you're about to fall out of a chair but don't quite fall. That's what it's like to have a panic attack, but for much, much longer. If you have anxiety, you can experience quite a few of these episodes a week. These disorders can drive you crazy. I was diagnosed with it when I was six, and I wouldn't eat, drink, sleep, or go anywhere just because of the fear of the unknown. I almost had to be fed with IVs because I wouldn't eat, and it was so horrible!
No matter what else I ever experience, this will always be the worst because I can't get it to go away. I'm 11 now, and it's gotten a little better. I eat now, but still, the stuff that lives in my brain is worse than any creature on this planet. People can't really understand what people with anxiety go through because there is no way to know what it's like until you've had it. Once you've had it, there's no way to really shake it off, and it lives with you forever. If I could wish for one thing in the world, it would be for it to go away. It stops me from doing so many things, and no one deserves it.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares, emotional numbness, and avoidance of reminders of the trauma. PTSD can interfere with daily life and cause significant distress. The causes of PTSD are not fully understood, but a combination of genetic, environmental, and psychological factors may play a role. Treatment typically involves therapy and medication. I can't believe this isn't ranked higher. The worst thing about PTSD is that it is a never-ending disorder. All day, I swivel my head back and forth, always assuming the worst things are going to happen to everyone around me. It makes it impossible to get close to people because the closer I get, the more fearful I become that I will lose them. You never know when your trigger will appear, and when it does, it can throw you out of your life for days at a time.
I'm scared to get out of bed every day because I'm afraid of the world. I have insomnia linked to PTSD, and all I can do all night is think of all the different scenarios in which the people I love will die. I'm always exhausted, but I still do things to be safe. I check on everyone at all times to make sure they are safe, and it kills me when my friends do even little things like riding without a seatbelt.
The flashbacks can be debilitating and come without warning. They can happen during a test, a conversation with a friend, or at work talking to customers. It shatters me and hurts those around me.
Eating Disorders are a group of mental illnesses characterized by abnormal eating habits that negatively affect a person's physical and mental health. The most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. Eating disorders can cause significant distress and even be life-threatening. The causes of eating disorders are not fully understood, but a combination of genetic, environmental, and psychological factors may play a role. Treatment typically involves therapy, nutrition education, and medication. As someone with restrictive disordered eating but undiagnosed, after every bite I feel regret. Even if it's healthy, filling a bowl all the way feels wrong. I try to remind myself that at least it's not dessert.
I consider an entire bowl a binge. Mixed nuts, whole grains, bananas, and vegetables help me eat, so I buy those to eat when I'm hungry.
Eating disorders are often that silent killer. There are always early signs, which are frequently dismissed as 'just growing up, losing baby fat, trying to get healthy'. But until they're physically evident, it's so easy to ignore and hide them. Often, you are oblivious to ever having it, until it's consumed you completely.
I didn't realize there was anything actually wrong with me at all. I didn't even really know what it was. My parents waited until I was 8 stone before starting to ask me if I was bulimic. And I had no idea what bulimia was. I just thought the only type of eating disorder was one where you starved or threw up. And I hadn't given any of them any thought. I'd never really seen anyone with one, besides celebrities. Maybe because I thought they didn't affect me. Well, if everyone had that attitude, we'd be living in ignorance. I realize now that, besides all these mental disorders, ignorance is the biggest killer.
The Newcomers
Bro, this is wild. I have it, and everyone thinks I'm French or Portuguese, but in reality, I'm Italian.
Misophonia is a condition characterized by an intense emotional reaction to specific sounds, such as chewing, breathing, or tapping. People with misophonia may experience anger, disgust, or anxiety in response to these sounds, and may avoid situations or people that trigger their symptoms. The causes of misophonia are not fully understood, but it may be related to how the brain processes sensory information. Treatment typically involves therapy and other coping strategies. I've had this ever since I was 5, and it has tormented my life to the fullest. I stopped eating with my parents, and I couldn't even be in the same room as them without earplugs. I go everywhere with earplugs, and as for school, I have my own classroom where I spend 80% of the time, except for when I'm getting instructions from teachers.
People annoy me so much with so many sounds, and even more sounds come every year. At the age of 15, I developed a repetitive tic. Whenever someone makes a sound, I have to mimic it immediately so it doesn't torment my mind as much. Eventually, though, students catch on and start making the sounds on purpose because they find it funny.
With that being said, I still can't tell many people, afraid that they would call me a drama queen or say it's not a real disorder. They compare their dislike of a few sounds to what I have, which is not comparable. When these sounds become repetitive, the overwhelming urge to harm the person is unbearable. I feel disgusted with them and myself. I just wish it would go away, or maybe that I could go deaf for the rest of my life. I'm 18 now, and people still treat me knowing that making a sound will get a reaction out of me.
Schizoaffective Disorder is a mental illness characterized by a combination of symptoms of schizophrenia and mood disorder, such as bipolar disorder or depression. People with schizoaffective disorder may experience hallucinations, delusions, and other cognitive deficits, as well as mood swings and other symptoms of a mood disorder. The causes of schizoaffective disorder are not fully understood, but genetic, environmental, and biological factors may play It's been a few months since I was released from the hospital for my first major psychotic episode. I have been bipolar for almost ten years since my world changed with constant depersonalization at age 12. Nothing ever feels real. I barely feel any emotions except anxiety now, especially when I start to think about what's left for my future. That's not entirely true, actually. I sit on either end as manic (very confident and sometimes very aggressive, though that's more related to psychosis) and feeling like nothing matters (depressed).
If it weren't for my parents, I would probably be homeless without medication. For some people, that's a reality which horrifies me. I feel like I've experienced almost every mental illness except personality disorders, but this is my diagnosis. I have rare moments where I just feel normal, but the depersonalization never goes away. I would never wish this on anybody.
Psychosis is a mental illness characterized by a loss of touch with reality, which can include hallucinations, delusions, and disordered thinking. Psychosis can be a symptom of several mental illnesses, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, but can also be caused by substance use, medical conditions, or other factors. Treatment typically involves medication, therapy, and other support services. This should be at the top with its relative, schizophrenia. This disease is less well-known but has the same, and sometimes worse, effects as schizophrenia. When people go through psychosis, they can have trouble distinguishing what is real and what is not. Some people with this disease even feel safer when dreaming or asleep because the constant noise and hallucinations are not present then.
The noise can be as minimal as a small periodic buzzing, or as severe as a gruesome voice telling them to harm themselves. Psychosis should not be underestimated, as it can lead to "insanity." A person with psychosis can keep it hidden for years before accepting it or telling someone. And even if they want to tell someone, they may not know who to trust or open up to.
Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy is a mental illness in which a caregiver intentionally and repeatedly makes a child or dependent person ill or exaggerates their symptoms to gain attention or sympathy. The causes of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy are not fully understood, but psychological factors, such as a need for attention, may play a role. Treatment typically involves therapy and other support services, as well as protection for the victim. This mental illness should be in the top tens. It's a really bad one. Parents with this disorder try to make their kids sick just for attention. There are dozens of crimes where parents make their kids sick and even kill them.
Basically, this labels a child as mentally or physically ill by intentionally creating harm to the patient. This is another form of child abuse. I'm baffled to see this low on the list.
Munchausen's by proxy is like hidden child abuse that no one notices until it's too late. It is so sad, not just for the child but for the parent, guardian, carer, or whoever is involved.
I've had Tourette Syndrome since I was 9, and it is NOT fun! I always have to twitch my jaw, neck, eyelid, or have to crack my knuckles. And if I don't, I get this horrible feeling that I don't know how to describe until I do something. My mom hates it when I twitch, like I always have since 3rd grade, but I always tell her I can't help it. It's kind of true that I can't help it, though.
I sometimes laugh for no reason, too! I am not sure if that has anything to do with Tourette or not, but I've also been doing that since 3rd grade and got in trouble. Little did my mom or 3rd grade teacher know that I have Tourette's. Well, now my mom understands because my dad found out and explained it to her. But still, you should NEVER wish for Tourette Syndrome. It is horrible, and I feel like it shouldn't be this close to the bottom and should be at least a little closer to the top!
I have an extreme dosage of this. If I don't take my medicine, I'm only able to focus for a few seconds. Even with my medicine, 90% of the time, I don't think of things before I say them. It's also hard for me not to interrupt people. I constantly lose things, even if they're right in front of me, literally as if my brain is focusing on everything but that.
Whenever I'm supposed to do something and I'm not on my meds, if I don't do it immediately, I forget. Sometimes, when I'm not on my medication, instructions come in one ear and out the other. This is coming from a 21-year-old man.
It sucks, but at the same time, it's not that bad (at least for me). I've been told by my therapist that I have SPD, and honestly, I'm not surprised at all after learning what it is. For me, it's like all my emotions are just different shades of gray in a black and white image that is my life. Some days are nice, and I feel 'happy'. Those are the lighter parts. Other times it's like someone took a dimmer and made everything darker. Good things aren't as good, and bad things are even worse.
I went skydiving, and it had been my dream for almost six years. When I was done, I didn't feel excited. I didn't feel giddy. I wasn't happy. I honestly could've been turned away and felt about the same as I did after I jumped. My family was there, so of course, I had to act excited. I smiled, I laughed, I told everyone that they should try it one day. But I didn't really feel anything. It was like, "Oh, okay. It's over."
When my little sister dislocated her elbow in a go-cart accident, everyone was out crying, trying to keep her conscious. Not me. While we were driving to the hospital, the car was filled with the sounds of my family crying. I was sitting in the back of the car, humming along to what music I could hear. I didn't feel scared, or nervous, or guilty in any way. I just was.
I don't feel love for people either. I asked my sister what love felt like, and it was nothing like what I 'feel'. She said it was something like 'I never want this moment to end, I never want this person to change from the way they are now', just warm things in general. My version of 'love' is described like 'I know I'll miss you when you're gone, so I'll spend time with you now so you know I appreciate you being around'.
I have always been called out by my mom because I lacked empathy, had a huge ego, and thought I was better than everyone else. I craved attention, and those girls in my classes who got it instead of me were instantly on my list of hatred. I am extremely sensitive and need others to constantly compliment me to make me feel better about myself. It really does suck because all I've done is just speak without thinking, and then I ruin my chances of making any new friends. I don't even know if I have the personality disorder, to be honest.
Whenever I tell my parents about it, they say that I'm only overreacting. My dad said that a narcissist only cares about themselves, and he says that I am far from it. But, I really do care only about myself, little about others, and it makes me feel horrible. People call me a narcissist all the time, but I don't want to believe it. I'm only 13. Maybe I'm just highly insecure.
Wouldn't it be horrifying to want to sleep, but not be able to, and this continues until you are dead? I feel sorry for everyone that has it.
I don't have this, but I feel sorry for people that have it.
Mine was induced by high levels of stress due to a lot of emotionally heavy events in a short time period. I had to juggle my emotions while putting on a brave face for my friend who was battling suicide. I kept having these moments where everything would grey out, and I'd see my friend dead in front of me.
Why isn't this higher? It's basically schizophrenia and depression put together, but worse.
It's the worst. This illness doesn't harm the paranoid person but instead affects their close relatives. The paranoid person feels fine and safe as long as he or she finds a victim to exploit and destroy due to their sick, miserable thoughts. Paranoid personality is bad. It's a mental crime against others.
Due to the lack of physical proof, the paranoid can safely continue with the mental crimes they inflict upon others.
Having this disorder can screw up your life. With it, your paranoia can cause you to lose family members, friends, girlfriends, jobs, and so many other things. And FYI, it's not the same as Paranoid Schizophrenia. It doesn't make you hallucinate, only delusions. And they're enough to mess up your life.
Panic attacks are dreadful. After they started occurring more frequently, four or more panic attacks a day starting right after waking up, I began having suicidal thoughts. It feels like you're becoming crazy, losing control.
Sometimes, I was sure I was dying. I couldn't leave the house anymore. I was so afraid of having an attack while doing grocery shopping or just taking a stroll.
It's a nightmare. It's like extreme paranoia. Constantly scared of things such as death, which only increases because it's also a fear of the panic attacks themselves. I'll check my pulse randomly, and I'll have a hard time breathing. I often fear I'll have a heart attack because of it. The physical parts of it are the worst.
Depersonalization Disorder is a mental illness characterized by a feeling of detachment from oneself or one's surroundings. People with depersonalization disorder may feel like they are observing their own body or actions from a distance, or that the world around them is unreal or distorted. The causes of depersonalization disorder are not fully understood, but it may be related to stress or trauma. Treatment typically involves therapy and other coping strategies. I do not know how, in God's name, this is not higher on this list. I have suffered with this for about 4 years, and all I can tell you is I equate it to living in hell. I believe it to be right next to Schizophrenia, if not worse, because nothing can help this disorder. Your entire perspective of life is totally changed.
I don't even know what it feels like to feel normal or real because I have no memory of those times. Sometimes I wake up and look around, and I cannot believe what I am seeing. I freak out and have a panic attack. This disorder has caused me 2-3 panic attacks a day.
I feel like my heart constantly stops, and I am always in fear for my life. Nothing helps, and I believe I will be stuck like this forever.
It's hard to explain. You still care for others, but you just don't feel empathetic. I don't know, to be honest. I suffer from it, and it's still hard to explain.
It's not that I don't care about other people, but I just do not feel any amount of empathy for anyone.
My great uncle has Alzheimer's and is in his last stages. Whenever my cousin walked in, he couldn't remember his name, but he knew he liked horses, so he would imitate a horse to make him happy. I can't sleep at night thinking about him, how much life experience he's losing, all the moments he had with us are just fading away.
I hate Alzheimer's more than anything in the world. I'm spending as much time with him as I can and donating to the cause as much as I can to combat this hellspawned condition.
How is this not number 1? People slowly lose their memory and cognitive ability and die within 3 to 20 years. This disorder literally makes your brain wither away.