What are the Warning Signs of Mental Illness

In an adult:A person with one or more of the following symptoms should be evaluated by a psychiatrist or other physician as soon as possible:
Marked personality change
Inability to cope with problems and daily activities
Strange or grandiose ideas.
Excessive anxieties.
Prolonged depression and apathy.
Marked changes in eating or sleeping patterns.
Extreme highs and lows.
Abuse of alcohol or drugs.
Excessive anger, hostility, or violent behavior.
A person who is thinking or talking about suicide or homicide should seek help immediately.
In a child:Having only one or two of the problems listed below is not necessarily cause for alarm. They may simply indicate that a practical solution is called for, such as more consistent discipline or a visit with the child's teachers or guidance counselor to see whether there is anything out of the ordinary going on at school. A combination of symptoms, however, is a signal for professional intervention.
The child seems overwhelmed and troubled by his or her feelings, unable to cope with them.
The child cries a lot.
The child frequently asks or hints for help.
The child seems constantly preoccupied, worried, anxious, and intense. Some children develop a fear of a variety of things--rain, barking dogs, burglars, their parents' getting killed when out of sight, and so on--while other children simply wear their anxiety on their faces.
The child has fears or phobias that are unreasonable or interfere with normal activities.
The child can't seem to concentrate on schoolwork and other age-appropriate tasks.
The child's school performance declines and doesn't pick up again.
The child's teachers, school administrators, or other authority figures in the child's life ask the parent what might be troubling the child.