We often prioritize physical health, which causes us to overlook the critical role of mental well-being. This could be why there are so many undiagnosed mental health disorders. Take anxiety, for example. It is a condition that affects a lot of people, but they tend to overlook it for something else. We do not always realize that mental health conditions can affect us physically. In this post, I want to explore some of the most common mental health disorders that are often overlooked. I also want to share how this came to my attention after experiencing the symptoms of a mental health disorder, anxiety, myself.
Experiencing Anxiety For The First Time
Three years ago, I experienced what I initially thought was a heart attack. After rushing to the ER, my heart rate started to go down a bit. When I arrived, it just picked up again. As we were driving to the ER, I started to think. That is when it hit me. It might not be a heart attack. Instead, what I was experiencing could rather be more related to my mental health. I had been on antidepressants for about half a decade, but anxiety attacks were something completely new to me.
Yet, when I mentioned this to my mother, who was taking me to the ER, she kept focusing on the fact that it was related to my physical health, so it must be my heart. Later on at the ER, I was given an Ativan, placed on an ECG machine, and monitored. Turns out, it was an anxiety attack. This one event changed my life forever, and things were difficult for a few months after that first attack. I could not even eat a spicy pizza, as that would trigger feelings of anxiety.
My mind would focus on the slightest change in my heart rate, and I would immediately go into a fight-or-flight response. Fast forward to 2025, and I would say that my anxiety is well-managed, but I have seen so many people struggle with this same problem without knowing that it was a mental health condition.
What is Anxiety and How Does it Affect You?
Anxiety is a mental illness. It is considered one of the most common undiagnosed mental health disorders. It is a condition that can cause unexpected feelings of doom. The feelings can quickly become overwhelming. When you experience anxiety, several symptoms may develop. This includes difficulty concentrating and overthinking the worries that surround you immediately.
There are also physical symptoms that can start to develop with these commonly undiagnosed mental health disorders. This includes trembling, sweating, hyperventilation, a rapid heart rate, and feeling tired. Insomnia is also common among people with anxiety. It is worth noting that the symptoms can vary from one person to another. How you perceive these anxious moments may not be the same as someone else’s. However, these are the general symptoms that people tend to experience.
You should also understand that there are different kinds of anxiety disorders. The most common is generalized anxiety disorder. This is what comes to mind when looking at common undiagnosed mental health disorders. Other types include agoraphobia, panic disorder, selective mutism, separation anxiety, social phobias, and specific phobias.
Depression as an Undiagnosed Mental Health Disorder
When we talk about undiagnosed mental health disorders, it is really important that we also consider depression. Depressive disorders affect about 5% of all adults worldwide. It is also the most common type of mental health disorder that exists. It is associated with feelings of sadness, irritability, and emptiness. Many people with depression struggle to concentrate, have a low self-worth, and tend to feel hopeless, especially when looking at their future. Thoughts and even attempts at suicide are also relatively common among people with depressive disorders.
