Disturbances in thoughts, feelings and how you see the world can be confusing and distressing, but are not as uncommon as people may think and can be caused by a variety of reasons. They may be related to using drugs or alcohol, be symptoms of a physical illness, or a result of adjusting to a new environment or stress.
Sometimes these changes could also be early symptoms of a mental health problem.
These experiences could be:
- Feeling anxious, irritable or depressed
- Disturbed patterns of sleeping or eating confused or muddled thinking noticing that things and people seem strange and unreal
- Being preoccupied with particular ideas or thoughts
- Unusual experiences such as seeing or hearing things
- Preferring to spend time alone, away from family and friends
- Struggling to cope at school, college or work.
THEDS was set up for people who are having or have had these experiences and is a place people can find expert advice, support and information on what they might be the cause of, or contributing to these experiences.