[amandaloser4477]

At what age do people typically start to show signs of some sort of mental illness?

[jelly-bean]

There is no common age for the symptoms to show up. I think that is schizophrenia there is an average age that the symptoms start showing and that is the mid twenties. However, even children show signs of mental health issues as well as senior citizens so I guess you would have to look up whatever illness you are interested in and maybe it says more than I know.

[Hellion]

Not sure there is a typical age...I mean I am pretty sure I had depression at least since the age of 10.

[cool09]

Some mental disorders show up in adolescence maybe due to triggers. Some disorders may be dormant and suddenly appear from triggers: stress, environment. Typical age limit for schizophrenia is 40. Search the web and you'll find more info; wikipedia maybe.

[Webgoji]

Recurrent Major Depressive Disorder often starts to exhibit itself at the start of puberty. 10-12 or so as dysthymia. Then the major depressive episodes will start popping up, long periods of depression followed by longer periods of normalcy. The latency period between major depressive episode typically grow shorter and shorter until the disorder peaks at around the age of 35. The only way this can be diagnosed is by looking at the patient's long-term history and noting the pattern.

Take me for example: My first major depressive episode was around 16, then I had another at around 25, my next at the age of 32, then finally at the age of 36. I've basically been in a 5 year major depressive episode ever since and won't ever dig my way out.

Now this, of course, is the recurrent pattern for Major Depressive Disorder. Many people will have a major depressive episode that comes on at any age and 2/3 of people will recover fully. These people are survivors. They made it through and won't have it again.

So when people talk about Major Depression, there are seemingly two types out there. The kind that people will recover from and those that endure a repeating pattern of it.

People like me can only fight for the rest of our lives. There's no surviving, only the daily struggle.

[Eymvee]

Originally Posted by amandaloser4477

At what age do people typically start to show signs of some sort of mental illness?

Ive heard Bipolar and Schizoaffective turn up early to mid twenties

[Crazy Hitch]

Some disorders give a rough guideline - but it really is just a guideline- because we are all just so very different. And the age of initial onset of symptoms can be far from age of actual diagnosis.

[-jimi-]

Showing signs is a different thing compared to getting a diagnosis, so it's tricky. Someone with a personality disorder has to be 18 or more to get a diagnosis but of course the issues does not happen as they turn 18, they can probably show from a very young age in some cases.

Then when it comes to depression and bipolar, I think they happen more for adults and older teens, not saying there are not children and teens clearly depressed because there are. But all of them don't show a classic pattern of depression or slower mood swings. Kids have more energy and I think it is why their depression or bipolar can have more traits of hostility, irritability, agitation, restlessness, loss of control etc.

Anxiety I think can happen at any age basically. Same with depression.

It's really just schizophrenia that seems to have a sort of timeframe for onset, and to a lesser degree bipolar. OCD seems to somehow fit this too.

It's an interesting question. For me, I think I was born with AS and ADD, developed panic at age of 6, transient tic disorder at age 13, OCD at age 14 and depression at age 32.

[The Grey Wolf]

Its different for everyone mine was about 6

[The Grey Wolf]

I was diagnosed at 10 with bipolar disorder although I had it for years before

[Christina12345]

I am 17 and was diagnoses with adhd at age 5, deppression at age 8, and schizophrenia at age 13...however...i believe i was misdiagnosed for the schozophrenia.