A 20-year-old with no previous medical history developed an episode of palpitations, shortness of breath, and syncope. It felt like the situation was not real while awaiting a turn to present a project in class. The client was brought to the emergency department via ambulance approximately one hour after the onset of the episode, and at the time of arrival, the symptoms had subsided. The intake nurse noted that the admission electrocardiogram, chest x-ray, and blood work were all within normal limits.

The nurse suspects that the client is suffering from:
– schizophrenia
– a panic-attack
– a depressive disorder
– a bipolar disorder
1. What difficulties might a person with a mental illness face in developing healthy interpersonal relationships?
2. Are these difficulties any different than people who do not have any mental health concerns?