What are the symptoms of mental illness/retardation?

They aren't the same thing, first of all. Don't assume that people with mental illness are unintelligent, or that people with low intelligence are crazy.

Mental retardation (or whatever term is used to mean the same thing) is having intelligence far lower than average. According to what I've read (am currently re-reading The Bell Curve, for what it's worth), retardation is an IQ below 70, meaning it is only 70% of average. So a 'symptom' of mental retardation can be anything that is a result of having a very low intelliegence.

Mental illness is something else entirely. A person can be very intelligent, even a genius, and still have a serious mental illness. The symptoms are as varied as the illnesses themselves, but usually are some kind of diffficulty dealing with life and interacting with the rest of society -regardless of- intelligence level.

DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.

Browse some of the questions asked on here and some of the answers. You will see many cases of it.

there are so many sympthoms here call your nearest mental health clic they can guide you threw this long dragged out process theres just so so much there!! are they depressedd are they schitzo?/ maniccc depresiE??

Red K,
Well you said symptoms, and Mental Retardation is apparent in the face as I understand it, at least for Mongolism. But in an infant that is too young to see that, especially newborns, I understand (It recently happened to some people I know), That there are a lack of lines in the palm of the hands. It's smooth rather than with lines. So no "Lifelines."

First off, the word RETARDATION has not been used in Canada since the institutions were closed.Newfoundland being the first.There are many types of Mental illnesses. Therefore there are may symptoms such as depression, lack or gain of appetite, fatigue,loss or gain of weight,confusing thoughts, unusual fear and doubts,or loss of memory.These are just a few.Mental illness is a sickness the same as any other illness and is one of the biggest that is misunderstood or made fun of.

There are many types of mental illness, depending on what specific symptoms would be a form or a certain mental illness. Mentally challenged is a more "politically correct" term for retardation. There are many sites on the web to search for answers of symptoms for many illnesses, not just mental illness, but medical issues period.

being concidered different by society