Anti Psychotic Help » Mental Illness

Mental Illness

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:44:20 +0000

Mental illness is a group of conditions which affect the brain and impairs the way that we think, feel, and interact with the world. Mental illness can be mild or it can severely disrupt our daily lives to the point that we are no longer rational,or we are unable to understand and communicate with our environment in a meaningful or normal way.

Some of the most serious mental illnesses include: schizophrenia, major depression, post traumatic stress syndrome, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, and anxiety disorders. There is a gradient of how serious a disorder can be which is based on the level of dysfunctioning experienced by the sufferer

Mental illness is not limited to one group of people of any race or creed, personal lifestyle, age, or educational and financial standing. The good news is that there is help available for mental disorders and there are also treatments, medications and different forms of therapy such as cognitive therapy, and interpersonal therapy which can control or relieve the symptoms.

There are several support groups for individuals sufferering from mental disorders and there are activist and support groups for their families as well. Mental illness need not be the social stigma that it once was.

Mental health patients can have assistance with transportation, nutritician, sleep problems, money management, assisted living programs, job placement programs and more. Most people suffering from a mental illness are not confined to a mental hospital ward room. They are individuals who are part of the everyday fabric of our society working in various jobs and living in the community at large

Mental Health Facts

There are different mental illnesses affecting different functioning of the brain, many of which have to do with imbalance of chemicals in the brain, impaired functing of various areas of the brain, mixed brain signals and so on. Mental illness, is not imagined, not used as an excuse to get out of doing the activities which most individuals can do and it can not be overcome by shear will power. Mental illness has nothing to do with the character of the sufferers nor their intelligence.

About 57 million Americans suffer from some kind of mental illnesses and about 1 to 2 percent of the general population, or one in 17 Americans will have a serious mental disorder. Of this group of individuals, the U.S. Surgeon General.s office reports that about 10 percent are children and adolescents who suffer from some kind of emotional or cognitive disorder that will impair their functioning in their everyday lives. Mental illness will impair their homelife, school life, social activities and interactions with their peers.

According to the World Heath Organization (WHO) four of the leading causes of disability worldwide are attributed to mental illnesses. It is estimated that by 2020 major depression will be the leading cause of disability for women and children throughout the world.

Although mental illness can strike anyone at any age, it is most likely to strike teenagers and young adults or the very old most often. Left untreated these mental illnesses can escalate to more severe mental and societal problems, such loss of employement, homelessness, alcohol and drug addictions, abuse, prison terms, suicide and more.

Current treatments for mental illness have a success rate of about 70 percent which makes them effective agents for helping most mental illness sufferers cope with their mental illness and lead productive lives in society. These treatments include both drug therapies and psychological therapies. One of the key components in therapy is not to simply mask the symptoms with medication but, to devise coping strategies to manage the symptoms and improve coping skills and life skills.

Early detection and treatment of mental illness goes a long way to prevent, worsening symptoms and improve lives in terms of both the mental and physical well being of individuals in question. In many cases early detection will increase the chances of a full recovery.

More studies and educational strategies are still required to remove the social stigma attached to mental illness. The general public must become aware of mental illness with a better understanding of its dibilitating affects as well as how to assist mental illness patients with their daily needs.

Types Of Mental Illnesses

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:44:20 +0000

There are so many mental disorders with different levels of brain, mood and social impairments. The field of psychiatry and neurology is constantly changing and constantly searching for new causes, understanding, treatments and cures for mental illness. More research is pointing to the biological component of brain chemistry, electrical wiring, brain structures and anomalies, genetic components and trauma, which give rise to the various mental illnesses that we know about today. The area is still wide open and researchers are rigorously working to find answers for the individual who suffer from the various mental illnesses and to find successful treatments to eliminate the symptoms, build better coping skills, and find cures for the various mental health illnesses and issues.

The Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM IV Revised) lists various disorders on 5 different axes ranked according to severity. There are many types of disorders, which will require different treatments. Among these mental illnesses we have such disorders as Tourette.s Syndrome, Schizophrenia, seizure disorders, anxiety disorders, depression disorders, Alzheimer.s Disease, and many other brain disorders.

Anxiety and panic disorders, Schizophrenia, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, and Major Depression are among the most serious conditions which impair the everyday life of sufferers and disrupt daily functioning for both themselves and those of their families. Much needed research is still essential in these areas to get a better understanding of what is going on in the brain and why.

Some mental disorders are treated with more compassion by the general public than others. The general population can accept a senior with Alzheimer.s more readily than a young person experiencing bipolar disorder, or major depression. There is much concern that the general public is not taking mental illness seriously or is feeling that only certain types of individuals have mental illness and that is simply not true. Mental illness can affect anyone at any time. The following is a small list of the most misunderstood mental illnesses and their treatments.

Affective Disorders

Affective disorders pertain to mental disorders, which causes mood (affect) imbalances. Since they affect a person.s mood they are often misunderstood and not considered a real mental illness by many people. However, it is not that simple as the public would have it, people with serious mood disorders cannot will themselves into a good mood, or stop being in an anxious mood or bad mood just because society expects them to. One of these disorders is Bipolar Disorder formerly known as Manic-Depressive illness. The person will go from very high periods of elation and zest for life to very low moods and severe depression. The disease is very crippling because a sufferer pretty much goes through a yoyo syndrome, with ups where they can take on the world to downs where they barely can get out of bed.

Major depression on the other hand, is unipolar meaning the sufferer only experiences the low moods of depression, there are no highs, rather days of constant lows which are so debilitating that some people loss all hope and resort to suicide. There are different types of depression and some are not as debilitating and do not require medication. Talking therapy will work well with these patients who do not require medication. It is estimated that 80 percent of depression can be cured, the other 20 percent is left to the most severe types.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder where the sufferers are out of touch with reality. There will days when they are psychotic and there will be days when they are lucid. Schizophrenia is caused by a chemical imbalance of the brain. People with this mental illness can suffer from hallucinations and delusions and they cannot distinguish between what is real and what is not. They may also suffer from catatonia where they become totally immobile for days on end without moving as much as an eye. About one third of people experiencing schizophrenia will recover while others may have recurring symptoms all their lives. These patients require medication to try to regulate the brain chemistry. Cognitive therapy is somewhat affective for at least a high functioning individual suffering from schizophrenia.

Anxiety Disorders

These disorders are all about fears and worries, being anxious all the time and many of these disorders are very debilitating. Among this group of disorders are panic disorders, phobias, posttraumatic stress syndrome, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Many of the symptoms of anxiety will be physical symptoms such as sweating, rapid heartbeat, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, headaches, dizziness and more. Treatments include both medication and cognitive behavior therapy.

Dementias

There are various forms of dementia from senility to Alzheimer.s disease. Patients suffer from cognitive impairments and personality changes. Loss of nerves cells, fatty plaques in neurons, and brain atrophy as well as genetic factors and even AIDS has been linked to these diseases. Treatment is usually in the form of antidepressants and antipsychotic drugs but there is no known cure for these diseases.

Anti Psychotic Help » Mental Illness

Mental Illness

See also: Types of Mental Illness

Types Of Mental Illnesses

See also: Mental Illness