+
Home Mental Disorders

Category: Mental Disorders

5Aug

Bipolar Affective Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a brain ailment that causes extreme shifts in mood, energy, and ability to operate. Patients with bipolar illness have extreme shifts in mood, known as mood episodes, which often occur at regular intervals of a few days to a few weeks. These shifts in mood are either depressive episodes (a sad mood) or manic/hypomanic episodes (an abnormally happy or angry mood). Neutral-mood states are common among people with bipolar disorder. People with bipolar disorder who receive effective treatment can have normal, fulfilling lives.

Mood changes happen to everyone, including people who don’t have bipolar disorder. The good news is that these shifts in disposition rarely last more than a day. What’s more, those with bipolar disorder don’t often demonstrate the extreme behavioral changes or trouble adjusting to daily activities and social interactions that are common during mood episodes. A person with bipolar disorder may have issues in their personal relationships, their professional life, and their academic performance.

Three distinct diagnoses fall under the umbrella of bipolar disorder: bipolar I, bipolar II, and cyclothymic disorder.

Eighty to ninety percent of those with bipolar disorder have a family member who also has the condition or is depressed. Stress, irregular sleep patterns, narcotics, and alcohol can all cause mood swings in persons who are already vulnerable. Although the exact brain-based origins of bipolar disorder are unknown, dysregulated brain activity is thought to be caused by a chemical imbalance. 25 years old on average is the onset age.

Anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, and/or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are typically present in people with bipolar I disorder (ADHD). Compared to the general population, those with bipolar I disorder have a much-increased risk of suicide.

Bipolar illness patients might experience extreme highs of happiness and vigor as well as extreme lows of melancholy, hopelessness, and sluggishness. Usually, people feel normal in the intervals between those times. Bipolar disorder is so named because the highs and lows can be compared to two “poles” of emotion.

Also Read:

Bipolar Disorder

What Are the Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder? 

The extreme mood swings of bipolar disorder do not occur in a predictable way. Before shifting to the opposite mood, a person may experience the same mood state (depressed or manic) multiple times. These episodes can take place over the course of several weeks, months, or even years.

The degree to which it worsens varies from person to person and can also alter over time, worsening or lessening.

Mania symptoms (“the highs”):

  • Making grand and unrealistic plans
  • Rapid speech and poor concentration
  • Excessive happiness, hopefulness, and excitement
  • Showing poor judgment
  • Less of an appetite
  • Sudden changes from being joyful to being irritable, angry, and hostile
  • Restlessness
  • Increased energy and less need for sleep
  • Unusually high sex drive
  • Becoming more impulsive
  • Less need for sleep
  • A larger sense of self-confidence and well-being
  • Being easily distracted
  • Drug and alcohol abuse

During depressive periods (“the lows”), a person with bipolar disorder may have:

  • Inability to feel pleasure
  • Sadness
  • Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness
  • Loss of energy
  • Not enjoying things they once liked
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Forgetfulness
  • Talking slowly
  • Less of a sex drive
  • Uncontrollable crying
  • Trouble making decisions
  • Irritability
  • Insomnia
  • Appetite changes that make you lose or gain weight
  • Thoughts of death or suicide
  • Attempting suicide
  • Needing more sleep

Misuse of drugs or alcohol can increase the number of episodes in people with bipolar disorder of any kind. It comes in a variety of forms. A dual diagnosis, or having both bipolar disorder and alcohol use disorder, necessitates assistance from a specialist who can handle both problems.

Bipolar Affective Disorder
Bipolar Affective Disorder

Bipolar Affective

5Aug

Hebephrenic Schizophrenia

The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnosis and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) no longer recognizes five subtypes of schizophrenia, one of which is disorganized schizophrenia (hebephrenia).

Hebephrenia is characterized by chaotic thinking and acting. Disorganized behavior and speech, as well as a distortion in emotional expression known as mood incongruence, are hallmarks of hebephrenia.

Disorganized schizophrenia is characterized by less severe manifestations of hallucinations and delusions.

Schizophrenia’s Hebephrenic Symptoms

Clanking, or disorganized speech, is a common symptom of schizophrenia that presents itself in the speaker’s inability to focus and keep their thoughts in order.

Disorganized talkers may ramble on without a clear plan, answer inquiries with irrelevant information, make illogical assertions, or change the subject constantly. The following are symptoms of disordered speech:

  • Loose associations: bouncing rapidly from one subject to another without providing any context
  • Doing something over and over again despite resistance
  • False words that have significance only to the speaker
  • Lack of sense in the use of rhyme

When someone has significant cognitive disorganization, it can be quite difficult to grasp what they are saying.

The disordered actions typical of schizophrenia can hinder the pursuit of meaningful goals. A person with disorganized schizophrenia may have trouble getting started on an activity or completing it (such as making a meal). This extreme disorder makes independent functioning extremely challenging.

The following are some symptoms of disorganized behavior:

  • Symptoms that indicate a deterioration in everyday functioning
  • Emotional reactions that are unexpected or out of place
  • Inability to Control Impulses
  • Acts that don’t make sense or seem random

Normal self-care routines including showering, getting dressed, and dental hygiene may become impossible or substantially compromised.

Inappropriate affect describes a person’s emotional responses and the outward manifestations of those feelings (such as a smile when delighted).

People with disorganized schizophrenia have a “flat affect,” meaning they rarely, if ever, convey any emotion in their behavior. They may show emotions that are out of place, like laughing at a tragic movie. People with disorganized schizophrenia often display other unfavorable symptoms, such as an inability to make eye contact and a flat, emotionless expression on their faces.

If you’re between the ages of 15 and 25, you have a higher risk of developing disorganized schizophrenia. Lower educational attainment, more pronounced negative symptoms, and cognitive impairments are all factors that have been linked to an unfavorable prognosis, especially when the onset of symptoms occurs at a younger age.

Also Read:

Treatment Of Hebephrenic Schizophrenia

Getting started on treatment quickly is essential for a full recovery. Multiple methods, including the following, are used in the treatment of disorganized schizophrenia.

Medication management Schizophrenia medication can help alleviate symptoms like hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and thought disorders. The most noticeable signs of an illness are crucial in determining the most effective treatment.

In order to alleviate some symptoms and improve overall functioning, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is prescribed as a form of psychotherapy. During CBT, patients zero in on specific sources of distress and attempt to establish personalized solutions.

Assistance with life skills training can assist people with disorganized schizophrenia to improve their social interactions and daily living abilities, with the ultimate goal of fostering greater autonomy.

Individuals with disorganized schizophrenia can benefit from supported employment programs, which provide guidance in securing and keeping gainful employment.

People with disorganized schizophrenia benefit from consistent contact with family members, who can provide both information and support. Family assistance that helps educate loved ones on schizophrenia and its treatment is essential. A better knowledge of the disease and more effective coping mechanisms can be achieved with the aid of family support.

First-episode psychosis in early-stage schizophrenia responds well to a multi-component treatment plan that includes psychotherapy, medication case management, employment and education support, and family resources; this approach is known as coordinated specialty care (CSC).

Disorganized schizophrenia typically presents at a younger age, although its symptoms are not always easy to recognize in their early stages. This subtype’s symptoms tend to develop slowly and persistently. The prognosis for people with disorganized schizophrenia does improve with proper and continued treatment, though.

People with disorganized schizophrenia can benefit greatly from help with activities of daily living, education, employment opportunities, and family support in order to slow the progression of their illness.

5Aug

Etiology Of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is thought to have multiple contributing elements, including genetics, brain chemistry, and the surrounding environment.

Neurotransmitters are naturally occurring substances in the brain, and disturbances in their levels, such as dopamine and glutamate, have been linked to schizophrenia. Studies of the brain and central nervous system in people with schizophrenia show abnormalities, according to neuroimaging research. However, these changes do provide further evidence that schizophrenia is a neurological condition, even if its significance is still up for debate.

What Is Schizophrenia And Schizophrenia Symptoms?

Schizophrenia alters your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. You might experience it in a different way than someone else. Even the symptoms can change over time. Nobody ever possesses all of them.

Typically, they begin between the ages of 16 and 30. Men frequently get them before women do. Before overt symptoms appear, the person frequently gradually changes. The prodrome phase is another name for this.

Schizophrenia sufferers struggle to distinguish between actual and false beliefs when the illness is advanced and symptoms are severe. As they age, this happens less frequently.

Typically, those who have the illness are unaware of it until a doctor or counselor informs them. They won’t even be aware that there is a significant problem. If they do experience symptoms, such as difficulty thinking clearly, they may attribute them to stress or fatigue.

Speak to a doctor or counselor if you’re worried that you or someone you know is exhibiting symptoms of schizophrenia.

Also Read:

Schizophrenia Symptoms: What Are Schizophrenia Positive Symptoms?

Positive symptoms are wildly exaggerated thoughts, perceptions, or behaviors that reveal the person can’t distinguish between real and unreal. The term “positive” in this context refers to the presence of symptoms rather than their absence. They may consist of:

Delusions: Most people find these beliefs strange, and it is simple to disprove them. The person affected might think someone is trying to control their brain through TV or that the FBI is out to get them. They might think they have superpowers or that they are someone else, such as a well-known actor or the president. Delusion types include:

  • Persecutory Delusions The impression that someone is stalking, hunting, framing, or tricking you.
  • Reference Hallucinations When a person thinks that a message intended specifically for them is being sent through public mediums like song lyrics or a TV host’s gesture.
  • Somatic Illusions These focus on the human body. The person believes they have a dreadful illness or strange health issues, such as skin worms or cosmic ray damage.
  • Erotomania Delusions A person can think their lover is cheating on them or that a famous person is in love with them. They might also believe that others who aren’t attracted to them are after them.
  • Religious Illusions It’s possible for someone to believe they have a special connection to a deity or that they’re under the control of a demon.
  • Grandiose Delusions They see themselves as a prominent player on the global stage, much like an actor or a politician.

Schizophrenia Positive Symptoms

Hallucinations: Schizophrenia patients may experience things that others are unable to hear, see, smell, or feel. Schizophrenia can cause a variety of hallucinations, including:

  • Auditory The person hears voices in their head the most frequently. They may be demanding action because they are impatient or irritated. There may be one or several voices heard. They could be furious and demanding, or they could whisper or mumble.
  • Visual Someone may notice patterns, objects, people, or lights. It’s frequently family members or friends who have passed away. They might also have issues with distance and depth perception.
  • Gustatory and Olfactory Good and terrible tastes and odors can be included in this. Someone might decide not to eat because they think they are being poisoned.
  • Tactile This gives the impression that your body is being moved by hands or insects.

Confusion In The Mind And In Speech: Schizophrenia patients sometimes struggle to organize their thoughts. When you speak to them, they might not be able to follow along. Instead, they can appear to be dozing off or preoccupied. They sometimes speak incoherently and with unclear sentences.

Having Trouble Focusing: For instance, when watching a TV show, someone could become disoriented.

Movement Disorder: Some individuals with schizophrenia may appear jittery. There are occasions when they repeat the same movements. However, on occasion, they would remain motionless for hours on end, a condition known as catatonia. Contrary to popular opinion, those who have the illness typically don’t behave violently.

Schizophrenia Etiology

Schizophrenia Symptoms: What Are Schizophrenia Negative Symptoms?

Negative symptoms describe a loss or absence of regular mental activity, including thinking, acting, and perceiving. You may observe:

Struggling With day-to-day Necessities: They might cease taking care of themselves, like taking a bath.

Lack of Enjoyment: The person might no longer appear to appreciate anything. An expert will refer to this as anhedonia.
difficulties speaking. They might not express their emotions or speak much. This is what medical professionals refer to as an analogy.

31Jul

What Causes OCD

OCD can take many different forms, however, the majority of instances fit into at least one of four broad categories:

  • Having a mental illness such as pregnancy or schizophrenia, or checking things like locks, alarm systems, ovens, or light switches
  • Contamination, apprehension about potentially dirty objects, or a need to clean. You could get mental contamination if you experience being treated rudely.
  • Order and symmetry, the requirement that objects be arranged in a specific manner
  • Invasive musings, and a preoccupation with a particular idea. These ideas might include some violent or unsettling ones.

What Is OCD? (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder)

The mental disease known as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts or sensations (obsessions) or the impulse to do certain repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Obsessions and compulsions are both common in some people.

OCD is not characterized by behaviors like nail-biting or pessimistic thinking. A compulsive habit might be washing your hands seven times after touching something that might be dirty, whereas an obsession might be the idea that particular numbers or colors are “good” or “bad.” You may not want to think or act in these ways, but you feel unable to stop.

Everyone occasionally has repetitive habits or thoughts. OCD patients may have or do the following:

  • Interfere with your social life, your job, or another aspect of your life
  • At least one hour each day
  • Aren’t entertaining
  • Are not under your control

Also Read:

Diagnosis Of OCD

To confirm that something else isn’t causing your symptoms, your doctor may perform a physical examination and blood testing. They will also discuss your emotions, ideas, and routines with you.

OCD Types

Causes and Risk Factors for OCD

Doctors are unsure about the cause of OCD in some patients. Stress might exacerbate symptoms.

A little more women than males experience it. Teenagers or young adults frequently have symptoms.

OCD risk elements consist of:

  • OCD in a parent, sibling, or child
  • Physical variations in specific brain regions
  • Tics, depression, or anxiety
  • Knowledge of trauma
  • An earlier history of physical or sexual abuse

A youngster may occasionally develop OCD as a result of a streptococcal infection. Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections, or PANDAS, is the name given to this condition.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

OCD Therapy

OCD cannot be cured. But with the help of medication, therapy, or a combination of treatments, you might be able to control how your symptoms interfere with your life.

Treatments include:

Psychotherapy: Your thought patterns may be changed with cognitive behavioral therapy. Your doctor will place you in an environment intended to induce anxiety or trigger compulsions as part of a technique known as exposure and response prevention. You’ll discover how to reduce, then stop, your OCD thoughts or behaviors.
Relaxation: Simple practices like yoga, massage, and meditation can ease the symptoms of anxious OCD.

Medication: Selected serotonin reuptake inhibitors are psychiatric medications that assist many people to manage their obsessions and compulsions. Starting to function could take two to four months. Escitalopram (Lexapro), citalopram (Celexa), clomipramine (Anafranil), fluvoxamine, paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline are examples of common ones (Zoloft). Your doctor may prescribe antipsychotic medications such as aripiprazole (Abilify) or risperidone if you continue to experience symptoms (Risperdal).

Compulsions and Obsessions

Many OCD sufferers are aware that their thoughts and behaviors are absurd. They perform them because they are unable to stop, not because they like doing so. And if they quit, they feel terrible and restart.

Obsessive ideas might consist of:

  • Fear of harming yourself or others
  • Constant attention to body sensations like breathing, blinking, or other body functions
  • Suspicion of infidelity in a relationship but no solid evidence to support it

Among compulsive behaviors are:

  • Completing things in a predetermined order or a predetermined number of “excellent” times each time
  • Counting objects, such as steps or bottles
  • Fear of shaking hands, using public restrooms, or touching doorknobs

30Jul

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder OCD

Repetitive, uncontrollable urges to act on particular thoughts or feelings (compulsions) are hallmarks of the mental illness known as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Some people frequently have obsessions and compulsions.

OCD is not characterized by behaviors like nail-biting or pessimistic thinking. A compulsive habit might be washing your hands seven times after touching something that might be dirty, whereas an obsession might be the idea that particular numbers or colors are “good” or “bad.” You may not want to think or act in these ways, but you feel unable to stop.

Everyone occasionally has repetitive habits or thoughts. OCD patients may have or do the following:

  • Interfere with your social life, your job, or another aspect of your life
  • At least one hour each day
  • Aren’t entertaining
  • Are not under your control

Also Read:

Compulsions and Obsessions

Many OCD sufferers are aware that their thoughts and behaviors are absurd. They perform them because they are unable to stop, not because they like doing so. And if they quit, they feel terrible and restart.

Obsessive ideas might consist of:

  • Fear of harming yourself or others
  • Constant attention to body sensations like breathing, blinking, or other body functions
  • Suspicion of infidelity in a relationship but no solid evidence to support it

Among compulsive behaviors are:

  • Completing things in a predetermined order or a predetermined number of “excellent” times each time
  • Counting objects, such as steps or bottles
  • Fear of shaking hands, using public restrooms, or touching doorknobs

Types and Symptoms of OCD

OCD can take many different forms, however, the majority of instances fit into at least one of four broad categories:

  • Having a mental illness such as pregnancy or schizophrenia, or checking things like locks, alarm systems, ovens, or light switches
  • Contamination, apprehension about potentially dirty objects, or a need to clean. You could get mental contamination if you experience being treated rudely.
  • Order and symmetry, the requirement that objects be arranged in a specific manner
  • Invasive musings, and a preoccupation with a particular idea. These ideas might include some violent or unsettling ones.

Diagnosis Of OCD

To confirm that something else isn’t causing your symptoms, your doctor may perform a physical examination and blood testing. They will also discuss your emotions, ideas, and routines with you.

Causes and Risk Factors for OCD

Doctors are unsure about the cause of OCD in some patients. Stress might exacerbate symptoms.

A little more women than males experience it. Teenagers or young adults frequently have symptoms.

OCD risk elements consist of:

  • OCD in a parent, sibling, or child
  • Physical variations in specific brain regions
  • Tics, depression, or anxiety
  • Knowledge of trauma
  • An earlier history of physical or sexual abuse

A youngster may occasionally develop OCD as a result of a streptococcal infection. Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections, or PANDAS, is the name given to this condition.

OCD Therapy

OCD cannot be cured. But with the help of medication, therapy, or a combination of treatments, you might be able to control how your symptoms interfere with your life.

Treatments include:

Psychotherapy: Your thought patterns may be changed with cognitive behavioral therapy. Your doctor will place you in an environment intended to induce anxiety or trigger compulsions as part of a technique known as exposure and response prevention. You’ll discover how to reduce, then stop, your OCD thoughts or behaviors.
Relaxation: Simple practices like yoga, massage, and meditation can ease the symptoms of anxious OCD.

Medication: Selected serotonin reuptake inhibitors are psychiatric medications that assist many people to manage their obsessions and compulsions. Starting to function could take two to four months. Escitalopram (Lexapro), citalopram (Celexa), clomipramine (Anafranil), fluvoxamine, paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline are examples of common ones (Zoloft). Your doctor may prescribe antipsychotic medications such as aripiprazole (Abilify) or risperidone if you continue to experience symptoms (Risperdal).

25Jul

What Is Autism?

Difficulties in social skills, repetitive activities, speech, and nonverbal communication are hallmarks of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a group of conditions that includes but is not limited to autism.

Evaluation for Autism

Early diagnosis is extremely helpful for children and their families dealing with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

However, it is not always easy to make an ASD diagnosis. Since there is no reliable scientific test for it, doctors must instead rely on observing the behavior of infants and toddlers and considering the concerns of their parents.

When it comes to autism spectrum disorder, symptoms can range widely. Not everyone who is “on the spectrum” is mentally healthy. Some individuals are exceptionally perceptive and equipped to handle life on their own.

Taking your child to a pediatrician is the first of two steps in making a diagnosis of autism for any child, no matter where they fall on the spectrum.

Who Has A Higher Likelihood Of Receiving An Autism Diagnosis?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that in 2016, there were around 1 in 54 trusted Source children in the United States who had ASD. All racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups are affected by autism spectrum disorder.

It was believed that guys were four times more likely than girls to experience it. Recent studies, however, suggest that because girls with ASD frequently exhibit differently from boys, they may go undiagnosed.

Due to what is known as the “camouflage effectTrusted Source,” girls often conceal their symptoms. As a result, ASD may affect girls more frequently than previously believed.

Although we know genes play a role, there is currently no recognized treatment for ASD, and researchers are still trying to determine its exact etiology. Numerous members of the autism community do not think a cure is required.

A kid may be more prone to ASD for a variety of reasons, including environmental, biochemical, and genetic variables.

 

What Is AutismAlso Read:

In What Way Autism Is Diagnosed? (What Is Autism?)

Typically, doctors identify ASD in young children. However, autism spectrum disorder can occasionally be challenging to diagnose due to the wide variation in symptoms and severity.

Some people aren’t diagnosed till they are adults.

There isn’t a single recognized test available to diagnose autism at the moment. Early signs of ASD in a young kid may be seen by a parent or clinician, though a diagnosis would need to be validated.

A team of doctors and experts will often make an official diagnosis of ASD if the symptoms support it. A developmental pediatrician, neurologist, psychologist or neuropsychologist, neurologist, and/or psychiatrist may be involved in this.

Genetic Analysis (Autism Diagnosis):

Genetic tests cannot identify or diagnose autism, despite the fact that it is recognized to be a genetic disorder. ASD can be caused by a variety of genetic and environmental factors.

Some of the biomarkers thought to be signs of ASD can be tested for in some labs. Though just a small percentage of people will find helpful solutions, they search for the most prevalent genetic components that are currently known.

If one of these genetic tests yields an unusual result, genetics most likely played a role in the development of ASD.

A typical outcome simply indicates that a particular genetic contribution has been excluded and that the underlying cause is still unclear.

A Developmental Check (Autism Diagnosis):

During routine and frequent visits, your doctor will check on your child’s development beginning at birth.

In addition to regular developmental monitoring, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests standardized autism-specific screening exams at 18 and 24 months of age.

In particular, if a sibling or other family member has ASD, your doctor may recommend a specialist if you have concerns about your child’s development.

If there is a physical explanation for the observed behaviors, the specialist will run tests such as hearing tests to check for deafness or difficulties hearing.

They’ll also employ other autism screening techniques, such as the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT).

Parents fill out the new screening instrument known as the checklist. It assists in determining whether a youngster has a low, medium, or high risk of having autism. There are 20 questions in the test, which is free.

Your child will have a more thorough diagnostic evaluation if the test results show that they have a high likelihood of having ASD.

If your child has a medium likelihood, further inquiries may be required to properly categorize the results with certainty.

Behavioural Assessment (Autism Diagnosis):

A thorough physical and neurologic examination is the next stage in the diagnosis of autism. There may be a group of experts needed for this. The specialists could be:

  • child development specialists
  • psychologists for kids
  • pediatric neurologists
  • occupational therapists
  • speech-language pathologists

Screening tools might also be used in the evaluation. There are numerous options for developmental screening. Autism cannot be diagnosed with one tool. Instead, a variety of tools must be used in combination to make an autism diagnosis.

A few instances of screening instruments are:

  • Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ)
  • Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ)
  • Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS)
  • Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R)
  • Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS)
  • Autism Spectrum Rating Scales (ASRS)

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) new edition contains standardized criteria to aid in the diagnosis of ASD, according to the CDC Trusted Source.

Define Autism

Contact Support