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Mental Health….The Foundation for Overall Health
Mental health remains poorly understood and under-treated. I have had personal experience with patients who have mental health issues. I know how difficult it is for those who do not have regular daily contact with the one who has poor mental health and who also do not understand the nature of mental illness to know how to help or even to know that help is needed. Here are some common mental health conditions that may help someone help a friend or relative in need.
Bi Polar Disorder
Very Common
Clinical Depression
Very Common
More than 3 million US cases per year
Anxiety Disorder
Very common
Aboulomania
Agoraphobia
Enochlophobia
You’re walking through a crowd at the mall and an uneasiness settles around you as people bump into you. A church service amidst a sanctuary full of strangers sets you on edge. Your son’s high school football game leaves you an anxious mess. The thought of walking the streets downtown amidst the hustle and bustle of city life makes you question your weekend getaway.
If these scenarios describe your daily life, you may have Enochlophobia (pronounced [En-ah-cla-foh-bee-uh]) which can be defined as the abnormal or irrational fear of crowds. It is also referred to as Ochlophobia or Demophobia. Though not specifically designated in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), Enochlophobia can fall under a Social Phobia, F40.1. It is closely associated with Agoraphobia, a fear of public places and/or situations in which you would be uncomfortable or embarrassed.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
OCD is an anxiety disorder defined as the presence of an obsession (an irrational thought or idea that continually repeats) or a compulsion (an irrational behavior performed repeatedly). These behaviors can occur together or on their own, and interfere with a person’s quality of life and ability to function.
Obsessions
Obsessions are not simply worries about real, everyday problems; they are defined by specific clinical characteristics, namely:
- Irrational thoughts, images, or ideas that won’t go away, are unwanted, and cause extreme distress
- Thoughts that you accept as your own but seem impossible to control
- Thoughts that are distressing enough to cause you to act in ways to actively dispel those thoughts, such as engaging in compulsive behaviors as means of distraction
Compulsions
Similar to obsessions, compulsions are neither routines nor addictions. Rather, they are characterized by abnormal behaviors that may include:
- Irrational and often ritualistic behaviors you feel you must carry out over and over again, such as cleaning, hand-washing, counting, tapping, or double checking
- Engaging in repetitive behaviors for fear that something terrible may happen, such as getting an infection
- Hoarding things out of fear that something bad may happen if you don’t have these items near you
- Performing ritualistic behaviors to dispel anxieties about an obsessive thought, such as the fear of someone dying
- Repetitive behaviors that you recognize are irrational but find impossible to stop
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Narcissistic personality disorder — one of several types of personality disorders — is a mental condition in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for excessive attention and admiration, troubled relationships, and a lack of empathy for others. But behind this mask of extreme confidence lies a fragile self-esteem that’s vulnerable to the slightest criticism.
A narcissistic personality disorder causes problems in many areas of life, such as relationships, work, school or financial affairs. People with narcissistic personality disorder may be generally unhappy and disappointed when they’re not given the special favors or admiration they believe they deserve. They may find their relationships unfulfilling, and others may not enjoy being around them.
Treatment for narcissistic personality disorder centers around talk therapy (psychotherapy).
Signs and symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder and the severity of symptoms vary. People with the disorder can:
- Have an exaggerated sense of self-importance
- Have a sense of entitlement and require constant, excessive admiration
- Expect to be recognized as superior even without achievements that warrant it
- Exaggerate achievements and talents
- Be preoccupied with fantasies about success, power, brilliance, beauty or the perfect mate
- Believe they are superior and can only associate with equally special people
- Monopolize conversations and belittle or look down on people they perceive as inferior
- Expect special favors and unquestioning compliance with their expectations
- Take advantage of others to get what they want
- Have an inability or unwillingness to recognize the needs and feelings of others
- Be envious of others and believe others envy them
- Behave in an arrogant or haughty manner, coming across as conceited, boastful and pretentious
- Insist on having the best of everything — for instance, the best car or office
At the same time, people with narcissistic personality disorder have trouble handling anything they perceive as criticism, and they can:
- Become impatient or angry when they don’t receive special treatment
- Have significant interpersonal problems and easily feel slighted
- React with rage or contempt and try to belittle the other person to make themselves appear superior
- Have difficulty regulating emotions and behavior
- Experience major problems dealing with stress and adapting to change
- Feel depressed and moody because they fall short of perfection
- Have secret feelings of insecurity, shame, vulnerability and humiliation
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