Mental Health….The Foundation for Overall Health

November 11, 20186.4 min

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

More than 3 million US cases per year
Treatment can help, but this condition can’t be cured
Chronic: can last for years or be lifelong
Requires a medical diagnosis
The exact cause of bipolar disorder isn’t known, but a combination of genetics, environment, and altered brain structure and chemistry may play a role.
Manic episodes may include symptoms such as high energy, reduced need for sleep, and loss of touch with reality. Depressive episodes may include symptoms such as low energy, low motivation, and loss of interest in daily activities. Mood episodes last days to months at a time and may also be associated with suicidal thoughts.
Treatment is usually lifelong and often involves a combination of medications and psychotherapy.

Clinical Depression

Very Common

More than 3 million US cases per year

Treatable by a medical professional
Medium-term: resolves within months
Requires a medical diagnosis
Possible causes include a combination of biological, psychological, and social sources of distress. Increasingly, research suggests these factors may cause changes in brain function, including altered activity of certain neural circuits in the brain.
The persistent feeling of sadness or loss of interest that characterizes major depression can lead to a range of behavioral and physical symptoms. These may include changes in sleep, appetite, energy level, concentration, daily behavior, or self-esteem. Depression can also be associated with thoughts of suicide.
The mainstay of treatment is usually medication, talk therapy, or a combination of the two. Increasingly, research suggests these treatments may normalize brain changes associated with depression.

Anxiety Disorder

Very common

More than 3 million US cases per year
Treatable by a medical professional
Usually self-diagnosable
Lab tests or imaging not required
Examples of anxiety disorders include panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Symptoms include stress that’s out of proportion to the impact of the event, inability to set aside a worry, and restlessness.
Treatment includes counseling or medications, including antidepressants.

Aboulomania

(from Greek a–, meaning ‘without’, and boulē, meaning ‘will’) is a mental disorder in which the patient displays pathological indecisiveness. It is typically associated with anxiety, stress, depression, and mental anguish, and can severely affect one’s ability to function socially.

Agoraphobia

(ag-uh-ruh-FOE-be-uh) is a type of anxiety disorder in which you fear and avoid places or situations that might cause you to panic and make you feel trapped, helpless or embarrassed. You fear an actual or anticipated situation, such as using public transportation, being in open or enclosed spaces, standing in line, or being in a crowd.

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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