Mental Health

Mental Health

Mental health covers a wide variety of health concerns from specific psychiatric disorders like Bipolar Disorder, schizophrenia, and Borderline Personality Disorder to more generalized conditions like anxiety and depression. Years ago, people who had poor mental health were institutionalized and considered hopeless cases. Sometimes, they were sent to prison as a result of the things they did while suffering a mental disorder.

Today, we realize that mental health disorders aren't just "in the head" but are real and treatable conditions. The stigma of being seen as having a mental health problem is lessening so that more people are seeking treatment instead of suffering in silence. Mental health disorders and conditions can be difficult to treat, because very often there is not just one condition at fault.

ADHD & ADD

ADHD and ADD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Attention Deficit Disorder) are very common among children, though adults can also develop ADD. Inability to concentrate and understand instructions and often the inability to sit still for more than a minute or two at a time are the most common symptoms of this mental health disorder.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder that disables and affects all the five senses. People suffering from this disease may have paranoid thoughts, agitation, and a sense of constant fear. They may also become withdrawn and refuse to talk to anyone. It is believed that Schizophrenia is a result of a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The real cause of this disease is not known. Treatment involves a combination of counseling and behavior therapy.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a problem in the brain that causes shifts in mood, energy, and activity levels of a person. These mood swings can last from a few days to several months. It affects the normal day to day life of the patient and consequently the family. Bipolar disorder can be identified by symptoms like inability to concentrate, rapid speech, increased sexual drive, chronic pain, guilt, and in some cases, psychosis too.

Alcoholism

Mental health problems cause a person to behave in a way that causes other problems, like a depressed person self-medicating with alcohol or drugs. This can lead to alcoholism or drug addiction, which causes a whole host of new health problems. Mostly when a person becomes alcoholic or drug user it leads to mental health issues like depression or even more severe psychiatric disorders.

Depression

Depression is one of the most common mental health problems. It is a strong mood that occurs due to sadness, discouragement, despair, or hopelessness that lasts for weeks, months, or even longer. It appears as biological depressions and situational depressions. Some mental health issues can be mild, like occasional depression or feelings of anxiety, or they can be severe like disabling anxiety and depression.

Anxiety

Anxiety is a common mental health disorder that occurs due to the feeling of nervousness, apprehension, fear, or worry. Some fears and worries are justified, such as worry about a loved one or in anticipation of taking a quiz, test, or other examination. Problem anxiety interferes with the sufferer's ability to sleep or otherwise function. It is noteworthy that teenagers are particularly susceptible to having irritability as a symptom of a number of emotional problems, including anxiety.

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia Nervosa is a very common mental disorder. When a person suffers from anorexia, she (almost always a female) feels herself as fat and stout. The person stops eating and will sometimes exercise to excess. Bizarre rituals regarding food can develop, and the person tends to drop weight rapidly. This is a life-threatening disease, as the weight loss can continue until the person starves to death.