Comment

Bipolar Disorder

What is bipolar disorder?

Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that causes intense mood swings— often called episodes– that can range from mania to depression. These episodes should not be confused with the normal ups and downs that most people experience, as they can have serious consequences and the condition can worsen if left untreated.

Episodes of mania and depression can be either severe or mild. During mania, people can feel extremely excited or happy; they may be more energetic, productive, and impulsive with their actions and behaviors. In contrast, episodes of depression can cause feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or loneliness. Rather than feeling upbeat and energetic, people experiencing a depressive episode can feel tired or sluggish, and can have trouble starting or completing tasks. Some also experience mixed episodes, which are a combination of manic and depressive symptoms.

Those who suffer from bipolar disorder do not only experience mania or depression. They can experience periods of a balanced, stable mood state. Manic and depressive episodes also do not always occur equally; Some people may experience depression more often than mania, and vice versa. Additionally, these mood shifts can occur frequently or infrequently, sometimes happening as often as a few times a week to as little as a few times a year.

Approximately 5.7 million adults in the U.S. are affected by bipolar disorder. It can be very debilitating, and difficult to handle. Fortunately, bipolar disorder is highly treatable with the right methods as determined by a health care professional.

What are signs/symptoms of bipolar disorder?

The National Institute of Mental Health lists the signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder as:

  • Manic episodes
    • Mood Changes
      • A long period of feeling “high,” or an overly happy or outgoing mood
    • Extreme irritability
  • Behavioral Changes
    • Talking very fast, jumping from one idea to another, having racing thoughts
    • Being easily distracted
    • Increasing activities, such as taking on new projects
    • Being overly restless
    • Sleeping little or not being tired
    • Having an unrealistic belief in one’s abilities
    • Behaving impulsively and engaging in pleasurable, high-risk behaviors
  • Depressive episodes
    • Mood Changes
      • An overly long period of feeling sad or hopeless
    • Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed, including sex.
    • Behavioral Changes
      • Feeling tired or “slowed down”
      • Having problems concentrating, remembering, and making decisions
      • Being restless or irritable
      • Changing eating, sleeping, or other habits
      • Thinking of death or suicide, or attempting suicide.

What are the risk factors for bipolar disorder?

  • Having a family history of bipolar disorder
  • Excessive stress
  • Excessive drug or alcohol use
  • Major life changes or traumatic events
  • Co-morbidity
    • Bipolar disorder can occur together with other disorders or illnesses
    • Anxiety disorders
    • ADHD/ADD
    • Substance abuse or addiction

What are treatment options for bipolar disorder?

Bipolar disorder requires long-term attention and treatment, even when people feel fine. A combination of support, medication, therapy, stress-reducing activities, and lifestyle changes are effective in reducing the symptoms of bipolar disorder. It is important to stay consistent with treatment, as there is a risk of relapse or worsening symptoms without it.

Back to Top

Bipolar Disorder was originally published on NoStigmas.org | Redefining Mental Health

Comment

Comment

What is Mental Illness

Just like a person can suffer from a physical illness– such as a diabetes or heart disease– they can also suffer from mental illnesses or disorders. Mental illnesses are conditions that “disrupt a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning” (NAMI). These disorders can be serious, and especially devastating to the lives of sufferers, leaving them to feel vulnerable and alone. Mental illness is an often misunderstood topic, and many don’t know where to begin. There are several misconceptions about mental illnesses:
1. Mental illnesses are rare and can only happen to certain types of people.
Mental illnesses are actually quite common– it is estimated that 1 in 4 adults will suffer from a diagnosable mental illness in a given year (NIMH). Mental illnesses also don’t discriminate, and can happen to anyone regardless of gender, race, class, or age.

2. People with mental illnesses are “crazy”.
This belief is one of the biggest reasons why people who suffer from mental illnesses are afraid to seek help. Labeling them as “crazy” makes it difficult for them to feel as if they are safe to get treatment for fear of it negatively impacting their lives, relationships, or how people view them. Just like physical illnesses, mental illnesses often have biological causes that are out of the person’s control, which can be affected by a number of environmental, genetic, and psychological factors.

3. People with mental illnesses are overreacting, and can just snap out of it.
Mental illnesses are incredibly difficult to deal with and can be emotionally draining for everyone involved. If a person believes they have a mental illness, they should be taken seriously, and the appropriate health professionals should be contacted.

4. People with mental illnesses are dangerous and should be avoided.
There is no evidence suggesting that people with mental illnesses are inherently more dangerous or violent than those without mental illnesses. In fact, people who suffer from mental illnesses are more likely to be the victims of violence due to fear stemming from misunderstandings about mental illness (NIMH). People with mental illnesses are capable of living long, healthy, fulfilling lives and being productive members of society.

5. Medication is a simple solution to mental illness.
Treatment is often complex, and there is no one size fits all approach. Medications focus on treating the symptoms but don’t necessarily fix other issues surrounding a disorder. Many times, doctors will recommend a combination of approaches including medication, therapy, support groups, and certain lifestyle changes to maximize treatment benefits.
One of the most important things to remember is that people who suffer from any kind of mental illness should not be stigmatized– understanding and compassion are necessary for these individuals to live successful and rewarding lives.

Back to Top

What is Mental Illness was originally published on NoStigmas.org | Redefining Mental Health

Comment

Comment

Substance Abuse

What is substance abuse?

Substance abuse is the misuse of any substance that interferes with daily functioning, and (in some cases) is different from its intended use. Substances can be either illegal or legal, in the case of prescription or over the counter medications. Substance abuse does not necessarily refer to addiction, but can lead to addiction. Not all people who abuse drugs or alcohol will become addicted, though it is possible.

Substance abuse can happen for a variety of reasons, including experimentation, peer pressure, or to cope with stress. According to the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the most commonly abused drugs are:

  • Alcohol
  • Tobacco
  • Marijuana
  • Cocaine/Crack
  • Heroin
  • Hallucinogens, such as PCP, Ecstasy, or LSD
  • Inhalants
  • Prescription Medications
  • Methamphetamines

It is estimated that 23 million people in the U.S. suffer from problems with drugs or alcohol, but only 11 percent of those receive treatment.

What are signs/symptoms of substance abuse?

Every substance has a unique set of symptoms, but there are some common indicators to look out for. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence lists them as:

  • Physical and health warning signs of drug abuse
    • Eyes that are bloodshot or pupils that are smaller or larger than normal.
    • Frequent nosebleeds–could be related to snorted drugs (meth or cocaine).
    • Changes in appetite or sleep patterns. Sudden weight loss or weight gain.
    • Seizures without a history of epilepsy.
    • Deterioration in personal grooming or physical appearance.
    • Injuries/accidents and person won’t or can’t tell you how they got hurt.
    • Unusual smells on breath, body, or clothing.
    • Shakes, tremors, incoherent or slurred speech, impaired or unstable coordination.
  • Behavioral signs of drug abuse
    • Drop in attendance and performance at work or school; loss of interest in extracurricular activities, hobbies, sports or exercise; decreased motivation.
    • Complaints from co-workers, supervisors, teachers or classmates.
    • Unusual or unexplained need for money or financial problems; borrowing or stealing; missing money or valuables.
    • Silent, withdrawn, engaging in secretive or suspicious behaviors.
    • Sudden change in relationships, friends, favorite hangouts, and hobbies.
    • Frequently getting into trouble (arguments, fights, accidents, illegal
    • activities).
  • Psychological warning signs of drug abuse
    • Unexplained change in personality or attitude.
    • Sudden mood changes, irritability, angry outbursts or laughing at nothing.
    • Periods of unusual hyperactivity or agitation.
    • Lack of motivation; inability to focus, appearing lethargic or “spaced out.”
    • Appearing fearful, withdrawn, anxious, or paranoid, with no apparent
    • reason.

What are the risk factors for substance abuse?

Substance abuse can affect anyone, but there are risk factors that can contribute.

  • Family issues/conflicts
    • Relatives who abuse drugs or alcohol
    • Lack of parental supervision/involvement, in the case of children or adolescents
  • Other mental or physical illnesses/problems
    • Substance abuse often has high comorbidity rates with other disorders unrelated to the abuse
  • Peer Pressure
  • Availability
  • Economic hardship or distress

What are treatment options for substance abuse?

Treatment for substance abuse varies by substance, person, and whether or not dependency has occurred. Treatment is often long term, and includes counseling and therapy that focus on treating all aspects of the abuse.  are two effective approaches. Other focus areas can include building and/or maintaining support systems, finding effective ways to manage or cope with stress, and lifestyle changes that keep focus on recovery and reduce risk of relapse. To read more about the various types of treatment programs for substance abuse, visit the National Institute on Drug Abuse here.

Back to top

Substance Abuse was originally published on NoStigmas.org | Redefining Mental Health

Comment

Comment

Vitamin Supplements

Comment

Comment

Schizophrenia

What is schizophrenia?

     Schizophrenia is a mental illness that causes an abnormal interpretation of reality. People who suffer from schizophrenia do not have split or multiple personalities, but instead have trouble distinguishing between reality and their imaginations. People with schizophrenia may experience delusions in which they hear voices that aren’t there or believe people are trying to harm them. They may also have trouble handling emotions or dealing with social situations.

Schizophrenia affects about 2 million adults in the U.S. It is a severely disruptive illness that can cause problems with work, personal relationships, and daily functioning. Having schizophrenia does not make a person inherently more dangerous. The vast majority of people with schizophrenia are non-violent, and many are actually more withdrawn and reclusive. There is no cure for schizophrenia, but it is highly treatable through long-term care and management.

What are signs/symptoms of schizophrenia?

     There are three types of symptoms: positive, negative, and cognitive. Positive symptoms are symptoms “added” to a person’s behavior, or not normally seen in healthy individuals. Negative symptoms are missing or disrupted behaviors or thoughts. Cognitive symptoms are disruptions to thought processing or comprehension. The National Institute of Mental Health lists the signs and symptoms of schizophrenia as:

  • Positive: symptoms not normally seen
    • Hallucinations
    • Delusions
    • Thought disorders
      • Disorganized thinking
        • Difficulty organizing thoughts and making logical connections
      • Thought blocking
        • Abruptly stops speaking in the middle of a thought
      • Neologisms
        • Creating meaningless words
    • Movement disorders
      • Repetition of motions
      • Catatonia, or unresponsiveness
  • Negative symptoms
    • “Flat affect” (a person’s face does not move or he or she talks in a dull or monotonous voice)
    • Lack of pleasure in everyday life
    • Lack of ability to begin and sustain planned activities
    • Speaking little, even when forced to interact.
  • Cognitive symptoms
    • Poor “executive functioning” (the ability to understand information and use it to make decisions)
    • Trouble focusing or paying attention
    • Problems with “working memory” (the ability to use information immediately after learning it).

What are the risk factors for schizophrenia?

  • The biggest risk factor is genetic history.
    • Having a family member or sibling with schizophrenia greatly increases predisposition
  • Life stressors
    • Repeated traumatic or stressful events can influence the onset of schizophrenia.

What are treatment options for schizophrenia?

       There is no cure for schizophrenia, but symptoms can be reduced to a manageable level through a variety of treatment options. While medication is the most effective way to treat the symptoms, counseling, support, therapy, medication and rehabilitation are instrumental for ensuring that people with schizophrenia can cope in their daily lives. Medications include typical (older) and atypical (newer) anti-psychotics to reduce delusions and hallucinations, while therapy and counseling mainly focus on stress and lifestyle management.

Back to top

Schizophrenia was originally published on NoStigmas.org | Redefining Mental Health

Comment