The clinical word “psychotic” is often used to refer to person who has gone mad or insane. The psychotic state is characterized by a disturbance of perception or sensing things that are not really there (hallucinations); and disturbance of thinking or having beliefs that are not based on reality (delusions). Psychotic individuals also have problems in thinking clearly (disordered thinking), and have reduced ability to recognize if something is wrong with their thoughts and actions (lack of insight). Psychosis is a condition in which a person has lost touch with reality which leads to an impairment of judgment. In the language of psychology, psychosis is considered more as a syndrome rather than an illness since the diagnosis is based on the observation of a set of symptoms and not on the identification of the cause of the psychological problem. According to the Institute of Mental Health, a person may exhibit some unusual behavior during pre-psychotic phase which may include: · Perceptual disturbances such as feelings that things around have changed; · Mood disturbances such as anxiety, depression, mood swings, irritability and anger; · Cognitive disturbances such as poor attention and concentration, difficulties in thinking, suspiciousness, and unusual beliefs; and · Behavioral disturbances such as change in sleep and appetite patterns, social withdrawal, loss of interest in things, deterioration in occupation and academic functioning. Some people may probably interpret these disturbing behaviors as symptoms of stress especially if the changes are associated with some stressful life events. Others may consider them as the other side of a person’s personality. In some cultures, mental or psychological illness is associated with supernatural causes rather than on the presence of physiological or psychological problems. There needs to be a personal understanding of these disturbances to determine the help seeking behavior. Sometimes, even for those who suspect that it may be a mental health condition, the stigma of seeking psychiatric help may deter them from consulting a psychiatrist. No wonder, it takes so long before a person decides to seek professional help. In psychiatry, there are a number of disorders that come under the general title of the psychosis. They all manifest different symptoms but all have a common denominator: the psychotic person is no longer in touch with reality. Some of the symptoms or manifestations of a psychosis include: · Schizophrenia · Schizo-Affective Disorder · Manic-Depression (Bipolar Disorder) · Mania · Delusional (Paranoid) Disorders · Psychotic Depression Usually, the family or the person involved initially seek the assistance of general practitioners and counselors regarding the patient’s change in behavior and inability to normally function as an individual. It is of utmost importance that there is a high index of suspicion in order to pick up cases of possible psychosis. It is also a must to refer them early to doctors for further evaluation and treatment. This is especially true if the person who is exhibiting pre-psychotic symptoms has the following risk factors: · A positive family history of schizophrenia or psychotic disorder, especially among first degree relatives · Vulnerable personalities such as those with schizotypal personalities · History of occasional brief symptoms of hallucinations or delusions Early psychosis treatment involves psychiatric assessments for individuals who have symptoms of psychosis or possible psychosis. An initial assessment is done by a psychiatrist together with a case manager, who may also be a psychologist. Social workers and nurses can also assist in the evaluation. If the individual is accepted into the program, the case manager and psychiatrist will continue to provide medications for use by the patient. Aside from drug treatments, counseling, psycho-education, psychotherapy, involvement in support groups, and family support are all essential to the success of the treatment of psychosis.
Tag-Archive for ◊ mental health ◊
Statistics about mental health problems are now becoming more increasingly alarming. The key factors in the apparent rise in mental health cases have not yet been fully determined. In fact, authorities may have released inaccurate figures since people tend to hide mental illness or ignore them. This is also the reason why many mental health problems worsen. Perhaps, the only good news to come out from this is that there are some common mental health disorders and conditions among the statistics. According to the records of a number of Washington-based psychiatric hospitals, there are four particularly common strands of mental health problems that have been recorded. Depression Among all the common mental health disorders, depression is stated as being the most common. Approximately 80% of the population has experienced clinical depression at one point in their lives. In the early stages, this problem can be alleviated through counseling. However, the problem lies in the fact that most people tend to see the early stages of depression as just a negative mood swing. Since it is typically difficult for most people to detect depression until it has taken full effect, the condition can often go completely unnoticed. For some people, the physical and mental changes are gradual, which only makes it harder to detect the problem. Bi-polar Disorder Bipolar disorder, as compared with depression, is more difficult to detect. The condition causes the person’s mood to swing, being manic one moment and depressed in the next. While this usually fits the stereotype of people with this particular strain of mental health illness, the reality is that there are periods where the person exhibits a relatively normal mood. This period of normalcy between the high and low points is often enough for casual observers to discount the possibility of a person having bi-polar disorder. Often, casual observers and the patient himself will only note the frequency of the mood swings and the possibility of a problem much later on. On occasion, a session of psychiatric counseling mandated by company policy can detect the problem. However, not all companies have such a system in place. Schizophrenia Approximately two million people are suffering from schizophrenia at any given time, which should be a cause for alarm. The condition is often characterized by the patient hearing “voices” in their head that no one else can hear, a typical trait of insane people. This mental health condition has a number of sub-varieties and can effectively disable a person’s ability to interact with others if left unattended or treated. Schizophrenia can also sometimes cause other mental health disorders. While there are medications that have been proven to alleviate the problem, there are still some cases where medication must be complimented by counseling. Roughly 20% of people who develop the condition never fully recover and times of great stress and anxiety can sometimes result in a relapse. Alzheimer’s Arguably, Alzheimer’s Disease is among the most debilitating mental conditions known to man. The increasing frequency of the condition has caused alarm since current medications only help ease the symptoms and not really treat the condition. Usually diagnosed during the latter years of a person, Alzheimer’s can take an immense toll on one’s life and relationships. As a debilitating condition, it rapidly takes away the patient’s self-confidence and ability to physically function in a normal way. In contrast to other mental health problems, Alzheimer’s is relatively easy to detect if the person is properly informed. However, as previously mentioned, the disease is difficult to treat with any level of certainty. Counseling is known to have minimal effects even the mildest of cases. There is still no psychoactive medication that has shown appreciable effects other than “delaying the inevitable.” As these mental health conditions eclipse the human mind, it has become more clear that more work needs to be done in terms of research and drug development.
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Marijuana is listed as being among the most abused psychoactive drugs in the US today. Cannabis shares that distinction with the “designer drug” called Ecstasy and the easily-produced variant of cocaine known as “Crack.” However, cannabis differs from most other abused narcotics and drugs in that it has a sizable number of people who are pushing for it to be legalized. Theoretically, “weed” has a number of medical uses that serve as the main reason for it to be made legal. However, for every study dedicated to finding a medical use for marijuana, there is also a study that has managed to find detrimental side effects to the use of it. In most cases, researchers have found the effects to have ties to mental health and cognitive abilities. The first of the many side effects listed would be poorer attention span and loss of memory retention skills. According to studies conducted by the American Medical Association, long-term users of cannabis had shorter attention spans than both short-term users and non-users. According to the results published by the AMA, people who are long-term users gradually lose the ability to maintain focus on a single thing and inevitably find ways to be distracted faster than others. Memory also seems to have been affected, particularly for long-term users. According to reports, short-term memory is severely affected by long-term marijuana use, with subjects being unable to accurately recall objects shown to them mere minutes before. However, these results are still being held in dispute by mental health experts. Cannabis also reduces the overall flow of blood to the brain, which can lead to a number of mental health issues. The most obvious of the side effects of this is the relative drop in IQ scores for long-term users. Studies conducted by the Canadian Medical Journal indicate that long-term users drop several IQ points over prolonged use. In the same vein, short-term users also experienced a loss of IQ points, with a small difference in the points lost between long-term and short-term users. One long-term test conducted showed that people who were users but had quit managed to recover their IQ scores from before using marijuana for an extended period. The decreased blood flow, as already stated, could have disastrous side effects to a person’s central nervous system. One of these side effects is an effect on the appetite of users, both long-term and short-term. Users tend to consume more sodium, fats, and salty foods, while cutting down on fruits at the same time. This dietary change causes changes in the level of carotenoids in the body, which can increase the risk of cancer. The effect is seen as being less of a problem directly related to the marijuana use and more associated with the sort of lifestyle that marijuana users tend to develop. Finally, the respiratory system can suffer numerous side effects due to extensive use of marijuana. People who have engaged in long-term use of cannabis tend to have an increased risk of developing lung cancer and various other respiratory conditions. Pulmonary infection is also a major problem, as prolonged cannabis use causes damage to the alveolar macrophages and alters certain aspects of the respiratory system. While the risk of lung cancer is considerably lower than that of a smoker, the compromised system is more susceptible to other respiratory ailments than the average smoker.
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In dealing with health problems, it is said that prevention is better than cure. While it is certainly not an illness to be cured, the difficult situation of having an unwanted pregnancy can only be avoided in two ways: abstinence or prevention. In 1999, the Canadian Federation for Sexual Health released a fact sheet about unwanted pregnancy. One fact listed there is that yearly, at least eight percent of Canadian women have an unwanted pregnancy. Unwanted pregnancy is a usually a result of ignorance, irresponsibility, or failure to use contraceptives. There are also cases where the contraceptive itself failed. The incidence of unwanted pregnancy has increased and, as a result, caused a rise in the number of reported abortions. Nowadays, sexual activities are already widely discussed in the media and in public. Sex is no longer a taboo or forbidden topic. From movies to t.v. programs, from magazines to music — sex is already a well-worn topic or subject. The open discussions about sexuality had also exposed women to sex. Not everyone, however, are aware of the risks or danger in doing it. This ignorance then results to incidents such as unwanted pregnancy. Its victims are mostly young girls who, because of their curiosity, decided to engage in sexual activities. Nowadays, the prevalence of teenage pregnancy has increased to 90% every year, especially in developing countries. It is not only those who are ignorant who experience unwanted pregnancy, however. A lot of women, though aware of the possible dangers, still engage in unprotected sex. They are those who are embarrassed, restricted by their religious beliefs and have a wrong understanding of the use of contraceptions. Some women choose to be at risk of pregnancy rather than ask and obtain available contraceptives. Others deliberately avoid using protection after being made to believe that using contraceptives is against the right to life. The rest, not knowing enough information about contraceptives and its side effects, fear that using those techniques, medications or devices can be harmful to their health. They fail to understand, however, that a greater risk is involved when women continue having sex unprotected. Aside from unwanted pregnancy, other dangerous conditions can also result from not using contraceptives and engaging in unprotected sex. For the past couple of years, World Health Organization and the United Nations are concerned with a certain disease or infection that has already killed approximately 25 million people or more. It has infected an estimated amount of 38 million people worldwide that it is considered as one of the most destructive pandemics in history of mankind. This condition famously known as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus resulting to an infection of the immune system. This virus is transferred from person to person through sexual intercourse, blood transfusion, contamination of hypodermic needles, pregnancy and breastfeeding. Because of this widespread concern, various organizations all-over the world are already promoting the practice of safe sex and use of contraceptives such as condoms. Aside from AIDS, other infections that can be obtained from practicing unprotected sex are sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. The use of contraceptives, however, does not ensure complete protection from unwanted pregnancy. In 1994, sources such as Globe Watch and Birth Control Handbook indicated that various contraceptives such as condoms, diaphragm, intrauterine devices, fertility awareness, etc., have a failure rate ranging from .04% to 20%. Several studies, as mentioned in Wikipedia, also indicate a perfect-use failure rate of birth control methods or contraceptives from .4% to 6% every year. This does not disprove that fact that majority of those who use contraceptives also benefit from being protected against unwanted pregnancy and other dangerous diseases. As a result, unwanted pregnancies caused by various factors sometimes lead to abortion. A lot of pro-life groups and organizations are recently increasing their efforts in discouraging this practice and educating people, especially women, to engage in safe sex. Not all organizations, though, promote the use of contraceptives because of its ethical issues. Moral and legal aspects of abortion are still debated until now, however, some countries like the United States already allow its practice. Abortion, despited having positive effects, can still be detrimental to a person’s health. It is said to cause breast-cancer and other mental health problems such as Post Abortion Syndrome. Rather than risk the dangers of having an abortion, it is better to just avoid getting pregnant when it is unwanted. Again, prevention is better than cure.
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For many people around the world, Audrey Hepburn is an icon. Her disarming smile, one that flourished despite occasional bouts with depression, still enchants audiences today. Her on-screen confidence and the sheer potency of her presence hid the traces of stress and anxiety she felt about her looks. An introvert by nature, she remarkably did not let her minor social anxiety get in the way of dazzling her audiences with her acting prowess. Audrey Hepburn herself openly admitted that she had no definite secrets other than “health, lots of sleep, lots of fresh air, and a lot of help from Estee Lauder.” Coming from an era when plastic surgery was a far cry from the being prominent and when weight loss pills were not as proliferated as they are now, she could be heralded as an example of a truly “classic beauty.” While it may be more difficult to attain that level of beauty in today’s world, like Hepburn herself, some beauty secrets are timeless. The first bit of advice, and perhaps among the oldest, is to get adequate sleep. Sleep is necessary because the skin repairs and replenishes itself fastest while one is asleep. An adequate amount of sleep can also help prevent the formation of several possible blemishes on the skin. The amount of time that the eyes are rested during sleep are also critical to keeping them both in good shape and looking good for the camera. Also, with the right state of mind, sleep can also serve as effective stress relief. In an age when make-up is the norm and the cosmetics industry is raking in millions a day, it seems like an anathema to tell someone to “go bare.” However, it is actually a good idea to go out without any make-up on. Certain formulas of make-up can interact with the skin and cause problems due to build-up of the particles in the pores. Other chemicals can also have side effects that are able to wreak havoc on the overall health and appearance of the skin. It is a good idea to leave the skin bare of any chemical methods of enhancement, and maybe even “natural” cosmetics. This gives the time to “breathe,” so to speak. Besides, in many places, relying only on your natural beauty turn more heads than make-up can. A third piece of advice would be to avoid putting too much stress on yourself about your looks. This does not mean you can go eat yourself silly every day just because you’re using weight loss pills. It doesn’t mean you have an excuse not to eat anything but “rabbit food” in small quantities for life, either. The trick here lies in balancing both aspects out, with consideration being paid to your metabolism and health. For example, people with faster metabolisms can get away with eating more, while people who burn food slower may want to either lessen the intake or engage in more physical activity. Tension and stress can often be the bane of anyone attempting to look beautiful because such things tend to show clearly on the person. It is important not only for your physical appearance but also your mental health would have need of it. Getting rid of all the stress and anxiety that builds over time can do wonders for keeping your skin clear and your face glowing. Overall, it can be argued that Audrey Hepburn innately understood that the greatest secret to beauty is to not let your flaws limit you. This even includes the flaws that nobody but you can see and the ones that you’re imagining you have. She always felt she was could be any number of things, from being to tall to being too short. Yet, she did not let that get in the way of her confidence and she probably unknowingly propelled her name and image into the status of an icon. Women may never be able to reach that level again without the aid of science, but with the right lifestyle and little touches here and there, they can at least come damn close.
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With more and more people gambling these days, there are more reported cases of gambling Addiction then ever before. Gambling problems can manifest themselves in many different ways. Some problem gamblers will have all of these signs of their gambling problem and some others may only have one. Gambling addiction affects players of all different forms of gambling like Blackjack, Poker and even Bingo The most important thing to remember is just because their life is not horrible because of their gambling does not mean there is not a problem, many people can have serious gambling addictions and still hold down a job and make it seem as if everything is fine. This just means that this person has not hit a bottom yet, but eventually it will catch up with them. Most addicts will stop socializing with anyone not into their addiction, so if suddenly someone you know cuts out all their friends from their life and starts to isolate themselves this can be a sign. A simple thing to look for is if they are overly interested in the sports scores, and if after reading them to they become ecstatic or depressed. No one likes it when their favorite team loses, but a gambler will have major mood swings depending on if they are winning or losing. A big sign of gambling addiction is someone who is constantly having money problems and asking to borrow money but never pays it back, but sometimes out of nowhere this person will seem to have large sums of cash. Lying and stealing is another good clue to a gambling addiction, they will make up all sorts of excuses for their odd behavior, and you may notice small, but expensive items missing from your home. If when visiting this person if you notice that some of their things are missing, or if they tell you they have had to sell some things, then there is a good chance that what they sold either went to pay of gambling debt or to make new bets. There are many other signs but these are the most common symptoms of gambling addiction according to addiction professionals. If you see 2 or more of these symptoms in someone you know you should immediately try to get this person to accept their problem and seek professional help. Without help gambling addiction leads to the same place as drug addiction or alcoholism, eventually they will be overcome by their addiction. At this point they will be fully cut off from friends and family. Most gamblers with bad addictions usually wind up jobless and in many cases homeless if their addiction is allowed to go unchecked for too long, and studies have shows that people with gambling addictions are more prone to illness because thy allow their health to lapse. For more information on gambling addiction talk to your family doctor or look on the internet for the gamblers anonymous web site, or from one of the many internet web sites dedicated to helping gambling addicts to locate professional help in their area.