Thursday, February 7, 2008

Mental Health Issues

For centuries, philosophers, psychological professionals, researchers, and many others have been working on a better understanding of the mind and how mental health works. They sought answers for many disabling emotional disorders.
Among these emotional disorders are bipolar, sexual disorders, dementia, delirium, adjustment disorders, substance dependencies and many others.

Adjustment disorders are applicable to those that have difficulties adapting to stress. Stress is definitely a strong negative reinforcement to nearly any condition, though some of them with more drastic effects than others. It can also cause a lot of physical problems to go along with the mental illnesses. At the same time, one alternative treatment found to work with stress is laughter. Try it for 15 minutes a day and see what you think.

Bipolar disorder is becoming a fast growing diagnosis. Many probably lumped just like ADHD was in the 70s and not necessarily correct. Bipolar or manic-depression effects people with symptoms like hyperactivity, extreme worry, extreme mood swings, and more. Those true cases though can drive you crazy if a solution isn't found. Bipolar disorders have been directly linked to brain chemistry, making them more a neurological condition than a psychological one. Often side effects found include deep depression, suicidal thoughts, strong mood swings and psychotic behavior at times. They've also determined that it is often hereditary and traceable in family histories as well. Traumatic experiences in early childhood tend to bring it on as well when blocked out rather than learned from and accepted as it was.

Sexual disorders are disorders that are deeper in society than many will admit. It often comes as a sideline of chemical dependencies, and noticed in others as well. It shows in divorce rates as well. Though most of the focus is more limited to when it extends to pornography, abuse, rape, and extremely negative behaviors. These are in fact often psychological.

Recent studies have shown that Serial Killers, in other words psychopaths and sociopaths are hereditary. There are many links, though when all the cases are put together less is known than ever. Some will think that child abuse is a large contributor, whereas others haven't been. There are many subjects for study throughout the land, yet with all that, there are many conflicting theories, even after a lot of good research. Many mental professionals have gone to extensive lengths to better understand this area, yet come up with little that applies everywhere else. Elements noted have been early life Trauma, normal early life, drug dependencies, and not. There is not just one mold in this area.

Dementia and delirium are the loss of memory and confusion that often come with age, in other names include senility. When found in younger patients it can be confusing for professionals, as there may be more explanations. Other causes can be as a result of heavy drug or alcohol consumption as well. In modern times these can be a little more difficulty. Sometimes it's due to health conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, and other conditions that cause blackouts.

Alcoholism and drug dependency are diagnosis's that are growing in a very large way. It's not a disorder; rather it is classified as a disease. They are often hereditary. It can go 2 ways though. Some have other problems caused by the long-term use of drugs and alcohol, whereas others found it to cover up problems. This can make it hard to treat, and the statistics to date prove this. The only known starting point that works to treat this is cessation of the consumption of the substances. Of course then, there is always mental wreckage to clear out that can be a whole other ball game, one dependant on the substances.

There is a lot of evidence to link impairment in the brain to the various mental disorders and diseases. There is so much of the mind they don't understand, that they often do more experimentation than effective treatment. Until we are able to understand the brain completely, and accepting those realities, there will be problems and fewer results. It's an inside game, and in the end, each will be the only one that can deal with it in their own mind. But we will need some good help, and hopefully that will come eventually.
 

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