Fig.2 "understanding mental illness" image n.d. Web. 30 April 2014
Mental Illness
Brandon Hawley
Young adults' emergence of mental illness throughout history has sustained certain stigmas that have changed the way mental illness has been accepted. Proper education and tolerance are the ways mental illness can be accepted and treated as the disorder that it is today. The stigmas surrounding mental illness have stifled peoples interests in learning about the disorders people must live with. Mental illness has been around as long as people have been around. Times have changed and people have become more educated. The advancements towards understanding mental illnesses have introduced a whole new series of problems and solutions. Mental disorders are now classified and symptoms are more easily diagnosed. Mental illness is starting to be seen in younger and younger people. Doctors agree that children are being diagnosed younger and younger, but the good thing about this is now symptoms are being better understood and new treatments are being introduced every day.
Mental Illness stems from organic and inorganic causes. Organic illnesses are either inherited or developed. For instance, Bipolar Disorder is normally developed between the ages of 14 and 21, but now doctors are even finding it in kids as young as four. Inorganic caused mental illnesses are caused from things like drug overdose and alcoholic intoxication. Disorders can be helped with the correct use of medication. If medication doesn't help there are things like Psychotherapy and Electroconvulsive Therapy. Electroconvulsive Therapy is generally used as a last resort solution ot major disorders like Bipolar 2 and sever cases of Schizophrenia. Mental disorders are identified in several different classes, a few of these classes are; Mood Disorders, Psychotic Disorders and Development Disorders. The disorder that is most commonly found in children is Development Disorder. Development Disorder includes Autism, A.D.D., and A.D.H.D. however; mood disorders have started to wean their way into children's minds. Mood disorders include Bipolar and Depressive disorders.The most unfortunate thing about mental disorders is they don't come alone, mental disorders are usually always paired with or mixed with another disorder and have numerous other health problems that accompany them.
Mental Disorders have different causes depending on the disorder. The main causes of mental illness can be set into two groups, organic and inorganic.Organic caused disorders are dis orders that are inherited from a family member. This family member must be direct like a mother or a father for some disorders. With some other disorders however, it doesn't matter how far back the connection goes. Developed disorders are also an organic cause; these disorders can occur even if no one in the family has ever had any sort of mental illness. Doctors are still searching for the reason why some disorders are developed. Inorganically caused mental illnesses are the disorders that are caused from the introduction and abuse of drugs and alcohol. Disorders that can be caused by substance abuse include Delirium, Dementia, Amnestic Disorder, Psychotic Disorder, Mood Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, Sleep Disorder, Sexual Dysfunction, Flashbacks and Persisting Perception Disorder.
Mental illness comes in all shapes and sizes. They affect people at different ages and are brought on by different causes. Mood disorders are Depressive disorder and Bipolar disorder. They can occur at any time in someone's life but bipolar usually occurs between the ages of 15 to 30. There are three major types of Bipolar Disorder: Bipolar I, Bipolar II, and Cyclothymic Disorder. In Bipolar I Disorder both manic and depressive states are present and very severe. Bipolar II Disorder is classified by sever depressed states mixed with mild highs called Hypomanic moods. Cyclothymic Disorder is diagnosed when there have been cycles of mild highs and mild lows for about two years, these cycles must be frequent enough that the person has not been without symptoms for more than tow years.(Allen 46) Mania is a symptom that affects both type I and type II of Bipolar Disorder. James Hicks, M.D says "Mania is the term Psychiatrists use to describe a state of elevated mood, rapid speech, grandiose thinking and agitation." (Hicks 194) This stat of elevated mood is something that when experienced, cannot be described. Elation is a major part of mania. "Psychiatrists use the term to refer to someone who feels too good, because of intoxication or an underlying illness like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia." (Hicks 114) Mania is a huge reason that people with Bipolar Disorder do not want to get help or get put on medication for fear of losing their manic highs. Another term associated with Bipolar Disorder is hypomania. Hypomania "is a period that brims with physical and mental well-being. It is often a time of great creativity." (Papolos 5) Amazing as these states may be, they can be very dangerous. Rash acts during mania can have horrid consequences, such as financial ruin, divorce and legal issues; any of all of which can be followed by severe depression and suicide. The manic stage is very fragile and brittle; it can switch back and forth between manic and depressive symptoms very quickly and cause the person to become paranoid. "If hypomania escalates into a full-blown mania, the person can lose all touch with reality and become psychotic." (Papolos 5) This is called stage III mania. During stage III mania a doctor usually cannot tell whether the patient is schizophrenic or bipolar without knowing past history. Some symptoms of mania and hypomania are elation, overconfidence and grandiose thoughts and actions, extravagant spending sprees, rapid speech, reduced need for sleep, increased appetite, excessive exercising and distractedness. When medication does not work Electroconvulsive therapy is used to treat mania and manic symptoms.
Delirium, Dementia and Amnestic Disorder are all called Cognitive Disorders. Cognitive Disorders occur in people who have experienced trauma, substance abuse or medical illness that has had a direct impact on brain functions like poor nutrition, dehydration and liver and kidney disease. Delirium is moving away from ones usual behaviors and states of being. People who are suffering from Delirium usually have confused mental states and their actions are very strange. The term delirious is derived from Delirium. Dementia is "being away from one's mind" the symptoms are much like the symptoms of Delirium, and both can occur at the same time. Demented people suffer from problems with memory, speech, actions, judgment, balance in walking and hallucinations. The most common types of Dementia are Alzheimer's Dementia and Vascular Dementia. In Alzheimer's Dementia the brain begins to shrink, this can occur at any time between the ages of 65 till death. In families where Alzheimer's has been prevalent numerous times it will begin affecting members of the family around the age of 60. Vascular Dementia occurs abruptly and is caused when blood vessel changes are followed by symptoms of dementia. Amnestic Disorder, known as amnesia, is when a person has severe memory loss or forgetfulness and cannot learn or recall certain facts. Some amnesia appear then vanish or improve over a few hours, however, damage to specific parts of the brain from things like blood vessel clots, surgery and alcohol can cause amnesia that will never improve.
Psychosis is the loss of the skill to judge what is real in ones contact with the physical and social world. The most known form of psychosis is Schizophrenia. Schizophrenic people hear voices, experience long detailed hallucinations, and live in a constant paranoid state. Schizophrenia can come in many different types with the same symptoms, for instance, Paranoid, Disorganized, Catatonic and undifferentiated. Schizophrenia generally affects anyone from the age of ten to around the age of fifty.
Treatments for mental disorders generally consist of about three different categories; realization and self-help, education, and professional help. Realization and self-help are the first steps to accepting and treating a mental illness. If a person does not believe they have a problem then there is nothing anybody can do to help them. There are many different groups and organizations dedicated to helping people cope with and learn more about their mental illness, however, the best self-help groups are strong healthy family members and friends. Education is also a very successful treatment for mental illness. The more information someone can gather the better off they will be. Learning about medications and options offered should be top priority to a family member new to mental illness, even people that have been diagnosed for years should continue to educate themselves because advancements are made in medicine every day and new medications are introduced. Professional help is the last step if self-help and education did not work. You need to to find the correct doctor to fit the patient's needs; this can be a long and grueling process. When the correct doctor is found the next step is a combination of psychotherapy and medication. Psychotherapy is the process of treating mental illness by talking about the condition and moods, feelings, thoughts and behaviors. psychotherapy is a slow process that helps people with a mental illness learn to cope with their disorder and provides them a safe environment to learn. Psycho-therapists start with a session that lasts sixty to ninety minutes, this session will be the longest one as long as a steady improvement is seen and no relapses occur. This first session is used for the therapist to get to know the patient and diagnose the disorder. Upon this diagnosis psychotherapists can, and usually do write prescriptions. Depending on how the session goes the therapist will schedule the next session accordingly. When medication is prescribed it is monitored for four to six weeks. If everything goes well the patient will remain on the initial medication, rarely can a doctor or therapist make the correct prescription on the first try being as there are so many different medications now and not everyone tolerates medications the same. Finding the correct medication and dosage is an agonizing process. When medication does not work the other options are hospitalization and Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). ECT is usually used as a last resort when no medications will work. During ETC electric currents pass through the brain triggering a brief seizure. It works by changing the brains chemistry during the seizure and reduces symptoms faster than medication. ETC is used only as a last resort because it can cause permanent epilepsy, memory loss, vomiting, reduced motor skills and in some severe cases, death. Hospitalization is vital when a person can no longer take care of themselves or threaten to hurt themselves and or others. Psychiatric hospitalization includes 24 hour inpatient care.
In conclusion with the continuation of education and medical advancements individuals with mental illnesses are getting better educated, better care and are getting diagnosed properly. Mental illness is very common in the U.S. so we need to continue to educate our selves and be tolerant of these individuals because we are all human and on the inside we are all the same.
Brandon Hawley
Young adults' emergence of mental illness throughout history has sustained certain stigmas that have changed the way mental illness has been accepted. Proper education and tolerance are the ways mental illness can be accepted and treated as the disorder that it is today. The stigmas surrounding mental illness have stifled peoples interests in learning about the disorders people must live with. Mental illness has been around as long as people have been around. Times have changed and people have become more educated. The advancements towards understanding mental illnesses have introduced a whole new series of problems and solutions. Mental disorders are now classified and symptoms are more easily diagnosed. Mental illness is starting to be seen in younger and younger people. Doctors agree that children are being diagnosed younger and younger, but the good thing about this is now symptoms are being better understood and new treatments are being introduced every day.
Mental Illness stems from organic and inorganic causes. Organic illnesses are either inherited or developed. For instance, Bipolar Disorder is normally developed between the ages of 14 and 21, but now doctors are even finding it in kids as young as four. Inorganic caused mental illnesses are caused from things like drug overdose and alcoholic intoxication. Disorders can be helped with the correct use of medication. If medication doesn't help there are things like Psychotherapy and Electroconvulsive Therapy. Electroconvulsive Therapy is generally used as a last resort solution ot major disorders like Bipolar 2 and sever cases of Schizophrenia. Mental disorders are identified in several different classes, a few of these classes are; Mood Disorders, Psychotic Disorders and Development Disorders. The disorder that is most commonly found in children is Development Disorder. Development Disorder includes Autism, A.D.D., and A.D.H.D. however; mood disorders have started to wean their way into children's minds. Mood disorders include Bipolar and Depressive disorders.The most unfortunate thing about mental disorders is they don't come alone, mental disorders are usually always paired with or mixed with another disorder and have numerous other health problems that accompany them.
Mental Disorders have different causes depending on the disorder. The main causes of mental illness can be set into two groups, organic and inorganic.Organic caused disorders are dis orders that are inherited from a family member. This family member must be direct like a mother or a father for some disorders. With some other disorders however, it doesn't matter how far back the connection goes. Developed disorders are also an organic cause; these disorders can occur even if no one in the family has ever had any sort of mental illness. Doctors are still searching for the reason why some disorders are developed. Inorganically caused mental illnesses are the disorders that are caused from the introduction and abuse of drugs and alcohol. Disorders that can be caused by substance abuse include Delirium, Dementia, Amnestic Disorder, Psychotic Disorder, Mood Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, Sleep Disorder, Sexual Dysfunction, Flashbacks and Persisting Perception Disorder.
Mental illness comes in all shapes and sizes. They affect people at different ages and are brought on by different causes. Mood disorders are Depressive disorder and Bipolar disorder. They can occur at any time in someone's life but bipolar usually occurs between the ages of 15 to 30. There are three major types of Bipolar Disorder: Bipolar I, Bipolar II, and Cyclothymic Disorder. In Bipolar I Disorder both manic and depressive states are present and very severe. Bipolar II Disorder is classified by sever depressed states mixed with mild highs called Hypomanic moods. Cyclothymic Disorder is diagnosed when there have been cycles of mild highs and mild lows for about two years, these cycles must be frequent enough that the person has not been without symptoms for more than tow years.(Allen 46) Mania is a symptom that affects both type I and type II of Bipolar Disorder. James Hicks, M.D says "Mania is the term Psychiatrists use to describe a state of elevated mood, rapid speech, grandiose thinking and agitation." (Hicks 194) This stat of elevated mood is something that when experienced, cannot be described. Elation is a major part of mania. "Psychiatrists use the term to refer to someone who feels too good, because of intoxication or an underlying illness like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia." (Hicks 114) Mania is a huge reason that people with Bipolar Disorder do not want to get help or get put on medication for fear of losing their manic highs. Another term associated with Bipolar Disorder is hypomania. Hypomania "is a period that brims with physical and mental well-being. It is often a time of great creativity." (Papolos 5) Amazing as these states may be, they can be very dangerous. Rash acts during mania can have horrid consequences, such as financial ruin, divorce and legal issues; any of all of which can be followed by severe depression and suicide. The manic stage is very fragile and brittle; it can switch back and forth between manic and depressive symptoms very quickly and cause the person to become paranoid. "If hypomania escalates into a full-blown mania, the person can lose all touch with reality and become psychotic." (Papolos 5) This is called stage III mania. During stage III mania a doctor usually cannot tell whether the patient is schizophrenic or bipolar without knowing past history. Some symptoms of mania and hypomania are elation, overconfidence and grandiose thoughts and actions, extravagant spending sprees, rapid speech, reduced need for sleep, increased appetite, excessive exercising and distractedness. When medication does not work Electroconvulsive therapy is used to treat mania and manic symptoms.
Delirium, Dementia and Amnestic Disorder are all called Cognitive Disorders. Cognitive Disorders occur in people who have experienced trauma, substance abuse or medical illness that has had a direct impact on brain functions like poor nutrition, dehydration and liver and kidney disease. Delirium is moving away from ones usual behaviors and states of being. People who are suffering from Delirium usually have confused mental states and their actions are very strange. The term delirious is derived from Delirium. Dementia is "being away from one's mind" the symptoms are much like the symptoms of Delirium, and both can occur at the same time. Demented people suffer from problems with memory, speech, actions, judgment, balance in walking and hallucinations. The most common types of Dementia are Alzheimer's Dementia and Vascular Dementia. In Alzheimer's Dementia the brain begins to shrink, this can occur at any time between the ages of 65 till death. In families where Alzheimer's has been prevalent numerous times it will begin affecting members of the family around the age of 60. Vascular Dementia occurs abruptly and is caused when blood vessel changes are followed by symptoms of dementia. Amnestic Disorder, known as amnesia, is when a person has severe memory loss or forgetfulness and cannot learn or recall certain facts. Some amnesia appear then vanish or improve over a few hours, however, damage to specific parts of the brain from things like blood vessel clots, surgery and alcohol can cause amnesia that will never improve.
Psychosis is the loss of the skill to judge what is real in ones contact with the physical and social world. The most known form of psychosis is Schizophrenia. Schizophrenic people hear voices, experience long detailed hallucinations, and live in a constant paranoid state. Schizophrenia can come in many different types with the same symptoms, for instance, Paranoid, Disorganized, Catatonic and undifferentiated. Schizophrenia generally affects anyone from the age of ten to around the age of fifty.
Treatments for mental disorders generally consist of about three different categories; realization and self-help, education, and professional help. Realization and self-help are the first steps to accepting and treating a mental illness. If a person does not believe they have a problem then there is nothing anybody can do to help them. There are many different groups and organizations dedicated to helping people cope with and learn more about their mental illness, however, the best self-help groups are strong healthy family members and friends. Education is also a very successful treatment for mental illness. The more information someone can gather the better off they will be. Learning about medications and options offered should be top priority to a family member new to mental illness, even people that have been diagnosed for years should continue to educate themselves because advancements are made in medicine every day and new medications are introduced. Professional help is the last step if self-help and education did not work. You need to to find the correct doctor to fit the patient's needs; this can be a long and grueling process. When the correct doctor is found the next step is a combination of psychotherapy and medication. Psychotherapy is the process of treating mental illness by talking about the condition and moods, feelings, thoughts and behaviors. psychotherapy is a slow process that helps people with a mental illness learn to cope with their disorder and provides them a safe environment to learn. Psycho-therapists start with a session that lasts sixty to ninety minutes, this session will be the longest one as long as a steady improvement is seen and no relapses occur. This first session is used for the therapist to get to know the patient and diagnose the disorder. Upon this diagnosis psychotherapists can, and usually do write prescriptions. Depending on how the session goes the therapist will schedule the next session accordingly. When medication is prescribed it is monitored for four to six weeks. If everything goes well the patient will remain on the initial medication, rarely can a doctor or therapist make the correct prescription on the first try being as there are so many different medications now and not everyone tolerates medications the same. Finding the correct medication and dosage is an agonizing process. When medication does not work the other options are hospitalization and Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). ECT is usually used as a last resort when no medications will work. During ETC electric currents pass through the brain triggering a brief seizure. It works by changing the brains chemistry during the seizure and reduces symptoms faster than medication. ETC is used only as a last resort because it can cause permanent epilepsy, memory loss, vomiting, reduced motor skills and in some severe cases, death. Hospitalization is vital when a person can no longer take care of themselves or threaten to hurt themselves and or others. Psychiatric hospitalization includes 24 hour inpatient care.
In conclusion with the continuation of education and medical advancements individuals with mental illnesses are getting better educated, better care and are getting diagnosed properly. Mental illness is very common in the U.S. so we need to continue to educate our selves and be tolerant of these individuals because we are all human and on the inside we are all the same.
Works Cited
Mental Illness September 2008 Mayo Foundation for Medical Information and Research http://www.mayoclinic.com Hicks, James W. Fifty Signs of Mental Illness a Guide to Understanding Mental Health, New Have Yale University Press 2005 Allen, Thomas E, Mayer C. Liebman Lee Park, and William Wimmer A Primer on Mental Disorder. Lanham: Scarecrow Press Inc. 2001 Symptoms of mania 1 March 2010 Health Grades Inc. http://localhealth.com |
Qp tv "understanding Mental Illness, What is Mental Illness.) youtube April 12 2013 Web 30 April 2014
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