Stress is an emotional/ bodily reaction to physical, psychological or emotional demands. Stress is a normal body reaction to situations. It is caused by the disparity between perceived expectations and realized success towards those expectations. Stress causes both physical and mental changes in individuals.
People can react to stress in two ways:
Schizophrenia is a mental illness caused by a malfunction in the part of the brain that controls emotion and sensation. It can develop slowly and usually begins in late adolescence. Usually paranoid delusions or strange hallucinations are experienced. Additionally, voices could be directing the individual to engage in certain activities. It is not to be confused with Multiple Personality Disorder.
Hallucinations, hearing voices, illusions, paranoia, reduction of motivation, delusions of grandeur.
A psychiatrist should diagnose schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is sometimes associated with other illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, psychosis and depression. The most effective way to treat schizophrenia is using both medication and therapy. Usually antipsychotic are prescribed; cognitive therapies help with individuals that are dealing with hearing voices.
Feelings of depression are normal in everyday life. Some days you might just feel low or events in your life take place that make you have feelings of grief. The difference between these normal behaviors and what is classified as depression is that depression is a constant severe feeling of low mood. It interferes with your ability to function and experience good moods. Depression can be a downward spiral towards suicide and a serious case of this condition can last for years.
Depression is very common in the United States.
Anxiety, worry and fear are feelings that everyone experiences from time to time. Over short periods of time they can be useful emotions, helping us to be aware of risk and to respond to challenging or dangerous situations. They prepare the body to take action and protect ourselves.
Between 1 and 4 in 100 people experience anxiety at a greater level than is normal considering the threats around them. They may feel excessively anxious in certain situations.
Feeling worried a lot of the time, feeling tired, being irritable, problems sleeping, dizziness, tension and pains, heavy rapid breathing, stomach aches and sickness, feelings of dread or impending doom.
Anxiety disorders are highly treatable yet only one-third of those suffering from an anxiety disorder receive treatment. Medications can provide relief from anxiety disorders. Coupled with psychological treatment care for anxiety disorders are very effective.
Every individual has personality traits. These traits influence the way we think, feel and behave making us unique. Some people may be described as having a “personality disorder” if their personal characteristics cause regular long-term problems with the way they cope with life, interact with other people and in the way in which they can respond emotionally.
Personality Disorders are broken down into three categories:
Cluster A: Odd/eccentric paranoid: schizoid, schizotypal
Cluster B: Dramatic/erratic antisocial: borderline, histrionic, narcissistic
Cluster C: Anxious/inhibited dependent: avoidant, obsessive-compulsive
Beliefs that others are not loyal or trustworthy, holding persistent grudges, lack of remorse for actions that hurt people, deceitfulness such as repeated lying for personal profit or pleasure, become dependent on all major areas of their life, and decreased ability to show emotions.
A psychiatrist looks for symptoms that have been persistent and have caused distress in their life. Personality disorder can be treated with therapy coupled with medication treatments.
An eating disorder occurs when there are serious disturbances in eating behavior, such as extreme reduction of food intake or severe overeating. Eating disorders frequently occur with other psychiatric disorders such as depression, substance misuse and anxiety disorders. They can lead to a wide range of physical health complications including heart conditions and kidney failure.
At least 10% of people diagnosed with an eating disorder are male. Eating disorders are more likely to affect gay or bisexual men possibly due to pressures within gay culture to look physically perfect, however with more cultural emphasis for straight men to conform to a particular body image, eating disorders can affect them as well. Male athletes are susceptible to eating disorders because of weight restrictions and men attempting to get bigger may change their diet in unhealthy ways to gain muscle mass.
Avoiding food or meals, deny hunger, make excuses to avoid eating, binging, and purging (laxatives or vomiting).
Many people with an eating disorder are in denial that anything is wrong. Individuals first have to admit that something is wrong and then seek treatment. Talk therapies are often effective for treating eating disorders. In some cases medication can be prescribed for depression and anxiety. In extreme cases of dangerously low body weight, under the Medical Health Act, medical specialists can enact force-feeding along with other treatments.
