Signs of Schizophrenia in Adults

Schizophrenia is a chronic mental illness that is not easily understood and because of this, there is a degree of fear from society in reaction to it. This word literally means split mind and the first recorded use of the word was in 1911 by Dr. Paul Eugen Bleuler.

There are no known medical reason as to what causes this illness, although there are risked factors associated with it. Additionally, there is no known cure nevertheless there is medication that is helpful in controlling its symptoms.

Children as well as adults can be afflicted with this illness, however the signs of Schizophrenia in adults are different from those in children.

The sooner someone with this mental disorder gets some help, the better position he/she will be in, in bringing it under control. Therefore, if you notice some or all the signs that are to follow, in a loved one, please do no hesitate to get them some help. However, do not jump to any conclusions, talk with a doctor first.

Delusions

Person suffering with this disorder may have delusions about their life. They may believe that they are kings or queens and may prefer to be addressed as such.

Inappropriate Reactions

They may not respond to a situation in an appropriate way. They may laugh, when they should be crying, or cry, when they should be laughing.

Disorder Thinking

Their thought process is in disorder and when you are talking with them, what they are saying to you does not make sense.

Hallucinations and Illusions

They may see, hear, think and believe things that are real, only to them.

Schizophrenic Children Have Slower Brain Growth

A recent study, led by Nitin Gogtay from the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, shows that white matter in the brain grows slower in children with schizophrenia, as compared to those without the disease. They also found that the right hemisphere of the brain grew slower in children with the disease. The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

White matter is responsible for sending messages to the brain. It is the tissue nerve cells. The right hemisphere of the brain is responsible for visual and intuitive information controls. The children with schizophrenia only showed a 1.3 percent growth a year, where children without the disease had a growth of 2.6 percent in white matter. Other studies have found that the gray matter also grows slower in schizophrenic patients. Gray matter is responsible for processing signals.

The study included twelve schizophrenic children and twelve healthy control children. The scans on their brains were done over a period of five years and clearly showed a slower growth rate in the brain for those with schizophrenia. It is worth noting that this did not affect the children's IQ - which was not lower in schizophrenic children. The researchers are hoping that studying children with the disease can give more information about the way the brain develops with the disease and whether treatment can be found for early cases.

Schizophrenia, a condition for which both adults and children may potentially qualify for social security disability benefits, usually occurs in the late teens and early twenties, but some small children develop the disease. Unfortunately, children who develop the disease before the age of 13 years, usually have a more severe case of the disease. There have not been very many studies on children with the disease. Studying children with the disease is opening up a whole new area to study, since these children have not had the time to develop the patterns that most late teens and adults with the disease have, such as alcohol and drug abuse.

Schizophrenia affects 1 percent of Americans over the age of 18 and unfortunately, nearly 10 percent end up committing suicide. Symptoms of the disease include paranoia and hallucinations.

Psychiatry for Physicians - Schizophrenia - 1

Among all the psychiatric disorders the most significant one, from all points of view, is schizophrenia. So far the scientific inference about schizophrenia mentions its best management as medications with various forms of psychosocial care. Recent advancements also suggest integrated approach with genetic, neurochemical, and neuropathological knowledge about the disease.

Emil Kraepelin is the first person who first delineated schizophrenia. Taking it as young age dementia he named it as "Dementia Praecox". It was Eugen Bleuler who later named it as "Schizophrenia". Another significant contribution towards schizophrenia is the introduction of Schneiderian symptoms.

In this article I will discuss the diagnosis of schizophrenia with the support from the DSM of the APA. The following symptoms can be present in cases of schizophrenia -

1. Delusions

2. Hallucinations

3. Disorganized speech

4. Grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior

5. Negative symptoms

6. Social and occupational dysfunction

7. Duration of symptom is at least 6 months

Differential diagnosis of schizophrenia can be as follows -

1. Psychiatric illnesses

a. Psychotic mood disorders

b. Schizoaffective disorders

c. Brief reactive psychosis

d. Schizophreniform disorder

e. Delusional disorder

f. Induced psychotic disorder

g. Panic disorder

h. Depersonalization disorders

i. Factitious disorder with psychological symptoms

j. Malingering

2. General medical illness

a. Temporal lobe epilepsy

b. Tumor, stroke, brain trauma

c. Endocrine/metabolic disorders

d. Vitamin deficiency

e. Infectious

f. Autoimmune

g. Toxic

3. Drugs of abuse

a. Stimulants

b. Hallucinogens

c. Anticholinergics

d. Alcohol withdrawal delirium

e. Barbiturate withdrawal delirium

Laboratory tests are helpful for differentiating schizophrenia from medical illnesses. But confirming schizophrenia does not get any help from such laboratory investigations. In DSM course of schizophrenia is also classified. Schizophrenia can be episodic with interedisope residual symptoms or no such symptoms, or it can be continuous, or single episode with partial or full remission or of other patterns. In the next article I shall discuss about the rest of schizophrenia.

Is It Possible to Treat Schizophrenia Without Medication?

Since the first diagnosis of schizophrenia, it has devastated hundreds of lives due of its circumstances. For people whose loved ones have been touched by this mental disorder, having a normal life is often very difficult to achieve. Sufferers of this illness are frequently medicated or even locked up in an institution until progress has been made with the treatment. However, there are other ways to treat schizophrenic symptoms. In fact, there are people who, despite the odds, have recovered and overcome this psychological disorder without medication. John Forbes Nash, Jr., the man on which the 2001 American film "A Beautiful Mind" is based, decided to stop taking his medications and successfully recovered from schizophrenia over the course of a couple of decades.

Finding hope is an important thing for people with schizophrenia. Studies show that victims of this disease are much more likely to recover without medication regimens if they truly believe there is hope for recovery from the disorder. Faster recovery is possible if their family members or significant others together with healthcare personnel continue to provide them possible support and thorough treatment. Make an effort to find examples of schizophrenia patients who had severe symptoms and have recovered from it and gone on to live normally.

Having a healthy home and lifestyle can help the patients in overcoming the symptoms. It can give them fast recovery assurance. This may also be applicable to those who have no wife or husband and kids because they need to feel the stability of a home, income, and daily rituals.

Interaction with other people, besides family members, is important. Being included to a larger group of people and getting involved with activities can be effective steps to help the person realize that he is a part of the society and he can live a normal life.

Support groups can help patients in recovering from the disorder. Giving problem solving and coping strategies for patients can help them in dealing with the problems that they may encounter. Allow them to think and make simple decisions of their own, such as how much to spend on buying a certain thing, which therapist to consult, and whether to pay the electric or phone bill first. In addition, going out and doing various activities can make the patients feel good. They can read interesting books or magazines, watch TV shows, go to movie house, and develop their hobbies. Help them to find something that can make them feel better and busy during their spare time. Entertaining themselves is a great way to stop thinking about their illness and develop other skills in life at the same time.

The key to successfully recover from this mental disorder is to continue the patient's therapy. It is important to use the empowerment method of recovery which is believed to be an excellent alternative to taking antipsychotic drugs. However, recovering from a mental illness without the help of a therapist is basically useless. Expert's advice is a crucial factor to guide the ill person through these different ways in dealing with the setbacks.

Barriers to the Treatment of Schizophrenia and Other Serious Mental Illnesses

In 2005, a mental health study was commissioned to examine the extent of the problem of discontinuation of therapy and treatment for patients experiencing mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression. The study examined the factors that influenced whether these patients followed through with the full course of prescribed medications or not. As part of the study, 76 in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with a panel of inpatient hospital psychiatrists and discharge planners and outpatient (community mental health center) psychiatrists and intake coordinators from across four states. The respondents stated that, on average, 50 percent of consumers discharged from inpatient facilities do not appear for their initial intake appointment at the outpatient/community-based program to which they were referred.

Several factors were identified on the system, program/provider, and individual levels that were related to such a poor rate of continuity of therapy for approximately half of the study participants.

System Level Health Care Barriers:

- The system is fragmented and fractured.

- The basics of the discharge and intake processes are similar across states; however, the flow of communication varies significantly by state and consumer profile.

- Certain prescribed psychotropic medications do not appear on hospital formularies, thus creating transition issues for consumers both within inpatient settings and post-discharge.

- Financing and cost considerations.

Facility/Program Level Health Care Barriers:

- The role of inpatient short-stay hospitals is clearly defined as triage, stabilization and, discharge.

- Most outpatient facilities see their responsibility for the continuum of care beginning only when the consumer actually shows up for intake.

- Neither setting (inpatient or outpatient) is appropriately set up to ensure continuity of care.

- Communication breakdown between settings.

- Psychiatrists from both inpatient and outpatient settings report they very rarely interact with mental illness patients in the other setting.

- Most communication between inpatient and outpatient facilities takes place between the inpatient discharge planner (typically a social worker) and the outpatient intake coordinator (typically a case manager).

- These respondents, the primary conduits of information flow between settings, characterize their work environment as "overburdened" and "overworked."

- Unless specifically mandated or required, processes pertaining to discharge or intake are unlikely to be put in place, let alone followed consistently; when policies exist, they tend to be idiosyncratic to the particular facility.

Provider and Individual Level Health Care Barriers:

- It was very clear that many consumers, upon discharge, were not completely stabilized and had little specific awareness of their medications beyond the name(s).

- Issues faced by consumers including: stigma, side effects from medications, co-occurring disorders, homelessness, lack of transportation, and lack of support systems.

- Consumers acknowledged they were provided information about their medications at discharge, but report the information was given in very general terms (e.g. "this will make you feel stable") and there was little recall regarding details.

Obviously, steps must be taken to improve the continuity of care for mental health patients. This can only be achieved by addressing and removing these barriers on all levels. Mental health professionals agree that removing these barriers is a reality that can, and should, be realized today.

Schizophrenia and Brain Receptors

Scientists from the New Castle University have claimed to have obtained evidences that could prove the probable cause of the abnormalities occurring in the electrical waves of the brains. The research team believes that schizophrenics are deficient in essential brain receptors that control them.

They have conducted a research on rats' where the receptors were diminished with the help of medication to note the changes in wave frequency; the changes did occur and that proved the fact.

Schizophrenia is basically psychiatric disarray which indicates a rare mental disorder with typical characteristics such as perception disorders and/or abnormality in expressing reality. The disorder commonly manifests abnormalities as acoustic hallucinations, weird delusions or paranoid, disordered speech and thought process with significant dysfunction in their social ass well as occupational aspects. The symptoms of schizophrenia are likely to onset during adolescence. The diagnosis of this disorder is solely dependent on self-reports provided by the patient of his/her experiences and behavioral conditions; at times others observation might also assist in diagnosis.

Studies have revealed over time that some of the probable contributing factors to schizophrenia could be genetics, neurobiology, early environment, social or some psychological processes. Some drugs; may be recreational or prescribed ones can aggravate the symptoms further. Recent psychiatric research primarily focuses on the neurobiological factors that could possibly be the real cause of such mental disorder, but no evidences have been found yet. As there are two many contradictory symptoms of schizophrenia, it is often difficult to conclude whether the diagnosis indicates a single problem or a combination of a couple of distinct symptoms; the debate is still on.

Schizophrenic individuals are likely to have an escalated dopamine activity in the brain's mesolimbic pathway. Antipsychotic medications are the most soughted treatment and are used for subduing the dopamine activity. Psychotherapy along with social and vocational rehabilitation can also help in this regard. In severe cases where there is a risk for the individual as well as for others - hospitalization is the ultimate way.

Schizophrenia is believed to affect human cognition but, it also has a dramatic impact on an individual's emotions and behavior. Schizophrenics might also have certain comorbid conditions, such as anxiety disorders and severe depression.

Several studies have been carried out to identify the truth of schizophrenia, but no fruitful results have been derived yet. Scientists are still trying their best to look more closely in to the brain functions of people having schizophrenia and the ones who don't - that's the only way of deriving evidence to prove that truth of their suggested theory.

Previously, a difference was derived by researchers related to the "gamma frequency oscillation" - a typical electrical activity pattern found to be different in schizophrenics. The Newcastle research team has aimed to derive real cause of such an alteration.

The research team used Ketamine, a recreational drug for humans that causes hallucinations, a primary symptom of schizophrenia. When this was applied to the brain cells of rats, the frequency of the electrical activities the rat's brain changed dramatically by blocking the brain receptor NMDA.

This could allegedly mean that schizophrenics either don't have adequate receptors, or their receptors are non-functional.

"Our hope would be that in the long term this could lead to a method for actually improving brain function, not only for people with schizophrenia, but potentially for many other brain conditions." - adds Dr. Mark Cunningham.

Schizophrenia Treatment - 10 Natural Ways to Overcome Schizophrenia Disorder

There are many ways to overcome or to minimize the schizophrenia negative and positive symptoms. Here are listed ten natural ways to avoid those symptoms in an active manner and as an addition to the antipsychotic drugs treatment:

1) Therapy

Go to a Psychologist and talk about your routine. The therapist's room is a protected environment where you can cope with sore things that are taken from your daily routine or from your past. This is the exact place to speak and deal about past negative experiences.

2) Do exercise

Get out of the house and walk for 45 minutes each day for a start. Doing exercise is a great way to get in shape, reduce your bad cholesterol level in your blood and reduce your blood pressure. It also makes you feel better with yourself and sleep well at night.

3) Develop your social life

Make new friends and hang out with them, go to visit your parents or loved ones from time to time. An active social life is a great way to bother yourself with different things beside your mental illness. It lifts up the spirit and brings new opportunities to your life.

4) Find your mate

Get a boy or a girl friend. If you are alone, the best way to fight loneliness is by getting to know and hang out with someone you really care for. Don't be shy; try to find your own piece of relationships in the world. Couples can cope with any aspect in life in a better way than doing that on your own.

5) Entertainment

Go and does any activity that makes you feel good. Read a book or a magazine, watch the TV, go to the cinema, and develop your hobbies. Just do or find what makes you feel good and busy in your spare time. Entertaining yourself is a great way to stop thinking about your mental illness and also develop other skills in life.

6) Find a steady job

Having something that forces you to get up in the morning and start your day's routine is the greatest way I am familiar with in order to get better. A job also provides you with a steady amount of money that can pay your bills and buy you stuff you like. It is also a crucial ingredient in your way of getting your independency.

7) Diet

Take control of what you eat and put into your mouth. Psychiatric medicines are known for being the number one reason for gaining weight. Therefore, you have to take control of what you put into your mouth and don't deny the possibility to go to a professional dietetic professional in order to help you doing so.

8) Don't exaggerate

Balance your activities in life. On the one hand don't overdue things that make you feel bad or you dislike, and on the other hand avoid from doing only things you like and avoiding from doing what you must. Moderation is an important habit.

9) Develop skills

Developing skills such as your social skill or learning a profession is a great way to contradict your illness symptoms. Skills can be easily acquired and be thought in order to deal with your life in a better way and as another step towards your independent.

10) Avoid

It is a great opportunity to make a stop or to avoid having or doing bad things that could demolish everything you are working for. Quit smoking, don't use bad drugs, don't heavily drink, don't isolate yourself, avoid pornography, and above all balance between all of your activities.

Schizophrenia Treatment - Five Ways to Control Your Schizophrenia Negative and Positive Symptoms

There are many ways to defeat your schizophrenia disorder. Here are 5 ways that if a sufferer will follow them, he would be able to control his negative symptoms, in a way that would prevent his positive symptoms from an additional eruption.

1) Be pedantic and take your pills

This is the most effective and crucial point in defeating your schizophrenia. You should never put into test the possibility of not taking your psychiatric drugs in order to see if you won't get another psychotic disorder. The possibility for having another seizure is way too high.

2) Live as calm as possible

Avoid stress - try to live as calm as possible by avoiding most of the activities that can cause you to be restless. Being restless is the main cause for you to be busy and not keep your calm routine. This restless can cause a chain reaction by preventing you from sleeping and by being a risk group, eventually can cause you another psychosis disorder

3) Get yourself a partner for life

Find your mate - by finding your mate, you can assure yourself that together you would fight the schizophrenia negative symptoms. It has been proven that two are better than one, and if that couple is a loving and caring one, then it is the best way to avoid from getting another psychotic disorder.

4) Keep the law

Avoid from taking unnecessary risks - don't tempt to take risks that are beyond the law such as using dangerous drugs, doing dangerous activities and in general don't take unnecessary risks that can cause you to get in trouble and not maintain your calm routine that can eventually cause you another psychotic disorder.

5) Live a healthy life

Quit smoking and keep on a diet - get rid of your harmful habits such as smoking and eating unhealthy food. Don't drink alcoholic drinks and keep yourself attached into a healthy lifestyle. It has been proven that people, who tend to develop a psychotic disorder, would prevent one from occurring if they would live a healthy lifestyle.

Keep of all of the above, and I can assure you with a big probability that the chances to get another psychotic disorder would remain low.

Symptoms of Schizophrenia in Children and Adolescents

In accordance to the psychosocial development studies done by Erik Erikson, humans below the age of 13 are classified as children and those between the ages of 13 and 19 are classified as adolescents. Childhood or adolescent Schizophrenia crops up in the early years of life; it is rare but is more troublesome to manage. A child or adolescent suffering from Schizophrenia cannot function normally like others. His ability to think, take decisions and understand things is severely hampered. A child suffering from Schizophrenia can be as young as 8 years.

Symptoms of Children with Schizophrenia

Children and adolescents with Schizophrenia suffer from hallucinations, delusions and distorted thinking, similar symptoms to an adult Schizophrenic patient, except few small variations. There can be a gradual shift in the behavior pattern of a child or adolescent with Schizophrenia. From having predictable behaviors, the children can display unpredictably bad behaviors. Children with Schizophrenia tend to stick with their parents all the time, they do not enjoy playing and chatting with other kids, they lose interest in most of the activities, face difficulty in concentrating on studies and their school performance degrades. School teachers are often first to notice their aberrant behavior first.

Treatment

To treat children and adolescents with Schizophrenia, group therapy, family therapy and atypical antipsychotic drugs are commonly used. The common practice is for parents to bring their child to a pediatrician and ask him to refer a psychiatrist who is good in diagnosing, assessing and treating children with Schizophrenia. Parents must try their best to encourage the child to participate in different activities in school that help to treat the mental disorder.

Understanding Schizophrenia in Children and Adolescents

For aptly understanding of childhood and adolescent Schizophrenia, parents must consult psychiatrist who has experience in dealing with children and adolescents. There are few instances when one might get confused whether a child has Schizophrenia or not:

1. Having imaginary friends and talking to unreal things - It is common for children to have imaginary friends that they play or talk with when they are around three years old; this is a fairly normal characteristic of children at this age. However, if such a characteristic is found in a 12 years old child or in a 15 years old adolescent, then parents need to be concerned, they must talk to the child and understand what he is feeling and must consult a pediatrician or a psychologist.

2. Grievance of losing a friend or family - An adolescent can feel sad over losing family member or a close friend, among other things. He might try to avoid going out and talk to anyone. At this time, it is common for people around the child to be unsure if he is suffering from Schizophrenia, especially if the family has history of the mental disorder. At this point of time, it is recommended to talk to the adolescent and bring him in to a psychiatrist for counseling. The symptoms displayed can be either due to temporary depression or early onset of Schizophrenia.

It is not an easy task to tell the difference between Schizophrenia symptoms or behaviors of a normal playful child by yourself. If you suspect your child displays Schizophrenia symptoms, always seek help from a professional or a psychologist to help in the diagnosis.

Signs of Schizophrenia in Children

Schizophrenia is a disorder of the brain that without the appropriate medication, it can result in a patient behaving in ways that are not the norm. This illness could affect both children and adults. However, due to the nature of this illness, it is extremely rear to find persons who are younger that 12 years old diagnosed with this form of sickness.

A young person who is 12 years old or older usually exhibits signs that suggest that they may be faced with this disorder. Nevertheless, signs of Schizophrenia in children are different from those in adults. Some of these signs are:

Confuses Dreams and Movies with Reality

They speak about their dreams as though there were something they had experience in reality. Additionally, they have difficulty separating what they have seen in a movie and what is going on in reality.

Seeing and Hearing Things that are not Real

They usually see and hear things that are not authentic. On occasions you may find them listening and responding to someone that is not there.

Confused Thinking

Their sense of reasoning can become very complex. You may be talking with them about one thing and suddenly, as though it is a part of the discussion, they will begin talking with you about something that is totally different from the topic at hand.

Believe Others are out to Get Them

Children that are faced with this mental illness also believe that a certain group of people is after them, for a particular reason. Therefore, they will try to take steps to prevent these persons from catching or getting what they want from them.

If you have notice a few or all these signs in a child please do not jump to any conclusions, go and have a talk with a doctor.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy - The Basics

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is a form of psychotherapy that emphasizes the important role of thinking in how we feel and what we do.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy does not exist as a distinct therapeutic technique. The term "cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)" is a very general term for a classification of therapies with similarities. There are several approaches to cognitive-behavioral therapy, including Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, Rational Behavior Therapy, Rational Living Therapy, Cognitive Therapy, and Dialectic Behavior Therapy.

However, most cognitive-behavioral therapies have the following characteristics:

1. CBT is based on the Cognitive Model of Emotional Response.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is based on the idea that our thoughts cause our feelings and behaviors, not external things, like people, situations, and events. The benefit of this fact is that we can change the way we think to feel / act better even if the situation does not change.

2. CBT is Briefer and Time-Limited.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is considered among the most rapid in terms of results obtained. The average number of sessions clients receive (across all types of problems and approaches to CBT) is only 16. Other forms of therapy, like psychoanalysis,can take years. What enables CBT to be briefer is its highly instructive nature and the fact that it makes use of homework assignments. CBT is time-limited in that we help clients understand at the very beginning of the therapy process that there will be a point when the formal therapy will end. The ending of the formal therapy is a decision made by the therapist and client. Therefore, CBT is not an open-ended, never-ending process.

3. A sound therapeutic relationship is necessary for effective therapy, but not the focus. Some forms of therapy assume that the main reason people get better in therapy is because of the positive relationship between the therapist and client. Cognitive-behavioral therapists believe it is important to have a good, trusting relationship, but that is not enough. CBT therapists believe that the clients change because they learn how to think differently and they act on that learning. Therefore, CBT therapists focus on teaching rational self-counseling skills.

4. CBT is a collaborative effort between the therapist and the client.

Cognitive-behavioral therapists seek to learn what their clients want out of life (their goals) and then help their clients achieve those goals. The therapist's role is to listen, teach, and encourage, while the client's roles is to express concerns, learn, and implement that learning.

5. CBT is based on stoic philosophy.

Not all approaches to CBT emphasize stoicism. Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, Rational Behavior Therapy, and Rational Living Therapy emphasize stoicism. Beck's Cognitive Therapy is not based on stoicism. Cognitive-behavioral therapy does not tell people how they should feel. However, most people seeking therapy do not want to feel they way they have been feeling. The approaches that emphasize stoicism teaches the benefits of feeling, at worst, calm when confronted with undesirable situations. They also emphasize the fact that we have our undesirable situations whether we are upset about them or not. If we are upset about our problems, we have two problems -- the problem, and our upset about it. Most people want to have the fewest number of problems possible. So when we learn how to more calmly accept a personal problem, not only do we feel better, but we usually put ourselves in a better position to make use of our intelligence, knowledge, energy, and resources to resolve the problem.

6. CBT uses the Socratic Method.

Cognitive-behavioral therapists want to gain a very good understanding of their clients' concerns. That's why they often ask questions. They also encourage their clients to ask questions of themselves, like, "How do I really know that those people are laughing at me?" "Could they be laughing about something else?"

7. CBT is structured and directive.

Cognitive-behavioral therapists have a specific agenda for each session. Specific techniques / concepts are taught during each session. CBT focuses on the client's goals. We do not tell our clients what their goals "should" be, or what they "should" tolerate. We are directive in the sense that we show our clients how to think and behave in ways to obtain what they want. Therefore, CBT therapists do not tell their clients what to do -- rather, they teach their clients how to do.

8. CBT is based on an educational model.

CBT is based on the scientifically supported assumption that most emotional and behavioral reactions are learned. Therefore, the goal of therapy is to help clients unlearn their unwanted reactions and to learn a new way of reacting. Therefore, CBT has nothing to do with "just talking". People can "just talk" with anyone. The educational emphasis of CBT has an additional benefit -- it leads to long term results. When people understand how and why they are doing well, they know what to do to continue doing well.

9. CBT theory and techniques rely on the Inductive Method.

A central aspect of Rational thinking is that it is based on fact. Often, we upset ourselves about things when, in fact, the situation isn't like we think it is. If we knew that, we would not waste our time upsetting ourselves. Therefore, the inductive method encourages us to look at our thoughts as being hypotheses or guesses that can be questioned and tested. If we find that our hypotheses are incorrect (because we have new information), then we can change our thinking to be in line with how the situation really is.

10. Homework is a central feature of CBT.

If when you attempted to learn your multiplication tables you spent only one hour per week studying them, you might still be wondering what 5 X 5 equals. You very likely spent a great deal of time at home studying your multiplication tables, maybe with flashcards. The same is the case with psychotherapy. Goal achievement (if obtained) could take a very long time if all a person were only to think about the techniques and topics taught was for one hour per week. That's why CBT therapists assign reading assignments and encourage their clients to practice the techniques learned.

The Importance of Life Balance

There are many aspects in life that you have to keep balanced in order to achieve total or overall health, security, and happiness. You need to improve each and every aspect to give your self a chance for growth and development. It is not very easy to achieve a balanced life but with enough determination and knowledge about how to do it, it is not impossible.

One of the most important area or aspect of a person's life is the body. You have to make sure that you will keep your body healthy and strong to be able to do and perform all of your duties and responsibilities. Eat a proper diet and keep your body fit by doing regular exercise or going to the gym. Aside from keeping the body healthy, these could also make you look more attractive. Feeling and looking beautiful will also contribute to the personal aspect of your life.

The personal aspect includes your emotions, feelings, and the way you think about certain things. It is advisable to always maintain a positive outlook in life. Your mind is a very powerful organ as it could control your feelings and emotions. Don't let negative feelings such as insecurity, self pity, sadness, and disappointment get the best of you. Thinking positive and being optimistic will do wonders. They will also help you achieve contentment in life that will eventually turn into happiness.

There are other aspects of life that also contribute to a person's total happiness and one of these is the financial aspect. Though it is true that money and material things should not be the focus of your attention, the fact still remains that this is very important in order for a person to survive in this world. Save money by keeping a part of your regular income or invest in something that could really return your investments. This will help give you a sense of security, peace of mind, and will prevent any financial troubles in the future.

Although your present job could give you a steady source of income, it doesn't mean that it's the perfect job for you. It is also important that you like what you are doing because this will lessen or reduce the stress level that you get and will give you the motivation to improve your work performance. If you want to expand your knowledge, skills, and abilities, you could take additional education or personality development program which is another aspect of life and life is a continuous learning process.

You should also have some time to improve your social life. Go out with your friends or spend some quality time with your family. This will somehow give you the feeling that you are being loved and that there are lost of people who love you and will always be there to support you. The spiritual aspect of your life is also important especially if you feel that you need some guidance or enlightenment during tough and hard situations.

After a long time of hard work, it is advisable to take a break and reward your self with something that could make you relax and relieve you from stress, tension, and pressure from work. You can try out new sports or start a new hobby that will match your interests. It could be any kind of fun activities that you can do by yourself or with friends and family. A balanced life can do many great things that will make you completely healthy and happy.

Pros and Cons of Mental Health Rehabilitation Services

Having a family member with mental health illness can be painful experience. Some families try not to talk about the problem hoping that it will magically disappear, it never does. However, keeping the patient's condition hidden will make matters worst and prolong recovery. If you want to help your ill family member, suggesting mental health rehabilitation could be the best decision for you and your family member. If you are at a dilemma whether or not to introduce your loved one a facility; Read below as we state some pros and cons of services to help you make an informed decision.

Pros

The mental health rehabilitation provides your patient with a professional service on how to deal with whatever problems they may be facing. With licensed practitioners on staff, you can be sure that your family member is in good hands and will receive treatments specific to their illness by trained medical professionals. By bringing your patient to the facility, this also allow you to breathe, relax and reduce the stress you may would have experienced had you not come. By knowing that your loved one is safe and well taken care of, this will give you a peace of mind.

Cons

Many people do not bring their family members in for mental health rehabilitation because of guilt. Some people feel as though bringing a loved one and leaving them at a treatment center, is like abandoning them. On the other hand, others are more concerned about the financial implications of the treatment. Rehabilitation can be very expensive, especially if you do not have the proper insurance in place. Most people just do not have enough funds to support the lodging and continuous treatment in that required for rehabilitation.

With the pros and cons provided, you can make a better decision based on your personal conviction about the case of your loved one. Whatever, your decision, be sure to think about the benefits that the mental health rehabilitation will have on your loved one.

Treatment For Extreme Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder affects about 2% of all adult individuals and comprises 20% of the population confined in psychiatric institutions. It is commonly observed during adolescence, characterized by mood instability, self-image distrurbance and emotional liability. This ailment is expected to dissolve by maturity, with effective personality development. Though borderline personality disorder is not an incapacitating mental condition, like schizophrenia, it is considered a very serious illness by most psychiatrists because of the harm an afflicted person may bring upon him or her self, during the peak of stress.

About 9 to 75 percent of those diagnosed with borderline personality disorder exhibit self-mutilation, drug addiction, alcoholism and suicidal attempts. Out of this population who practice self destructive behaviors, about 8 to 10% actually die. These alarming results prompt medical experts to address the mental ailment with effective treatments.

The first line of treatment that is recommended is psychotherapy. This helps patients learn to control their emotions, take responsibility for their lives and use positive coping mechanisms to get through challenges. Psychotherapy employs the "no-suicide" contract to lessen the possibility of deaths and at the same time, empower the patient to contradict his own despair and seek support when needed. Psychotherapy also provides an avenue for cognitive restructuring, wherein a person's negative and faulty perception of him or her self and world is corrected.

For extreme cases, hospitalization is advised. Severe depression will drive a person with borderline personality disorder to commit suicide and succeed at it. To prevent this, constant supervision and immediate medical treatment is required. Hospitals and psychiatric institutions have the necessary facilities to secure the individual's safety and health. These establishments also have adequate amounts of staff that could observe and attend to the needs of the patients, in a manner that would be most therapeutic for them.

In conjunction with psychotherapy and hospitalization, medication is given to control the destructive symptoms of borderline personality disorder and improve the person's well-being. Low doses of antipsychotic drugs are given to people with borderline personality disorder during brief psychotic episodes. Antidepressants and anxiolytics are also prescribed for treatment of specific emotional states.

With effective incorporation of all these three treatments, borderline personality disorder can be treated.

The Natural Cure For Bipolar Disorder

You Can Cure Bipolar Disorder And Reclaim Your Life.

Contrary to what the medical authorities have told us, it is possible to treat and even cure bipolar disorder. Here are three fundamental techniques to help eliminate the symptoms of bipolar disorder.

Technique #1: Learn To Control Your Thinking

Although you might be taking medication to deal with your bipolar disorder right now, I promise you that 'bipolar self-help' is absolutely essential if you want to achieve freedom from your illness. Antidepressants and psychiatric care or therapy have their place, but currently there is not nearly enough emphasis being placed on the power of practicing self-help for those who want to overcome bipolar.

The most essential element of exercising self help and eventually being able to cure bipolar disorder is becoming acutely conscious of your thinking. The worst episodes always begin with small, seemingly harmless thoughts. Small thoughts in turn grow into something increasingly irrational, and soon another explosive episode is born.

Learning to control and master your thinking is an intensive process that requires tremendous self discipline and deep awareness of your personal tendencies. If you want to take the first step towards finally having the power to tame your own mind I suggest you seek the help of an alternative approach. Many people have been able to cure bipolar disorder, but it has not happened using conventional medicine. Achieving freedom from bipolar disorder is possible once you find the key for making these fundamental changes in your mood patterns and thinking.

Technique #2: Commit To Beneficial Outcomes

Perhaps the biggest tragedy of being afflicted by bipolar disorder is the frequent inability to create healthy situations and prevent destructive ones. On the contrary, when in the midst of struggling against their disease, those afflicted often bring about horrific pain, tumult, and heartache. In essence, technique #2 is simply an extension of the first technique; if you are able to exert control over the small thoughts that initially lead to irrational and poisonous emotions, you will be in a better position to commit to beneficial, healthy outcomes. Therefore it is necessary to master the thoughts that precede this eventual commitment if you are endeavoring to cure bipolar disorder. When struggling to maintain a healthy mood and rational thinking, you can simply declare within that you have firmly committed to not letting an episode flare up. In fact, you must then become unambiguously dedicated to a beneficial, non-explosive, neutral or even positive outcome.

The underlying thinking here is that you are converting what potentially began as something destructive and toxic, into what has the possibility of being a normal, safe, and advantageous result. When you are able to do this it will act as a powerful affirmation that you are much more than the chemical components of your brain - you are in control of your thinking, your moods, and your life. Believing you have control over yourself is absolutely imperative to positively affecting your reality and effectively thwarting potential episodes.

Technique #3: Use The Perspective Test

When feeling the onset of mania, the opportunity for performing a highly effective self-help test becomes crucially important. The Perspective Test consists of taking a step back from where you currently are emotionally and psychologically and evaluating the antithesis of your feelings. Therefore if you feel angry that your husband didn't clean the kitchen, imagine what it would be like to feel happy that your husband cleaned the kitchen. Although obviously not the case, and while you may indeed have valid reasons to be angry, the point with this exercise is to create massive contrast - the antithesis or opposite of what you are presently experiencing. For those who are capable of doing this, a fresh understanding of your own perspective is obtainable. It then becomes easier to resist letting the situation control you, and enables you to control your moods and thoughts irrespective of any current external factors. The main point here is that it doesn't matter if you are vindicated in feeling angry at the messy kitchen (or any other similar situation), you are choosing consciously to refuse to allow external circumstances to dictate the your inner dispositions.

Those who have a spouse or significant other who is ill with bipolar often struggle with their partner's intense rage, paranoia, jealously and other irrational and exaggerated emotions and thinking. Unfortunately the established medical community has not done enough to help the spouses and family members of those who suffer from bipolar disorder. However, there is alternative information that provides workable solutions and powerful advice for people is such situations.

Conclusion: Help Is Out There

In order to make real progress in your fight to reclaim your life and finally end the suffering of bipolar disorder it is necessary to break away from the established medical community. Although certain medications have been scientifically proven to help with anxiety, there is nothing that a medical doctor can offer you to cure your bipolar disorder. That must come from within, and it is only achievable with focussed and determined self help.

With effort and persistence, you can overcome bipolar. There is most certainly hope for living a normal life free of this illness. However this will not happen until you abandon the false belief that doctors will heal you - for clearly they can not. Sadly, doctors prognosticate a very bleak picture for bipolar patients. According to them, there is no known cure. Yet there are many people who have successfully treated bipolar by developing themselves and this has, in effect, led to being permanent cured.

In your fight to cure bipolar disorder it is imperative that you never lose hope, never give up, and actively seek out the information that provides lasting answers in order to develop a mastery of the self.

Bipolar Disorder and Chemical Imbalance Fix - Is it Possible?

What is Chemical Imbalance? Why does it happen? What can you do about it? These are the three most important questions concerning chemical imbalance theories held by many in the bipolar community and the medical profession today. Researchers have spent decades trying to get to the bottom of what causes common disorders such as anxiety, ADHD, Bipolar Disorder etc. No one seems to know the exact causes of bipolar disorder. But many believe it be some form of chemical imbalance. Certain chemicals in the brain, lead to symptoms of physical and mental distress and disturbances. While the exact link between chemical imbalance and mental health disorders, have not been found, clinical studies and medical observations have been able to define a number of chemical deficiencies that occur in individuals who report experiencing symptoms related to ADD, ADHD, SAD, Bipolar Disorder, Depression and Anxiety Disorders.

What is Chemical Imbalance of the Brain?

Common chemical imbalances related to mental or emotional health disorders such as stated above include:

• Reduced availability of neurotransmitters like Serotonin, Dopamine, Norepinephrine, GABA and Acetylcholine
  


• Increased levels of neurochemicals such as Homocysteine which is very toxic
  


• Lower levels of serum Magnesium, Zinc or Potassium
  


• Deficient levels of essential vitamins like B6, B9, B12 and Vitamin-C
  


• Under supply of key co-factors like amino acids that are used to help transport neurotransmitter percursors into the blood-brain barrier
  


• Increased cortisol stress hormone levels.

Why Does Chemical Imbalance Happen?

Virtually no one has the answer to why brain chemical imbalance happens. But we do know it occurs. Ask any medical professional the reasons and causes for bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety disorders and their most likely answer would be "A chemical imbalance." It is because of this belief, of chemical imbalance, most medical professionals' first impulse is to prescribe an SSRI, MAOI or similar pharmaceutical "chemical balancer" to treat the condition. In today's world, pharmaceutical drugs play a key role in attempting to balance these brain chemicals. Most pharmaceuticals used only mask the underlying problem.

So unfortunately, in the majority of cases, the most important question has not been addressed.

What's Causing the Chemical Imbalance?

Why not look to nature for some answers to the cause of chemical imbalance to see if there is a solution there?

Nutrition:

We notice in nature that everything that grows feeds on some sort of nutrition to enhance its growth. Let's take a look at our nutrition today. Everyone one who reads about nutrition understands our food supply today simply does not provide the essential minerals, vitamins, phytonutrients they once did. How do we know? Well, let's look at the food we purchase in the local Super Mart.

I did a bit of an experiment with a bag of their vine ripen tomatoes. June 18, 2008 I dipped these tomatoes in different types of bottled, tap, and distilled waters to see what effect the water would have on the tomatoes. To my surprise 80 days later all the tomatoes (including the one "control" tomato I did NOT dip in any type of water) are still exactly the same as when I bought them from the Super Mart.

Now compare that with the tomatoes I picked from my own garden. My own garden tomatoes, if not used quickly, rotted within a week. That's because the tomatoes had live enzymes in them that supply our vitamins, trace minerals and such. The store bought tomato enzymes were killed, hence preserving the tomato, but causing it to be virtually deficient in nutrition. So it is easy to understand why the general population is lacking vital minerals, vitamins, enzymes, phytonutrient etc. Why? Because they are being wiped out in the processing plant before they hit the grocery market shelves.

Exercise:

Lack of exercise causes an increase in the stress hormone cortisol, which is linked to depression. Also lack of exercise causes lack of oxygen and blood circulation which also contributes to chemical toxins and imbalances in the brain.

Water:

Today many people drink bottled water. Often times that bottled water is processed by reverse osmosis. Most people today do not realize this water is more detrimental to health than beneficial because its ph value measures 5.0. A ph value of 5.0 is very acidic causing the body's ph value to reduce considerable each time one drinks a bottle of the water. A lower ph value means trouble for your body because an acidic environment is the exact environment viruses and bad bacteria love. These unwanted viruses and bacteria result in physical and mental health diseases which cause further chemical imbalance of the brain.

Sunshine:

Lack of sunshine causes tremendous amounts of changes in the brain. For one it reduces your serotonin levels. Depletion of serotonin is considered the main neurotransmitter of depression.

Temperance:

In today's world, especially in the USA, we lack temperance. We eat too much or too little, sleep too much or too little, work and play too much or too, exercise too little or too much. We seem to lack balance. And balance is the key to a balanced life in mind, body and spirit.

Air:

Much of our air is polluted today especially in the larger cities. In seeking relief we use central air conditioning which results in positive ions being blown into our houses. If you think the air you breath has little to do with your physical or mental health, ask those whose children are suffering childhood allergies, cancers, mental health disorders and other diseases which were unheard of just a century ago.

Ever try breathing carbon monoxide? It can kill you. So with our air today as polluted as it is (and especially with central air conditioning infiltrating the very air we breath with positive ions) I believe causes many chemical changes in our bodies, minds and spirits. To maintain optimal health or bodies need to breath negative ions without residual ozone.

Sleep:

How did you sleep last night? Not everyone needs 8 hours of sound sleep but everyone needs sound undisturbed sleep! Lack of sleep causes chemical imbalances in the brain. Scientists have found people who suffer from sleep disorders produce low levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine and acetylcholine.

Trust in a Higher Power:

Many do not believe in a God as the creator of the earth. Unfortunately for them. There are lots of scientific studies which advocate prayer allieveates depression. I will only quote one reference here. An article in the December 1998 issue of McCall's Magazine, notes a study done at the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical College of Virgina in Richmond, studied 1,902 twins. They found that those who were committed to their spiritual lives tended to have less severe depression and lower risk of addiction to cigarettes or alcohol. The healthful lifestyles of the spiritually rich and faithful clearly contribute to their well being. It is also noted those who do not believe in a higher power suffer more frequently from depression and other mental and physical health disorders.

What Can We Do About It?

Eat more nutritious foods. Try to buy your foods directly from a farmer or at a farmers market. It would be best to purchase organic foods or try to raise some yourself. In doing so you get the extra sunshine that contributes, fresh air and magnetic energy from the earth, which helps you achieve your wellness and balance.

Get appropriate amounts of exercise. Even as little as a 7 minute walk away from the house and back again has great results in warding off depression. Exercise works against depression (caused by chemical imbalance) in a number of ways.

1. By reducing the stress hormone cortisol, which is linked to depression.

2. Restores One's sound sleep - raising energy levels by releasing endorphines, which are associated with good mood AND raises serotonin levels.

Drink water that is properly balanced at 7.0 ph value. This way when drinking 8-10 glasses a day of this refreshing live water (purified and infiltrated with magnetic and infrared energy) you maintain a balanced ph. Naturopathics insist that if one maintains a proper ph balance they can not harbor any disease at the same time.

Get sufficient sunshine. Appropriate amounts of unfiltered sunshine wake up your hypothalamus giving you a wonderful sense of well being. The hypothalamus' main function is maintaining the body's status quo. Factors such as blood pressure, body temperature, fluid and electrolyte balance are held to a precise value or regulation by the hypothalamus. If your hypothalmus is not turned on by sunlight you experience low energy and feelings of sadness which consume your thoughts causing you to drag yourself from one small task to another with Herculean effort, accomplishing little. But unfiltered sunlight turns on your hypothalamus increasing production of serotonin levels.

Maintain temperance. Even the Bible tells us too much honey turns bitter in the tummy. So temperance is the key in a balanced life.

Breathe pure live air that's filled with an active electromagnetic field. Go camping in the mountains or find a air purifying system that offers not only pure filter air but one that puts back into the air that same electromagnetic field and infra red energy that produces negative ions, all of which are present in pure clean forest air. This live air invigorates your whole body and keeps your chemicals in balance.

Get your needed ZZZ's. Learn the natural ways to sleep well at night. Get a sleep mask, that will block out light pollution. Ear plugs that block out unwanted city noises. Maybe softly tune in a wilderness cd. Get a comfortable quality pillow, your dream pillow. Sleep on a quality mattress that is known to give you the best night's sleep you have ever known AND wake up fresh and ready to start a new day without aches and pains. What a wonderful feeling that is. A good night's sleep has the opposite effect of a poor night's sleep. It produces balanced levels of the much needed neurotransmitters dopamine and acetylcholine.

Begin trusting in God. Prayer goes along way in making us feel connected and balanced. Experiments by water scientists show us the amazing restructure of the water molecules when blessed verses being cursed. With our bodies being comprised of 60-70% water how much then would prayer and blessings affect us in positive connective ways with the Creator of the Universe? Think about that awhile and get your chemical imbalance in balance to day.

Omega 3 and Bipolar Children - Can Omega 3 Benefit Bipolar Children?

Cardiologists from a long time have been recommending fish oils to heart patients. However, resent researches show that Fish oils, one the richest source of omega 3 fatty acids can help treat bipolar disorders as well. In this article on 'Omega 3 and Bipolar Children' we discus more on this topic.

Before understanding how omega 3 fatty acids can be beneficial for children suffering from bipolar disorders, we need to know a few basics about these disorders.

Bipolar disorders are a psychiatric condition and are also known as Manic-depressive illness. This disorder causes unusual shifts in a person's mood, behavior and thoughts. Statistics show that approx. 16% of the adolescent Western population suffers from bipolar disorders.

The good news is that such disorders can be treated through the regular consumption of fish oils. Studies on Omega 3 suggest that the intake of fish oil stabilizes mood swings and improves hyperactive behavior.

Fish oils are a rich source of Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), the two most essential omega 3 fats.

Omega 3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats that are good for our body. They activate the secretion of prostaglandins, hormone-like substances that play a variety of roles in our body. Prostaglandins are responsible for muscle contraction, hormone regulation, controlling the reflexes, reducing inflammation and more.

DHA or Docosahexaenoic acid is known as the building block of brain and it is the main component that forms brain cells. EPA or Eicosapentaenoic acid is solely responsible for controlling the reflexes or communication between the nerve cells and the brain.

Lack of any of these fatty acids can result in various mental disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, ADD and Bipolar disorders.

The general treatment for these disorders includes anti-depressants, mood-stabilizing drugs that are commonly prescribed for adults. These drugs provide only symptomatic relief and have various side-effects such as weight gain, acne, dehydration etc.

Research on Omega 3 and Bipolar children show that omega 3 supplements have a very positive impact on children suffering from these ailments. To test the relationship between the two, certain experiments were conducted on 100 children suffering from bipolar disorders.

It was concluded that children who were given omega 3 supplements regularly showed 67% improvement in their behavior and mood than children who were given the regular dosage of mood-stabilizing drugs.

The dosage of fish oils depends upon each individual's body chemistry and extent of nutritional imbalance. However, one thing is sure, regular consumption of omega 3 fatty acids does improve mental as well as physical health.

If you want your loved ones to live a healthy and long life, include more omega 3 supplements in the daily diet. Purchase pharmaceutical grade, molecularly distilled fish oils for remarkable health benefits.

Treat a UTI With the UTI Remedy Report

People who have dealt with Urinary Tract Infection know exactly what we are talking about. Those stomach spasms, repeated urination, irritation and burning sensation can hardly be explained in words. But not to worry anymore; the step by step guide to the complete cure of Urinary Tract Infection is here. The UTI Report Remedy has helped thousands of people to get rid of the UTI infection, and you could be one too. They are very easy to practice and day to day life.

UTI infections are the next commonest conditions after respiratory infections. Recent surveys have been reported to have millions of such cases. These infections are more common in the women than the men. However the male cases are more severe than the women. The kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder and the urethra together constitute the excretory system. The whole system works towards purifying blood and eliminating waste from the body in the form of urine. They also help in maintaining the hormonal balance of the body. The urethra carries the urine from the kidneys and stores them in the bladder till it is eliminated through the urethra. Normal urine is free from any sorts of bacteria, virus or fungus, it's sterile. But in case of UTI microorganisms like bacteria grow on the urethra and cause infection. Escherichia coli (E. coli), a bacteria normally found in the colon is responsible for causing UTI.

The antibiotics provided by your doctors kill the beneficial bacteria too along with the infections. But its time you get to know the most effective ways of getting rid of the UTI. The UTI Remedy Report has home remedies for you which will not only help you get rid of the embarrassing UTI, but also prevent its recurrence in future. The UTI Remedy Report will help you do away with the UTI in less than 12 hours and that too by using ingredients straight out from the grocery shop.

There can be various reasons for UTI. Some people are just more prone to UTI than the others. In case of men, an enlarged prostate gland can be reason. In case of elderly persons who have little control over urination, catheters are used. The catheters can also cause infection in the urinary tract. But the UTI Remedy Report has effective solutions for all these conditions ultimately eliminating your UTI.

The UTI Remedy Report gives guaranteed relief in less than a day. It also decreases chances of further occurrence of the UTI. The remedies are tested and proven and are easily applied. It provides a systematic guidance. The UTI Remedy Report gives you detailed information on the cause, symptoms and remedy of the Urinary Tract Infection. It also provides a proper diet regime which will help you deal with the UTI. The UTI e-book is cheap and effective. With a single click of the mouse you can download it and you get a 60 days full money back guarantee in case you are not satisfied.

Can Agoraphobia Turn Into a Mental Illness?

"Am I going crazy?"

The fear of developing a mental illness or going crazy is a common fear among people with agoraphobia.

There are some good reasons for this fear.

First, panic attacks can make you feel like you are going crazy. During a panic attack, your mind and body feel out of control.

Because panic attacks can make you feel out of control, some people with agoraphobia have fears about suddenly losing control of themselves and doing crazy things. For example, I've heard people with agoraphobia say they were afraid of spontaneously jumping out of a high, open window, driving into another car in traffic, or stabbing someone they loved with a kitchen knife.

When you don't feel in control of your mind and body, it's easy to develop scary, obsessive thoughts like this - which can lead to the misconception that panic will keep growing worse until it turns into mental illness.

But, the truth is, agoraphobia is not a mental illness, nor can it turn into one. Psychiatrist and phobia expert, Fredric Neuman, director of the White Plains Hospital Phobia Clinic, says:

"Agoraphobia does not cause a physical derangement or psychosis. Schizophrenia and other such serious illnesses do not grow out of panic states."

In his book, Rising Above Fear, Dr. Neuman describes agoraphobia as developing through "mistakes in learning." Mental illnesses like schizophrenia are conditions in which a person loses touch with reality. Anxiety disorders like agoraphobia are conditions in which a person develops some unrealistic fears within reality.

That's the main difference between agoraphobia and mental illness: Agoraphobia is learned. Mental illness is not.

This means that agoraphobia is more highly treatable than mental illness because it develops through processes over which you can gain control. If you have agoraphobia, you have just learned to think and behave in certain ways over a period of time. Learned behaviors and thought patterns can be unlearned, with patience and consistent effort.

If you have agoraphobia right now, be rest assured that you're not sick and you are not mentally ill. Nor will your condition develop into mental illness, no matter how crazy the panic attacks make you feel. You are a normal person who has just learned some unusual fears.

Inside Mental Hospitals and Behavioral Units: A Bipolar Patient's Point-Of-View

Popular media portrayals of mental institutions often depict unflattering prison-like facilities staffed by stern attendants trying to manage patients as if they were small children in constant need of severe whippings and isolation. Except for government-run facilities for the indigent and criminally insane, today's hospital settings are much more benign and peaceful. This fact is not due to the oft-portrayed result of overmedication needed to keep patients from being too active and unmanageable as found in nursing homes; rather, it stems from today's empirical knowledge that a serene and comfortable environment is key to a patient's mental and emotional healing.

When an individual experiencing a mental disorder episode is either violent or not determines whether he or she is taken to either an emergency room (ER), a private mental hospital, or public hospital behavioral unit for assessment. The out-of-control ER patient typically receives a sedative medication upon admission to prepare him or her for transport to a mental health facility. Both they and non-violent individuals who enter a psychiatric unit are first assessed in order to discover their underlying condition(s). With the patient safely inside a secure facility, a psychiatrist prescribes an initial mix of psychotropic drugs to arrest and stabilize the patient's presenting condition and immediate symptoms' presentations. A lengthy hospital stay is often required because most psychiatric drugs require 2 to 4 weeks administration before behaviorally affecting the patient.

A violent or unruly patient is sometimes taken to a locked and padded isolation room for observation before his or her initial dosing of meds wears off. A psychiatrist, psychotherapist and case manager are assigned to the patient. The "in-control" patient in either a private hospital or general hospital behavioral unit is quickly assessed to determine the nature of the current episode. A patient history is also cobbled together. He or she is asked a battery of questions concerning moods, thoughts, actions and beliefs by a psychologist or trained psychiatric nurse, caseworker or licensed social worker (LSW). However, the patient is primarily scrutinized according to his or her "body language," as 65% of all human communication is non-verbal.

Medical care is often limited, constrained by government regulations, sub-standard facilities and medical professionals' unions found in state and federal (e.g., veteran) hospitals. There is even a lack of basic janitorial services at some of these locales. Additionally, "drug lists" used within these institutions are narrow and limit the physicians' use of the latest, most-efficacious and commonly prescribed psychotropic medications available in the marketplace.

Complicating adequate patient care in many of these facilities is the fact they are mandatory repositories for both criminally insane and indigent patients. As with prison facilities, dangerous contraband including drugs and sharp objects often find their way into the patient population and constitute an existential threat to all in-house staff and patients. Basic equipment, as can be found in most hospitals, is either non-existent or broken. A padded crutch or fully functional wheelchair may be non-existent or broken. A lone wheelchair may exhibit an undersized seat, loose armrest, pinch-points, missing footrests or broken brake lever. Group and individual counseling are pedestrian at best and absent at worst. Occupational and physical therapies often do not exist. Food is often substandard.

Standard procedure in all hospitals is having all items except for the textile portions of patients' clothing bagged and safely stowed to prevent theft and injury to the patient by items like pocket knives, belt-buckles and other items known as "sharps." Disposable slippers or cotton socks with non-slip rubber soles are issued in lieu of the patient's original footwear. Meal service is either smooth-edged metal spoons or plastic flatware accompanied by either unbreakable smooth-rimmed melamine or non-injurious paper or styrofoam plates. Styrofoam drink-ware is also used. Meals are of above-average quality and quantity. This stems from patient dietary needs due to disorder-caused eating issues that have deprived most patients of both nutritious and adequate amounts of food. Meals are served in either buffet lines or catered-style metal food warmers. The latter usually contain meals selected by patients the previous day from menus offering a choice of entrees, beverages and desserts. Much light-hearted trading of food takes place around the tables during mealtimes.

More women than men occupy a psychiatric unit at all times. Although an equal number of men and women are bipolar, women suffer depression twice as much as men do. Hence the patient census typically exhibits 15%-25% more women than men on any given day. With the wide variation of patients, their personalities, and manifold states of their drug therapies, arguments between and among them are not uncommon, as are physical confrontations. Psychiatric technicians and nurses are always on guard to immediately quash these encounters.

Psychiatric facilities focus on both mental (including emotional) and physical health for patients. Spiritual needs are not addressed except for an occasional, optional 15-minute non-denominational session on a Sunday morning, for example. The goal of a restored circadian rhythm in patients explains the strict observance of scheduled morning wake-up calls, meals, group therapy sessions, physical and occupational therapies, other activities and bedtimes. Occupational therapy consisting of small construction and art projects provide for patient relaxation, sense of accomplishment and success in meeting small goals. Sometimes batteries of mental and physical tests are administered to gauge the overall status or health of the patient. An Intelligence Quotient (IQ) test is but one of these exams.

Mood patient anxiety, mania and depression slowly subside in response to a varying drug "cocktail" in an attempt to discover the best course for the patient. Also, a physical, emotional and social activity regimen is instituted to achieve a patient's overall goal of mental stability. "Level" or "stable" moods, not joy or happiness, are the goal, as is commonly misunderstood by the layman, for achieving mental recovery. Outpatient therapies and counseling may be administered before ultimate patient release. When a lack progress is evidenced after treatment with various pharmaceutical therapies, bipolar I and severe cases of clinically depressed patients may undergo Electro-Convulsive-Therapy (ECT or "electroshock therapy") to relieve the pain and damage done during episodes of mania, deep depression and catatonia. Although these procedures produce tremendous restoration of patient moods, they are performed at the expense of varying degrees of either or both temporary and permanent loss of patient memory.

As in-patients, a holistic approach to healing takes place due to the coordinated efforts of psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses, psychiatric technicians, physical therapists, occupational therapists, dieticians, case managers and social workers. This advantage to the patient is abruptly interrupted upon release and can cause varying levels of anxiety and perhaps a relapse. There may be only psychiatric visits after leaving hospital and perhaps some psychological counseling. Sadly, these two professionals, psychiatrist and psychologist, are usually not in communication with one another and the resultant disconnect results in a patient's issues being poorly addressed. While the psychiatrist is primarily concerned with drug therapies, the psychologist is more concerned with talk, thought, emotional, and behavioral therapies. This scenario often, when combined with the patient's continuing poor domestic environment and poor responses to life challenges, will often require another visit to his or her hospital alma mater, or result in injury or death.

Once stabilized to the satisfaction of one's psychiatrist and other staff, the patient is readied for release. A strange feeling creeps into the patient's psyche as his or her release date and time draw near. He or she has been "ready to leave" for days on end and cannot wait for release. Nonetheless, immediately prior to walking out the door, anxiety strikes the patient with full force. The realization of having been in a peaceful, nurturing environment contrasts with having to confront the stigma of having mental illness, their home environments, and former (sometimes toxic) relationships with others and having no outside help. Fortunately, for most patients, they are usually referred to a counselor or licensed social worker with whom they can continue their recovery back in the "real world." Either an out-patient program or support group meetings can provide other avenues for recovery and maintenance of their mental health.

Because mental healthcare is a specialization and therefore more costly than general medicine, medical insurance usually covers a relatively small portion of both in-patient and out-patient mental health expenses or none at all. Lifetime total in-patient hours are often limited despite high premiums. And, as with any medical hospitalization, the mental hospital facility and doctors each bill the patient separately.

Bipolar Type 2 And Type 1 - What Is The Difference?

Have you heard of the term mood swings? What about manic depression? If you have, then it wouldn't be difficult to explain what bipolar disorder means. All these terms mean the same thing. This is a serious mental illness and is categorized as bipolar type 1 and bipolar type 2.

Bipolar disorder is characterized by an abrupt change of moods from an energetic mania (and hypomania) to the lowest depressive state. Both bipolar disorder categories share the same characteristics in mood swing levels. However, the drawing line between the bipolar type 1 and the bipolar type 2 is on the varied episode levels of each mood swing.

Bipolar Type 1

The type 1 bipolar disorder is characterized based on the occurrence of at least one manic episode, with or without the occurrence of a major depressive episode. The mania in this diagnosis is full-blown. This abnormality would usually last for a week at the very least. But there are cases that the bipolar patient is required to be confined for more than a week if hospitalized.

Symptoms of this type include the following:

* Self-esteem is high and the patient possesses a great deal of confidence.

* Ambitious attitude is apparent in this state.

* There is the feeling of sleeplessness.

* The patient tends to talk excessively.

* The patient has a tendency to think more than the usual.

The danger of this type is that the patient may hallucinate, losing his grasp of reality. In some cases of bipolar type 1, the patient is diagnosed as psychotic. In some books about bipolar disorder, bipolar type 1 is also called the "raging" bipolar.

Bipolar Type 2

The bipolar type 2 disorder is characterized by the occurrence of at least one hypomania episode and one major depressive state. Sometimes, this type may even have occurrences of more depressive episodes.

In some cases, hypomania actually enables the individual to excel in their fields of expertise. The state of hypomania can be apparent in people that are top achievers in the work environment and at parties. The symptoms in hypomania are mostly positive and may run for about four days before it subsides.

Though its manifestation is obvious and can be observed clearly by other people, the "swinging" bipolar (as it is aptly called) doesn't cause any disruption in normal functional settings. It doesn't cause any hospitalization to a hyperactive person and doesn't have psychotic tendencies.

Swinging Down To Depression

However, the same level of hypomania can swing back down into its depressive episode and its effect can be devastating to the person. Manifestations of this depressive state is apparent in broken marriage, badly-ended relationships, unfinished projects, public humiliation, and more.

But this type of bipolar disorder is difficult to treat because of the benefits the person enjoys from his achievements in the hypomanic stage. From a layman's standpoint, the hypomania in bipolar type 2 doesn't even seem to look like there's any sign of mental illness at all.

How Do You Know If You Have Bipolar Disorder?

Do You Have Bipolar Disorder?

Do you ever feel like you've had 20 energy drinks and 4 cups of coffee and have so much energy you cannot sleep or even keep your thoughts clear, without actually drinking any? Does this mood usually last about every day up to 2 weeks? Does this mood disrupt your work, school or even home life? Maybe you're the opposite and become depressed or saddened without any apparent reason, you have no motivation to do anything resulting in restlessness and irritability. These "episodes" define bipolar disorder, a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and sometimes the ability to carry out everyday tasks.

What is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder is categorized as severe mood swings, ranging from mania to depression.

Mania: A person experiencing mania may feel immortal or full of energy. This person would be so excited for no reason, they would have thoughts of grandeur or thinking they are invincible or be so excited they would only be able to sleep for a couple hours or may not even sleep for days. Other times, that person may be irritable that a simple "hello, how are you?" may set them off the edge and arguments result.

Hypomania: A milder form of mania is called hypomania, which people may experience the same symptoms without the negative effect on their everyday life. In many cases the lack of sleep and motivation to do everything at once gets them ahead at work or school.

Depression: A person experiencing depression may feel so saddened they begin crying for no reason or so guilty over things that don't even concern them. In more severe cases, the lack of energy to do everyday things may isolate them from friends or family, interfere with their job and could even lead to thoughts of suicide. Depression is a much more likely episode to occur than a manic mood, which makes it all the more dangerous.

Mixed: A person experiencing mixed episode will feel depressed or severely saddened while having enough energy to run a triathlon. This episode may affect someone's appetite or sleeping patterns. The mixed episode is much more uncommon in many bipolar disorder cases.

Causes of Bipolar Disorder

The causes of bipolar disorder are not certain. Many experts have come to believe that there are many factors. The first is believed to be a chemical imbalance in the brain which is controlled by neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine, a stress hormone, which contributes to bipolar disorder. When these levels are too high, mania is the result. When these levels are abnormally low, depression is the result.

Another key factor in discovering the cause of bipolar disorder is genetics. If a person has a family history of bipolar disorder, they may be at risk. The biggest risk is for the identical twin of a person suffering from bipolar disorder. The risk does not occur because of one gene, but multiple genetic and environmental factors. In other cases, a period of heightened stress (mainly emotional), drug use, and an illness with no association to bipolar disorder may trigger the onset of an episode.

The picture above shows three different brain scans. The top is a "normal" or "typical" brain. There are moderate levels of activity. The second is a hypomanic brain scan, or someone experiencing hypomania. There are endless amounts of activity occurring in all different parts of the brain, which is congruent with the racing thoughts of a manic episode. The bottom is a depressed brain scan, which shows the lowers levels of brain activity.

Not everyone with severe mood swings or severe changes in one's personality has bipolar disorder. In order to get the right diagnosis, one must seek medical care. Many other psychiatric conditions mimic bipolar disorder such as panic disorders, phobias, drug use, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), schizoaffective disorder or schizophrenia.

2 Types of Bipolar Disorder

• Bipolar I is defined by manic or mixed episodes that last at least seven days. More than often, the person also has depressive episodes, typically lasting at minimum of two weeks. These episodes are irrelevant to any changes in the person's life, which means the symptoms must be a definite change in one's behavior, not a change in their lifestyle to make them feel manic or depressed.

• Bipolar II is very different from bipolar I, it is defined by episodes of mild depression that shift back and forth with hypomania. This means there is no extreme manic behavior, only hypomania, a less severe manic episode.

Risk Factors

The biggest risk factor when one has bipolar disorder is substance abuse. Those who have mixed episodes are at higher risk for substance abuse, because the need to feel balanced is not being met and they would do anything in order to make the mixed emotions stop. Some drugs that are considered "downers" help relieve the symptoms of an episode, only to create more problems later. For example, when a person is experiencing a depression episode, drugs such as methamphetamine and cocaine send them into a manic episode, many times followed by a severe depression and other psychotic symptoms while alcohol and tranquilizers send them into a depression episode.

Anybody close to the person diagnosed bipolar disorder who is using drugs needs to be extra cautious. When a person is using drugs and is experiencing an episode, they are not themselves and may be considered very dangerous, especially when the drugs wear off and psychotic symptoms begin to show. This can range anywhere from delusions, such as: "I think they're out to get me," to blaming others around them for not helping them. It is advised that those associated with a person suffering from bipolar disorder to consider this as their cry for help and assist them in treatment as soon as possible.

Triggers for Episodes

• Stress is the main trigger for offsetting an episode. This can be a positive or negative change in someone's life such as moving, getting fired, getting married, or a divorce. Should any severe changes happen in a person's life who suffers from bipolar disorder, extra care and support may be necessary in order to ensure a successful transition.

• As stated, substance abuse is also a main trigger for offsetting an episode. While some who suffer from bipolar disorder may choose to turn to drugs in order to "cure" themselves, some may already be suffering from substance abuse. Any drugs such as cocaine or ecstasy may send them into a manic episode while downers such as alcohol may send them into a depression episode.

Treatments for Bipolar Disorder

While there is no cure for bipolar disorder yet, there are various ways to treat the symptoms and prevent episodes. Most help begins when medical treatment is enacted. There are many forms of counseling available, from group counseling to individual counseling. Cognitive therapy teaches the individual how to understand their disorder and how to make changes in their life through thought and behavior patterns. If someone suffering from bipolar disorder work 60 hours a week and goes to the bar to feel better every day after work, the cognitive therapist would see this as a road to a depression episode and would help the individual to see and change this behavior. Family therapy has also proven to be a strong way to support loved ones suffering from this disorder. For many individuals with bipolar disorder, they feel alone and hopeless. When family or friends show that they are not alone and want to help them understand and deal with their disorder, the support alone shows to improve their chances for a better lifestyle. These therapies help when the person wants help. As with anything, if help and the desire to better oneself are not present, it makes it very difficult to help that individual.

Medications have also proven to be a good treatment for those who suffer from bipolar disorder. Lithium is the most common treatment for bipolar disorder. Lithium is basically sodium. Sodium affects excitation or mania, lithium helps stabilize the flow of lithium through their body. Although lithium has been used for years, half the people who have bipolar disorder and take lithium do not respond. An alternative to taking lithium is Divalproex sodium or more commonly known as Depakote, which also controls the levels of sodium in their body. Olanzapine is also found to be very effective. It is an antipsychotic medication that works by changing the actions of chemicals in the brain. Olanzapine is also more commonly known as Zyprexa. Although antidepressant medication has been shown to help they should be taken with a mood-stabilizer medication during depressive episodes since they trigger mania.

It is very important to talk with a doctor before choosing to take any medications listed above. All medications have side effects, depending on a person's body chemistry; some side effects may be more severe than others.

Bipolar Depressive Disorder - A Case Study

Bipolar Depression or manic-depressive disorder is characterised by one or more episodes of abnormally elevated moods. Here is a case study which provides further example of this condition.

As a child, a female accountant was always having mood swings. She did not understand the condition as there was no parental support for her. Her parents had separated when she was young. She went to live with her father. He always worked very hard to support her but was never available to talk to her. She often felt neglected as a child.

She soon found someone she liked and got married. Whilst having her first child, she realised that she needed prescriptions for her mood swing. Not having a supportive husband, she would end up doing everything herself. She felt that she was the only parent. Her Doctors prescribed her some medication.

When she had her second child, she again realised that she needed help. Her husband was getting less supportive towards raising the kids. Her mood swings were increasing. This time her Doctor prescribed her a different medication and asked her to take a job to be around people. She found however that this did not help. Her mood swings actually increased due to work related stress and having to look after two kids.

She decided that enough was enough and she should seek help from a Psychiatrist. Her Psychiatrist put her on medication and eventually on stabilisers. The road to recovery has been very difficult for her. Her medication has been changed on a few occasions. However, she is well on the road to recovery. Having left her husband, become a single parent and taken more control of her life, she now shares her story freely with anyone who can benefit from her experience.

This case raises a number of issues:

• This condition can affect a person from childhood.

• Parental separation can result in depression.

• Lack of support is often a factor that further enhances this condition.

• A Doctor does not always prescribe the right solution. You have to see other specialists to overcome such conditions.

• Work can sometime add to the stress of an individual suffering from this form of depression.

• Sometimes, removing obstacles in your life can change the way you feel and reduce your problem.

I want to emphasise that the cases I write about have been freely shared by many supporting individuals. Their common goal in sharing their story is to enable others to learn from this. The learning can enhance others growth and help them to cope with similar situations.

Does My 5-6 Year Old Need to See a Mental Health Professional?

As a way to declare independence, children can often times become defiant to a parent or caregivers direction. Most 5 and 6 year old's will push limits, and test to see exactly what he/she can get away with. However, it is important for a parent to know the difference between what is typical 5-6 year old behavior and what signs might warrant seeking help from a mental health professional.

ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)

When a child gets easily distracted, forgetful, unable to hold his/her attention on one task at a time, is hyper, or impulsive may benefit from seeking the help of a qualified professional. Often times these symptoms described above may be an indication that your child may have ADHD. If your child does indeed have ADHD your child will benefit from the treatment team of qualified licensed team of professionals such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, LCSW, or behavioral therapist.

ODD (Oppositional Defiance Disorder)

A child with ODD will defy adults, become easily frustrated/annoyed with others, and deliberate tries to annoy others (just to name a few). A child with ODD will exhibit these behaviors both at home, as well as in school. A child that is purposely seeking to upset others or exact revenge and constantly throws tantrums, arguing with authority figures, unable to take responsibility for their own misconduct, and is constantly defiant may have ODD and would benefit from a qualified mental health professional.

In conclusion, if you happen to see these things mentioned above,, it may be time that there is something going on emotionally beneath the behaviors that need to be addressed. As a parent when you see these things going on over the course of a few months, it may be time to make an appointment to see a qualified mental health professional.

Do you want to learn exactly how to eliminate your child's out-of-control and defiant behavior without using Punishments, Time-Outs, Behavioral Plans, or Rewards?

Compulsive Hoarding - How Is It Different From Messy And Disorganized?

Compulsive hoarding is a spreading disease but how can you know if you have a disease or are just messy and disorganized. After all organization does not come naturally to everyone but must be learned by most. But there is a big difference between messy and disorganized and compulsive hoarding.

A compulsive hoarder will acquire and save items that they think have value and importance. Normally people displaying compulsive hoarding characteristics also have some other related condition like obsessive-compulsive disorder, dementia, or Alzheimer's. Of course the hoarding can manifest by itself as well. Typically researchers recognize it as being part of an OCD disorder. Most hoarders display compulsive behavior like ordering and counting. They tend to be perfectionists and indecisive.

The signs of compulsive hoarding go well beyond a messy home. Normally they cannot limit or control what they are collecting but go on gathering these things. They will go on shopping and even check through garbage around the neighborhood for more. They often like to inspect and count their collections and they can even display behavior known as trichotillomania which is abnormal grooming behavior. This is nail biting, compulsive hair pulling, or skin picking.

The real illness is not just the clutter in their homes but rather how they look at and think about their stuff. Normally this is based around fear. The fear of running out of something or of throwing it away and needing it in the future. There may also be an excessive emotional attachment to the items which is part of the reason they like to pile them up to keep them in sight rather than storing them away.

Hoarders have great difficulty throwing any thing away for fear it is the wrong decision. For this reason, they keep everything. They avoid the decision to throw it away to avoid the anxiety and torment that they would experience by doing any other action. Their is also a control element at work. Keeping the items gives them control over it and their lives.

Clutter in the hoarders home is only a symptom and clutter does not mean, in and of itself, that someone is a compulsive hoarder. You have to look at the entire picture to make that determination. You also need to look at the whole picture to be able to help them. To decide if they need some organizational skills or outright therapy to be able to handle their lives.

Why I Believe That Extremely Intelligent People Slip Into Psychological Paranoia So Easily

It is widely known by psychologist that extremely smart people of very high intelligence often have a psychological condition of paranoia. Have you ever wondered why this is? I've read some information on this, and I'm not sure I really enjoy the commentary, or buy into all the research reports. However, I do have some theories of my own which I'd like to spend a few moments and discuss with you.

You see, it appears to me that the reason that very intelligent people slip into a psychological paranoia situations so easily is because they have excellent memories, and see things and relate them with other things, instances and circumstances at a more robust pace, and due to the speed of their brain, find themselves exhibiting a new brainwaves as this occurs. In other words, in simplification; let's just say that they get the déjà vu sensation 10 times as fast as the average person.

Also, folks that are well-versed in many topics and subjects know a little bit about everything, and when they are talking and discussing things in various categories, they have explored every nook and cranny of those topics completely previously. Therefore anything that someone says, or comes up with, they have most likely heard before, or had even thought of themselves. You can see how this could initiate and trigger a paranoia episode.

People that are too smart, and I'm assuming you're "not" one of them if you're reading this article, don't have this problem, so they can't relate, at least not as easily. That's okay, many people don't understand, and I suppose that many psychologists who are not very intelligent, and perhaps have far too much schooling for their own good, don't understand the psychological triggers, or the way that these high-powered brains are able to process information.

The faster a brain processes information, and thinks and reasons, the more things it is able to think about, often simultaneously, and therefore it makes connections all over the place. Some of them are relatively simple connections, that regular people also make, including you, or those that aren't quite as smart. In fact, there might be some point whereas someone with an IQ of 150 or above may have had every single thought that a person of 100 IQ could ever possibly have.

In other words, whatever the person with the hundred IQ says, the person with the higher IQ has already thoroughly explored that information. Therefore, as a conversation progresses, the person with the higher IQ will lead the conversation, and the person with a lesser IQ will attempt to keep up and say things which are either common knowledge, or might make them look smart. Unfortunately, in doing this, it adds to the paranoia challenge of the "intellectual being" because it's as if all that information is nothing more than a replay - and they reason "how did they know" what I'm thinking, is this a trick?

I hope I've explained this to you, however you may not understand it, because not everyone seems to be able to grasp this concept, my thinking is; that is because they're unable. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.