Alternative Treatment For Emotional and Mental Health Disorders

There are very few conditions or illnesses that are entirely psychological or physical, and mental or emotional illnesses do become inextricably entangled with physical symptoms, which even the best therapist or doctor would find difficult to separate. Most mental problems are either pathological (caused by disease) or they are caused by problems in childhood and growing up, or stressful events of life. Stresses and problems affect every individual differently, and each person will adapt - or fail to do so - according to his or her physical and psychological makeup. Depressions are very common after illness because resistance is low emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Illness is common after depression for much the same reason.

Very few people suffer from problems that require hospitalization, and conditions can differ in severity from person to person. Common emotional or mental problems include addictions, agoraphobia, amnesia, anger, anxiety, bereavement, confusion, delirium, depression, eating disorders, fears, fright, grief, hallucinations, hypochondria, hysteria, insecurity, manic depression, memory loss, obsessions, panic attacks, paranoia, schizophrenia, sexual problems, sleep problems, stress, and unusual behavior.

Mental health problems are very common. Most of us experience depression or stress at some point in our lives, and literally millions of people in the Western world are diagnosed as mentally ill each year. Often fear of being out of control or of experiencing painful emotions means that we neglect our mental health, ignoring the warning signs of stress.

Alternative therapies and medicines can be helpful in preventing mental health problems by reducing stress, aiding relaxation, and reminding us that physical and mental health go together. For people who have already had mental health problems, alternative medicine can help reduce the chances of a relapse. It can also counteract the side effects of prescribed drugs.

Drugs can control symptoms and give short-term relief, but they do not get to the root of the problem. Alternative medicine's holistic approach - which looks at the underlying causes of symptoms in the context of the person's life and emotions - makes it ideally suitable for the treatment of many mental health problems.

An alternative practitioner should treat you as an individual, giving you attention and time to discuss your problems.

The so-called talking treatments of psychotherapy and counseling may seem the obvious treatment choice for people in mental distress, but there are many other alternative therapy options. For example, aromatherapy or acupuncture can aid relaxation, and ease pain, anxiety, and depression. Buying herbs remedies, or oils for your own use is an option, but for a full assessment and individually tailored treatment, a professional should be consulted.

It is vital that you feel comfortable with your chosen practitioner. A good one will tell you if they do nol think they can help you, and suggest another form of treatment, or another practitioner. They may also advise you to see a physician if they feel it is appropriate.

Heavy Metal Toxicity - An Unsuspected Illness

Heavy metal toxicity is a growing concern and often an unknown root cause of a number of serious health issues. A heavy metal is defined as any metallic chemical element that has a high density and is toxic, or poisonous at lower concentrations. Many heavy metals naturally exist in our surrounding ecosystems, and are generally not a problem in small concentrations. However, with industrialization, heavy metals are used in many products we use daily and have leached into our food. It is our exposure to these low to moderate amounts of metals over long periods of time that cause ill effects on our health.

The main problem with heavy metals in our bodies is their ability to bio-accumulate. Bio-accumulation means the metals do not leave the body by their own accord and accumulate in certain tissues. Due to bio-accumulation, heavy metals are passed up the food chain from smaller species (fish) to humans. The main tissues targeted by heavy metals include: the liver, kidneys, bowel, brain and nervous system, spleen and eyes. The metals will not be cleared by the system unless some type of intervention is used to chelate the metals and flush them out. There are some heavy metal toxicities that are more prevalent than others like mercury from dental fillings and lead from lead pipes and paint.

Heavy metal exposure happens over a lifetime, depending on where you live, and your exposure. I ask each of my patients what type of toxic exposure they have had over their lifetime, as well as their mother's exposure. Unfortunately, many infants today are born toxic with heavy metals as they pass to the baby through the placenta and breast milk. Children are especially at risk because many vaccines contain heavy metals, mainly aluminum and mercury. Thimerosal is a preservative in many childhood vaccines that is 49.5 % ethyl mercury by weight. Mercury is toxic, especially to infants and young children. Studies are now showing the link between autism and thimerosal exposure in children who have difficulty with mercury. The Environmental Protection Agency in the U.S. allows 0.1 mcg of mercury per kg body weight per day. The FDA also stated that a safe dose was on a daily basis. However, in the first six months of an infant's life, the doses of thimerosal in vaccines is concentrated in three vaccines on three given days.

Unfortunately, the issue of vaccination is very controversial. What is even more alarming is that most people and unsuspecting parents do not even know of the controversy and risks that surround vaccination.

In practise, the main source of heavy metal toxicity that I encounter is exposure from silver metal dental fillings, called amalgams. Amalgam means a mixture or blend of metals, namely mercury. Dental amalgams are at least 50 % mercury by weight. Mercury is not a stable metal. Chewing, acidic saliva and the consumption of hot or cold food and drinks causes the mercury in the amalgams to gas off and be inhaled or swallowed. Now the mercury can enter the bloodstream, and this is how it accumulates in the major organs like the liver and kidneys. Some countries are becoming more aware of the mercury issue in amalgams, and others are not as concerned. Germany banned the use of mercury-containing amalgams in 1992.

The World Health Organization has calculated that the average human daily dose of mercury from various sources:

Dental amalgam = 3.0-17.0 micrograms/day (mercury vapor)

Fish and Seafood = 2.3 micrograms/day (methyl mercury)

Other food = 0.3 micrograms/day (inorganic mercury)

Air & Water = Negligible traces

Dental amalgams are clearly the highest source of daily mercury exposure. There is a controversy among dentists about the safety of removing amalgams. Some will say that in the act of drilling into the amalgam to remove it, more mercury vapor is removed than if you left it alone. This is true, but biological dentists use extra precautions such as a gas mask and barrier method to collect as much mercury as possible during the process.

Mercury

Other sources of mercury toxicity include :

Fish - Especially larger fish that live longer and bio-accumulate more mercury:

Tuna, swordfish, mackerel, shark, tilefish, char, large bass, pike, trout, halibut, orange roughy, grouper, pickerel, muskie and snapper

Shellfish- shrimp

Latex paints, floor waxes

Fungicides, pesticides

Cosmetics- hair dye, skin lightening creams, contact lens solution, haemorrhoid creams, Perfumes

Thermometers

Vapours from sewage treatment plants

Batteries

Fluorescent lights

Petroleum products

Vaccines

Commonly seen symptoms of mercury toxicity include:

Fatigue, headache, insomnia, nervousness, impaired judgment and coordination, loss of libido, emotional instability, hypothyroidism, foggy thinking, chronic fungal infection, candidiasis, autism, Alzheimer's disease, and speech disturbances.

Lead

Lead is unquestionably linked to brain damage in children who are exposed to high levels. Prenatal exposure may cause birth defects, miscarriage and underdeveloped babies.

Sources for lead contamination are the following:

Children's costume jewellery

Food

Water pipes

Lead based paint

Tin cans, in the solder that binds them together

Glazed earthenware

Pesticides

Ammunition

Brass

Cigarette smoke

Cosmetics

Lead damages the kidneys, brain, blood (it enters the red blood cells), muscles and bones.

Symptoms of Lead toxicity may include chronic kidney disease, hypertension, encephalopathy, anaemia, gout, sterility, abortion, fatigue, irritability, ADD, hyperactivity, memory loss, decreased sensory and motor reaction times, and abdominal pain.

Aluminum

Aluminum is the third most abundant element in the earth's crust. It can be found in the following sources:

Food Additives (leavening agents)

Antacids

Buffered Aspirin

Haemorrhoid medication

Vaccines

Toothpaste

Anti-perspirants

Bleaching agents

Pots

Tin foil

Municipal water

Acid Rain

Dental cements

Dentures

Aluminum damages the brain and is linked to Alzheimer's Disease. It affects the muscles, liver, lungs, kidneys, skin, reproductive organs, stomach, thyroid, and bone.

Symptoms of aluminum toxicity include: Constipation, anorexia, gastro-intestinal irritation, hyperactivity, speech disorders, dementia, osteomalacia, excessive headaches, abnormal heart rhythm, numbness of hands and feet, blurred vision, and impaired memory.

Aluminum disrupts calcium regulation in the body and also binds phosphorus, and iron in the gastro-intestinal tract.

Barium

Source of Barium include the following:

Agent swallowed by patients for certain X-Ray procedures

Ceramics

Plastics

Glass

Picture tubes

Soap

Rubber

Pesticides

Barium displaces potassium in cells which can lead to muscle weakness, changes in nervous system function and heart abnormalities.

Cadmium

Sources include:

Air pollution

Batteries

Ceramic glazes and enamels

Cigarette smoke

Tap water

Well water

Food (from soil contamination)

Paints

Seafood

Power and smelting plants

Fungicides

Cadmium toxicity causes skeletal demineralization, increasing the risk for osteoporosis and fractures. Other symptoms of cadmium toxicity include; anaemia, dry skin, hair loss, heart disease, joint pain and kidney stones.

Cadmium is especially harmful because it increases the permeability of cells, and allows for other heavy metals to leak into the cells.

Copper

Copper can be found in the following sources:

Oysters

Copper Pots

Water Pipes

Copper Bracelets

Dialysis

Dental Amalgams

Electric wiring

Sewage treatment plants

Braces

Fungicides

Algaecides

Coins

Supplements

Copper affects the liver, bone marrow, kidneys, spleen, heart, lungs, stomach, intestines, hair, brain and eyes

Symptoms of copper toxicity may include: Abdominal complaints, metallic taste in mouth, schizophrenia, manic depression, learning disabilities, anxiety, depression, hypochondria, poor memory, irritability, fatigue, and demyelination of nerves.

Copper is often found in dietary supplements and multi-vitamins/mineral. One with copper toxicity should never take more copper from an outside source. Copper competes with zinc for absorption, so often the treatment of choice is to supplement zinc.

Detoxification of Heavy Metals

There are four steps involved in the detoxification of heavy metals.

1) Diagnosis of heavy metals in system

Heavy metal toxicity can be tested in one of many ways. The body does excrete small amounts of heavy metals in the hair, stool and urine. Hair analysis reveals the amount of metal being excreted and the mineral status of the patient. Certain patterns of mineral deficiencies and excesses in the hair are consistent with heavy metal toxicity even if the actual metals being excreted are minimal. Stool and urine samples can be taken either with a provoking agent (a chelating compound to speed up the excretion of metals) or without. Depending on a patient's complaint or disease process, testing with provocation may be risky with its own set of side effects because you are forcing the body to dump more metals all at once. For this reason, I prefer to test the stools initially without a chelating agent to see what the body is excreting on its own. After a chelation protocol, the test can be re-taken to show the change in excretion of the metals.

2) Remove the source of toxicity

If the source of toxicity is known as with dental amalgams, a protocol for removal should be discussed with your dentist. I usually suggest that no more than one large amalgam be removed at one visit and visits should be spaced out by about a month. This allows the body to detoxify smaller amounts of mercury over a period of time.

However, if the source of toxicity is unknown, this is where the detective work begins. Knowledge of the sources of heavy metals may help to narrow down the field of possible exposure sites. Keep in mind that the exposure may have been years ago due to the fact that the body bio-accumulates heavy metals.

2) Open the organs of excretion

The organs of excretion need to be functioning optimally when you start to chelate or remove heavy metals from the body. The main organs of excretion for heavy metals include: liver, kidneys, lungs, bowels and skin. If these organs are not excreting efficiently during the metal detoxification process, there is a danger of becoming more toxic and experiencing more symptoms of toxicity.

Liver

A simple way to encourage the detoxification of the liver is to squeeze fresh lemon juice (1/4 to ½ lemon) into warm water and drink first thing in the morning. Herbal medicines such as Milk Thistle and Dandelion Root are commonly used for liver detoxification.

Kidneys

To detoxify the kidneys, drink at least one litre of water per day and urinate frequently. It is important to sip small amounts of water throughout the day, rather than gulping a lot at one sitting because only 2 ounces of water can be absorbed at once. Herbal medicines such as Dandelion Leaves, Corn Silk and Horsetail cleanse the kidneys.

Lungs

Lungs can be detoxified by deep breathing exercises. Most of us only use the top 1/3 to ½ of our lung capacity. It is important to use the entire lung while breathing to exchange as much stale air as possible with each breath. For this reason, exercises like yoga and Pilates are wonderful because they incorporate proper breathing and train the lungs to detoxify.

Bowels

Bowel detoxification can be achieved with increasing the amount of fibre in the diet. There are two types of fibre, soluble and insoluble. The following chart gives examples of each.

Soluble

(Pectins, gums, mucilages, hemi-celluloses)

Helps fermentation in GI tract

Increases cholesterol absorption and excretion

Insoluble

(Cellulose and hemi-cellulose)

Increase bulk of stools and decrease toxicity in colon.

Apples

Bananas

Oranges

Potatoes

Cabbage

Carrots

Grapes

Oatmeal

Oatbran

Sesame seeds

Flaxseeds

Psyllium Wheat bran

Apple/pears with peel

Strawberries

Raw carrots

Whole grain breads

Increasing the number of bowel movements per day is imperative when detoxifying heavy metals. I usually recommend that patients aim for at least two bowel movements daily while on a heavy metal detoxification protocol.

Skin

The skin, being the largest detoxification organ, eliminates heavy metals through perspiration. Inducing perspiration can be achieved with far infrared (FIR) saunas. FIR saunas are reported to have better detoxifying effects compared to traditional saunas and steam rooms. FIR is the same as the heat we absorb from the sun, but not the ultraviolet rays that can be damaging to the skin. It is just below red light in the electromagnetic spectrum of light and cannot be seen, only felt as heat. FIR energy is absorbed by our bodies and penetrates into the fat and muscles of the body, not just superficially as do regular saunas. For this reason, it has a greater ability to detoxify the lymphatic system and fat cells. It is very important to shower soon after a sauna to wash away the toxins.

Chelation

Chelation (pronounced key-layshun) means binding of a substance to the heavy metal so it can be excreted from the body. There are two types of chelation therapy, intravenous and oral. I prefer oral chelation because it is easy to administer and most of the heavy metals are excreted via the bowel. Intravenous chelation usually excretes via the kidneys.

Oral Chelation Supplements

A great oral chelation supplement is called VitaDetox from VitaTree Nutritionals. It contains chlorella, plus herbal medicines designed to detoxify all the major internal organs. The standard adult dosage is 2 caps, twice daily on an empty stomach. You may need to detoxify for a long time, months to years to totally clear the heavy metals from your system.

Getting To Know The Different Fields Of Psychiatry Jobs

Psychiatry is a field of medicine concerned with the study, diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. Medical professionals under this field undergo training in assessing different conditions concerning human behavior. They employ different methods to determine and treat the possibility of mental and emotional disorders in people. It is important to know how to handle each case properly in order to successfully treat their patients. Aside from the patient's family and friends, there are quite a few other people whose psychiatry jobs are crucial.

The Psychiatrist

There are a number of psychiatry jobs available. First and foremost is the job of a psychiatrist. This individual has one the most important psychiatry jobs in this field. The psychiatrist is responsible for diagnosing the patient and designing a plan of treatment. A psychiatrist can be sorted by specialization.

A child psychiatrist is one of the more rewarding psychiatric jobs in the business. The child psychiatrist dwells on the treatment of children and adolescents.

Addiction psychiatrist works with people addicted to legal drugs, prohibited substances, alcohol, gambling, sex and even food.

Forensic psychiatry is one of those psychiatry jobs that have been portrayed on TV and cinema. These doctors work with the law by giving psychiatric examinations to people accused of crimes, especially when pleading the "insanity" defense.

The remaining psychiatry subspecialties are adult, consultation-liaison, cross-cultural, emergency, geriatric, liaison, military, neuropsychiatry, and social psychiatry.

A psychiatric nurse directly cares for mental patients and to manage their treatment and recovery as designed by the attending physicians.

There is an array of jobs under the category of mental health professionals. Clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, and mental health counselors work together with psychiatrists and psychiatric nurses in an effort to provide mentally ill patients with the proper care and support.

How to get a Psychiatry Job?

1. The first step to getting psychiatry jobs is to complete high school. If you don't hold a high school diploma, some schools still accept students who passed the GED examination.


2. The key in having psychiatry jobs is to finish a degree in psychiatry from an accredited school. A number of colleges and universities have programs especially for future psychiatrists and other psychiatry jobs.


3. Choose a specialization. You can further your career in psychiatry by studying for a subspecialty. Psychiatrists have the option to be experts in any of twelve subspecialties, all of which are mentioned above.


4. Pass the accreditation exam. Anyone in this field is required to pass accreditation in order to practice their craft.


5. The most successful psychiatrists become important figures in the field because they don't cease from learning. People like Sigmund Freud and Carl Gustav Jung exemplifies the yearning for new knowledge by conducting studies and learning from the academe and from the patients, themselves. And for those with other significant psychiatry jobs, further education will only lead to better opportunities and higher pay.

What Are The Non Medication Treatments For Depression In Bipolar?

It is a common question amongst bipolar sufferers and their loved ones. What are non medication treatments for depression in bipolar? Are there any? Popular belief is that bipolar disorder can only be controlled by a lifetime regime of strong medication.

The answer to the question is a resounding yes. Several non-medication approaches have now been shown to be of benefit when added to the conventional medications for depression in bipolar. Mood stabilizer tactics and therapies are now emerging and being slowly embraced by some mental health practitioners. Regulating daily schedules and patterns of sleep, using light therapy and implementing regular exercise programs are now included as treatments for some bipolar patients.

Maintaining a regular daily schedule.

One approach that is crucial for some patients with bipolar disorder is to maintain a regular daily schedule, especially regular patterns of sleep. One such therapy is organized around the daily schedule idea, in particular having a regular time to go to sleep, and a regular time to wake up and get out of bed.

Light Therapy.

A recent study in Canada showed that approximately 100 patients with winter affective depression were randomly assigned to Prozac or a standard light box. There was equal improvement in both groups, with the light box marginally faster in lowering depression scores. This means that the light therapy is as good as the standard antidepressant approach, but has fewer side effects and less overall risk.

If you're not familiar with light therapy, basically one sits in front of a box the size of a small suitcase (smaller ones now available) which emits a lot of light, for about 30 minutes to start, and as little as 15 minutes or less later to stay well through the winter.

Regular Exercise.

The data showing that exercise can actually treat depression has been pretty good for a long while. It is well documented that depression can cause brain shrinkage, and that effective treatments can stop and at least partially reverse that shrinkage. A recent study research team at the University of Illinois compared people with an average age of 67 who were physically active to those who were less active.

The results showed that the active elders had better mental skills and memory, and even that their brains were more active as well. They then did the crucial follow-up test: they divided a group of elders into two groups, one which participated in an aerobic exercise program, and one which did not. They have found that the group which exercised increased their brain size compared to the sedentary control group, in the brain regions which are known to shrink when people have mood problems. Extrapolating just slightly from these results, we now have preliminary evidence that exercise, like other effective antidepressants, can reverse brain shrinkage.

Although it may be difficult for a depressed person to think about exercising, even a regular walk can have the desired effect. Most people, however depressed, can still walk. Walking has the absolute best record for easy access. The Harvard Bipolar Program leader, Dr. Sachs, says "here's your exercise program: go to the door, look at your watch. Walk 7.5 minutes in any direction, then turn around and walk home. Do that 5 days a week at least." And that's it.

Specialized Psychotherapies For Bipolar.

In April 2007 a major research program published their results showing that when the three psychotherapies listed below were added to mood stabilizer treatment for bipolar patients experiencing significant depression, the patients recovered more quickly and more were likely to stay well.

o Bipolar-specific cognitive behavioral therapy

o Interpersonal therapy with social rhythm therapy

o Family-focused therapy (for patients with family who could join in treatment)

The problem is finding a therapist who can provide one of these treatments. Currently, these psychotherapies are primarily found in large treatment programs that have adopted one or more of the new methods. For those interested in sourcing a sympathetic therapist, the internet is a good place to start.

There is no doubt that the non medication treatments for depression in bipolar are making a difference to the quality of life for some bipolar sufferers. They are able to wean off high doses of antidepressants, and also benefit from the positive side effects of good sleep patterns, exercise and light therapy.

References: Excerpts from information provided by Jim Phelps MD at www.PsychEducation.org. (Quality Mental Health Information On Specific Topics)

Korsakoff's Psychosis - Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment

Korsakoff's psychosis is a condition caused mainly due to chronic alcoholism, paralysis, dementia, brain damage, infections and poisoning. Common symptoms include memory defect, especially for recent events; confabulation, delirium, anxiety, fear, depression, confusion, delusions, insomnia and painful extremities, sometimes with wrist drop or foot drop. Vitamin B1 deficiency, resulting from long standing nutritional deficits, is believed to be the cause of this condition.

The Ayurvedic treatment of Korsakoff's psychosis is aimed at treating the symptoms, removing the nutritional deficiency and preventing long term complications. Medicines like Brahmi-Vati, Saraswatarishta, Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri), Shankhpushpi (Convolvulus pluricaulis), Mandukparni (Centella asiatica), Vacha (Acorus calamus), Yashtimadhuk (Glycerrhiza glabra), Saariva (Hemidesmus indicus) and Haridra (Curcuma longa) are used to treat memory defects, anxiety, fear and depression. Delirium, confusion, delusions and confabulation are treated using medicines like Sarpagandha (Rauwolfia serpentina), Jatamansi (Nardostachys jatamansi), Khurasani ova (Hyoscyamus niger) and Jaiphal (Myristica fragrans). Emotional disturbances can also be treated using medicated nasal drops like Vacha oil and liquid extracts of Vishwa (Zinziber officinalis) and Shigru (Moringa oleifera).

Neurological problems resulting in painful extremities and foot drop or wrist drop can be treated using medicines like Yograj-Guggulu, Kaishor-Guggulu, Tapyadi-Loh, Ekang-Veer-Ras, Maha-Vat-Vidhwans-Ras and Bruhat-Vat-Chintamani-Ras. Medicines like Mahanarayan oil, Mahamash oil and Vishgarbha oil are used for local application on the affected parts. This is followed by localized steam fomentation using medicines like Dashmool-Qadha and Nirgundi-Qadha.

The different causes of Korsakoff's psychosis need to be treated separately. Vitamin B1 can be administered in injectable form for symptoms resulting from chronic alcoholism. Paralysis, dementia and brain damage can be treated using medicines like Yograj-Guggulu, Maha Rasnadi-Guggulu, Dashmoolarishta, Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Yashtimadhuk, Rasna (Pluchea lanceolata) and Nirgundi (Vitex negundo). Infections can be treated using medicines like Sukshma-Triphala, Triphala-Guggulu, Gandhak-Rasayan and Maha-Manjishthadi-Qadha.

Korsakoff's psychosis is now being regarded as an autosomal recessive disorder because of which genetically predisposed persons are more prone to Vitamin B1 deficiency and the resulting symptoms, after chronic alcohol intake.

What Is The Difference Between Mild Depression, Severe Depression and Being Bipolar?

There is a world of difference among mild depression, severe depression, and being bipolar. There are, apparently, different types of depression, and each one requires different types of treatment. Knowing how to differentiate one from the other, therefore, is important in coping with the condition.

Mild Depression

Mild depression is depression of the chronic type of depression. What this means to say is that the feelings of sadness are going on almost every day for no less than two years. The symptoms are mild but should not be taken for granted, nonetheless, as they can, affect many aspects of your life, including your health, and sooner or later, these signs and symptoms can progress to something more severe.

Individuals diagnosed with mild depression are generally described to have:

• Low energy levels.


• Reduced appetite.


• Difficulty sleeping.


• Low self-esteem.

These manifestations can result in:

• Over-fatigue.


• Impaired work performance that can cost you your job.


• Impaired social relationships.


• Nutritional deficiencies.


• Weight loss.


• Anemia.


• Impaired immune system.

Treatment of Choice for Mild Depression

The treatment of choice for mild depression is cognitive therapy or behavioral therapy which has the following features or goals:

• Recognition of negative thoughts and feelings and learning to convert them to positive ones.


• Gaining control of the situation, rather than the situation controlling you.


• Encouraging motivation.

In some cases, this form of therapy is coupled with anti-depressants.

Severe Depression:

Severe depression is exactly what it is - depression of the severe kind. Clients diagnosed with severe depression are often called a psychotic case. Why, because the signs and symptoms associated with mild depression occur in greater intensity, and in many cases include hallucinations and delusions.

With severe depression, the client:

• Is distressed or agitated.


• Has very low self-esteem.


• Is socially withdrawn.


• Fails to take care of him/herself.


• Hallucinates.


• May have suicidal thoughts or tendencies.

Treatment of Choice for Severe Depression

Severe depression requires professional treatment. Make sure you engage the services of someone with extensive experience and one you will be comfortable working with. Just to give you an idea, depression of this kind is managed with anti-depressants, psychotherapy, and self-help strategies that include educating yourself, employing anti-stress techniques, deep-breathing, and making lifestyle changes.

Bipolar

Bipolar is depression of a different level, characterized by shifts in mood. You are manic at one point and depressed at another. Individuals with bipolar:

• Are impulsive. They can go on a spending spree, make unwise investments, engage in gambling and other illicit activities including sex.


• Are euphoric and restless, and highly irritable during the manic phase. There is an increase in energy levels as well.


• Have difficulty getting out of bed, during the depressive phase. Feelings of hopelessness and self-pity are intense.


• May have extreme feelings of guilt, hallucinations, delusions, suicidal thoughts and tendencies.

Treatment of Choice for Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is very serious and must be approached with extreme caution. Medications for bipolar cannot be bought over-the-counter and must be used only upon doctor's advice. A combination of anti-depressants and psychotherapy is usually recommended, along with a strong support system and some self-help measures. In worse-case scenarios, electro-convulsive therapy may be recommended.

It doesn't matter what type of depression you have. Mild or severe, depression can affect your health and the quality of your life. Don't let depression get the better of you. Don't let it control your life. Talk to a specialist at the first sign or symptom of depression or know how to prevent it with good food, exercise, and the right vitamins (such as the family of B-vitamins, Vitamin C, Vitamin D) and Omega-3 fatty acids.

Mental Health Disorder

There are many different types of mental health disorders, any of which could affect any one of us at any time of our lives regardless of our age, gender, background or status. The most common type of mental health disorders are anxiety and depression related disorders.

Certainly, all of us can experience anxiety at times, especially when we have a particularly difficult situation to deal with, like taking a driving test for example, or going for a job interview, but when the anxiety is so severe that it disrupts our daily lives, then it could be that we are suffering from an anxiety- related mental health disorder.

Similarly, each of us know what it's like to feel a bit down in the dumps, we may even say we are depressed, but true depression is where the symptoms don't subside after a short period of time, they persist and are severe enough to impair our ability to carry out our normal routines.

The following list represents some of the more commonly known mental health disorders with a brief description of their typical symptoms.

Phobias

A phobia is an anxiety related disorder characterised by extreme fear, perhaps fear of a situation, an object, a place or a creature and this fear is completely out of proportion to the norm. There are literally hundreds of known phobias but common ones include fear of public places, confined spaces, flying, spiders, and fear of heights. A sufferer will try to avoid their fear at all costs, and when faced with it, will experience severe anxiety which can include palpitations, nausea and panic attacks.

Panic attacks

A panic attack can be a terrifying experience. Someone experiencing a panic attack is engulfed by overwhelming fear and panic often without warning. Various physical symptoms can accompany a panic attack, which include difficulty breathing, trembling, palpitations, dizziness, sweating, and nausea and a feeling of impending death.

Post traumatic stress

Post traumatic stress can follow an intensely disturbing experience such as a car crash, violence or rape, being in extreme danger or basically any event that causes severe psychological distress. The symptoms include constantly reliving the event in the mind through flashbacks and nightmares, disturbed sleep, anxiety and depression.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety related disorder manifesting itself in irrational and obsessive thoughts that spark illogical rituals and behaviours or compulsions, for example, constantly thinking (obsessing) that your hands are not clean causing you to repeatedly wash your hands (a compulsion). Other examples include excessive cleaning, checking and rechecking that doors are locked and windows closed etc. Someone with OCD can feel intensely anxious if they don't carry out their rituals so performing them is a way to relieve their feelings of anxiety and distress.

Depression

Depression is more than a period of the blues. Clinical depression can be said to exist when the symptoms of depression persist for longer than a couple of weeks and are severe enough to interfere with normal daily routines. There is also a loss of pleasure in activities that were once enjoyed. There are many symptoms associated with depression including feelings of sadness and despair, lethargy, sleep disturbances, changes in eating patterns, sudden changes in behaviour and mood, anxiety, guilt, and thoughts of death and suicide. We can all experience some of these symptoms at times but when truly depressed these symptoms don't just subside, they persist.

Bipolar disorder (manic depression)

Bipolar disorder is characterised by extreme fluctuations in mood with episodes of euphoria and mania alternating with episodes of depression and despair. During a manic phase the bipolar sufferer may need very little sleep, may think and talk very quickly, can be highly creative, appear completely confident and without inhibition, they could leave their job, go on a spending spree or behave in other potentially destructive ways. During a depressive episode they may experience strong feelings of hopelessness and despair and find themselves unable to muster the energy to do even the simplest of tasks. They may also withdraw from social situations and even contemplate suicide. Bipolar is a lifelong disorder affecting around 1% of the population.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a particularly severe kind of mental health disorder, which is characterised by hallucinations, delusions, and strange behaviour and beliefs.

Conclusion

Mental health disorders are complex so making an accurate diagnosis yourself can be difficult, many people will present with symptoms of more than one type of disorder and many of the symptoms of each disorder overlap with each other. Consequently, it is important to seek the right help. In the first instance you should speak to your doctor who will be able to make full medical assessment and guide you towards an appropriate course of treatment.

Sadly, many people are afraid of seeking help and as such, will suffer in silence which can be an isolating and lonely experience with potentially devastating effects. Fortunately, mental health disorders are treatable and those who do seek help can go on to lead normal lives once again.

Metaphysical Causes of Mental Illness!

Each year I feel my career has evolved as I have had the opportunity to conduct more research, meet more people and have had more personal experiences. And I believe that should be the case with any professional; The more you know, the more you grow! However, I realize not all medical or healthcare professionals care to get out of their comfort zone and look to alternative medicine for answers. As Abraham Maslow so aptly stated, "When the only tool you have in your tool bag is a hammer, everything looks like a nail."

My career started in science education, which I believe gave me an excellent foundation for doing research and making conclusions based on data. This foundation aided my studies in psychology where I looked into physiological causes of mental disorders. However, I believe my "personal breakthroughs" came when I was drawn into the Metaphysical and New Age thought worlds.

My background in drawing conclusions based research and data is what I relied on when on when my wife, Mary was hearing voices, seeing "spirits" and having physical symptoms that were unexplained. We first attempted to "explain" her physical symptoms of lack of energy, dry skin, canker sores and feelings of pulsating energy in various parts of her body through modern medicine. However, every medical test she underwent came back perfectly normal. Doctors could not find any rational or medical causes for her symptoms. No gastro-intestinal abnormalities, no allergies, no detectable pathogens, Mary should have been the picture of health, but she was getting sicker! And as far as seeing energy and hearing voices their solution was to diagnosis her as delusional and put her heavily sedated in a psyche ward. So, after two years of exploring medical answers, and getting none, we began looking into "Non-traditional" medicine. This led us on a five year journey around the country that did in fact give us answers.

The answers went far beyond my wife's physical ailments. The answers we found included some basic questions I had all my life like; Is there a spirit dimension? What happens to us when we die? What is the purpose of life? And, Why are we here? We were led to the causes and cures for her physical symptoms. Answers to what she was seeing and hearing, and led into worlds we never intended on exploring!

My research included looking into historical data, world-wide cross-cultural reports, reports from the past one-hundred years, theories in quantum physics from the past one-hundred years and personal interviews with shamans, light workers and psychics from around the country.

This all led me to form the following conclusions;

• Consciousness can exist outside the body (evidenced by Out-of-Body Experiences (OBE's), Near-Death Experiences (NDE's), Reincarnation, Physic phenomenon, and Quantum physics).

• Our consciousness (or soul) is eternal.

• The Spirit Dimension exists; there is no "Heaven" or "Hell."

• Lower vibrational "trapped" spirits can affect us in life, referred to as entity attachments, causing mental issues like anxiety, depression, substance abuse and schizophrenia.

• We incarnate to this life to learn, and grow our soul.

• The challenges in life are placed by us in order to learn (have different experiences) and overcome obstacles we placed in our life (grow our soul).

• We travel with the same soul group in order to achieve our "Earth goals."

The above views may seem controversial or revolutionary for individuals that have not been exposed to Metaphysics, New Age, or Spirituality. But I was led to these beliefs by research, data and personal experience. As a psychologist and former science teacher it has led me to change my views on the causes of mental illness. Prior to Mary's experiences and my research, I looked for physiological causes such as nutritional deficiencies as to the cause of mental disorders. However, I now believe that most mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia are caused by negative energy attachments.

These attachments are referred throughout history (going back to pre-historic times) as entity possession. This is what Mary experienced. This is what caused her both mental and physical illness. And when these negative entities were released from her she was cured. Shamans and lightworkers (energy healers) did what "modern medicine" could not. She is a picture of health today and not on any medications. Her experiences led her to study energy healing techniques herself of Reflexology, Reiki and Reconnective Healing.

You may be asking (which was my question also) "How do you know these healings from shamans didn't just cure her because she believed in them? Such as in the 'placebo effect'?" To begin with, she nor I "believed" in such healings. Mary was a financial supervisor and I had a background in science. Neither of us had been exposed to or had any prior experience with energy healers, shamans, or Metaphysics. But with each energy healing, Mary got better. So began my research into the New Age and Metaphysical World.

My main research question was of course, "What is causing her to be sick?" and, "Is entity possession real?" This led me to research the my main premise, can consciousness exist outside the body? As I stated above my conclusion (based on research and personal experiences) was that YES consciousness CAN exist outside the body! In Mary's case these dis-embodied entities where attacking her causing her physical ailments and her depression. When they were released from her, she got better! Just as the entity attachments were built up over several years, it took years before she was totally cleared.

When we prove that consciousness can exist outside the body (as I believe we have), we PROVE that:

*OBE's and NDE's are real.

*Our conscious energy (souls) do not die when the physical body does.

*Our conscious energy can return in other earthly incarnations (proves reincarnation).

*The spirit dimension does exist (this is where our conscious energy is).

*Disembodied spirits can affect the living (entity possession), causing both physical and mental illness.

Another New age concept is that "everything happens for a reason," and the happenings that were experienced, that we now term "divine happenings," we believe happened so that we can help others. My background in science and psychology, my wife's illness and "psychotic" experiences, all led us on this divine journey that not only cured my wife, led her to be a healer, but answered some of our basic questions on the causes of mental illness, and the purpose of life! It also gave us a purpose in this life, to help others understand and cure mental illness and understand the purpose of life on Earth as well!

Hallucination Versus Seeing Ghosts

Is there a connection with seeing ghosts and having hallucinations?

What is a hallucination? A hallucination is defined as perceptions in a conscious and awake state in the absence of external stimuli which have qualities of real perception, in that they are vivid, substantial, and located in external objective space.

A mild form of hallucination is known as a disturbance, and can occur in any of the senses. These may be things like seeing movement in peripheral vision, or hearing faint noises and/or voices.

Hallucinations can also be associated with drug or alcohol use (particularly deliriants), sleep deprivation, psychosis, neurological disorders, and delirium tremens.

hallucinations occur just before falling asleep, and affect a surprisingly high proportion of the population. The hallucinations can last from seconds to minutes, all the while the subject usually remains aware of the true nature of the images.

Hallucinations are the out come of our senses being "played" with. Our sight, hearing and smell. But what if these drugs, or disorders were not so much causing these fantasies to play in front of us...what if they are actually making us more sensitive to the paranormal world around us?

This subject first became a quick obsession when, one evening when I was at my friends house. It was late...around 1:00am, she had taken Ambien (Zolpidem), a drug used for the short-term treatment of insomnia, and I was laying on the couch. Roughly at the same time...me being a "sensitive" (someone who can sense spirits) felt a present come into the room...moments later, my friend who was sitting beside me, began to tell me about a man that was standing beside me. She was not bothered by this...image...but did try to ignore him. Was she hallucinating from the drug? Or did it make her more sensitive to what was really there in the room with us? I had not told her about the spirit coming into the room, as I did not want to frighten her...some take my "ability" better than others, and I was not sure where she stood on the subject yet. So my mouth was shut. The moment she told me she saw this man...my heart dropped...was she really seeing what I was sensing? Is it possible for it to be that simple? For a simple sleeping pill to enhance our abilities to see into this forever questioning spirit world?

The point of a sleeping pill (for instance) is to relax the body and mind...turning off all the extra noise and thoughts that clutter our heads...is all the freeing of this clutter making room to take in the new surroundings?

There is a theory, spirits are more active during the night, because the energy that the sun puts off is at its lowest, allowing these spirits to use their own energy to come through to us. People are asleep, electronics or mostly turned off...all in all, it is quieter and more peaceful...like a clear head. Now imagine our brains during the day...running through lists of daily chores....drop the kids of at daycare, go to work, meeting at noon, pick kids up, go to the store, make dinner, lunch with mom tomorrow, doctors appointment at 3 on Thursday...endless lists of activities...but once we start to wind down, just before falling asleep, is when our minds are the least active...allowing to pick up on other things around us. You can lay in bed and hear the cat purring outside the door, the wind softly blowing outside, clocks ticking in the next room...the space around us just seems to become more alive when our minds are more clear, opening up and becoming more sensitive.

It is said that children are more apt to seeing spirits at a young age, and lose it as they get older...as well have have "imaginary friends". Are these switches in our bodies deteriorating with age...just as commonly as our sight and hearing and even our bones in our bodies? And only active "exercises" can help bring these back? Just like everything else? Glasses fix our vision, hearing ads help our ears, medicines help our bones...is it that simple to get our sensitivity back with a simple hallucinogenic drug?

Is there a chemical imbalance in us, that this sleeping pill, or other drugs allows us to temporarily get back? Or an over active chemical imbalance in people who seem to have a mental illness, and therefore have "hallucinations" often? Could we be closer connected to the spiritual world then we thought?

Now don't get me wrong, I am not telling anyone to go start taking drugs...I have never done drugs in my life and even as obsessed with these questions as I am, I am still nervous to even test my theory with a simple sleeping pill...even tho I could get it proscribed since I in fact have insomnia...

The more scientific evidence we can find on this, the better! But the best things now are ask all the questions we can think of...because without questions...we have no answers!

What is Clinical Psychology?

Approximately 91% of those employed in the clinical psychology field engage in psychological assessments aimed at diagnosis and treatment. Tests may include intelligence/achievement tests like IQ tests or WISC-IV tests, which measure knowledge, verbal skills, memory, reasoning, attention span and spatial perception.

Personality tests try to categorize behavioral and logical patterns. The MMPI, Rorschach Inkblot test or the Myers-Briggs test all try to reveal the psychological dynamics. Furthermore, neuropsychological tests examine structures and brain pathways in a more "scientific" manner. Clinical observation includes studying a control group and a variable group for differences in behavior, mood, perception, understanding, memory, communication and affect.

There are four main perspectives of clinical psychology: psychodynamic, humanistic, cognitive-behavioral and systems/family therapy. First, psychodynamic psychotherapy developed out of the works of Sigmund Freud and sought to make the unconscious desires come to the surface, rather than remain suppressed. Popular interventions include free association and the examination of transference and defenses. The history of mental illness is examined through the exploration of childhood memories.

The humanistic perspective of psychology was based around the work of Carol Rogers, Victor Frankl and Rollo May. Rogers argued that people needed congruence, unconditional positive regard and empathetic understanding as mental health treatment. The humanist perspective seeks to help the person towards self-actualization and connecting with their natural born potential.

The cognitive behavioral perspective looks at the interaction between how we think, feel and act. Psychology experts believe that we interpret the world through schemas (set patterns of thinking and categorizing information) that sometimes results in behavioral problems. To uncover irrational thinking, professionals try desensitization, Socratic questioning, relational dialectics therapy or note taking.

In systems or family therapy, psychology therapists focus on the interaction of the family and their interpersonal dynamics. Interventions include a spouse, parent, sibling or close friend. While some of the intervention involves a group discussion, homework assignments are often given to help patients keep working, thinking and assessing outside of their therapy sessions.

There are many areas of specialization within clinical psychology, like: health, neuropsychology (focus: the brain), geropsychology (focus: the elderly), counseling and social behavior therapy. Neuropsychologists study things like the medical symptoms behind schizophrenia, dementias or other mental disorders. No matter what form of psychology is focused upon, the main intent is to promote mental health, design new programs and help families deal with mental illness.

There has been some criticism in recent years that clinical psychology is "too subjective" and difficult to prove with empirical evidence. A major problem is that health insurance companies refuse to cover therapy costs, which limits many lower income individual's mental health treatment options.

Since clinical psychologists receive less schooling than psychiatrists, many medical doctors downplay the importance of therapy. However, one need only pick up a journal of psychiatry to see that psychotherapy is still a valid profession and one that can supplement medication for unbelievable results.

Brain Scan Imaging for Mental Disorders

Brain imaging, or neuroimaging scans, are being discussed and used more to help detect a number of medical disorders and illnesses. As far as mental disorders are concerned, neuroimaging can be considered in the research stages, as brain scans alone cannot officially diagnose someone with disorders such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, autism, or severe depression.

Usefulness of Neuroimaging Scans

Brain scans can detect things such as tumors, which can cause symptoms related to mental disorders such as depression. While the brain scan to detect ADHD was approved by the FDA, the tool is only used to help determine the disorder. A brain scan alone is not considered enough evidence, in and of itself, to detect any mental disorder.

It is human nature to want tangible evidence of an illness. For example, and x-ray can determine if a bone is broken or if you just have a sprain. That tangible evidence makes it clear how to treat the injury, and the patient knows the true results of the injury, because it is something he or she can physically see. A brain scan is no different in many people's eyes. They want to see tangible evidence that their schizophrenic brain looks different from a normal functioning brain. A psychiatric evaluation has many unknown factors, and relies on intangible evidence that the illness exists, even with sophisticated diagnostic tools and very experienced practitioners.

Brain scans do show tissue and blood vessels in the brain. Used with psychiatric diagnostic tests, doctors can use brain scans to help determine treatment options. Researchers can use neuroimaging to determine if medications are having any effect on brain tissue or blood vessels, and of course rule out any brain damage, cancer, or the existence of a brain tumor. As for medications, research is beginning to reveal how changes in biological pathways in the brain are either effective or non-effective by their use. This can help improve mental health treatment options.

Precautions of Using Neuroimaging Scans

At this time, a brain scan alone cannot diagnose any mental illness or detect your risk of getting a mental illness in the future, although scientists are currently conducting research studies on the differences between brains of people without mental illnesses compared to people with mental illnesses to learn more about them.

Multiple symptoms can receive multiple diagnoses, and brain imaging research has not gotten as far as predicting specific disorders. For example, it difficult to determine the difference between a schizophrenic versus a bipolar brain, because of multiple overlapping symptoms. Additionally, while researchers have been able to detect differences in people who have had a mental illness for several years, early detection remains to be seen. So, using a neuroimaging scan to diagnose someone with a mental illness is certainly not something you can do alone without the use of reliable cognitive and behavioral psychiatric diagnostics.

Neuroimaging does use radiation, which is a health risk to consider. Therefore, they should only be used when absolutely necessary to rule out such things as a brain tumor. It is also a very costly health procedure, which may not be fully covered by your health insurance, especially if it is not declared a medical necessity by your doctor.

Summary

While neuroimaging research is being conducted and looks promising for helping determine or rule out mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, among other mental illnesses; at this stage in the game, brain scans alone cannot pinpoint a certain disorder or risk of getting a mental illness. Brain scans should be used with caution, and only if your medical doctor needs to rule out other issues such as a brain tumor or other biological factors related to your symptoms.

Mixed Bipolar Disorder - The Two Types Of The Disease

Mixed bipolar disorder is classified into two types. The type which is known as a mixed state is when both the symptoms of depression and of mania are present simultaneously; the other is rapid cycling. Each presents its own unique set of difficulties; and each requires its own mode of treatment.

Mixed State Classification

In the first form, manic behavior is accompanied by a depressed mood state. This seemingly illogical combination requires intense treatment, as either intermittent or ongoing psychosis and suicidal tendencies can also be present. Difficulties in sleeping, erratic appetite, rapid and inappropriate mood swings, and general agitation are also included in this form of mixed bipolar disorder.

Rapid Cycling

The classification of rapid cycling is given when a person has four or more episodes during a twelve-month period. The severity of the symptoms differ from person to person, and often also from episode to episode. At its worst, there can be clear mood shifts within a one or two-day period.

The erratic nature of both of these forms of mixed bipolar disorder obviously makes this condition quite difficult to deal with, and also more difficult to treat than other forms of this condition. While the ensuing difficulty is to a great extent influenced by the fluctuations of the symptoms themselves, it also should be noted that mixed bipolar disorder frequently does not respond as well to medication as the other types of bipolar disorder. These factors make careful psychiatric supervision absolutely essential.

Difficulty In Coping

The other reason for a person who has mixed bipolar disorder to be under competent care is that this particular form of bipolar poses the most significant degree of general life problems. Logically, when a person is afflicted with either simultaneous manic and depressive symptoms or the rapid cycling, the inconsistency can make coping with everyday life very difficult, and often has a very negative effect on a person's ability to function properly. Not only is this difficult in itself, it can also lead the person to be hesitant in asking for help.

The best course of action in regard to mixed bipolar disorder is for the patient to receive assistance in learning and applying coping skills, in addition to his medication. It is also important that the people in his everyday life be understanding of his particular difficulties. Depending on the individual, the special characteristics of mixed bipolar disorder can range from mildly impairing his general functioning to being completely debilitating.

Avoid Enabling Behavior

Family members, especially, need to learn the difference between being helpful and understanding, and enabling, as the more the patient can be reasonably expected to do for himself the better it will be for him, his self-esteem, and his overall quality of life.

One good idea toward assisting the patient in making the most of his life is if his family members can be directly informed by his mental health practitioner of his prognosis and the best methods of personal interaction. Living with mixed bipolar disorder is not easy, but with adequate treatment and coping skills it can be much better.

Will Niacin Cure Mental Illness?

Since a deficiency of vitamin B3 or niacin causes pellagra which is characterized by mental disturbances, practitioners of orthomolecular medicine or megavitamin advocates believe that large doses of niacin can treat schizophrenia.

A careful review made by the American Psychiatric Association in the 1970s showed that this was not the case and it has deplored this practice. Later, the Research Advisory Committee of the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health and the Canadian Mental Health Association followed suit after studying the claims made by orthomolecular psychiatrists.

"Scientific evaluation of nicotinic acid as a treatment for schizophrenia concludes that improvement claimed by purveyors of the megavitamin therapies resulted not from the vitamins but from the conventional therapy (drugs and/or psychotherapy) given at the same time," said Drs. Harold M. Silverman, Joseph A. Romano and Garry Elmer in "The Vitamin Book: A No-Nonsense Consumer Guide."

Niacin is also being promoted as a cure for high cholesterol levels. While this is true under close medical supervision, self-medication and the unrealistic recommendations of orthomolecular advocates can have disastrous results on your health.

"Troublesome side effects often occur, most commonly the 'niacin flush' -- intense reddening and itching of the face and upper body that usually diminishes after several weeks. High-dose niacin can also cause gastrointestinal upset, abnormal liver function tests, elevated blood-sugar levels and, rarely, aerial fibrillation (rapid beating of the heart)," said Dr. Stephen Barrett, a psychiatrist, prize-winning author, consumer advocate and board member of the National Council Against Health Fraud Inc. (NCAHF) in "Health Schemes, Scams and Frauds" published by Consumer Reports Books.

Another vitamin that's being abused by megavitamin proponents is vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) which is being prescribed for premenstrual syndrome (PMS). This refers to a set of symptoms that begin seven to 14 days prior to menstruation. Such symptoms include nervousness and irritability, dizziness, emotional instability, headaches, bloating, diarrhea, and tender, swollen breasts which have been linked to hormone changes in the body during menstruation.

Orthomolecular advocates think this can be prevented by taking massive doses of vitamin B6 in spite of the fact that no conclusive evidence exists supporting this practice. Furthermore, the risks far outweigh the potential benefits of pyridoxine supplementation.

"During the past few years, medical journals have reported more than 100 cases of toxicity from B6 supplementation, resulting in a condition called peripheral neuritis. The reported symptoms, some of which resembled those of multiple sclerosis, included numbness and tingling in the hands, difficulty in walking, and electric shocks shooting down the spine," Barrett revealed.

"Many medications and techniques have been tried for PMS -- ranging from megavitamins to biofeedback -- but none has had much success. A possible reason is that more than 150 different symptoms have been associated with PMS. Despite a fair amount of clinical investigation, its cause remains unclear," he added. (Next: Will vitamin B12 give you energy?)

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Psychotic Disorder Disabilities - Which Are the Major Four?

After a person suffers from a psychotic disorder, some kind of disability remains. The disability may appear as a direct result of the disorder itself or as a side effect of the medication. Every person reacts differently to a psychotic disorder, but the disability does not have to be permanent. The majority of disabilities following psychosis are a result of emotional injury.

1. Lack of Motivation. A person who has experienced a psychotic disorder may lack the energy to perform daily activities. Simple self-care such as shaving, let alone more complicated tasks like shopping and/or paying bills, may become almost impossible. The person does not have the energy to do all those actions.

2. Joy of Life. A person who has experienced a psychotic disorder often feels like a zombie, with no desire to carry out tasks. If he is not told to do something, it will not be done. The person rarely smiles and does not enjoy simple experiences. If he watches a movie, he will not enjoy it. He will lose his patience watching television while channel surfing or staring blankly at the screen. He will feel like an outsider.

3. Sexual Disability. As a result of a psychotic disorder and usually as a result of the side effects of the medication, inter alia, he will lose interest in sex. Even if the person engages in sexual activity, he has a hard time reaching satisfaction or the level of satisfaction he reaches is much lower than it would have been but for the psychosis and/or medication. It is very important to be aware of these physical events and to update the treating doctor and sometimes to consider food additives or even changing medication. In any event, this must only be done after consultation with the treating doctor.

4. Side Effects. Psychiatric medicines are chemical substances put into the body. Every medicine has side effects, even if they are not felt. The most common side effects are increased appetite and weight gain, apathy, lack of sexual desire, shivering, and drooling. Some medicines, after extended use, may cause diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol, heart diseases, or obesity. It is important to be sensitive to any change, to have regular checkups, with blood tests, blood pressure and liver test, sugar level tests, and EKG. If side effects are felt, consult the treating doctor. In any case, despite the side effects, it the effectiveness of the medication against psychosis effects outweighs the possible damage.

Psychotic Depression

Depression does not only let you feel sorry for yourself, but also it can make you see, hear things, and think illogically. They are not losing their minds, but rather they are what you call people with psychotic depression. Approximately over 20 % of people who are admitted to the hospital for depression state suffer from what is called psychotic depression. On top of the depressive symptoms of depression, psychotic depression also include some psychosis features such as hallucinations, seeing and hearing things that aren't present or delusions, irrational thoughts and fears, which most patients with mental condition are suffering from.

The difference between psychotic depression and other mental condition, such as schizophrenia, is that although they are experiencing the same symptoms, which are the hallucination and delusion, the ones with psychotic depression usually know that the thoughts they're having aren't exactly real. In other words, they may suffer from these symptoms, but also they are well aware that those are not true. The main reason why this type of depression is difficult to diagnose is because sufferers of this condition maybe ashamed or embarrassed about what they are going through and therefore would choose to hide them instead.

Having a single occurrence of psychotic depression can increase your risk of bipolar depression, recurring episodes of psychotic depression, and worse - suicide. That is why you should be aware of possible symptoms of this type of depression. Here are some of the symptoms of psychotic depression that anyone may experience:

Anxiety

Agitation

Psychosis

Physical immobility

Constipation

Intellectual impairment

Insomnia, and more

Since there are worst scenarios of how things will turn out with psychotic depression, immediate attention and treatment should be given to the patient. The treatment for this type of depression may take a longer stay in the hospital and close follow up by a mental health professional to keep track of the recovery progress. Anti-depressants and anti-psychotic medications have been known to effectively alleviate the symptoms and are still widely used, but natural remedies can also be taken into consideration to help speed up the recovery. The natural remedies I am referring to include proper diet, which requires eating anti-depression food, daily intake of multivitamins and anti-depressant vitamins, such as B vitamins; exercise; avoid foods that can aggravate your condition, like coffee and sweets.

Treatment is very effective for people with psychotic depression condition. Usually within a year, one can recover from this sickness, but needs to continue medical follow-ups. Also, be aware that if symptoms of psychotic depression has been experienced and determined, proper treatment must be established as in other major depressive illnesses; otherwise, risk of suicide is great.

Vision and Mental Health Linked in Eye Movement Studies

Currently, there are no scientific tests to diagnose some mental illnesses; for instance, there is no bipolar test to determine whether one is suffering from manic depression. However, studies are underway that will hopefully help researchers to create such a test.

New technology has been developed which has allowed researchers to accurately measure vision abnormalities in the mentally ill. One study, funded by a $1.2 million grant, is studying eye movements such patients. Research so far has shown that the way the eyes track in that population group can indicate an adverse medical condition in the brain. The team is working with a sample group diagnosed with conditions including depression, schizophrenia, autism, attention disorders and bipolar disorder.

Eye tracking and eye movement are the main areas of focus in the study. How the eyes react can suggest problems with how the nervous system works in the mentally ill. For example, slow-moving objects are difficult for those with schizophrenia to track with their eyes, and those who suffer from bipolar disorder may be sensitive to various lighting conditions and light wave lengths. Depression hurts, and those suffering from it may have visual abnormalities as well. For instance, the severely depressed can experience tunnel vision.

There are other studies underway that also revolve around the eyes. These studies look at how artificial darkness, optical prisms, and color contacts affect mood.

Eye movement studies may offer a way to better understand the problems in the brain that occur in the mentally ill. Through further research, perhaps a link will be found between eye movement and cognitive abnormalities and a tie to their genetic basis. Hopefully, there will be discoveries in testing, diagnosing, and treating people with mental illnesses based on these studies.

Flat Affect and Depression

Flat affect is defined as a severe reduction in emotional expressiveness. It is commonly seen in depressed and schizophrenic individuals. Patients are seen as extremely apathetic and lacking in facial expressions.

I lost a music therapy internship in part because of an extremely flat affect. For years, I was painfully aware of being apathetic and slow to react in social situations. This caused a great deal of frustration because I felt so hopeless about it. Year after year and day after day I tried in vain to conquer this situation but ended up failing millions of times. I thought it would be my cross to bear.

Patients who manisfest this symptom are affected in almost every area of life. In order to survive, it can become necessary to withdraw more and more, thus exacerbating the situation.

Flat affect can:

• Deepen depression because few want to associate with someone who has a limited range of emotional expression. This plus the slowed thinking often accompanying depression can make social interactions expremely difficult if not impossible.


• Increase isolation because flat affect often accompanies extreme apathy which causes lImited ability to communicate.


• Be a source of deep frustration. Patients know it is a problem but may feel powerless to do anything about it.


• There is hope. Following are a few suggestions that have worked well for me.


• I used a counter bought at a sporting goods store. Everytime I said hello to someone, I checked the counter which I kept hidden in a pocket and gave myslelf an award for every twenty clicks.


• I stood in front of a mirror every morning before going to work and practiced various facial expressions.


• I watched people who are at ease socially and I emulated their body language and facial expressions.


• I learned to morve around instead of remaining so still and impassive most of the time.


• I exercise to reduce depression and anxiety.


• I learned to laugh - a lot.


• I stopped hiding socially.


• I practice forgiveness to bring peace of mind.

Dear readers: If you know anyone who fits this description, be patient with them. Chances are that depression may be a reality for them. Be gentle about trying to help. Often just being there is the greatest assitance they can receive. Gently point out the need to develop better social skills.

Readers: If you have any ideas about overcoming flat affect, please comment about it. I'm open to any and all suggestions.

Can Male Homosexuality Lead to Schizophrenia - I Suspect So

Now then, I suppose that those who are religious by nature will have all sorts of reasons why humans should not engage in homosexual activity even though other upright walking mammals at least appear to often enough (Chimpanzees). But, there actually maybe a much more scientific and medical reason why it's a bad idea for male humans. Okay so, let's talk.

Please realize, this article is not one of anti-gay or homophobia, this author doesn't care what people do on their own time, and believes in freedom and liberty for the individual regardless. Still, if such sexual acts are unsafe or could lead to other costly medical conditions, then in the age of ObamaCare where the taxpayer is on the hook, then we have a problem if homosexuality causes health issues. Let me get into the heart of the debate and speculation here, avoiding the homophobic name calling from those calling me out for alerting them of this potential reality, or by those who are religious who say that "God told you so."

Okay ao, urinary tract infections are suspected by researchers to increase the risk or be directly associated with schizophrenia. Interestingly enough, there is a rather interesting research report which links urinary tract infection UTI to schizophrenia. There was an interesting article in "Infections Today" online news titled; " Researchers Find Odd Association Between UTIs and Schizophrenia Relapse," published on April 4, 2013. Okay so, now then based on this and due to the fact that homosexual males engage in activities known to potentially cause UTI or urinary tract infection. The article stated;

"Schizophrenia patients experiencing relapse are 29 times more likely than healthy individuals to have a urinary tract infection, researchers report," and "The study comparing UTI rates in 57 relapsed hospitalized patients, 40 stable outpatients and 39 healthy controls showed that 35% of the relapsed patients had UTIs versus 5% and 3%, respectively, of the other groups."

Another problematic situation is that schizophrenics are often likely to become drug addicts, which poses another tragic problem, especially when it comes to intravenous illegal drugs, needles, HIV and if we were to couple this with single homosexual male promiscuity, then we have a perfect storm. Thus, it is very important for the male homosexual community to be aware of such things, act accordingly or eventually as more research comes out, it might affect the grass roots movement to bring gay marriage and activities more into the main stream.

Personally, this doesn't affect me, but I thought you should know, so don't flame me or shoot the messenger, just consider the validity of my online synthesizing of information. Please think on it.

What's Bipolar Disorder And How To Cope With It

Bipolar disorder can be hard to detect. Some people go as long as 10 years or more before being correctly diagnosed. The reason for this has to do with the dual nature of the disorder. When a person feels maniac or hypo-maniac, they just get full energy and feel really good. They are "high on life" and seldom seek treatment. By contrast, they usually seek treatment when they fall in to the depression which is much more in depressive manner.

At that time, they explain only depressive symptoms to their doctor. Therefore, it is common for a person to be incorrectly diagnosed with depression instead of bipolar disorder.1 Bipolar disorder also shares many of the signs and symptoms associated with other psychiatric illnesses such as disorders like anxiety and schizophrenia.

Unfortunately no laboratory test can detect bipolar disorder. However, a simple questionnaire can help a doctor to get hint, if someone has common symptoms of bipolar disorder. This thing is called the Mood Disorder Questionnaire or u can say MDQ.

What's MDQ

The MDQ is a checklist that helps a doctor identify bipolar-related symptoms.4 Remember, only a doctor can provide an accurate diagnosis.

What does a diagnostic exam for bipolar disorder consist of?

1. A complete psychiatric history detailing not only your current and past symptoms, but also the symptoms or diagnosis of immediate family members and relatives. Bipolar disorder has a strong genetic component. Therefore, if there is a family history of depression or bipolar disorder, there's a good chance the patient may have it as well.

2. A complete medical history and physical exam to rule out any physical illnesses that may be producing or mimicking the symptoms of bipolar disorder. AIDS, a brain tumor or head injury, diabetes, epilepsy, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, a salt imbalance or thyroid disorder can produce bipolar-like symptoms.

If no physical cause is found, if no other psychiatric disorder better accounts for symptoms, if the current symptoms have been of significant duration or cause significant impairment in functioning, a patient may then be diagnosed with bipolar disorder. It is important to note here that if there is no previous history of mania or hypomania, the current symptoms must be those of mania or hypomania for a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. In that this disorder is characterized by both extremes of mood (mania and depression), symptoms of just depression will obviously incur a diagnosis of unipolar depression.

Why early diagnosis and treatment are important

It is really important to get treated for the disorder of bipolar disease as soon as possible.

Many people with bipolar disorder do not know they have it. Some do not seek treatment because they are ashamed of what they feel, while, as mentioned above, others are incorrectly diagnosed with other illnesses, such as depression, anxiety, or schizophrenia. Without the appropriate treatment the disorder could become more difficult to treat.

Urine Analysis and Laboratory Tests

The data of Urine analysis usually taken are divided into two; qualitative and quantitative data of Urine laboratory tests. As their names imply, qualitative tests is to test for the qualities of the Urine such as colour, transparency, etc, while quantitative test, try to find the amounts of some indexes in the Urine such as volume, specific gravity, amount of pathologic components of Urine (blood, proteins, creatinine, etc).

Qualitative data of Urine laboratory tests

Colour of Urine

• In the first day of child's Life, Urine is colorless

• On the 2nd-4th days- dark-reddish, because big quantity of Urea is excreted.

• In breast fed infants the urine is almost colorless until they start to drink fruit juices and to eat other foods at the age of 4-6 months

• In formula fed infants, all children and grown-ups, the urine is yellow like straw.

Changes of Urine color can be physiological. For example;

• Colorless urine is excreted when a person drinks a lot of fluids

• Urine acquires Orange color when the food contains a lot of carotene (carrot);

• Urine will be pink after eating red-beet;

• Some medicines influence the Urine colour. SO, rifampicin causes the red color of Urine, analginum and sulfacylamides-pink, mitroxolinum-saffron-yellow.

Some Urine discoloration is of diagnostic value in case of Kidney disorders:

• Dark-brown Urine is a pathognomic symptom of virus hepatitis; the cause of such color is big amount of bile pigments hyperbilirubinuria); characteristic sign is forming of yellowish foam after shaking such Urine.

• Smoky brown Urine, which resembles tea or cola, is formed in case of nephron damage, when RBCs pass through the basal membrane of glomerular capsule and losses the hemoglobin. It is the main sign of acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis

• Bright red color can be found when "fresh" RBCs pass into urine in case of trauma, kidney tuberculosis, crystals, cystitis, urethritis, renal tumor.

• Dark-violet discoloration is the sign of considerable RBCs hemolysis in case of poisoning, Rh-conflict, mistakes during blood transfusion etc.

Transparence

The Urine can be cloudy only in newborn child for 2-3 days after birth. After that each healthy person excrete transparent Urine. Cloudy hazy, darkly opalescent Urine can be found in case of Urinary tract infection, enlarged amount of crystals, RBCs or WBCs, pus or fats in Urine.

Quantitative data of Urine Laboratory tests

Diuresis means the process of Urine production. The Urine-volume (UV per 24 hours) is its laboratory reflection. Its meanings depend on age.

Pathological changes of Urine volume

• Poliuria is diagnosed when the urine volume exceeds the normal ranges in 2 times and more. It is the often sign of disorders with other systems decreasing of cardiac edema, diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipiduc). Renal poliutia develops in case of back progress of nephritic edema, chronic renal failure.

• Oliguria means the decreasing of daily urine volume to of age ranges and less. Renal Oliguria is one of the most significant manifestations of renal failure. There also can be extra-renal causes of Oliguria such as massive profuse bleeding, diarrhea, poisoning, cardiax failure, shock. It is very important to identify the reason of Oliguria because the therapeutic plans can be quite different when the Urine volume decrease less than 5% of normal data or there is no Urine per whole day. It is one of the most dangerous conditions for the child's life and needs the emergency medical help.

• Anuria can be

1. renal-the kidneys don't form the urine due to considerable damage of their tissues.

2. postrenal (mechanical)-the Urine is produced, but it doesn't go into the bladder because of upper tract or bladder neck obstruction.

• Nocturia, the normal correlation of daytime and nighttime Urine Volume is 2:1. That means that because of bigger fluid intake and physical activity, Urine excretion is more intensive during daytime. If the night Urine volume is bigger, it is the manifestation of decreased renal function.

Ph of Urine

This sign depends on age, food habits, prescribed medicines and differs in different people as well as in one person in different periods.

Specific gravity

It is the concentration of electrolytes and other substances dissolve in Urine. Decreasing of specific gravity can be seen in case of drinking a lot of fluids, severe renal failure, back progress of edema, diabetes insipidus. Increasing is observed at Oliguria, diabetes mellitus, excretion of marked amount of protein. Excretion of 0.1g of glucose per 11 of Urine causes enlargement of specific gravity on 0.004; 0.4 of protein-on 0.001.

Indexes of Urine analysis which are deviations of the normal ones are indications for metabolic disorders

Can't Take it Any More? Group Therapy For Schizophrenia Includes Family Members Too

Otherwise known as psychotherapy or psychosocial therapy, group therapy for schizophrenia patients has proven itself to be beneficial, though there is only a limited amount of documentation on it. However, it is not only the schizophrenia patient who benefits from this type of therapy. Families and friends who are with a schizophrenia patient on a regular basis can also benefit significantly, as they play a vital, yet emotionally-draining role in their lives.

Group therapy for schizophrenia patients' families and friends can take one of several different forms. Firstly, there is the traditional support group meeting, where people in the same situation can get together and talk about their problems and ways to cope with them.

Secondly, there are online forums. These support forums offer group therapy for schizophrenia-affected families and friends regardless of their location. It is an invaluable tool when trying desperately to handle each situation in a careful and calm way.

Group therapy for schizophrenia-affected families is also an ideal way for family members and friends to discover new ideas and methods of how to handle psychotic episodes and events leading up to and taking place during a crisis. Learning the way to react the different stages of a crisis can benefit not only the schizophrenic, but their family as well, as it provides a much less stressful environment for both parties.

Usually, the places where group therapy for schizophrenia-affected families support sessions are held tend to be quite central, making it easy for everyone to get to them. More experienced family members will be able to help newer members who are only just starting to come to grips with the illness and what it entails.

Older members act as mentors or sponsors to newer members and can often provide a 24 hour telephone number, just in case things at home get a little out of hand and a word of advice is needed. New members can learn what signs to look for prior to a psychotic episode, get tips on how to calm a psychotic schizophrenic down, and what to do during the episode itself.

They can also sympathise with emotions felt by the family including despair, frustration, tiredness by the carers, and resentment, impatience, and jealousy by siblings. Such support groups can offer ways to cope with these feelings, and try to explain ways to channel the negative energy turning it into a positive force instead.

Also, in a struggle which can feel fairly solitary and isolated, family members and friends of schizophrenics can take comfort in the fact they are not alone in their struggle, and use the group therapy as a source of emotional support as well, being able to vent their anxiety without being judged.

Schizophrenia is one of the most misunderstood illnesses that exist today. Unfortunately, that means that the same misunderstanding extends to the families of schizophrenics too. With still no cure on the horizon, in order to maintain calm, perspective, and their sanity sometimes, group therapy for schizophrenia-affected families and their friends is an essential part of their lives.

How Do You Know If You Have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

Psychological trauma is any physical or psychological threat to an individual's physical integrity, sense of self, safety or physical survival. An individual might experience trauma because of sexual, emotional or physical abuse. Exposure to severe natural disasters, the occurrence of war, abandonment and witness to violence such as domestic violence can also cause trauma. It would be worth noting that this is not the entirety of the possible causes of trauma.

PTSD is a chronic state in which an individual's neurophysiological responses become aroused when faced by a 'possible threat'. The individual will then exhibit a combination of physical symptoms which can include hyperactive alertness, agitation, heavy or difficult breathing avoidance of both physical and emotional contact with others.

The threat is a single or a set of circumstances that remind the individual of the initial traumatic experience. The individual will thus try to avoid any situation that he/ she views as a threat. This behavior becomes worse over time as the sensitivity to the threats increases.

Severe psychological stress favors the production of cortisol, a hormone that increases the blood sugar levels. The sugar provides the energy required for either flight or fight (a natural body reaction to a perceived threat, whether real or imagined). Cortisol also greatly suppresses the functioning of endocrine system. The endocrine system is a set of glands that produce chemicals essential for the various body metabolisms such as digestion, tissue function, growth, development and mood.

This is why individuals suffering from PTSD exhibit symptoms such as a reduced motivation to have fun, increased isolation and increased anxiety in social meetings. Other signs that indicate an individual is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder include aggression, emotional irritability and general poor health. Therefore, it is vital to indulge in activities that will help you to overcome the disorder. One of the major signs is the emotional and physical (over) reaction to a situation, where the person for example screams and runs away because they were approached from behind.

To overcome Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, if symptoms have persisted over more than one month is to seek professional help. There are other things that can be done to help, but it is important to accept that the symptoms are a natural reaction to unusual circumstances. Participating in enjoyable activities can be very beneficial, giving you some "time-out". These activities should however not be too challenging as this would decrease their enjoyment. Learning meditation techniques such as yoga can also play a vital role in alleviating the condition. But never forget to get the help from a professional if symptoms persist.

Drug Addiction and Bipolar Disorder

Drug addiction and bipolar disorder often occur together and can serve to both precipitate and exacerbate each other. Unfortunately, both are also conditions that are generally misunderstood and as a result many people who suffer from these diseases are unable to obtain effective treatment - or any treatment at all. Bipolar condition can be difficult to recognize in an individual and in some cases people suffer with it for years before getting help. In fact, some of the symptoms of bipolar can drive a person to turn to drugs or alcohol in an effort to cope with the. And because substance abuse often precipitates mental illness, any potential or repressed bipolar issues can be brought forth by co-occurring addictions or alcoholism. Understanding the relationship between drug addiction and bipolar disorder is critical to developing effective treatment plans.

Bipolar is a condition that is categorized by strong and consistent changes in mood or emotional state. These changes shift between depressive and manic episodes. During depressive states, the afflicted individual may feel hopeless, insecure, have poor self worth and no motivation to do anything. During manic states the person often will be extremely energetic, overly happy and in some cases unable to maintain concentration for long periods of time. These states can last for weeks or months at a time, or they may swing wildly back and forth. According to Internet Medical Health, a group dedicated to providing health related information to the public;

"Bipolar I Disorder affects both sexes equally in all age groups and its worldwide prevalence is approximately 3-5%." And; "The condition has a high rate of recurrence and if untreated, it has an approximately 15% risk of death by suicide. It is the third leading cause of death among people aged 15-24 years, and is the 6th leading cause of disability (lost years of healthy life) for people aged 15-44 years in the developed world."

The rates and consequences are disturbing considering that bipolar often occurs with drug addiction or alcoholism. In some cases it may appear that one condition caused the other, but in reality it's impossible to tell what the exact relationship is. In fact, some people were treated for bipolar for years before they developed a drinking or drug problem, and some people were drug users for years before being diagnosed with bipolar. Whatever the case may be having both conditions at the same time presents a unique set of challenges to both sufferers and therapists.

Drug addiction or alcoholism must necessarily be given priority treatment status - at least until post acute withdrawal syndrome symptoms are under control. Once the initial stage of treatment has passed, treatment for bipolar disorder must be incorporated into the program. This is often accomplished through the application of reality based and evidenced based practices the include individual, group and family therapy coupled with proper nutrition, exercise and medication.

Bipolar is a condition for which there is no cure but only treatment, and the same is true for addiction or alcoholism. This means that people who suffer from both conditions will ALWAYS suffer from both conditions and so will need to be treated accordingly.

Schizophrenia Treatment - 7 First Steps to Take by Tomorrow Morning in Order to Defeat Schizophrenia

You shouldn't believe everything your care givers say. You don't have to wait for years or even months until you can see improvements with your schizophrenia disorder's situation. All you need to do is to take some simple steps to begin the process of getting better. In order to begin the process, just dare to take the next 7 first simple measures and an improvement would begin to show in a matter of days:

1) Begin to take physical tests

This is exactly the time to take control on your life. In order to improve your life's quality, it is very important to identify physical problems in order to take action and prevent any deterioration. Therefore it is important to measure your sugar level, blood pressure, cholesterol and many other physical measurements.

2) Begin to exercise

It has been proven that exercise prolong your life and help to prevent many physical illnesses side by side of improving your life quality in many other aspects. It takes only 45 minutes of daily walk, 5 times a week for a start in order to see results in no time. In the first times you can begin by circling your neighborhood and slowly raise your pace and distance.

3) Begin to diet

In order to lower your body weight and reduce your bad cholesterol level in your blood among other bad by products, it is very important to start on a diet, eating 5 nutritious and healthy mills a day, being under supervision of a professional nutritionist. Exercise side by side of a healthy diet is the best formula to fight overweight.

4) Begin to quit smoking

Smoking is the No.1 killer on the modern era. In order to quit smoking with out un necessary pain or stress and the best result that would last for ever, you can join a task oriented support group, conducted by a professional, combined with supplementary of anti smoking drugs such as Zyban or Champiks. It has been proven that these kinds of groups have the best chances to quit smoking that would last for ever.

5) Begin to look for a mate

Coping with life is better with a partner than doing it alone by your self. Therefore, if you are alone, you can start looking for a mate tomorrow morning by registering into an internet mating site, and start date in order to find your soul mate.

6) Begin to look for a job

If you don't have a job or you are not satisfied with the one you have, you can begin by writing your own resume and spread it among manpower companies. You can also spread the rumor of you looking for a new job, among friends and family.

7) Keep taking your pills

This step is crucial for your continuous recovery of schizophrenia. What you can do is consult with your P doctor in order to reduce the amount of psychiatric pills into the minimum needed in order to maintain your mental health stability and reduce the amount of side effects into minimum.

If you take these easy steps and begin to implement them first thing in the morning, you would see that your schizophrenia negative symptoms would begin to vanish as time goes by.