Mental Disorders – Causes, Symptoms & Therapy

The term mental disorders refers to a wide range of psychological health problems. These can affect the mood of those affected, as well as their thinking and behavior. Well-known examples of mental disorders are depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders or addictive behavior.

Many people experience mental health problems at some point in their lives. However, intermittent problems become a mental disorder when the symptoms and signs cause ongoing stress that robs the sufferer of the ability to function properly and cope with everyday life.

A mental disorder can drastically affect the way a person thinks and feels and negatively impact all areas of their life, whether professional or private. In most cases, mental disorders can be treated with therapy combined with medication.

causes

Mental disorders can be triggered by a variety of genetic and environmental factors. These include:

• Congenital Factors: Mental disorders are more common in people who have a family history of other mental disorders. Some genes increase the likelihood of developing a disorder. Certain environmental factors can then support this predisposition and lead to the onset of the disease.

• Negative environmental influences before birth: Children who are already exposed to harmful environmental factors in the womb are more likely to develop mental disorders. Triggers can be viruses , poisons, alcohol , drugs or the like.

• Traumatizing experiences: Certain occurrences in the life of an affected person can lead to the onset of the disease. These include, for example, the loss of a loved one, money problems or stress. Severely reduced self-confidence or personal trauma caused by sexual abuse are also frequent causes of mental disorders. Negative life experiences lead to harmful thought patterns, which in turn can trigger the disease.

• Chemical factors in the brain: Biochemical changes in the brain can lead to mental disorders. Neurotransmitter disorders or a hormonal imbalance should be mentioned here. All of the above factors, individually or in combination, can cause a biochemical change in the brain.

Diseases

Typical diseases of mental disorders:

• Depression

• anxiety disorder

• schizophrenia

• eating disorder

• trauma (psychic)

symptoms and course

Typical symptoms of mental disorders:

• difficulty concentrating

• mood swings

• fatigue

• sleep disorders

• Paranoia

• hallucinations

• Headache

• back pain

• stomach pain

Symptoms and signs of mental disorders can vary widely depending on the type of illness. Symptoms can affect thinking, emotions, and behavior. Examples of signs are:

sadness and feeling down; confused thinking or decreased concentration; very pronounced worries and fears; extreme mood swings; withdrawing from friends and activities; noticeable tiredness, lack of strength and sleep problems; loss of reality, paranoia and hallucinations; the inability to deal with everyday problems; extreme feelings of guilt; alcohol or drug abuse; strong changes in eating habits; inhibited sex drive; pronounced fits of anger and aggression; suicidal thoughts.

However, symptoms of mental disorders can also manifest themselves in physical complaints: headaches, stomach pains, back pains, etc. Signs and symptoms can indicate a mental disorder if the person concerned finds it difficult or impossible to act normally in everyday life and at work. If he suffers from his situation, it is advisable to have a medical examination.

Diagnose

The diagnosis of a mental disorder occurs in the following or a similar sequence. The treating doctor will perform a physical exam to rule out any physical causes of the symptoms. This may also include an analysis of blood or urine values. The doctor or psychotherapist will then have a conversation with the person concerned about their symptoms and thoughts.

A questionnaire may need to be filled out. It is often difficult to make an accurate diagnosis and determine the nature of the mental disorder. For this purpose there is an extensive catalog in which symptoms and signs are assigned. In order to meet the requirements for a specific disorder, listed criteria must be met.

complications

The prognosis for three-day fever is good. The disease is usually cured within a few days and usually has no long-term consequences. The three-day fever often occurs only in a weakened form and or even goes unnoticed. The only problem is a possible febrile seizure, triggered by the side effects of the high fever. Those affected often find such a febrile seizure life-threatening and can develop mental disorders if they occur frequently.

If the three-day fever occurs as a result of an organ transplant, the patient may be life-threatening. As a rule, however, the three-day fever proceeds without serious complications. Affected children also recover quickly from side effects such as cramps, gastrointestinal problems and exhaustion and also overcome the weakened immune system by taking light medication and dietary measures. Since it is not possible to vaccinate against three-day fever, there is always a certain residual risk that the viral disease will go undetected and exacerbate existing diseases. It is therefore advisable in any case to make a quick diagnosis.

treatment and therapy

The right treatment depends very much on the mental disorder of the person concerned and which therapy works best for him. In most cases it is a combination of several procedures. For a mild disorder with manageable, controllable symptoms, treatment by a single therapist may be sufficient.

In many cases, however, a specialized team is needed to manage the psychological, medical, and social components of treatment. This team may include: the general practitioner, psychologist, psychotherapist, pharmacist, social worker, family members. Even if drugs cannot cure a mental disorder, they are usually able to alleviate the symptoms of the disease to such an extent that accompanying therapy can achieve greater success.

The discontinuation of the medication is a very individual matter and depends on the patient’s reaction to the medication. Classic medications include antidepressants , mood regulators, anti-anxiety medications and neuroleptics . Psychotherapy involves regular therapist-led talks about the disease and its effects. The person concerned should be given mental help and new thought patterns.

prevention

There is no surefire way to protect against mental disorders. If problems and symptoms occur, it is advisable to consult a doctor and get these problems under control early. The best help is understanding your own situation. Otherwise you should take good care of yourself. Adequate sleep , a healthy life-work balance, regular exercise and low levels of stress are factors that promote a healthy mental state.