Psychiatry Blog

 

 Mental illnesses are not easily observed in children. Amidst the modernized gadgets in the world, there are still no high-tech devices or ultrasounds that can detect if mental illness is positively looming on an unborn child’s mentality.

 

Parents sometimes overlook the mental well-being of their children. Mental disorders can hit anyone and children are no exception. Scientists are still working on finding the exact cause for early prevention of these disorders, an example is that of autism.

 

But even then, parents should at least be knowledgeable of these mental illnesses to cope with their child’s specific needs and treatment. This article enumerates the top five mental disorders that children are commonly diagnosed with.

 

Anxiety Disorders

Perhaps, you have witnessed your child throwing tantrums and finding comfort from you every time you ask him or her to socialize (or even go to school). It may be an indication of an underlying anxiety disorder. “It’s the classic dynamic of anxiety: When we avoid the things we’re afraid of, our symptoms tend to increase, and in turn this drives the anxiety up and makes the thing we’re afraid of scarier.” explains Alicia H. Clark, Psy.D., a licensed clinical psychologist.

 

Anxiety disorders comprise a range of illnesses such as phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder and the generalized anxiety disorder. Typical symptoms are fearfulness and getting nervous a lot about the future.

 

Doctors usually prescribe antidepressant pills. They will also suggest a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as it is deemed the most effective treatment for anxiety disorders to date. “A common form of therapy for anxiety disorders is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which helps individuals identify their triggers to anxiety and the connected thought patterns all for the purpose of creating new ways to think and respond in anxiety-inducing situations.” Karin Draper, LMFT said.

 

Schizophrenia

This illness is characterized by unusual behavior and strange feelings accompanied by strange thoughts. A common symptom in usually-energetic children is their unusual withdrawn behavior and sudden shyness from other people even their peers. Other symptoms include severe fearfulness, hallucinations, and mood swings.

 

Researchers believe that environmental factors and genetics contribute to this disorder. Doctors may prescribe antipsychotic drugs to manage hallucinations. They may also suggest treatment programs and hospitalization for your child.

 

Disruptive Behavior Disorders

Symptoms of this disorder include antisocial behavior such as theft and lying. Having sudden anger issues, defying of authority, putting the blameon others and showing a lot of temper tantrums can also tell if your child is developing this disorder.

 

Treatment for this illness may be done at home or at school. Parent training and family therapy are some ways to cure disruptive behavior under home intervention. On the other hand, tutoring and classroom management comprise the ways a school can help in treatment.

 

Bipolar Disorder

“Bipolar disorder is probably the main psychiatric disorder where medication is absolutely essential.” explains John Preston, PsyD. This disorder is characterized by the sudden shifting of mood and energy that affects the daily activities of a child. Others may call these extreme mood swings and is characterized by hyperactivity, extreme sadness, and irritability that may all occur at any time of the day. This behavior can affect a child’s socializing skills.

 

Causes of bipolar in children range from genetic factors (if a first-degree relative has a history of bipolar) and extreme stress (that can be brought about by a loved one’s death or a traumatic/stressful event). Aside from mood-stabilizing and antipsychotic drugs, psychotherapy helps in treating bipolar disorder.

 

Eating Disorder

This type of disorder is not exclusive to adolescents and adults only. Children are also at risk of having this illness. Whether they are eating very small or very large amount of food compared to the acceptable level, this should not be disregarded by parents.

 

Doctors suspect that social and biological factors may affect the likelihood of having this disorder. Furthermore, they add that depression, low self-esteem, and fear of being overweight may contribute to this illness. Counseling such as individual, group, or family therapy will help in curing this disorder.

 

 

Early detection of this illnesses even through simple observation can help prevent serious complications. Never take even the slightest hint of a symptom. However, don’t lose hope if your child is diagnosed with a mental ailment as there are a range of treatments available nowadays. After all, clear communication between the parents and doctors will aid in your child’s healing.

 

 

 

 

Mental illnesses can haunt a person for life. Without professional help, even young children can be subjected to a myriad of mental illnesses. This can prevent them from forming meaningful relationships with peers. Mental illnesses can also lead a child to develop a negative view of themselves and of other people.

 

As a parent, you would want your child to have the best in life. Whether you’re still an expectant mother or a doting father to a toddler, here are some tips on how to prevent and cure mental illnesses from conception to infancy. Because “The relational aspect of our mental health has been strongly supported by attachment and infant mental health research. ” Megan Baker Welles, LCPC, LMFT explains.

 

Prevention Is Key

There are mental illnesses that can be detected even when babies are in the womb. Specialized tests can already identify abnormalities in the fetus. If you are expecting a child soon, do your due diligence by taking these tests. In so doing, you will be able to anticipate possible problems and address them early on.

 

However, if you are just planning to have a baby, there are several ways to prevent passing on mental illnesses to your precious one.

 

1. Check your family’s lineage: Do a number of your family members suffer from a particular mental illness? It is possible that it can be passed on to your child genetically. If you are still unaware of any condition that can hamper your child’s development, there are tests can also detect existing genetic conditions. These tests might prove to be helpful later on.
2. Mothers should take care of themselves physically and emotionally: A fetus can feel if his/ her mother is stressed or is suffering emotionally. More importantly, a stressful womb environment can affect the development of a fetus negatively. Schizophrenia and ADHD are just some examples of mental illnesses that result from maternal stress. This can lead a child to contract emotional and behavioral problems later on in life.

 

If you have depression, you should consult your medical professional immediately. They can give prescriptions on medications that are not harmful to developing a fetus.

 

Early Detection And Intervention: Consult An Expert

“Mental health issues can be caused by a combination of biological, psychological and environmental factors, and can have a minor or major impact on a person’s thoughts, feelings and behaviors.” Christina L. Gmyr, LMHC, NCC said. Visit your developmental pediatrician often. Consulting a development pediatrician can be very costly. However, the benefits far outweigh its perceived costs.

 

Developmental pediatricians can pinpoint developmental delays in infants that can lead to possibly more problematic mental illnesses in the future. Upon examining your child, they will be able to suggest activities or interventions that will improve your child’s predicament.

 

If your child is already an infant, and you’re suspecting your child to be suffering from any kind of mental illness, do not hesitate to consult medical professionals immediately. Often, waiting it out can make conditions worse for your child.

 

Support From Family

The presence of family is considered crucial, especially if there is already an existing mental illness in your child. Family members can provide needed support and understanding that a child craves for during these times. “Perinatal mental health can be improved or hindered depending on the level of supportive relationships within couples, families, and communities,” says Shana Averbach, LMFT.

 

No parent wants their children to have any kind of illness, may it be physical or mental. What makes mental illnesses harder to detect is that older people suffering from mental illnesses can choose to hide it. Thus, preventing the development of mental illnesses in fetuses and curbing its effects through intervention in infants and toddlers benefit them in the long run.

 

 

Being depressed is not just feeling sad, unhappy, empty, or fed up. Every human being experiences these feelings, but with depression, it can last for weeks or months. It is not being weak or a state of mind that can be willed or wished away. This is a real disease with real symptoms, thus, it should not be taken lightly.

There are around 15 million Americans every year who is struggling with depression, each comes in different forms – from major depression and seasonal affective disorder to dysthymia and bipolar disorder. This is a considerable number to be taken for granted.

What Is Depression?

With what is happening in the world right now, it is important to be aware of what depression is and how to properly help people with this condition. Depression is considered to be a serious but common mood disorder. It triggers severe symptoms to influence your emotions, thought processes, and daily activities like eating, working or sleeping. The signs should remain for at least two weeks to be acknowledged as clinically depressed.

Depression with teens

Simon Rego, PsyD once said, “Many people mistakenly believe that if you can’t see it like you can a broken bone, it must be less significant and therefore can be overcome by simply using willpower. If not, they mistakenly believe that people who suffer from depression are weak.” We may have seen that most young people are being diagnosed with depression. This is mainly caused by their adolescence which is always an unsettling time because there are a lot of physical, emotional, psychological and social changes that occur at this stage.

Teens may experience a surge of emotional challenges when faced with unrealistic expectations from them which makes them feel disappointed about themselves. It is evident to them to feel that life is not being fair and that things would never go their way. This results in being stressed out and will then affect their outlook on their lives. It is important for parents to be sensitive enough to their children and help them get through with their lives.

How To Deal With It?

“There are many effective treatments for depression that are available to you when you make the decision to get help for your depression.” Dr. Chantal Gagnon PhD LMHC said. For people diagnosed with depression, it is essential to know that this condition is very treatable. It is said that 80-90 percent of people with depression eventually came in good terms with the treatment. They were able to cure most of their symptoms.

If you think you might have depression, the first thing to do is to seek professional help. A diagnostic evaluation should be conducted. It includes an interview and possibly a physical examination.

After a thorough examination, there will be a series of treatments to use, depending on the diagnosed condition. One way is through medication. Antidepressants might be used to help balance out one’s brain chemistry. You may use it for six months, or more depending on if the symptoms have improved.

Another way is through psychotherapy. It is popularly known as the mild treatment of depression. This form of therapy is focused mainly on the present and problem-solving.

“Depression is a disorder that develops from environmental and biological issues that are unique to each person.” says Deborah Serani, PsyD. People with depression should know that there help that is always available for them and that there hope for them. Mental health is equally vital to physical health, and the same treatment should be given to it. Caring and support can save a life.

 

 

 

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Do you have someone in the family who is diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder? If you do, then you might have already experienced people’s judgments and comments about the condition and how negatively they think about its impact on our life.

It is a painful truth that a lot has been said about ADHD – confusing statements and misconceptions that are hurtful to us and of course, to the people who are living with ADHD. Some mistakenly refer to it as a myth, an imaginary disorder that exists only because of over-diagnosis and over-medication. Also, due to lack of knowledge and pure ignorance, they believe that it is a temporary behavioral pattern that can be cured through good parenting and will eventually disappear when the person reaches adulthood. Worse, others make incorrect and offensive statements about ADHD.

“When people think about attention deficit disorder (ADHD), they usually consider it a childhood problem. However, a large proportion — between 30 and 70 percent — of children with the condition remain affected throughout adulthood.” –Ben Martin, Psy.D

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If you are a family member or a significant other whose loved one has ADHD, you might be interested to learn more. Below is a list of things that you should never say to children or adults with ADHD.

“ADHD is a myth. Kids are just kids, so let them be.”

“ADHD is just over-diagnosed and always used as a diagnosis for hyperactive kids.”

“It’s not a big deal at all. We all have a little ADHD.”

These statements have everything to do with the legitimacy of ADHD as a true and real condition. People may unconsciously state that they had an “ADHD situation” or just have “a little ADHD.” Undeniably, almost all of us have our moments when we forget even the simplest things, or we tend to be absent-minded when we are too caught up in deadlines. And, yes, parents often face the wrath of their child’s tantrums. These are but normal. But for those with ADHD, these circumstances don’t just happen once or twice in a month. They live with the symptoms every waking day of their life, and it debilitates them.

“A child or teen diagnosed with ADD may or may not also have hyperactivity, which is a set of behaviors characterized by unstoppable fidgeting, not staying seated while in class, climbing on furniture or running about when it’s not play time, talks excessively, and cannot seem to play quietly.” –John M. Grohol, Psy.D

“It’s just an excuse to be lazy.”

“He has bad behavior, that’s who he is.”

“You’ll get through it if you just push yourself a little harder.”

There are times when people assume that individuals – kids, especially in this case – are just displaying bad behavior, and if they try to be good and push themselves to obey, these behaviors will disappear. This perception may lead people to think of ADHD more negatively. For instance, when other kids can do an activity fairly quickly than those who are diagnosed with ADHD, some might say that they’re just lazy. This is not the case. ADHD is a disorder that is characterized by an inability to consistently perform a task in a specific manner at a specific amount of time regularly. For that person with ADHD, it can be more than devastating. ADHD is not an excuse. It is an explanation of a real condition.

“Children meet developmental milestones when they are ready. There are ranges of what is considered appropriate and what may be considered delayed.” –Francyne Zeltser, Psy.D.

“ADHD emerges when parents fail to perform their obligations. It’s all about good parenting.”

“All your child needs is more discipline.”

So goes this below-the-belt judgment from other parents who only know too little. You don’t cure someone of his ADHD when you become a better parent, or you establish stricter rules for him. While it is true that individuals with ADHD can be more challenging to deal with, parents don’t need to doubt their skills and their love for their children. ADHD is a neurobiological disorder, typically genetic in nature. Although environmental factors can help them adjust to their condition, external factors such as this will not cure it.

Takeaway

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The misconceptions and incorrect statements mentioned above are particularly harmful because their mistaken beliefs keep the parents of kids with ADHD and also adult with ADHD from seeking possible treatment. It is vital, then, that we must all know more about it, including its signs and symptoms, the proper interventions, and how we can help make life easier for them in our little ways.

 

 

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When your spouse, child, or other loved one seems to be having multiple personalities, it is only natural to feel anxious and scared. Is split personality disorder really true? Years of research and studies suggest that it is real, and currently, it has been reclassified as dissociative identity disorder. Family members and significant others can learn about it through reading books and searching the web for answers to their queries. They will come to learn that yes, multiple personality disorder can be treated.

“A mental illness cannot be willed away or brushed aside with a change in attitude. Ignoring the problem doesn’t give it the slip either.” Deborah Serani, PsyD said. When you are diagnosed with a mental illness, it can be both devastation and relief. An official diagnosis means that what you’ve suspected is confirmed – there is something wrong. However, when you know what you have, this can provide more possibilities for treatment and recovery. The diagnosis can be a foundation that will help one understand his loved one’s illness and find ways to provide proper care, including therapy, medications, and home strategies that would help the person with mental illness live as normal a life he could live.

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On the contrary, not every diagnosis has positive consequences. If your loved one is diagnosed with anxiety, for instance, there is not much complication. Even if not everybody believed that he has anxiety, only very few would refute the existence of anxiety itself. But with dissociative identity disorder, it can be a lot more argumentative. Because of the influence of culture and society, clinicians, patients, and even families doubt the legitimacy of the diagnosis, which may lead to patients not getting the care that they need to recover. Is split personality disorder real? Let us further discuss it here.

 

The Potential For Recovering From Dissociative Identity Disorder

“A personality disorder is a deeply ingrained and maladaptive pattern of behavior of a specified kind causing long-term difficulties in personal relationships or in functioning in society” That is according to Nicole Martinez, Psy.D. “Split personality’ can undoubtedly challenge one’s understanding of the human being and his mind in general. Despite a lot of confusion, one should know that it is something that can be remedied, and people who have the illness can help push this fact forward by joining evidence-based clinical trials and treatment modalities.

However, one should keep in mind that recovering from the disorder does not and will never happen overnight. It takes time, and it involves a psychotherapy-based approach where your loved one will go through various stages to achieve integration and unification of his personalities. It can take months and will entail having to recall traumatic experiences that may affect your loved one’s current state in life. But your vital role as a significant other or family to him would be as strong support of comfort and love.

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Treatment for dissociative identity disorder not only targets the acute symptoms but is also focused on building the necessary skills for the person to live healthily amidst his illness. As Marc Browning, RN, Psy.D used to say, “If an individual is willing to accept treatment, long-term talk therapy or psychotherapy, can help. Sometimes these approaches are combined with medication if the person is dealing with debilitating symptoms or related conditions, such as depression or anxiety.” This process includes learning how to create healthy relationships, setting realistic goals, and finding meaning and purpose in his life. Throughout the treatment process, you and the rest of the family as his support system will be among the strongest resources for your mentally ill loved one. With you working hand in hand with his healthcare team, your loved one will potentially move forward to a more wonderful future with the possibility of healing fully within his reach.

 

 

 

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Charles and I have been together for ten years now, and I would say that our life hasn’t been all highs – but whose life is perfect, right? My husband has obsessive-compulsive disorder, although I didn’t know this until we got married. We have a son who luckily doesn’t have one, but both of us are tremendously affected in terms of our time, work and school, and the family as a whole. But don’t get me wrong – I have no regrets. I’ve had my share of frustrations for the past years, but I’ve come to accept it, which is the first step in appropriately dealing with OCD in your loved one. We’ve successfully made certain adjustments, and yes, we do feel stressed and anxious from time to time but overall, it has been a happy life.

As a wife of someone with OCD, I would just like to share my experiences firsthand in the hope of being able to help a fellow wife, a husband of an OCD wife, or anyone who is living with a loved with the disorder. “OCD can be very overwhelming to families and can really interfere with how families can normally function,” says Dr. Jerry Bubrick, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute. And he’s right with that.

 

My OC Husband

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Charles used to have a lot of issues when we were newly married. He would tell me that he thinks I didn’t care about him or that I wasn’t sensitive enough. The first year for me was the hardest, as I didn’t have any idea at all what he had and how to help him. He would be drinking water from a glass and then he repeatedly puts it down and raises it again and again. Another time he closed our door and put the key inside the knob to lock it, but he couldn’t – he just kept turning it over and over again!

I was concerned and a little scared at the same time. I called my dad and told him about it, and that’s when I first heard about the disorder. He said that Charles might be obsessive-compulsive. I confronted Charles about it, and initially, he got mad. Or perhaps it was a way of covering up for his embarrassment. He couldn’t accept that he had a mental health illness, as it is a psychiatric condition described as excessive repetition of doing things. For a whole year, we both were exhausted, frustrated, and very stressed.

Then in our second year, my husband came to me, crying. He said he couldn’t afford to lose me and destroy our marriage just because of his illness. And I said I didn’t want that too. So we talked. He shared everything that he was going through – that he couldn’t control his urge to do something even though he wanted to stop. He felt isolated and he said it was the reason why he didn’t want to go to the parties of our friends. I looked at him and I felt pity and love. I assured him that he was not alone because we had each other – for better or worse.

 

The Journey To Therapy

We decided to visit a therapist who specialized in helping individuals with personality disorders like OCD. He discussed with us everything we needed to know about my husband’s condition and told us that we had to be committed to get Charles regular treatment. We should work together to fight the OCD, not fight against each other. As a wife, I needed to have sufficient knowledge of obsessive-compulsive disorder so that I will learn how to deal with my husband’s characteristics and activities. It’s true that “Therapy gives you permission to allow you to feel the pain and know that it’s valid.” Carmen Gehrke, LMHC stated.

When I gave birth to our son, Charles was doing very well with his treatment and we made great adjustments in our marriage. When our son turned 5, we gradually introduced him to his dad’s illness so that he would understand the things that he saw in his dad. He has learned fast and I can say that he is the best son to his dad, showing him his love and affection and support.

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I know it sounds really easy, but it’s not. OCD is confusing and disorganized, and progress is not consistent, although it is there. However, I am positively sharing you this to reassure you that OCD can be managed. We just need to have patience and openness to each other. When things go topsy-turvy and you feel like nothing going to turn out right, first remember that you have each other. There’s always the possibility of repair, healing, and recovery.

“Left untreated, OCD can dramatically straight-jacket people’s lives by encumbering them with relentless, irrational, horrific, intrusive thoughts and images (obsessions) and very time consuming, repetitive or elaborate, maladaptive behaviors (compulsions).” –Clifford N. Lazarus Ph.D.

 

Most often, we already know the usual reactions of our children when they are excited about something, or when they are reprimanded for what they did, or when they don’t get what they want. We know their faces when they’re sad or irritated or hurt. However, despite how much you know your child, you must pay attention to how long she has been nurturing that sadness, that anger, that frustration. Because when these emotions stay for a long time and have been hindering your child from functioning normally, then she might just be depressed. Continue reading When Kids Are More Than Just Sad

There are times in your life when you begin to have mixed emotions about everything you do or the person you are always together with. The sad part about this is that you can become vulnerable the moment you become unsure of what you are feeling. According to a therapist, mixed feelings can be dangerous for someone who can be easily swayed. This person tends to become confused to the point that he no longer knows what to do next.

If you believe that you are this kind of individual, it is best to spend the next few minutes reading this article. Be sure to read the content from start to finish so that you can get an idea on the right things to do the moment you find yourself in a compromising situation where you are clueless with what you are feeling and what is causing such emotion. The problem becomes more complicated if you think a lot of things all at once. What are the best ways to deal with this issue? Here is the answer to your question:

Write A Journal Entry

Are you aware that writing about your thoughts and emotions can be highly therapeutic? When you use pen and paper to explore your feelings, you will begin to see your life at a bigger perspective. You will know the factors that affect what you feel every single moment. Because of this, you will become more aware of your emotions, and that can help a lot in controlling what you say and do. Aside from this, jotting down your concerns in a journal is also an excellent way of expressing what your heart truly desires. In the long run, your journal entries can guide you in choosing as to which among all your emotions should you allow to prevail. As explained by Alison Stone, LCSW, “Journaling is great for enhancing self-awareness through helping us detect and track patterns of behavior, thoughts, and feelings.”

Be Willing To Experiment

Do not be afraid to take an adventure and experiment on the factors that affect your feelings. For example, if you are seeing someone whom you like but cannot imagine being together with for the rest of your life, do not reject that person right away. Instead, give yourself ample time to spend together so that you can get to know one another. Be a willing subject to an experiment so that you can determine what you want. If you decide without subjecting or exposing yourself to the situation, there is a high possibility that you may make the wrong choice. However, it does not mean that you need to get yourself too involved in the situation. Be smart enough to know when is the proper time to quit and get back to reality.

Exercise Regularly

Another thing that you must not neglect is to make yourself physically fit and active. “Exercising regularly is one of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce the symptoms of ADHD. Exercise has been shown to improve concentration, motivation, memory, and mood. ” says Staci Lee Schnell, MS, CS, LMFT. As much as possible, find time to engage in exercises or physical activities so that you can have more happy hormones in your body. A recent study shows that whenever a human person exercises, the body releases dopamine, which is responsible for making an individual feel happy and cheerful. The more happy hormones you have in your system, the easier it would be on your part to manage your emotions. You will also have a high level of energy to face any issue or concern that will come your way. Because of this, do not forget to avoid a sedentary lifestyle and to focus on an active one.

Be Honest On Yourself

Just because you have mixed emotions does not mean that you are completely clueless of what you want to happen. Deep down inside you, there is that part that tells you what you want to accomplish or achieve. All you need to do is to be brave enough to confront yourself and understand your heart desires. It is high time to be honest to yourself and stop denying what you genuinely feel. Keep in mind that failure to accept your emotions can lead to more significant problems in the future. The right thing to do is to find some alone time, get in touch with yourself, and listen to what your gut is telling you. Mixed emotions may be confusing, but you are always better than them, which is why it is a lot easier for you to manage everything. “Self-compassion is being gentle with yourself, not beating yourself up over your past decisions, and accepting that you are human and make mistakes.” therapist Kimberly Hershenson, LMSW used to say.

If you think that your mixed feelings or emotions have taken a toll in your life or has disturbed your mental wellness, do not hesitate to call a therapist to help or assist you. You can do it.