Many times a sleep disorder can be caused from an health problem or from the medications used to care for an illness. Some of the frequent health conditions that can cause a sleeping problem are cardiovascular disease, endocrine disorders, neurological disorders, respiratory disease, mental illness, reflux disease, kidney disease, and arthritis.
Neurological disorders include Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, and strokes. Parkinson's disease is a central nervous system disorder. This disease causes problems with body motion, including tremors, unstable posture, slowed body movements, muscle stiffness, and difficulty walking. Sleep disorders that occur with this disease include REM sleep behavior disorder and sleep onset insomnia. Alzheimer's disease impairs the brain's intellectual functions and is the most common cause of dementia. This disease causes sleep fragmentation. Epilepsy causes recurrent, sudden, brief changes in the normal electrical activity of the brain. People with this condition are twice as likely to suffer from the sleep disorder insomnia. People that suffer a stroke usually also have obstructive sleep apnea.
Mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and seasonal affective disorder can also lead to a sleep disorder. People with these psychological health disorders often suffer from sleep fragmentation and insomnia.
If an health problem causes a sleep disorder, the sleep disorder is secondary to the illness. Successful treatment of the main underlying cause will typically reduce the effects of the sleep disorder.
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Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
Mental Health Statistics; Mental Disorders Are More Common Than You Think
At any time of the year, there is one individual in every group of five people who has a diagnosable mental disorder. This means that 1/5 of all families in the United States have family members who are experiencing developing or aggravated symptoms of mental impairment. This translates to roughly 20% of the American society.
Mental health or the lack of it is experienced by all kinds of people in America- from kids to elderly, from Native Americans to Hispanics, from physically healthy individuals to those who have chronic diseases.
General statistics
a. Nearly 9% of the American general population suffers from all forms of phobias.
b. 5% have major depression
c. Almost 4 million individuals suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
d. 2 million Americans have Schizophrenia
e. Another 2 million have Bipolar Disorders
f. About 2.5 million have Panic Disorders
Statistics on the Commonness of Mental Disorders in Children
• It is estimated that around 7 to 12 million kids have signs of psychological disorders.
a. ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - 5% to 10% of the children population is diagnosable with ADHD. It is the most prevalent clinical disorder among children. Half of all children with this psychiatric disorder do not receive diagnosis.
b. Manic Depression - 30% of all kids ages 6 to 12 who have manic depression are likely to develop Bipolar Disorder, a type of disorder that has symptoms of mania or a sense of "high" on activity plus periods of depression.
c. Conduct Disorder - 10% of all American children have conduct disorder.
d. Depression - In every group of 33 kids there is one who has symptoms of clinical depression
e. Learning Disorders - Almost 20% of all American children have learning disability. Half of them have diagnosable ADHD.
f. Suicide - Suicide is the fifth foremost cause of death among children.
Statistics on the Commonness of Mental Disorders in Young People
a. General Data - Nearly 75% of all young people who suffer from mental disorders do not get the help they need. Like in the general population, 1 in every 5 adolescent has a diagnosable psychological disorder which includes minor depression, drug-dependence, Attention Deficit Disorder, Anorexia Bulimia, Hypochondriasis, Gender Identity Disorders and Eating Disorders, and more aggravated disorders.
b. Anorexia Nervosa - This disorder is more common among females than males affecting an average of 150 individuals in any given time. Thus, 1% of all young females is affected by anorexia nervosa and 10% of all affected individuals die due to suicide, cardiac arrest and starvation.
c. Bulimia Nervosa - One to three out of 100 people demonstrate signs and symptoms of bulimia nervosa.
d. Anxiety Disorder - 10% of the young adult population have anxiety disorders.
e. Depression - One in every eighth individuals have clinical depression. One in every five young people have emotional problems and 30% of all adolescents who were diagnosed for emotional problems are depressed.
f. Juvenile Delinquency - More than 150, 000 American teenagers are under the criminal justice system. The majority of them have more than two mental disorders. 57% of all juvenile delinquents have reported prior hospitalization associated with their mental problems.
g. Schizophrenia - In every 1000 adolescents, there are three people who are suffering from Schizophrenia.
h. Serious Emotional Disturbances - 10% of all young adults have severe disturbances in their emotional states.
i. Suicide - For ages 15 to 24, this is the leading cause of death. There are at least 500, 000 individuals who take their own lives yearly.
Statistics on the Prevalence of Mental Disorders in Adults
a. Depression - Depression is the foremost psychiatric disorder among elderly affecting 5% of the total elderly population.
b. 6.5 million Adult people have severe mental disorders.
c. In every group of 100,000 people, there are at least 240 of them suffering from a sort of mental illness
d. 6000 adult Americans commit suicide each year
e. Approximately 1 million old Americans suffer from organic mental disorders
f. An estimated 15% of the adult population experience dementia
g. 1 million adult Americans have severe Alzheimer's disease
The Divided Mind: The Epidemic of Mindbody Disorders
Mental health or the lack of it is experienced by all kinds of people in America- from kids to elderly, from Native Americans to Hispanics, from physically healthy individuals to those who have chronic diseases.
General statistics
a. Nearly 9% of the American general population suffers from all forms of phobias.
b. 5% have major depression
c. Almost 4 million individuals suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
d. 2 million Americans have Schizophrenia
e. Another 2 million have Bipolar Disorders
f. About 2.5 million have Panic Disorders
Statistics on the Commonness of Mental Disorders in Children
• It is estimated that around 7 to 12 million kids have signs of psychological disorders.
a. ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - 5% to 10% of the children population is diagnosable with ADHD. It is the most prevalent clinical disorder among children. Half of all children with this psychiatric disorder do not receive diagnosis.
b. Manic Depression - 30% of all kids ages 6 to 12 who have manic depression are likely to develop Bipolar Disorder, a type of disorder that has symptoms of mania or a sense of "high" on activity plus periods of depression.
c. Conduct Disorder - 10% of all American children have conduct disorder.
d. Depression - In every group of 33 kids there is one who has symptoms of clinical depression
e. Learning Disorders - Almost 20% of all American children have learning disability. Half of them have diagnosable ADHD.
f. Suicide - Suicide is the fifth foremost cause of death among children.
Statistics on the Commonness of Mental Disorders in Young People
a. General Data - Nearly 75% of all young people who suffer from mental disorders do not get the help they need. Like in the general population, 1 in every 5 adolescent has a diagnosable psychological disorder which includes minor depression, drug-dependence, Attention Deficit Disorder, Anorexia Bulimia, Hypochondriasis, Gender Identity Disorders and Eating Disorders, and more aggravated disorders.
b. Anorexia Nervosa - This disorder is more common among females than males affecting an average of 150 individuals in any given time. Thus, 1% of all young females is affected by anorexia nervosa and 10% of all affected individuals die due to suicide, cardiac arrest and starvation.
c. Bulimia Nervosa - One to three out of 100 people demonstrate signs and symptoms of bulimia nervosa.
d. Anxiety Disorder - 10% of the young adult population have anxiety disorders.
e. Depression - One in every eighth individuals have clinical depression. One in every five young people have emotional problems and 30% of all adolescents who were diagnosed for emotional problems are depressed.
f. Juvenile Delinquency - More than 150, 000 American teenagers are under the criminal justice system. The majority of them have more than two mental disorders. 57% of all juvenile delinquents have reported prior hospitalization associated with their mental problems.
g. Schizophrenia - In every 1000 adolescents, there are three people who are suffering from Schizophrenia.
h. Serious Emotional Disturbances - 10% of all young adults have severe disturbances in their emotional states.
i. Suicide - For ages 15 to 24, this is the leading cause of death. There are at least 500, 000 individuals who take their own lives yearly.
Statistics on the Prevalence of Mental Disorders in Adults
a. Depression - Depression is the foremost psychiatric disorder among elderly affecting 5% of the total elderly population.
b. 6.5 million Adult people have severe mental disorders.
c. In every group of 100,000 people, there are at least 240 of them suffering from a sort of mental illness
d. 6000 adult Americans commit suicide each year
e. Approximately 1 million old Americans suffer from organic mental disorders
f. An estimated 15% of the adult population experience dementia
g. 1 million adult Americans have severe Alzheimer's disease
The Divided Mind: The Epidemic of Mindbody Disorders
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Nutritional Hope for Schizophrenic Patients
Schizophrenia is a difficult malady, both to diagnose and to treat. It’s defined as any of a group of psychotic disorders usually characterized by withdrawal from reality, illogical patterns of thinking, delusions, and hallucinations, and accompanied in varying degrees by other emotional, behavioral, or intellectual disturbances. Recent research suggests that those who suffer from schizophrenia could benefit from incorporating more B3 (niacin), essential fatty acids (EFAs) and eating more whole grain carbohydrates to help level out blood sugar levels so that bouts with hypoglycemia are lessened.
Food sources high in niacin include light-meat chicken, tuna, salmon, turkey, enriched flour, peanuts, and fortified cereals. Niacin is an important player in the digestion process, and it aids in converting food into energy. Therefore, it also plays a role in the essential fatty acid metabolism of the brain, processes of which are disrupted in schizophrenia.
Because these processes are disrupted in the brain, it’s imperative that essential fatty acids are a base in the diet of a schizophrenic patient. Since they can’t be synthesized by the body, they must be obtained from food. Look to fish, shellfish, flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, dark green leafy vegetables and walnuts for EFAs. Essential fatty acids play a part in many metabolic processes, and there is evidence to suggest that low levels of essential fatty acids, or the wrong balance of types among the essential fatty acids, may be a factor in a number of illnesses, including schizophrenia.
Some schizophrenic patients also suffer from bouts of hypoglycemia, which can be greatly helped by choosing healthy, whole grain carbohydrates such as whole grain breads and pastas, as they help the body maintain a steady blood glucose level. Other research shows that some schizophrenic patients suffer from food allergies that greatly affect their thinking and behavior. For this reason, keeping a detailed food journal and paying close attention to moods and thinking patterns after eating is imperative.
Research has also shown that some schizophrenic patients suffer from high levels of copper, an essential metallic element that can adversely affect the brain in high doses. Vitamin B6, found in bananas, turkey and spinach, as well as zinc, found in red meats, peanuts, chickpeas and almonds, can help remove excess copper from the body.
Surviving Schizophrenia: A Manual for Families, Patients, and Providers
Food sources high in niacin include light-meat chicken, tuna, salmon, turkey, enriched flour, peanuts, and fortified cereals. Niacin is an important player in the digestion process, and it aids in converting food into energy. Therefore, it also plays a role in the essential fatty acid metabolism of the brain, processes of which are disrupted in schizophrenia.
Because these processes are disrupted in the brain, it’s imperative that essential fatty acids are a base in the diet of a schizophrenic patient. Since they can’t be synthesized by the body, they must be obtained from food. Look to fish, shellfish, flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, dark green leafy vegetables and walnuts for EFAs. Essential fatty acids play a part in many metabolic processes, and there is evidence to suggest that low levels of essential fatty acids, or the wrong balance of types among the essential fatty acids, may be a factor in a number of illnesses, including schizophrenia.
Some schizophrenic patients also suffer from bouts of hypoglycemia, which can be greatly helped by choosing healthy, whole grain carbohydrates such as whole grain breads and pastas, as they help the body maintain a steady blood glucose level. Other research shows that some schizophrenic patients suffer from food allergies that greatly affect their thinking and behavior. For this reason, keeping a detailed food journal and paying close attention to moods and thinking patterns after eating is imperative.
Research has also shown that some schizophrenic patients suffer from high levels of copper, an essential metallic element that can adversely affect the brain in high doses. Vitamin B6, found in bananas, turkey and spinach, as well as zinc, found in red meats, peanuts, chickpeas and almonds, can help remove excess copper from the body.
Surviving Schizophrenia: A Manual for Families, Patients, and Providers
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Benefits of Mental Health Support Groups
Unlike physical disorders, mental illnesses are often not recognizable and difficult to identify. This makes these disorders a lot harder to understand leading the sufferers to believe that they are alone in their suffering and that help is unavailable. Top these with their own conviction that there is no way to heal them and that the disorder is too embarrassing.
These beliefs are true to most mental health patients making it hard for them to seek treatment or comfort, to say the least.
In response to changing these views, mental health support groups were created to help patients know that there other people experiencing the same disorders that they experience which lead them to seek treatment. These also make them feel that there is hope to their suffering and could motivate them to stick to their treatment. For some, its their groups that provide the support system they lack.
What is a Mental Health Support Group?
A support group is a gathering of people with a common goal or interest. Translated into mental health, it is a group of people who have similar sufferings and provide moral and emotional support to people like them. Usually, these support groups focus and specialize on a specific condition. For example, it is rare to find a depression support group that also covers schizophrenia. This need to specialize is driven by the fact that a psychiatric or mental disorder is a very complicated issue thus requiring a specific direction.
Support groups could be used in conjunction with formal and professional treatment and are often confused with group psychotherapy sessions. Group therapy is different in support group in such a way that the former requires a formal and pedagogical setting. This forms a group of people with similar disorders and subjected under the guidance of qualified mental health professional.
A support group could be formed by anyone who has a need to establish this type of group or who have a particular interest on the services that could be gathered from this group. It could be a patient of a specific mental disorder, a family member of someone who has a mental illness- virtually anybody. More organized support groups, however, are formed by mental health providers, non-profit organizations or mental clinics. Oftentimes, this type is controlled by a facilitator or a moderator who is knowledgeable enough in the field as to qualify him to manage the group.
Members of a support group are usually patients of mental illnesses. Someone suffering from unipolar or bipolar disorder is normally found on support groups focusing on these specific disorders or on a broader disorder like that of depression.
The most popular format of support groups is through internet which is broader in scope both in audience and varieties of topics. However, a customized but very limited type of support group is the person-to-person format or through telephone. Lack of more personalized support is the common disadvantage of joining online support groups.
A mental health support group could augment the professional treatment you receive but the services you get from this group should never be treated as substitute to your medical and psychological treatments. This group could open you up to reality and may even give you new hope, but remember that treatment for a mental illness is not all about will power.
These beliefs are true to most mental health patients making it hard for them to seek treatment or comfort, to say the least.
In response to changing these views, mental health support groups were created to help patients know that there other people experiencing the same disorders that they experience which lead them to seek treatment. These also make them feel that there is hope to their suffering and could motivate them to stick to their treatment. For some, its their groups that provide the support system they lack.
What is a Mental Health Support Group?
A support group is a gathering of people with a common goal or interest. Translated into mental health, it is a group of people who have similar sufferings and provide moral and emotional support to people like them. Usually, these support groups focus and specialize on a specific condition. For example, it is rare to find a depression support group that also covers schizophrenia. This need to specialize is driven by the fact that a psychiatric or mental disorder is a very complicated issue thus requiring a specific direction.
Support groups could be used in conjunction with formal and professional treatment and are often confused with group psychotherapy sessions. Group therapy is different in support group in such a way that the former requires a formal and pedagogical setting. This forms a group of people with similar disorders and subjected under the guidance of qualified mental health professional.
A support group could be formed by anyone who has a need to establish this type of group or who have a particular interest on the services that could be gathered from this group. It could be a patient of a specific mental disorder, a family member of someone who has a mental illness- virtually anybody. More organized support groups, however, are formed by mental health providers, non-profit organizations or mental clinics. Oftentimes, this type is controlled by a facilitator or a moderator who is knowledgeable enough in the field as to qualify him to manage the group.
Members of a support group are usually patients of mental illnesses. Someone suffering from unipolar or bipolar disorder is normally found on support groups focusing on these specific disorders or on a broader disorder like that of depression.
The most popular format of support groups is through internet which is broader in scope both in audience and varieties of topics. However, a customized but very limited type of support group is the person-to-person format or through telephone. Lack of more personalized support is the common disadvantage of joining online support groups.
A mental health support group could augment the professional treatment you receive but the services you get from this group should never be treated as substitute to your medical and psychological treatments. This group could open you up to reality and may even give you new hope, but remember that treatment for a mental illness is not all about will power.
Bipolar and Schizophrenia: Are Both Disorders the Same?
For years, psychiatrists and medical professionals have said that bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are two very distinct mental illnesses. This idea came from a world-renowned German psychiatrist named Emil Kraepelin. Eric Kraepelin has said that bipolar disease and schizophrenia are two very different mental disorders. Up until today, the separation of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia is still being practiced by psychiatrists.
However, you have to consider that bipolar disorder and schizophrenia is very difficult to distinguish from each other. Both have the same signs and symptoms and psychiatrist often makes mistakes when diagnosing a patient with one of the disorders.
Today, there are certain methods developed to clearly distinguish both diseases. Psychiatrists and brain specialists all over the world have determined that bipolar disorder and schizophrenia have distinct signs and symptoms where they can base their diagnosis from.
The first thing you have to consider is that patients with bipolar disorder can experience a schizophrenia-like delusions and hallucinations. However, bipolar disorder has a chronic form of the illness. However, it is still very difficult to distinguish both diseases from one another.
Schizophrenia disorder has been found that it also contains signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder, which includes depressive episodes and sometimes manic episodes. As you can see, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia is very hard to distinguish from one another. In fact, there have been several cases where psychiatrists and specialists have made a mistake in diagnosing their patients. There are some cases where severe schizophrenia disorders have the same signs and symptoms of bipolar disorders and even the same frequency of manic and depressive episodes.
Further studies and research have found that schizophrenia and bipolar disorder is a form of genetic illness. So, this means that finding out about the genetics of the person, psychiatrists and brain specialists can find a significant distinction of both disorders. Today, there are now available treatments for both disorders that can effectively help you in managing schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The treatment for both disorders can be in a form of psychotherapy and is usually combined with medications that can change the brain's biochemistry.
The medications combined with the psychotherapy sessions can help in stabilizing the brain functions and lessen the effect of the signs and symptoms in your life. It is important to remember that bipolar disorder and schizophrenia is often misdiagnosed. This will also mean that the patient can be given the wrong medication for their illness. You have to consider the fact that there are different medications for bipolar disorder and in schizophrenia.
Today, one of the most popular medications given to schizophrenic is called Clorazil. This medication is specially made for schizophrenics in order for them to control their brain functions. On the other hand, people suffering from bipolar illness are usually prescribed with a medication called Lithium. Lithium is a very effective medicine that can prevent manic episodes from recurring. For fast cycling bipolar illness, the medicine usually prescribed by specialists is called Valproic acid. This is also a great medication for regular cycling bipolar illness.
It is often very hard to distinguish bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. This is why it is very important for you to choose a doctor, a psychiatrist or a specialist that is reputable in the field of mental diseases. By choosing the right doctor, you can be sure that you will be treated with the right treatment and medications with your illness. It is very important that both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia should be detected as early as possible in order for the treatment to be more effective.
You have to consider that both illnesses can mentally cripple you and make you an unproductive member of the society. By letting the mental illness develop without getting it treated, it will worsen in time and can significantly affect your way of life.
So, if you or a member of your family is showing early signs of manic or depressive symptoms, you should immediately consult your doctor about it. They will be able to refer you to a reputable specialist in brain disorders. The specialists will be able to determine if it is either schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and administer the proper treatment for the disorder.
However, you have to consider that bipolar disorder and schizophrenia is very difficult to distinguish from each other. Both have the same signs and symptoms and psychiatrist often makes mistakes when diagnosing a patient with one of the disorders.
Today, there are certain methods developed to clearly distinguish both diseases. Psychiatrists and brain specialists all over the world have determined that bipolar disorder and schizophrenia have distinct signs and symptoms where they can base their diagnosis from.
The first thing you have to consider is that patients with bipolar disorder can experience a schizophrenia-like delusions and hallucinations. However, bipolar disorder has a chronic form of the illness. However, it is still very difficult to distinguish both diseases from one another.
Schizophrenia disorder has been found that it also contains signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder, which includes depressive episodes and sometimes manic episodes. As you can see, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia is very hard to distinguish from one another. In fact, there have been several cases where psychiatrists and specialists have made a mistake in diagnosing their patients. There are some cases where severe schizophrenia disorders have the same signs and symptoms of bipolar disorders and even the same frequency of manic and depressive episodes.
Further studies and research have found that schizophrenia and bipolar disorder is a form of genetic illness. So, this means that finding out about the genetics of the person, psychiatrists and brain specialists can find a significant distinction of both disorders. Today, there are now available treatments for both disorders that can effectively help you in managing schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The treatment for both disorders can be in a form of psychotherapy and is usually combined with medications that can change the brain's biochemistry.
The medications combined with the psychotherapy sessions can help in stabilizing the brain functions and lessen the effect of the signs and symptoms in your life. It is important to remember that bipolar disorder and schizophrenia is often misdiagnosed. This will also mean that the patient can be given the wrong medication for their illness. You have to consider the fact that there are different medications for bipolar disorder and in schizophrenia.
Today, one of the most popular medications given to schizophrenic is called Clorazil. This medication is specially made for schizophrenics in order for them to control their brain functions. On the other hand, people suffering from bipolar illness are usually prescribed with a medication called Lithium. Lithium is a very effective medicine that can prevent manic episodes from recurring. For fast cycling bipolar illness, the medicine usually prescribed by specialists is called Valproic acid. This is also a great medication for regular cycling bipolar illness.
It is often very hard to distinguish bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. This is why it is very important for you to choose a doctor, a psychiatrist or a specialist that is reputable in the field of mental diseases. By choosing the right doctor, you can be sure that you will be treated with the right treatment and medications with your illness. It is very important that both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia should be detected as early as possible in order for the treatment to be more effective.
You have to consider that both illnesses can mentally cripple you and make you an unproductive member of the society. By letting the mental illness develop without getting it treated, it will worsen in time and can significantly affect your way of life.
So, if you or a member of your family is showing early signs of manic or depressive symptoms, you should immediately consult your doctor about it. They will be able to refer you to a reputable specialist in brain disorders. The specialists will be able to determine if it is either schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and administer the proper treatment for the disorder.
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