Mental Disorders
An Overview
Mental illnesses are conditions that disrupt people's moods, feelings, thinking, daily functioning and ability to relate to other people. These illnesses are biologically based brain disorders and cannot be dealt with through a persons "will power". They are not related to a persons character or intelligence. Often times mental illnesses result in a diminished capacity for coping with everyday life.
Types of Mental Disorders
Mental disorders fall on a continuum of severity. The most severe of the disorders is major depression, followed by schizophrenia, panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder (PT-SD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), bipolar disorder, and ending with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Six percent of the American population suffers from a serious mental illness and one in every five families is affected by a severe mental illness. It is also reported by The World Health Organization that four of the top ten leading causes of disability in the United States are mental disorders. It has been estimated that by the year 2020, major depressive illness will be the leading cause of disability in all of the world for both women and children.
Who is at RiskA person of any age, religion, or race can be affected by any of the mental disorders. It does not matter how much money a person has, what country they are from or the type of family and upbringing a person has. Often times it is found that the illness or disorder will strike people in the prime times of their lives, such as adolescence or young adulthood. Although the illness can strike at any point in a persons life, the young and elderly are found to be especially vulnerable. Mental illnesses are treatable and even people diagnosed with serious mental disorders can experience relief from their symptoms with an individual treatment plan designed by doctors and therepist.
Treatment
There is a wide array of services available to deal with mental illnesses that can be tailored to a persons needs. Medication treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, peer support groups and other community services can be part of a treatment plan designed to assist a person in their recovery. The treatments for mental illnesses are highly effective in this day and time with 70 to 90 percent of people having a seriously notable reduction in symptoms when following their treatment plan of medication and psychotherapy.
Effects of Untreated Disorders
The consequences of mental illness, for both the sufferer and society, are staggering when left without treatment. Unemployment, substance abuse, homelessness, incarceration, disability, suicide and wasted lives are all results of untreated mental illness. The economic cost of untreated mental disorders in the United States is more than 100 billion dollars each year. If you or someone close to you is suffering from any type of mental illness or disorder it is very important to seek the help of a doctor to create an individual treatment plan to avoid these problems and enable you or the person close to you the chance to lead a healthy life.
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