Different Careers Concerning Mental Disorders

September 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Mental disorders are so numerous and different that defining the term “mental disorder” is a little difficult. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders recognizes over four hundred different definitions of mental disorders. Generally speaking, a mental disorder is an abnormal behavioral or psychological pattern in an individual. Many disorders fit this definition, and there are several health care careers that treat them.

People interested in healthcare employment in a field that addresses mental disorders could look into the following professions:

  • Psychoanalysis: Psychoanalysts study and interpret human behavior, explore the relationship between the conscious mind and the unconscious mind, and delve into past experiences to find some sort of resolution to a patient’s mental problem. Psychoanalysis was developed by Sigmund Freud.
  • Psychiatry: Psychiatrists are specialists in diagnosing and treating mental, behavioral, or emotional illnesses. They are trained psychotherapists who can prescribe psychiatric medication and perform or order tests if necessary.
  • Psychology: Psychologists and psychiatrists share similar aims, but differ in that psychiatrists are licensed physicians. Psychologists cannot prescribe medication. They are also trained psychotherapists.
  • Primary Care Physicians: A primary care doctor is able to diagnose and treat some mental disorders or refer patients suffering from them to specialists.

With the possible exception of psychology, the above listed professions require specific medical degrees and all require years of study and hard work. But for those who have made it their career to help people with mental disorders, all that time and effort is outweighed by the benefits of the work.

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Addiction And Poor Mental Health – A Close Link That Should Not Be Ignored

May 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Issues in Mental Health Nursing

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There is a close link between poor mental health and addictive habits. A person who is mentally strong will have the capacity to think of the future and assess the pros and cons of relying on narcotic and others such substances. To smoke a cigar in a moment of weakness is one thing. However, to sell one’s personal belongings to finance one’s drug addiction is something far more serious.

This indicates a fundamental inability on the part of the individuals to control his or her mind and its desires. This is not an insurmountable problem. However, this problem, like addiction, will not go away on its own. It is important to tackle poor mental health just as an addict is treated with rehabilitation in a special institution,

A professional rehab institute will focus on both aspects of the problem. However, many individuals and family members focus on preventing addiction without paying attention to the mental illnesses aspect. Persons with poor self after addiction treatment may become more vulnerable to relapse in the future. The best way to avoid a relapse is to boost the mind of the individual to such an extent that the individual can tackle each and every problem without any fear or difficulty.

Needless to say, this is not something that can be achieved in a short period of time. Rather, the process will have to be carried out in a detailed and holistic manner for best results. Family support is very important because family forms the first line of defense as far as poor self esteem and other such issues are concerned.

 

 

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Talking to Someone Objective

February 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Many times, when it comes to mental health, people are hesitant to speak with a professional. Today the stigma of seeking counseling is nearly extinct and yet people are still concerned about what others think and are even self conscious about seeking out help. A person may assume that they are talking to some of the important people in their life and this should help them sort it all out. However sometimes it is so beneficial to speak to a professional, someone objective, who has the tool to share when someone needs assistance.

If you are concerned about what other people are going to think about your going to speak with someone about your current situation: don’t tell them. Take the chance and find out what this type of appointment has to offer. While one appointment with a professional does not mean that a magic wand will be waved and all will be better, it does mean that you are taking steps towards self improvement and a better sense of mental health. Many times the initial appointment is meant to give you some idea of what to expect and just share your story with someone.

In some cases, people see the benefit of just being able to let someone know what is going on in a completely honest way. You may want to talk to loved ones but worry that they will get their feelings hurt or even respond in an unhelpful manner. Here you can be as honest as you want without any type of anxiety of repercussions. This in and of itself can be freeing and it can seem like some of the burden begins to lift.

At the end of the conversation you may walk away with a plan that the two of you are going to work on together. Just knowing that there are steps to take to change the way that you feel can be inspiring. Sometimes in these deep and dark situations it is important to see that there is hope.

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Abortions and Depression; do They go Together?

January 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment
There’s been a lot of worry and studies done over the years about the mental health of women who’ve had abortions. It was questioned whether women who experience abortions also experience a greater degree of depression.
It makes sense that a woman would suffer depression after having such a procedure; women have abortions for a myriad of reasons; some, unfortunately, must abort the baby due to malformations and deformities and some due to the mother’s health. There are other reasons for having abortions, but that’s another blog post.
A Danish study of over 350,000 women who had abortions was done (studied from a year before the abortion to one year after it) to find what the impact of abortion is on women who have the procedure. Danish scientists put out a new report in the New England Journal of Medicine that abortion seems to have no ill long-term effects on a woman’s mental state.
Abortion Does Not Cause Mental Illness in the Women
Any depression suffered immediately after the procedure was diminished and went away in women who had no history of mental health problems. Even when this information was added to the plethora of information already gathered, it still had the same result.
However, the Danish researchers did find that women who had a history of mental health issues were more likely to have an abortion than women who had no mental health issues. So, if depression was a problem before the abortion, it was likely a problem after the abortion, but not to the detriment of the woman and not long-term, finding that there’s no link between abortions and mental illness or depression.
Some will still debate this issue, but the facts are there; lots of facts that make it very clear that abortions do not impact the mental health of a woman in an adverse and long-term way.
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