Emotional/Mental disorders

[Colonic Immigration]

Well, I was diagnosed with multiple personality disorder a few years ago. I have four separate personalities.

This in the past, but it died away... but they say it'll come back. Also Bipolar and Asperges. Agoraphobia.

[Ferrous Oxide]

Well, I was diagnosed with multiple personality disorder a few years ago. I have four separate personalities.

This'll probably sound incredible insensitive and backwards, but... do they all have their own sort of... lives?

And do any of the others besides "regular you" post here?

In fact, were you "regular you" when you posted that?

Or is MPD nothing like TV and films make it out to be?

[SaintB]

Autism and OCD

I also suffered from depression caused by stress and loneliness toward the end of last year.

[SaintB]

no. Half Scottish and half Irish. My dad's family never set foot in Ireland before coming to the US.

Yah, but that still means explosive anger disorder is normal. Usually after Scotch.

how did you know i drink scotch ?

Because you admitted to having Scottish AND Irish ancestors.

[SD_Film Artists]

Aspergers Syndrome- though many would argue that it's merely a difference or condition rather than a "disorder"..

[Heinleinites]

I SUFFER FROM VOICE IMMODULATION SYNDROME. IT IS A DISEASE WHICH CAUSES SUFFERERS TO BE UNABLE TO CONTROL THE VOLUME OR INFLECTION OF THEIR VOICES.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzpAyR3YIR0

[Ferrous Oxide]

Aspergers Syndrome- though many would argue that it's merely a difference or condition rather than a "disorder"..

No, I don't think so.

[SD_Film Artists]

^ Could you please be more specific?

Aspergers Syndrome- though many would argue that it's merely a difference or condition rather than a "disorder"..

I worded that wrong. It's just not a disorder, though some Scientology-esque companies in the US want it to be "cured". I'd still mention it here though as it's still a kind of condition.

[Reprocycle]

I worded that wrong. It's just not a disorder

ICD-10 would disagree

[Fictions]

I have never been diagnosed with anything because my family never goes to doctors and stuff unless absolutely necessary, I do hover know I am paranoid and Socially withdrawn.

[Ferrous Oxide]

I worded that wrong. It's just not a disorder, though some Scientology-esque companies in the US want it to be "cured". I'd still mention it here though as it's still a kind of condition.

Believe me, it's definitely a disorder.

[Lunatic Goofballs]

I have no emotional or mental disorders at all.

I'm just crazy.

[Saint Jade IV]

I don't really think I have have a disorder. I do get withdrawn and depressed enough that people notice and suggest anti-depressants. But a lot of that was due to my mother's nervous breakdown.

I had some issues with food in high school (I was 45 kilos at 169 cms).

[SD_Film Artists]

I worded that wrong. It's just not a disorder

ICD-10 would disagree

Well I was more thinking of the 'dis=wrong' thing that would be objectible, since "disorder" can kinda look like- 'problem-needs to be solved', thus going down the Autism Speaks route. Though 'disorder' as a general medical term is understandible. Not that it doesn't have its problems, both in itself and public knowledge.

[Atreath]

Adhd and Dissocial personality disorder.

Seriously though. Everything is a disorder these days.

[Robarya]

I have never been diagnosed with anything, and I intend to let it stay that way. But I can imagine that I might fill the criterias for a few "disorders."

Adhd and Dissocial personality disorder.

Seriously though. Everything is a disorder these days.

I can't agree more. There is essentially a disorder name for any sort of behaviour out there.

[Robarya]

Autism and OCD

I also suffered from depression caused by stress and loneliness toward the end of last year.

How old are you? Male or female? Got a girlfriend/boyfriend, or have you had one? Do you want one?

I was working with Autists a year ago, so It would be interesting if you could answer some questions.

[Galloism]

Well, I was diagnosed with multiple personality disorder a few years ago. I have four separate personalities.

This'll probably sound incredible insensitive and backwards, but... do they all have their own sort of... lives?

And do any of the others besides "regular you" post here?

In fact, were you "regular you" when you posted that?

Or is MPD nothing like TV and films make it out to be?

We have come to a quorum, and we have decided to simply link Wikipedia.

By the way, for those of you that didn't know - I'm being sarcastic about reaching quorum. Dissociative Identity Disorder doesn't work that way.

[Maineiacs]

Clinical depression and PTSD.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

Because this topic is about mental disorders, I would like to muse a bit, without detailing, into social anxiety disorder. Why? Because I suffer from it and I have found it slightly soothing to understand my own condition.

Social anxiety disorder, also known as social anxiety or social phobia is a diagnosis within psychiatry and other mental health professions referring to excessive social anxiety (anxiety in social situations) causing abnormally considerable distress and impaired ability to function in at least some areas of daily life. The diagnosis can be of a specific disorder (when only some particular situations are feared) or a generalized disorder. Generalized social anxiety disorder typically involves a persistent, intense, and chronic fear of being judged by others and of potentially being embarrassed or humiliated by one's own actions. These fears can be triggered by perceived or actual scrutiny by others. While the fear of social interaction may be recognized by the person as excessive or unreasonable, considerable difficulty can be encountered overcoming it. Approximately 13.3 percent of the general population may meet criteria for social anxiety disorder at some point in their lifetime, according to the highest survey estimate, with the male to female ratio being 1:1.5.

Physical symptoms often accompanying social anxiety disorder include excessive blushing, sweating (hyperhidrosis), trembling, palpitations, nausea, and stammering. Panic attacks may also occur under intense fear and discomfort. An early diagnosis may help in minimizing the symptoms and the development of additional problems such as depression. Some sufferers may use alcohol or other drugs to reduce fears and inhibitions at social events. It is very common for sufferers of social phobia to self-medicate in this fashion, especially if they are undiagnosed and/or untreated. This can lead to alcoholism or other kinds of substance abuse.

A person with the disorder may be treated with psychotherapy, medication, or both. Research has shown cognitive behavior therapy, whether individually or in a group, to be effective in treating social phobia. The cognitive and behavioral components seek to change thought patterns and physical reactions to anxiety-inducing situations. Prescribed medications include several classes of antidepressants: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). Other commonly used medications include beta-blockers and benzodiazepines, as well as newer antidepressants such as mirtazapine. A herb called kava has also attracted attention as a possible treatment, although safety concerns exist, especially given the unregulated nature of herbs in the United States.

Attention given to social anxiety disorder has significantly increased in the United States since 1999 with the approval and marketing of drugs for its treatment.

Diagnostic Criteria:
According to the DSM-IV-TR, to be diagnosed with Social Phobia all these criteria (A-H) must be met:

A. A marked and persistent fear of one or more social performance situations in which the person is exposed to unfamiliar people or to possible scrutiny by others. The individual fears that he or she will act in a way (or show anxiety symptoms) that will be humiliating or embarrassing. Note: In children, there must be evidence of the capacity for age-appropriate social relationships with familiar people and the anxiety must occur in peer settings, not just in interactions with adults.

B. Exposure to the social or performance situation almost invariably provokes an immediate anxiety response. This response may take the form of a situationally bound or situationally people predisposed Panic Attack. Note: In children, the anxiety may be expressed by crying, tantrums, freezing, or shrinking from social situations with unfamiliar people.

C. The person recognizes that their fear is excessive or unreasonable. Note: In children, this feature may be absent.

D. The social or performance situation is avoided, although it is sometimes endured with dread (intense anxiety or distress).

E. The avoidance, anxious anticipation of, or distress in, the feared social or performance situation interferes significantly with the person's normal routine, occupational (academic) functioning, social life, or if the person is markedly distressed about having the phobia.

F. In individuals under age 18 years, the duration is at least 6 months.

G. The fear or avoidance is not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance or a general medical condition and is not better accounted for by another mental disorder (e.g., Panic Disorder, Separation Anxiety Disorder, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, a Pervasive Developmental Disorder, or Schizoid Personality Disorder).

H. If a general medical condition or another mental disorder is present, the fear in Criterion A or the avoidance in Criteria D, is unrelated to it (e.g., the fear is not of Stuttering, trembling in Parkinson's disease, or exhibiting abnormal eating behavior in Anorexia Nervosa).

I. Generalized: if the fears include most social situations (also consider the additional diagnosis of Avoidant Personality Disorder).

Symptoms:
-Cognitive aspects
In cognitive models of Social Anxiety Disorder, social phobics experience dread over how they will be presented to others. They may be overly self-conscious, pay high self-attention after the activity, or have high performance standards for themselves. According to the social psychology theory of self-presentation, a sufferer attempts to create a well-mannered impression on others but believes he or she is unable to do so. Many times, prior to the potentially anxiety-provoking social situation, sufferers may deliberately go over what could go wrong and how to deal with each unexpected case. After the event, they may have the perception they performed unsatisfactorily. Consequently, they will review anything that may have possibly been abnormal or embarrassing. These thoughts do not just terminate soon after the encounter, but may extend for weeks or longer. Those with social phobia tend to interpret neutral or ambiguous conversations with a negative outlook and many studies suggest that socially anxious individuals remember more negative memories than those less distressed. An example of an instance may be that of an employee presenting to his co-workers. During the presentation, the person may stutter a word upon which he or she may worry that other people significantly noticed and think that he or she is a terrible presenter. This cognitive thought propels further anxiety which may lead to further stuttering, sweating and a possible panic attack.

-Behavioral aspects
Social anxiety disorder is a persistent fear of one or more situations in which the person is exposed to possible scrutiny by others and fears that he or she may do something or act in a way that will be humiliating or embarrassing. It exceeds normal "shyness" as it leads to excessive social avoidance and substantial social or occupational impairment. Feared activities may include almost any type of social interaction, especially small groups, dating, parties, talking to strangers, restaurants, etc. Physical symptoms include "mind going blank", fast heartbeat, blushing, stomach ache. Cognitive distortions are a hallmark, and learned about in CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy). Thoughts are often self-defeating and inaccurate.

The groundless fear of making telephone calls is typical, both answering and picking up, due to conversing's social nature. It may appear early in childhood.

According to psychologist B.F. Skinner, phobias are controlled by escape and avoidance behaviors. For instance, a student may leave the room when talking in front of the class (escape) and refrain from doing verbal presentations because of the previously encountered anxiety attack (avoid). Minor avoidance behaviors are exposed when a person avoids eye contact and crosses arms to avoid recognizable shaking. A fight-or-flight response is then triggered in such events. Preventing these automatic responses is at the core of treatment for social anxiety.

-Physiological aspects
Physiological effects, similar to those in other anxiety disorders, are present in social phobics. Faced with an uncomfortable situation, children with social anxiety may display tantrums, weeping, clinging to parents, and shutting themselves out. In adults, it may be tears as well as experiencing excessive sweating, nausea, shaking, and palpitations as a result of the fight-or-flight response. The walk disturbance (where you are so worried about how you walk that you lose balance) may appear, especially when passing a group of people. Blushing is commonly exhibited by individuals suffering from social phobia. These visible symptoms further reinforce the anxiety in the presence of others. A 2006 study found that the area of the brain called the amygdala, part of the limbic system, is hyperactive when patients are shown threatening faces or confronted with frightening situations. They found that patients with more severe social phobia showed a correlation with the increased response in the amygdala.

Treatment:
The most important clinical point to emerge from studies of social anxiety disorder is the benefit of early diagnosis and treatment. Social anxiety disorder remains under-recognized in primary care practice, with patients often presenting for treatment only after the onset of complications such as clinical depression or substance abuse disorders.

Research has provided evidence for the efficacy of two forms of treatment available for social phobia: certain medications and a specific form of short-term psychotherapy called Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), the central component being gradual exposure therapy.

Psychotherapy:
Research has shown that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can be highly effective for several anxiety disorders, particularly panic disorder and social phobia. CBT, as its name suggests, has two main components, cognitive and behavioral. In cases of social anxiety, the cognitive component can help the patient question how they can be so sure that others are continually watching and harshly judging him or her. The behavioral component seeks to change people's reactions to anxiety-provoking situations. As such it serves as a logical extension of cognitive therapy, whereby people are shown proof in the real world that their dysfunctional thought processes are unrealistic. A key element of this component is gradual exposure, in which the patient is confronted by the things they fear in a structured, sensitive manner. Gradual exposure is an inherently unpleasant technique; ideally it involves exposure to a feared social situation that is anxiety provoking but bearable, for as long as possible, two to three times a day. Often, a hierarchy of feared steps is constructed and the patient is exposed each step sequentially. The aim is to learn from acting differently and observing reactions. This is intended to be done with support and guidance, and when the therapist and patient feel they are ready. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for social phobia also includes anxiety management training, which may include techniques such as deep breathing and muscle relaxation exercises, which may be practiced 'in-situ'. CBT can also be conducted partly in group sessions, facilitating the sharing of experiences, a sense of acceptance by others and undertaking behavioral challenges in a trusted environment (Heimberg).

Some studies have suggested social skills training can help with social anxiety. However, it is not clear whether specific social skills techniques and training are required, rather than just support with general social functioning and exposure to social situations.

Additionally, a recent study has suggested that interpersonal therapy, a form of psychotherapy primarily used to treat depression, may also be effective in the treatment of social phobia.

Pharmacological treatments:
-SSRIs
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a class of antidepressants, are considered by many to be the first choice medication for generalised social phobia. These drugs elevate the level of the neurotransmitter serotonin, among other effects. The first drug formally approved by the Food and Drug Administration was paroxetine, sold as Paxil in the U.S. or Seroxat in the UK. Compared to older forms of medication, there is less risk of tolerability and drug dependency. However, their efficacy and increased suicide risk has been subject to controversy.

In a 1995 double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, the SSRI paroxetine was shown to result in clinically meaningful improvement in 55 percent of patients with generalized social anxiety disorder, compared with 23.9 percent of those taking placebo. An October 2004 study yielded similar results. Patients were treated with either fluoxetine, psychotherapy, fluoxetine and psychotherapy, placebo and psychotherapy, and a placebo. The first four sets saw improvement in 50.8 to 54.2 percent of the patients. Of those assigned to receive only a placebo, 31.7 percent achieved a rating of 1 or 2 on the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement scale. Those who sought both therapy and medication did not see a boost in improvement.

General side-effects are common during the first weeks while the body adjusts to the drug. Symptoms may include headaches, nausea, insomnia and changes in sexual behavior. Treatment safety during pregnancy has not been established. In late 2004 much media attention was given to a proposed link between SSRI use and juvenile suicide. For this reason, the use of SSRIs in pediatric cases of depression is now recognized by the Food and Drug Administration as warranting a cautionary statement to the parents of children who may be prescribed SSRIs by a family doctor. Recent studies have shown no increase in rates of suicide. These tests, however, represent those diagnosed with depression, not necessarily with social anxiety disorder. However, it should be noted that due to the nature of the conditions, those taking SSRIs for social phobias are far less likely to have suicidal ideation than those with depression.

-Other drugs
Although SSRIs are often the first choice for treatment, other prescription and illegal drugs are commonly used, sometimes only if SSRIs fail to produce any clinically significant improvement.

In 1985, before the introduction of SSRIs, anti-depressants such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) were frequently used in the treatment of social anxiety. Their efficacy appears to be comparable or sometimes superior to SSRIs or benzodiazepines. However, because of the dietary restrictions required, high toxicity in overdose, and incompatibilities with other drugs, its usefulness as a treatment for social phobics is now limited. Some argue for their continued use, however, or that a special diet does not need to be strictly adhered to. A newer type of this medication, Reversible inhibitors of monoamine oxidase subtype A (RIMAs) inhibit the MAO enzyme only temporarily, improving the adverse-effect profile but possibly reducing their efficacy.

Benzodiazepines are a short-acting and more potent alternative to SSRIs. These drugs are often used for short-term relief of severe, disabling anxiety. Alprazolam and clonazepam are usual benzodiazepines for social fear. Although benzodiazepines are still sometimes prescribed for long-term everyday use in some countries, there is much concern over the development of drug tolerance, dependency and recreational abuse. Benzodiazepines augment the action of GABA, the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain; effects usually begin to appear within minutes or hours.

In recent years, the novel antidepressant mirtazapine has been proven effective in treatment of social anxiety disorder. This is especially significant due to mirtazapine's fast onset and lack of many unpleasant side-effects associated with SSRIs (particularly, sexual dysfunction).

Some people with a form of social phobia called performance phobia have been helped by beta-blockers, which are more commonly used to control high blood pressure. Taken in low doses, they control the physical manifestation of anxiety and can be taken before a public performance.

A novel treatment approach has recently been developed as a result of translational research. It has been shown that a combination of acute dosing of d-cycloserine (DCS) with exposure therapy facilitates the effects of exposure therapy of social phobia (Hofmann, Meuret, Smits, et al., 2006). DCS is an old antibiotic medication used for treating tuberculosis and does not have any anxiolytic properties per se. However, it acts as an agonist at the glutamatergic N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor site, which is important for learning and memory (Hofmann, Pollack, & Otto, 2006). It has been shown that administering a small dose acutely 1 hour before exposure therapy can facilitate extinction learning that occurs during therapy.

-Supplements
Many people choose to self-medicate using legally available nutritional supplements. One such supplement believed to benefit sufferers of social anxiety is L-tryptophan, an amino acid that serves as a building block in natural production of serotonin. L-tryptophan also should be taken with vitamin B6 to aid conversion to serotonin and to avoid B6 depletion.

[Sorgan]

A.D.D
but its minor all i do is forgot things.

[Vojvodina-Nihon]

Around the beginning of puberty I was diagnosed with moderate to severe clinical depression and placed on medication; however, the condition showed no sign of improvement and I became convinced it was a misdiagnosis. Another doctor gave me the go-ahead to switch off the medication, and as soon as it was gone, I promptly got better. Currently I have no mental disorders, unless you consider "laziness" or "severe introversion" disorders. :P

[Pyrelos]

I hope this doesn't insult anyone.

A close friend of mines has recently been diagnosed with a Bipolar Disorder.. I always knew she was a bit off, but now I can't retaliate since I know she can't control it. How can I possibly deal with her wild mood swings?

[Galloism]

I hope this doesn't insult anyone.

A close friend of mines has recently been diagnosed with a Bipolar Disorder.. I always knew she was a bit off, but now I can't retaliate since I know she can't control it. How can I possibly deal with her wild mood swings?

Just like you would any other woman.

*runs*

For those of you incapable of discerning humor, that was a joke based on a stereotype for comedic effect - nothing more.

[Pyrelos]

I hope this doesn't insult anyone.

A close friend of mines has recently been diagnosed with a Bipolar Disorder.. I always knew she was a bit off, but now I can't retaliate since I know she can't control it. How can I possibly deal with her wild mood swings?

Just like you would any other woman.

*runs*

I can handle typical female mood swings . But when she swings.. It's just lunacy.

She is extremely jealeous ((Can't see me on the phone with another person)).. And just randomly shuts down and gets into deep depression. She is a wonderful person when stable, so i'm willing to put up with the disorder.