Greetings fellow Nationstate's members,
Welcome to the Nationstates Mental illness thread (NMIT for short.) I'm creating this thread because I have noticed that allot of young people suffer from at least one mental illness, which includes me, I suffer from multiple illnesses. I haven't seen any threads like this, so I decided to make one myself.
*Firstly. This thread is designed to discuss different mental health issues, and help one another cope with it. Not to slander those who are mentally ill, any slander towards those who suffer from illnesses will not be tolerated.
*Secondly. Random chatter won't be allowed, you have to stay on topic. If you wish to chat, take it to telegrams or the TET threads, mmk?
Depression.
*What is depression?
Depression is a feeling of complete despair, sadness, and loss of hope. In most cases, depression is a normal mood. But, when the sad feeling escalates and lasts for a long period of time. It's considered a major mental illness, which can last from days, to months, to years, and it can even last your entire life. Those with depression, suffer to get up and ready for school, work, or just to do day to day things..
*Symptoms of Depression.
-Changes in mood. (As in mood swings, going from happy all the time to being down in the dumps.)
-Changes in behavior. (Acting more aggressive, or other things. Lazing around all day, sleeping more than usual, or just not acting like themselves.)
-Change in diet. (Eating more or less than normal.)
-Decreased energy, fatigue, or overall 'slowed down'.
-Major feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, guilt, worthlessness, and hating yourself.
-Cutting yourself with sharp objects. Whether it be your arms, legs, chest, stomach, etc. It's all the same, and it's a cry for help.
-Suicidal behavior, talking about death and/or wanting to die.
-Actually attempting suicide.
(There are more and I'm happy to list them.)
*Causes of Depression.
There are many causes of Depression, all of which are traumatic and unforgettable.
-Neglect
-Child abuse (whether it be mental, physical, or emotional. It's all painful to bear.)
-Domestic violence (Whether it be towards you, your family, or someone you care about. It can affect you even if it's not directed at you.)
-Sexual abuse. (Again. It can either be directed towards you, or a loved one. It makes no difference.)
-Bullying. (This is a major one that effects mainly teenagers and sadly young children sometimes. From elementary school, to middle school, as well as high school, even college.)
-Genetics. (Yes, depression can run in families. Sad to think that, but it's true.)[/spoiler]
Getting help/Suicidal hotlines/Suicidal help centers and therapy.
Here's a link for the National Suicide prevention Lifeline. They're an organization to help those who suffer with depression and suicidal behavior. They will help you, or a loved one who's suffering in silence. Allot of depression victims cries for help go unnoticed, and they end up dead because everyone ignored their cry for help. Lets stop this together, because together we can prevent suicide and save those who need help.
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
Anorexia and Bulimia nervosa.
Anorexia nervosa, often referred to simply as anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by a low weight, fear of gaining weight, a strong desire to be thin, and food restriction.Many people with anorexia see themselves as overweight even though they are underweight.
Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating and purging, or consuming a large amount of food in a short amount of time followed by an attempt to rid oneself of the food consumed (purging), typically by vomiting, taking a laxative, diuretic, or stimulant, and/or excessive exercise, because of an extensive concern for body weight. Many individuals with bulimia nervosa also have an additional psychiatric disorder. Common comorbidities are mood disorders, anxiety, impulse control, and substance-misuse disorders.Patients with bulimia nervosa often have impulsive behaviors involving overspending and sexual behaviors as well as having family histories of alcohol and substance abuse, mood and eating disorders.
Signs and Symptoms.
*Anorexia.
-Eating less than usual. Or not eating at all.
-Talking about how fat they think they are, when they're really underweight.
-Pale complexion.
-Malnourishment.
-Yellowing of the skin.
-Hair, nails, and skin become brittle and dry.
-Yellowing of the eyes.
-Fatigue.
*Bulimia.
-Binge eating.
-After meals they go straight to the bathroom.
-Yellowing of the skin and nails.
-Hair, nails and skin become brittle.
-Sour throats.
-Bad dental health. As in bad breathe, tooth decay, and erosion of the esophagus.
-Bad body odor.
-Vomiting all the time.
-Thinking they're fat no matter how skinny they get.
-Always checking their weight.
-Usually don't eat in front of people.
-Weight gain or weight loss.
Causes
Nobody really understands what causes an eating disorder, but most of the time anything can trigger it.
-Bad self-esteem.
-Bullying.
-Sexual abuse.
-Domestic violence.
-Death of a family member or a loved one, or even multiple.
-Already suffering from other mental illnesses.
-Etc. (Will list more later.)
Getting help.
If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please help them or yourself and talk to a trusted family member, friend, or a nice adult to help support you and get the therapy you need. Nobody should have to suffer in silence, alone and in the dark.
http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/find-help-support
Anxiety
Anxiety disorders are a category of mental disorders characterized by feelings of anxiety and fear, where anxiety is a worry about future events and fear is a reaction to current events.These feelings may cause physical symptoms, such as a racing heart and shakiness.There are a number of anxiety disorders: including generalized anxiety disorder, a specific phobia, social anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, and panic disorder among others. While each has its own characteristics and symptoms, they all include symptoms of anxiety.
Different types.
-Phobias- Sufferers typically anticipate terrifying consequences from encountering the object of their fear, which can be anything from an animal to a location to a bodily fluid to a particular situation. Sufferers understand that their fear is not proportional to the actual potential danger but still are overwhelmed by it.
-Pain disorders- With panic disorder, a person has brief attacks of intense terror and apprehension, often marked by trembling, shaking, confusion, dizziness, nausea, and/or difficulty breathing. These panic attacks, defined by the APA as fear or discomfort that abruptly arises and peaks in less than ten minutes, can last for several hours. Attacks can be triggered by stress, fear, or even exercise; the specific cause is not always apparent.
In addition to recurrent unexpected panic attacks, a diagnosis of panic disorder requires that said attacks have chronic consequences: either worry over the attacks' potential implications, persistent fear of future attacks, or significant changes in behavior related to the attacks.
-Social anxiety disorder- Social anxiety disorder (SAD; also known as social phobia) describes an intense fear and avoidance of negative public scrutiny, public embarrassment, humiliation, or social interaction. This fear can be specific to particular social situations (such as public speaking) or, more typically, is experienced in most (or all) social interactions. Social anxiety often manifests specific physical symptoms, including blushing, sweating, and difficulty speaking
-Obsessive–compulsive disorder- Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a type of anxiety disorder primarily characterized by repetitive obsessions (distressing, persistent, and intrusive thoughts or images) and compulsions (urges to perform specific acts or rituals). The OCD thought pattern may be likened to superstitions insofar as it involves a belief in a causative relationship where, in reality, one does not exist. Often the process is entirely illogical; for example, the compulsion of walking in a certain pattern may be employed to alleviate the obsession of impending harm.
-Post-traumatic stress disorder- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that results from a traumatic experience. Post-traumatic stress can result from an extreme situation, such as combat, natural disaster, rape, hostage situations, child abuse, bullying, or even a serious accident. It can also result from long-term (chronic) exposure to a severe stressor,[16] for example soldiers who endure individual battles but cannot cope with continuous combat. Common symptoms include hypervigilance, flashbacks, avoidant behaviors, anxiety, anger and depression.
Causes and Coping.
*Causes
-Drugs.
-Stress.
-Death of a family member or loved one.
-Near death experiences.
-War.
-Domestic violence towards yourself or loved ones.
-Divorce or break-ups.
-Genetics.
*How to Cope.
-Therapy/counseling.
-Talking to loved ones about it.
-Toning down your stress level, as in relax a little for a while.
-Medication from your doctor.
-Doing something you love.
Alzheimers disease.
Alzheimer's disease (AD), also known as Alzheimer disease, or just Alzheimer's, accounts for 60% to 70% of cases of dementia.It is a chronicler generative disease that usually starts slowly and gets worse over time.The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events (short-term memory loss). As the disease advances, symptoms can include: problems with language, disorientation (including easily getting lost), mood swings, loss of motivation, not managing self care, and behavioral issues. As a person's condition declines, she or he often withdraws from family and society.Gradually, bodily functions are lost, ultimately leading to death.[3] Although the speed of progression can vary, the average life expectancy following diagnosis is three to nine years.
Signs and symptoms.
-Memory loss.
-Change in mood and behavior. As in mood swings and acting more hostile or depressed than usual.
-Abstract thinking.
-Apathy.
-Less perception. (Agnosia)
-Apraxia.
-Language problems.
-Problems speaking.
-Acting delusional.
-Sundowning.
-Illusionary misidentification.
-Urinary incontinence.
-Fatigue.
-Pressure ulcers.
-Pneumonia symptoms.
Causes.
The causes of Alzheimer's disease is very misunderstood, we don't know what exactly causes it. It's not understood yet, we're still researching to try and figure it out.
Schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder often characterized by abnormal social behavior and failure to recognize what is real. Common symptoms include false beliefs, unclear or confused thinking, auditory hallucinations, reduced social engagement and emotional expression, and lack of motivation. Diagnosis is based on observed behavior and the person's reported experiences. Genetics and early environment, as well as psychological and social processes, appear to be important contributory factors. Some recreational and prescription drugs appear to cause or worsen symptoms. The many possible combinations of symptoms have triggered debate about whether the diagnosis represents a single disorder or a number of separate syndromes. Despite the origin of the term, from Greek skhizein, meaning "to split", andphrēn, meaning "mind", schizophrenia does not imply a "split personality" or "multiple personality disorder" — a condition with which it is often confused in public perception. Rather, the term means a "splitting of mental functions", reflecting the presentation of the illness.
Signs and Symptoms.
-Hallucinations.
-Hearing voices that aren't really there.
-Disorganized speech and thinking.
-Delusions.
-Paranoia.
-Social isolation.
-Long-term memory loss.
-Loss of attention.
-Speed of processing information is slowed.
-Catatonia.
Causes.
-Genetics. Schizophrenia can run in families.
-Environment. Environmental factors associated with the development of schizophrenia include the living environment, drug use and prenatal stressors. Parenting style seems to have no major effect, although people with supportive parents do better than those with critical or hostile parents.Childhood trauma, death of a parent, and being bullied or abused increase the risk of psychosis. Living in an urban environment during childhood or as an adult has consistently been found to increase the risk of schizophrenia by a factor of two, even after taking into account drug use, ethnic group, and size of social group. Other factors that play an important role include social isolation and immigration related to social adversity, racial discrimination, family dysfunction, unemployment, and poor housing conditions.
-Substance abuse. As in drug addiction.
Asperger syndrome.
Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger's syndrome, Asperger disorder (AD) or simply Asperger's, is an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, alongside restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. It differs from other autism spectrum disorders by its relative preservation of linguistic and cognitive development. Although not required for diagnosis, physical clumsiness and atypical (peculiar or odd) use of language are frequently reported.The diagnosis of Asperger's was eliminated in the 2013 fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and replaced by a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder on a severity scale.
Signs and Symptoms.
-Social Interaction. A lack of demonstrated empathy has a significant impact on aspects of communal living for persons with Asperger syndrome. Individuals with AS experience difficulties in basic elements of social interaction, which may include a failure to develop friendships or to seek shared enjoyments or achievements with others (for example, showing others objects of interest), a lack of social or emotional reciprocity (social "games" give-and-take mechanic), and impaired nonverbal behaviors in areas such as eye contact, facial expression, posture, and gesture.
-Restricted and repetitive interests and behavior. People with Asperger syndrome display behavior, interests, and activities that are restricted and repetitive and are sometimes abnormally intense or focused. They may stick to inflexible routines, move in stereotyped and repetitive ways, or preoccupy themselves with parts of objects. Pursuit of specific and narrow areas of interest is one of the most striking features of AS. Individuals with AS may collect volumes of detailed information on a relatively narrow topic such as weather data or star names, without necessarily having a genuine understanding of the broader topic. For example, a child might memorize camera model numbers while caring little about photography. This behavior is usually apparent by age 5 or 6. Although these special interests may change from time to time, they typically become more unusual and narrowly focused, and often dominate social interaction so much that the entire family may become immersed. Because narrow topics often capture the interest of children, this symptom may go unrecognized.
Causes.
Hans Asperger described common symptoms among his patients' family members, especially fathers, and research supports this observation and suggests a genetic contribution to Asperger syndrome. Although no specific gene has yet been identified, multiple factors are believed to play a role in the expression of autism, given the phenotypic variability seen in children with AS. Evidence for a genetic link is the tendency for AS to run in families and an observed higher incidence of family members who have behavioral symptoms similar to AS but in a more limited form (for example, slight difficulties with social interaction, language, or reading). Most research suggests that all autism spectrum disorders have shared genetic mechanisms, but AS may have a stronger genetic component than autism. There is probably a common group of genes where particular alleles render an individual vulnerable to developing AS; if this is the case, the particular combination of alleles would determine the severity and symptoms for each individual with AS.
Autism.
Autism is a neurological developmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, and restricted and repetitive behavior. Parents usually notice signs in the first two years of their child's life.These signs often develop gradually, though some children with autism reach their developmental milestones at a normal pace and then regress. The diagnostic criteria require that symptoms become apparent in early childhood, typically before age three.
Signs and Symptoms.
-Social Development. Social deficits distinguish autism and the related autism spectrum disorders (ASD; see Classification) from other developmental disorders.People with autism have social impairments and often lack the intuition about others that many people take for granted. Noted autistic Temple Grandin described her inability to understand the social communication of neurotypicals, or people with normalneural development, as leaving her feeling "like an anthropologist on Mars".
-Communication. About a third to a half of individuals with autism do not develop enough natural speech to meet their daily communication needs. Differences in communication may be present from the first year of life, and may include delayed onset of babbling, unusual gestures, diminished responsiveness, and vocal patterns that are not synchronized with the caregiver. In the second and third years, children with autism have less frequent and less diverse babbling, consonants, words, and word combinations; their gestures are less often integrated with words. Children with autism are less likely to make requests or share experiences, and are more likely to simply repeat others' words (echolalia) or reverse pronouns. Joint attention seems to be necessary for functional speech, and deficits in joint attention seem to distinguish infants with ASD: for example, they may look at a pointing hand instead of the pointed-at object, and they consistently fail to point at objects in order to comment on or share an experience. Children with autism may have difficulty with imaginative play and with developing symbols into language.
-Repetitive Behavior.
*Stereotypy is repetitive movement, such as hand flapping, head rolling, or body rocking.
*Compulsive behavior is intended and appears to follow rules, such as arranging objects in stacks or lines.Sameness is resistance to change; for example, insisting that the furniture not be moved or refusing to be interrupted.
*Ritualistic behavior involves an unvarying pattern of daily activities, such as an unchanging menu or a dressing ritual. This is closely associated with sameness and an independent validation has suggested combining the two factors.
*Restricted behavior is limited in focus, interest, or activity, such as preoccupation with a single television program, toy or game.
*Self-injury includes movements that injure or can injure the person, such as eye-poking, skin-picking, hand-biting and head-banging.
Causes.
It has long been presumed that there is a common cause at the genetic, cognitive, and neural levels for autism's characteristic triad of symptoms. However, there is increasing suspicion that autism is instead a complex disorder whose core aspects have distinct causes that often co-occur.
Rules.
1. Please, keep it clean. Don't be hateful towards anyone here.
2. Stay on subject, please, keep random chatter in TET or through telegrams.
3. If you can't do it anywhere else on NS, please do not do it here. That includes trolling, troll naming, flaming, and other things like that.
4. This thread is to discuss mental illnesses, and how they effect your life. And anything else on that subject. Getting help, coping with it, getting the word out about the many mental illnesses out there and what they are, and to discuss each individual illness.
5. This thread will get updated every once in a while, due to me adding new mental illnesses as we continue on the subject. Just inform me about an illness you'd like to have added here and I will gladly add it with a definition, description, and how to cope with it.
Keep in mind.
1. Reminder. This thread will continue to grow as we go along. I will add more to the list of mental illnesses by request, or just to add them.
2. If you have any questions, go ahead and ask them and I'll gladly answer. It'd either be me, or my helpers answering your questions/requests.
3. I majorly used Wikipedia to define everything and to learn more about it all. As well as hospital websites and help pages. As well as my own experiences with these mental illnesses.
Welcome to the Nationstates Mental illness thread (NMIT for short.) I'm creating this thread because I have noticed that allot of young people suffer from at least one mental illness, which includes me, I suffer from multiple illnesses. I haven't seen any threads like this, so I decided to make one myself.
*Firstly. This thread is designed to discuss different mental health issues, and help one another cope with it. Not to slander those who are mentally ill, any slander towards those who suffer from illnesses will not be tolerated.
*Secondly. Random chatter won't be allowed, you have to stay on topic. If you wish to chat, take it to telegrams or the TET threads, mmk?
Depression.
*What is depression?
Depression is a feeling of complete despair, sadness, and loss of hope. In most cases, depression is a normal mood. But, when the sad feeling escalates and lasts for a long period of time. It's considered a major mental illness, which can last from days, to months, to years, and it can even last your entire life. Those with depression, suffer to get up and ready for school, work, or just to do day to day things..
*Symptoms of Depression.
-Changes in mood. (As in mood swings, going from happy all the time to being down in the dumps.)
-Changes in behavior. (Acting more aggressive, or other things. Lazing around all day, sleeping more than usual, or just not acting like themselves.)
-Change in diet. (Eating more or less than normal.)
-Decreased energy, fatigue, or overall 'slowed down'.
-Major feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, guilt, worthlessness, and hating yourself.
-Cutting yourself with sharp objects. Whether it be your arms, legs, chest, stomach, etc. It's all the same, and it's a cry for help.
-Suicidal behavior, talking about death and/or wanting to die.
-Actually attempting suicide.
(There are more and I'm happy to list them.)
*Causes of Depression.
There are many causes of Depression, all of which are traumatic and unforgettable.
-Neglect
-Child abuse (whether it be mental, physical, or emotional. It's all painful to bear.)
-Domestic violence (Whether it be towards you, your family, or someone you care about. It can affect you even if it's not directed at you.)
-Sexual abuse. (Again. It can either be directed towards you, or a loved one. It makes no difference.)
-Bullying. (This is a major one that effects mainly teenagers and sadly young children sometimes. From elementary school, to middle school, as well as high school, even college.)
-Genetics. (Yes, depression can run in families. Sad to think that, but it's true.)[/spoiler]
Getting help/Suicidal hotlines/Suicidal help centers and therapy.
Here's a link for the National Suicide prevention Lifeline. They're an organization to help those who suffer with depression and suicidal behavior. They will help you, or a loved one who's suffering in silence. Allot of depression victims cries for help go unnoticed, and they end up dead because everyone ignored their cry for help. Lets stop this together, because together we can prevent suicide and save those who need help.
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
Anorexia and Bulimia nervosa.
Anorexia nervosa, often referred to simply as anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by a low weight, fear of gaining weight, a strong desire to be thin, and food restriction.Many people with anorexia see themselves as overweight even though they are underweight.
Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating and purging, or consuming a large amount of food in a short amount of time followed by an attempt to rid oneself of the food consumed (purging), typically by vomiting, taking a laxative, diuretic, or stimulant, and/or excessive exercise, because of an extensive concern for body weight. Many individuals with bulimia nervosa also have an additional psychiatric disorder. Common comorbidities are mood disorders, anxiety, impulse control, and substance-misuse disorders.Patients with bulimia nervosa often have impulsive behaviors involving overspending and sexual behaviors as well as having family histories of alcohol and substance abuse, mood and eating disorders.
Signs and Symptoms.
*Anorexia.
-Eating less than usual. Or not eating at all.
-Talking about how fat they think they are, when they're really underweight.
-Pale complexion.
-Malnourishment.
-Yellowing of the skin.
-Hair, nails, and skin become brittle and dry.
-Yellowing of the eyes.
-Fatigue.
*Bulimia.
-Binge eating.
-After meals they go straight to the bathroom.
-Yellowing of the skin and nails.
-Hair, nails and skin become brittle.
-Sour throats.
-Bad dental health. As in bad breathe, tooth decay, and erosion of the esophagus.
-Bad body odor.
-Vomiting all the time.
-Thinking they're fat no matter how skinny they get.
-Always checking their weight.
-Usually don't eat in front of people.
-Weight gain or weight loss.
Causes
Nobody really understands what causes an eating disorder, but most of the time anything can trigger it.
-Bad self-esteem.
-Bullying.
-Sexual abuse.
-Domestic violence.
-Death of a family member or a loved one, or even multiple.
-Already suffering from other mental illnesses.
-Etc. (Will list more later.)
Getting help.
If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please help them or yourself and talk to a trusted family member, friend, or a nice adult to help support you and get the therapy you need. Nobody should have to suffer in silence, alone and in the dark.
http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/find-help-support
Anxiety
Anxiety disorders are a category of mental disorders characterized by feelings of anxiety and fear, where anxiety is a worry about future events and fear is a reaction to current events.These feelings may cause physical symptoms, such as a racing heart and shakiness.There are a number of anxiety disorders: including generalized anxiety disorder, a specific phobia, social anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, and panic disorder among others. While each has its own characteristics and symptoms, they all include symptoms of anxiety.
Different types.
-Phobias- Sufferers typically anticipate terrifying consequences from encountering the object of their fear, which can be anything from an animal to a location to a bodily fluid to a particular situation. Sufferers understand that their fear is not proportional to the actual potential danger but still are overwhelmed by it.
-Pain disorders- With panic disorder, a person has brief attacks of intense terror and apprehension, often marked by trembling, shaking, confusion, dizziness, nausea, and/or difficulty breathing. These panic attacks, defined by the APA as fear or discomfort that abruptly arises and peaks in less than ten minutes, can last for several hours. Attacks can be triggered by stress, fear, or even exercise; the specific cause is not always apparent.
In addition to recurrent unexpected panic attacks, a diagnosis of panic disorder requires that said attacks have chronic consequences: either worry over the attacks' potential implications, persistent fear of future attacks, or significant changes in behavior related to the attacks.
-Social anxiety disorder- Social anxiety disorder (SAD; also known as social phobia) describes an intense fear and avoidance of negative public scrutiny, public embarrassment, humiliation, or social interaction. This fear can be specific to particular social situations (such as public speaking) or, more typically, is experienced in most (or all) social interactions. Social anxiety often manifests specific physical symptoms, including blushing, sweating, and difficulty speaking
-Obsessive–compulsive disorder- Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a type of anxiety disorder primarily characterized by repetitive obsessions (distressing, persistent, and intrusive thoughts or images) and compulsions (urges to perform specific acts or rituals). The OCD thought pattern may be likened to superstitions insofar as it involves a belief in a causative relationship where, in reality, one does not exist. Often the process is entirely illogical; for example, the compulsion of walking in a certain pattern may be employed to alleviate the obsession of impending harm.
-Post-traumatic stress disorder- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that results from a traumatic experience. Post-traumatic stress can result from an extreme situation, such as combat, natural disaster, rape, hostage situations, child abuse, bullying, or even a serious accident. It can also result from long-term (chronic) exposure to a severe stressor,[16] for example soldiers who endure individual battles but cannot cope with continuous combat. Common symptoms include hypervigilance, flashbacks, avoidant behaviors, anxiety, anger and depression.
Causes and Coping.
*Causes
-Drugs.
-Stress.
-Death of a family member or loved one.
-Near death experiences.
-War.
-Domestic violence towards yourself or loved ones.
-Divorce or break-ups.
-Genetics.
*How to Cope.
-Therapy/counseling.
-Talking to loved ones about it.
-Toning down your stress level, as in relax a little for a while.
-Medication from your doctor.
-Doing something you love.
Alzheimers disease.
Alzheimer's disease (AD), also known as Alzheimer disease, or just Alzheimer's, accounts for 60% to 70% of cases of dementia.It is a chronicler generative disease that usually starts slowly and gets worse over time.The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events (short-term memory loss). As the disease advances, symptoms can include: problems with language, disorientation (including easily getting lost), mood swings, loss of motivation, not managing self care, and behavioral issues. As a person's condition declines, she or he often withdraws from family and society.Gradually, bodily functions are lost, ultimately leading to death.[3] Although the speed of progression can vary, the average life expectancy following diagnosis is three to nine years.
Signs and symptoms.
-Memory loss.
-Change in mood and behavior. As in mood swings and acting more hostile or depressed than usual.
-Abstract thinking.
-Apathy.
-Less perception. (Agnosia)
-Apraxia.
-Language problems.
-Problems speaking.
-Acting delusional.
-Sundowning.
-Illusionary misidentification.
-Urinary incontinence.
-Fatigue.
-Pressure ulcers.
-Pneumonia symptoms.
Causes.
The causes of Alzheimer's disease is very misunderstood, we don't know what exactly causes it. It's not understood yet, we're still researching to try and figure it out.
Schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder often characterized by abnormal social behavior and failure to recognize what is real. Common symptoms include false beliefs, unclear or confused thinking, auditory hallucinations, reduced social engagement and emotional expression, and lack of motivation. Diagnosis is based on observed behavior and the person's reported experiences. Genetics and early environment, as well as psychological and social processes, appear to be important contributory factors. Some recreational and prescription drugs appear to cause or worsen symptoms. The many possible combinations of symptoms have triggered debate about whether the diagnosis represents a single disorder or a number of separate syndromes. Despite the origin of the term, from Greek skhizein, meaning "to split", andphrēn, meaning "mind", schizophrenia does not imply a "split personality" or "multiple personality disorder" — a condition with which it is often confused in public perception. Rather, the term means a "splitting of mental functions", reflecting the presentation of the illness.
Signs and Symptoms.
-Hallucinations.
-Hearing voices that aren't really there.
-Disorganized speech and thinking.
-Delusions.
-Paranoia.
-Social isolation.
-Long-term memory loss.
-Loss of attention.
-Speed of processing information is slowed.
-Catatonia.
Causes.
-Genetics. Schizophrenia can run in families.
-Environment. Environmental factors associated with the development of schizophrenia include the living environment, drug use and prenatal stressors. Parenting style seems to have no major effect, although people with supportive parents do better than those with critical or hostile parents.Childhood trauma, death of a parent, and being bullied or abused increase the risk of psychosis. Living in an urban environment during childhood or as an adult has consistently been found to increase the risk of schizophrenia by a factor of two, even after taking into account drug use, ethnic group, and size of social group. Other factors that play an important role include social isolation and immigration related to social adversity, racial discrimination, family dysfunction, unemployment, and poor housing conditions.
-Substance abuse. As in drug addiction.
Asperger syndrome.
Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger's syndrome, Asperger disorder (AD) or simply Asperger's, is an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, alongside restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. It differs from other autism spectrum disorders by its relative preservation of linguistic and cognitive development. Although not required for diagnosis, physical clumsiness and atypical (peculiar or odd) use of language are frequently reported.The diagnosis of Asperger's was eliminated in the 2013 fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and replaced by a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder on a severity scale.
Signs and Symptoms.
-Social Interaction. A lack of demonstrated empathy has a significant impact on aspects of communal living for persons with Asperger syndrome. Individuals with AS experience difficulties in basic elements of social interaction, which may include a failure to develop friendships or to seek shared enjoyments or achievements with others (for example, showing others objects of interest), a lack of social or emotional reciprocity (social "games" give-and-take mechanic), and impaired nonverbal behaviors in areas such as eye contact, facial expression, posture, and gesture.
-Restricted and repetitive interests and behavior. People with Asperger syndrome display behavior, interests, and activities that are restricted and repetitive and are sometimes abnormally intense or focused. They may stick to inflexible routines, move in stereotyped and repetitive ways, or preoccupy themselves with parts of objects. Pursuit of specific and narrow areas of interest is one of the most striking features of AS. Individuals with AS may collect volumes of detailed information on a relatively narrow topic such as weather data or star names, without necessarily having a genuine understanding of the broader topic. For example, a child might memorize camera model numbers while caring little about photography. This behavior is usually apparent by age 5 or 6. Although these special interests may change from time to time, they typically become more unusual and narrowly focused, and often dominate social interaction so much that the entire family may become immersed. Because narrow topics often capture the interest of children, this symptom may go unrecognized.
Causes.
Hans Asperger described common symptoms among his patients' family members, especially fathers, and research supports this observation and suggests a genetic contribution to Asperger syndrome. Although no specific gene has yet been identified, multiple factors are believed to play a role in the expression of autism, given the phenotypic variability seen in children with AS. Evidence for a genetic link is the tendency for AS to run in families and an observed higher incidence of family members who have behavioral symptoms similar to AS but in a more limited form (for example, slight difficulties with social interaction, language, or reading). Most research suggests that all autism spectrum disorders have shared genetic mechanisms, but AS may have a stronger genetic component than autism. There is probably a common group of genes where particular alleles render an individual vulnerable to developing AS; if this is the case, the particular combination of alleles would determine the severity and symptoms for each individual with AS.
Autism.
Autism is a neurological developmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, and restricted and repetitive behavior. Parents usually notice signs in the first two years of their child's life.These signs often develop gradually, though some children with autism reach their developmental milestones at a normal pace and then regress. The diagnostic criteria require that symptoms become apparent in early childhood, typically before age three.
Signs and Symptoms.
-Social Development. Social deficits distinguish autism and the related autism spectrum disorders (ASD; see Classification) from other developmental disorders.People with autism have social impairments and often lack the intuition about others that many people take for granted. Noted autistic Temple Grandin described her inability to understand the social communication of neurotypicals, or people with normalneural development, as leaving her feeling "like an anthropologist on Mars".
-Communication. About a third to a half of individuals with autism do not develop enough natural speech to meet their daily communication needs. Differences in communication may be present from the first year of life, and may include delayed onset of babbling, unusual gestures, diminished responsiveness, and vocal patterns that are not synchronized with the caregiver. In the second and third years, children with autism have less frequent and less diverse babbling, consonants, words, and word combinations; their gestures are less often integrated with words. Children with autism are less likely to make requests or share experiences, and are more likely to simply repeat others' words (echolalia) or reverse pronouns. Joint attention seems to be necessary for functional speech, and deficits in joint attention seem to distinguish infants with ASD: for example, they may look at a pointing hand instead of the pointed-at object, and they consistently fail to point at objects in order to comment on or share an experience. Children with autism may have difficulty with imaginative play and with developing symbols into language.
-Repetitive Behavior.
*Stereotypy is repetitive movement, such as hand flapping, head rolling, or body rocking.
*Compulsive behavior is intended and appears to follow rules, such as arranging objects in stacks or lines.Sameness is resistance to change; for example, insisting that the furniture not be moved or refusing to be interrupted.
*Ritualistic behavior involves an unvarying pattern of daily activities, such as an unchanging menu or a dressing ritual. This is closely associated with sameness and an independent validation has suggested combining the two factors.
*Restricted behavior is limited in focus, interest, or activity, such as preoccupation with a single television program, toy or game.
*Self-injury includes movements that injure or can injure the person, such as eye-poking, skin-picking, hand-biting and head-banging.
Causes.
It has long been presumed that there is a common cause at the genetic, cognitive, and neural levels for autism's characteristic triad of symptoms. However, there is increasing suspicion that autism is instead a complex disorder whose core aspects have distinct causes that often co-occur.
Rules.
1. Please, keep it clean. Don't be hateful towards anyone here.
2. Stay on subject, please, keep random chatter in TET or through telegrams.
3. If you can't do it anywhere else on NS, please do not do it here. That includes trolling, troll naming, flaming, and other things like that.
4. This thread is to discuss mental illnesses, and how they effect your life. And anything else on that subject. Getting help, coping with it, getting the word out about the many mental illnesses out there and what they are, and to discuss each individual illness.
5. This thread will get updated every once in a while, due to me adding new mental illnesses as we continue on the subject. Just inform me about an illness you'd like to have added here and I will gladly add it with a definition, description, and how to cope with it.
Keep in mind.
1. Reminder. This thread will continue to grow as we go along. I will add more to the list of mental illnesses by request, or just to add them.
2. If you have any questions, go ahead and ask them and I'll gladly answer. It'd either be me, or my helpers answering your questions/requests.
3. I majorly used Wikipedia to define everything and to learn more about it all. As well as hospital websites and help pages. As well as my own experiences with these mental illnesses.
Nice, I wish I had done this thread.
Maybe I'll learn something new.