Bipolar disorder was previously referred to by clinicians as manic-depressive illness, but has since been renamed. The National Institutes of Mental Health points out that bipolar disorder can be a severe and progressively worsening illness if...
Your body responds to exercise by adjusting its function and physiology. Regular physical activity promotes cardiovascular health, prevents the onset of disease, and can improve mental health.
Guggul is a plant resin that comes from the mukul myrrh tree. It has been in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years. Today, extracts of the plant are sold alone and in combination with other botanicals to treat high cholesterol and various...
Mood changes are one of the first symptoms of dopamine imbalance, but moods are not the only indication that dopamine levels are not at optimal levels. Dopamine affects thoughts, emotions and behaviors. Medications may help you with some of the...
The autonomic nervous system of the body is responsible for controlling unconscious body functions such as heart rate and rhythm, breathing, balance, excretion of toxins and digestion. According to Goldstein and colleagues in an "Annals of...
Balancing your hormones is an essential part of maintaining a youthful exuberance and vitality into old age. According to the Life Extension Foundation, aging men and women are routinely deficient in an endogenous hormone called...
Adrenal insufficiency is a disorder in which hormone production by the adrenal glands is impaired. The adrenal glands produce the hormones cortisol, aldosterone, some androgens and the chemical messengers, epinephrine and norepinephrine. Adrenal...
Although traditional summer camping is often out of reach for children with special needs, there are specialized camping programs across the United States that offer kids a variety of memorable experiences. Tailored for kids with specific...
Mental health issues span many different areas, from mental illness to learning disorders, to personality structure. Although it may be easy to identify things such as depression or schizophrenia as topics that fall under the broad label of...
The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that mood disorders such as depression affect more than 20 million American adults each year. Most people who seek treatment recover from an episode of depression, according to the Clinical...
Clinical data suggest that curcumin may have anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects, which has renewed scientific interest in its potential for helping to prevent and treat a number of diseases. Elevation of arterial blood pressure,...
Depressant drugs include alcohol, barbiturates and benzodiazepines. These substances increase the activity of an inhibitory neurotransmitter called GABA, short for gamma aminobutyric acid. Clinically, depressants are used to treat insomnia,...
Drug abuse can occur in many forms. Illegal drugs can be abused, as can legally prescribed or over-the-counter drugs. According to MedlinePlus, drug abuse is any improper use of medication that is ongoing for at least a year and has negative...
According to MedlinePlus, a medical information resource established by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, drug abuse is defined as the use of illegal drugs or the misuse of prescribed or over-the-counter medication for at least a year, with...
Drug addiction is a disorder that develops under the influence of several factors. According to the Mayo Clinic, both environmental conditions and genetics play a part in addictive behavior. Additionally, physiologic changes that occur in the body...
The "Clinical Textbook of Addictive Disorders" says that opiate drugs are natural or synthetic derivatives of the opium poppy. They include such drugs as heroin, morphine, codeine, oxycodone and methadone. According to the text "Essential...
Doctors at the Mayo Clinic report that depression is one of the most common illnesses in the world and affects sufferers both emotionally and physically. Clinical depression, often seen in combination with anxiety disorders, affects the mind and...
Ballet dancers are renowned for their poise, grace and skill. They make difficult steps appear effortless, like turns, jumps and leaps. Dancers, teachers, choreographers and company directors often place emphasis on maintaining low bodyweight....
Morphine is a pain-relieving substance and the most prominent psychoactive substance found in the plant Papaver somniferum--the opium poppy. Morphine is usually taken orally or by intravenous injection, but is also absorbed rapidly when vaporized...
Depressive disorders, such as major depression, dysthymia, seasonal affective disorder and postpartum depression, can devastate your overall sense of well-being and ability to function in everyday life. While specific treatments, like medication...
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, or NIAAA, explains that alcohol addiction is a disease that includes the following symptoms: craving alcohol, not being able to control drinking behavior, physical dependence on alcohol and...
Crystal meth, known pharmacologically as methamphetamine, is a stimulant drug that affects the nervous system by increasing the activity of certain neurotransmitters known as monoamines. According to the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, the...
Suboxone is a combination drug consisting of the medications buprenorphine and naloxone. It is used to aid rehabilitation in people recovering from drug addiction to opiates such as prescription pain killers and heroin, explains PubMed Health. The...
Body mass index (BMI) is a simple formula used to estimate a person's appropriate weight relative to his height. It is used widely throughout the world as a diagnostic tool for obesity and other weight-related disorders.
Testosterone naturally begins to decline in men once they reach age 30. In some cases, however, men experience a testosterone deficiency that is not due to the aging process. Injury, cancer, pituitary gland dysfunction, medication, kidney failure,...
Nutrition information can be confusing. One week you may hear that carbohydrates are all bad and should be avoided, and the next week you might be told to eat more carbohydrates, as long as they're the right kind. It's enough to confuse the most...
Everyone experiences a "blue" mood every now and then. However, if you have persistent feelings of sadness, depression or a lowered mood, your quality of life and overall well-being can suffer. Sometimes, certain prescription medications can help...
The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that more than 20 million American adults suffer from a mood disorder each year. Unfortunately, many of them do not seek professional treatment, according to a study published in the Annual Review...
The idea that bipolar disorder in young children is rare is increasingly being challenged, according to Arman Danielyan and colleagues in 2007 in the "Journal of Affective Disorders." In fact, one estimate cites that 70 percent of cases of bipolar...
Photosensitivity is an abnormal sensitivity of the skin to ultraviolet light, usually following exposure to certain oral or topical drugs or to other sensitizing chemicals and resulting in accelerated burning and blistering of the skin. Learn...
Juvenile diabetes is abnormally high blood sugar and a form of disordered metabolism in young adults. Get expert tips and advice on preventing, diagnosing, and treating juvenile diabetes in this video.
A yeast infection is a fungal infection of the vagina, oral cavity, intestines, or bladder. Get expert tips and advice on preventing, diagnosing, and treating yeast infections in this video.
Menstrual disorders refer to any abnormality in the menstrual cycle in a woman. Get expert tips and advice on diagnosing and treating menstrual disorders in this video.
