Psychotic depressive disorder, more commonly known as major depressive disorder with psychotic features, is the most severe form of depression. It's much less common than other types of depression. It is a serious illness that carries significant...
Bipolar I disorder with psychotic features is a mood disorder characterized by unusually euphoric or agitated moods, along with depression or a mix of high and low moods. Psychotic symptoms are also part of this disorder, which can severely impact...
Anti-psychotics are used to treat episodes of severe mania in bipolar disorder. Manic episodes can veer out of control quickly, and may produce symptoms of psychosis. An anti-psychotic drug may be prescribed for long-term use if manic episodes...
Bipolar disorders create severe mood fluctuation---from depression (feelings of hopelessness and extreme loss of energy) to hypomania (elevation in energy without the extremes associated with mania) to mania (excessive energy, irritability and...
Diagnosing mental health symptoms can be a difficult and daunting task. Clinicians rely on self-reports from patients who may give inaccurate, vague or exaggerated descriptions of their symptoms. Many diagnoses are similar, and symptoms often...
Haldol, also known as haloperidol, is a medication that belongs to the class of drugs known as conventional anti psychotics, according to Medline Plus. It is used to treat motor tics (uncontrollable body movements), verbal tics (uncontrollable...
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association contains several different categories of mental disorders, organized by symptom profile. This categorization helps in the conceptualization of numerous psychological...
Although many mental disorders have a genetic root that causes chemical imbalances in the brain, mental disorders or symptoms resembling mental disorders can also result from environmental stressors, including certain ingested or inhaled...
Mental health professionals use the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" to diagnose mental health disorders and communicate about a client's problems and treatment with other professionals in the field. Hundreds of...
Vitamin B12, a water-soluble B-complex vitamin, assists in red blood cell formation, central nervous system development, energy production and fatty acid synthesis. Vitamin B12 works closely with folate, another B-complex vitamin, and deficiency...
For centuries, damiana has been used by some cultures to make herbs that act as a sexual aphrodisiac. Damiana, or turnera diffusa, are small bushes native to Mexico and Central America. The herb is sold in health food stores in many different...
Dual diagnosis refers to people who are suffering from a mental illness as well as being a substance abuser. Drug Rehab reports that about half of people with a mental disorder use alcohol or drugs as well. Being dually diagnosed is essential to...
Psychosis is an abnormal condition of the mind that can be diagnosed as mild to severe and is considered a general term for a variety of mental states. People with psychosis may experience confusion, hallucinations or delusional beliefs and can...
Psychosis is a term used to describe mental disturbances that cause loss of contact with reality and disintegration of personality. Delusions -- false beliefs that don't match your knowledge of reality -- and hallucinations are the hallmarks of...
Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder that causes severe impairment in several areas of functioning. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR), the age of onset of this disorder is from late teens to...
Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder that involves multiple disturbances in functioning. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 1 in 100 people worldwide has schizophrenia. This illness prevents sufferers from performing...
Paranoia refers to a symptom in which people become very aware of their environment and develop an unfounded observation about something. For example, an individual may think someone is following him. Sometimes, paranoia can be a sign of an...
Typhoid fever is a life-threatening bacterial infection caused by a bacteria called Salmonella typhi. Typhoid is contracted through consumption of food and water that has been contaminated with Salmonella typhi. According to MedlinePlus, typhoid...
Two bipolar disorders are recognized by the American Psychological Association. These are categorized as Bipolar 1 and Bipolar 2. Both disorders have in common severe mood swings. Decades of research have produced medications that are effective in...
The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that up to 4.1 percent of American adults are affected by attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD is a mental illness characterized by inattention, hyperactivity and impulsive...
If you or a loved one suspect that you may have Schizophrenia, the information below is a start along the pathway of self-education. You may conduct your own online search for more information or start with Schizophrenia.com. Schizophrenia is a...
"He just had a nervous breakdown." We hear it all the time. But what does it mean? "Nervous breakdown" is not a clinical diagnosis. But it is a way of explaining that your life has become completely unmanageable. Typically when you have what is...
Although elderly people experience disruptive changes and are constantly faced with the challenges that accompany old age, according to the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, the vast majority of elderly people adapt well and do not...
Scientific studies have shown that caffeine does have the ability to elevate cortisol levels in the body. Cortisol is released as a result of stimulation of the HPA axis of the central nervous system. The HPA axis is a part of the neuroendocrine...
Schizophrenia is a type of psychiatric condition known as a psychotic disorder. Schizophrenics often hear voices or suffer delusions, or false beliefs. These symptoms are believed to be caused by overactivity in a part of the brain that releases...
Dexedrine, a brand name for the medication dextroamphetamine, treats narcolepsy and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. It works by affecting the chemicals of the brain that contribute to impulse control and hyperactivity. Many...
Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder that significantly impairs a person's functioning. To be considered schizophrenic, a person must have hallucinations and delusions. Examples of hallucinations are hearing voices or seeing things that others do...
Paranoid schizophrenia is a type of psychotic disorder in which the sufferer believes he is being persecuted. He suffers from delusional thinking and auditory hallucinations of "voices" speaking to him. It is a chronic, permanent disorder that...
Depression refers to a group of illnesses that involve negative emotions such as sadness, loneliness, frustration, anxiety and purposelessness that negatively affect your life. Depression is common among adults, more so in women than in men....
