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Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychological problem characterized by reoccurring unwanted thoughts and fear (obsessions) that urge a person to do something repeatedly (compulsions). This is a long-term disorder that is now becoming common among people of all ages.

Signs and Symptoms of OCD:

The symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorders include either obsessions or compulsions and sometimes both. These symptoms impair one’s life functioning and therefore almost all aspects of life such as school, work, social, and personal relationships.

 Obsessions in OCD mean recurrent and persistent unwanted thoughts, mental images, or impulses that produce distressing feelings such as stress and anxiety. Common obsessions include:

• Persistent fear of germs or getting contaminated by touching objects
• Unwanted and uncontrollable thoughts related to religion, sex, or harm
• Horrific thoughts about harming others or oneself
• Always need things arranged symmetrically or in a perfect order

Compulsions refer to the repeated purposeful behavior or mental acts that an individual with OCD feels compelled to perform to reduce anxiety related to obsessive thoughts. Examples of symptoms of compulsions include:

• Excessive bathing, hand washing, and cleaning
• Repeatedly arranging things in an orderly manner
• Unconsciously checking on things such as checking to see if the switch is off or door is locked over and over again
• Following a strict schedule

However, all these habits don’t count as compulsions as everyone double-checks the switches and locks. But Individuals suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder generally:

• Can’t manage their thoughts and actions, even though they are recognized as recurrent and excessive
• Spend at least 60 minutes every day on these mental actions
• Don’t get happy when performing these thoughts but may experience only brief relief from anxiety and other distressing thoughts
• Struggle to perform daily functions due to these behaviors and thoughts

Some patients with OCD also get diagnosed with a tic disorder. Motor tics are sudden, involuntary, and repetitious movements of the body caused by spasm-like contractions of muscles such as eye blinking, shoulder shrugging, nose twitching, facial grimacing, and head jerking. Whereas vocal tics involve the sounds uttered unintentionally, for example, coughing, sniffing, throat clearing, and grunting.

The symptoms of OCD may change over time. People experiencing OCD try to help themselves by either avoiding events that trigger their obsessions or using drugs to relieve themselves. Most people are well aware that their actions do not make any sense but some may not realize that their actions are abnormal.

The symptoms of OCD among students are typically recognized by the parents and their teachers. However, the adults that think they have OCD should talk to their doctor immediately because untreated OCD can badly affect your lifestyle.

Risk Factors of OCD:

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is now becoming a common disorder affecting children, teenagers, and adults all over the world. Most people are diagnosed at the age of 19 but some older than 35 years of age are also diagnosed with this mental health illness.

Although the actual causes of OCD are yet unknown, its risk factors include:

Genetics:

Family studies have shown that an individual whose first-degree relative, for example, a parent, child, or sibling has OCD is at higher risk of developing this mental illness. This risk is even higher if that first-degree relative developed OCD in childhood or adolescence. More research is required to explore the connection between OCD and genetics that may help improve the diagnosis and treatment strategies for OCD.

Brain Structure and Functioning:

According to imaging studies, there is a difference in the structure of the frontal cortex and subcortical structures of the brain of patients suffering from OCD. The symptoms of OCD and abnormalities in certain areas of the brain are also found correlated, however, the connection is yet not clear. Identifying and understanding the real causes of OCD can help determine specific methods to treat OCD.

Environment:

The environment can also play a role in the development of OCD as studies have found an association between childhood trauma and symptoms of OCD. But still, more research is required in this area.

In some cases, children have been reported to develop symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder after getting a streptococcal infection. This condition is termed Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS).

Treatment and Therapies of OCD:

The typical treatment of OCD includes medications, psychotherapy (talk therapy), or sometimes both. Most OCD patients respond well to the treatment strategies but some patients continue to experience symptoms.

Some people with the obsessive-compulsive disorder also develop other mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), a mental health problem in which a person is upset about their body appearance. Keeping in view these mental health problems the treatment for OCD should be decided.

Medications:

First-line treatment of symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder is serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) which include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

Compared to depression, for the treatment of OCD higher doses of serotonin reuptake inhibitors are required. This may take 8 to 12 weeks until SRIs start working, however, some patients show rapid improvement.

If these medications fail to improve symptoms, some patients are treated with antipsychotic medications. According to research, antipsychotic medications can help manage symptoms of patients suffering from both OCD and tic disorder but more research is required regarding the effectiveness of these medicines to treat OCD.

Before starting the prescribed medication, make sure to:

• Talk to the pharmacist or healthcare provider and understand the health benefits and risks of prescribed medication.
• Don’t stop the medication suddenly and without consulting your doctor. This is because suddenly stopping the medication may cause rebound symptoms of OCD. Other life-threatening withdrawal effects may also occur.
• Talk to a specialist in case of any side effects. Ask them to change your dose or prescribe a different medication.

Some other medicines are also used to improve the symptoms of OCD but more research is required before a conclusion.

Psychotherapy:

This is the second treatment option for managing the symptoms of OCD among adults and children. Research suggests that psychotherapy such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and other therapies (habit reversal training) can be also used to treat OCD besides using medications. A new type of CBT called Exposure and Response Prevention (EX/RP) is also effective for treating compulsive symptoms in OCD, even in patients who don’t respond well to medications.

As with other mental health problems, OCD patients are also treated with medications, psychotherapy, or a combination of both. In some patients, Exposure and Response Prevention is considered a treatment option especially when medications do not prove effective.

Other Treatment Options:

Other treatment options include Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) approved by Food and Drug Administration, in 2018. TMS is now used as an adjunct in the treatment of symptoms of OCD in adults.

Finding help:

If you are experiencing symptoms of OCD for some time, it is time to seek professional help. Many mental health clinics offer online counseling sessions and virtual counseling that can help you manage the situation. In virtual counseling, your counselor monitors your activities regularly and helps you to be accountable through an online virtual system. This is an easily accessible service for everyone that ensures fast recovery.

The bottom line:

OCD is a long-term mental health condition that is becoming common in people of every age group. Symptoms of OCD include obsessions and compulsions caused due to some family history, environment, or structural changes in the brain. Anyone who experiences any symptoms of OCD should immediately talk to the doctor and get treatment. The best treatment strategy for OCD includes medications and counseling.

 All information in this article is written based on the publication of The National Institute of Mental Health, a U.S based federal agency that researches mental disorders. The experts of NIMH provide information on mental health problems and the latest mental health research.

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/

A big misconception about eating disorders is they are no health issues but lifestyle choices. In reality, eating disorders are complex, severe, and often fatal health problems that are associated with unhealthy eating habits and related emotions. This type of mental illness when left untreated can cause severe health consequences that may even result in death. The common eating disorders which we will be discussing in this article include:

• Anorexia nervosa
• Bulimia nervosa
• Binge-eating disorder

Signs and Symptoms:

Anorexia Nervosa:

This is the most widely known eating disorder which involves the severe restriction of food. Some people suffering from this condition completely avoid the food while others eat certain foods but only in small quantities. All these struggles are to lose weight significantly. People with this psychological condition see themselves as overweight, even when they are dangerously underweight.

Anorexia nervosa is further subdivided into two types:

• a restrictive subtype
• a binge-purge subtype

Restrictive subtype:  People experiencing this subtype of anorexia nervosa strictly limit the amount and type of food they eat.

Binge-purge subtype:  In this subtype also people restrict the food they consume. However, these people may also purge the food, eating a large amount of food in one sitting followed by the use of diuretics or laxatives to excrete out all the extra consumption.

Anorexia nervosa has a high mortality rate. Compared to other mental health disorders, this eating disorder is more fatal. People suffering from anorexia nervosa can die due to many complications associated with starvation. Such people are also at greater risk of committing suicide, making it the second leading cause of death.

Symptoms associated with anorexia nervosa include:

• Severely restricted diet
• Muscle wasting, leading to extreme thinness
• Persistently resist attaining normal weight or relentless desire to be skinny
• Afraid of gaining weight (even normal weight)
• A strong influence of body shape or body weight on self-esteem
• Disfigured body shape along with a denial of dangerously being underweight

Symptoms that may develop over time are:

• Thinning and weakening of bones (osteoporosis)
• Low blood hemoglobin levels, fatigue, and muscle weakness
• Brittle and dry hair and nails
• Pale, yellow, and dry skin
• Growth of fine and soft hair that covers the whole body (lanugo)
• Difficulty in passing stools (constipation)
• Hypotension (low blood pressure)
• Breathing problems and slow pulse rate
• Damage to the heart, leading to its decreased functioning
• Damage to the brain
• Decrease in metabolic rate that causes a drop in the internal body temperature causing an individual to feel cold and lethargic
• Multi-organ system failure
• Fatigue, tiredness, or sluggishness all the time
• Reduced sexual performance and infertility

Bulimia Nervosa:

Similar to anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa is also gaining attention these days. However, this eating disorder is completely opposite to anorexia because, in bulimia, people experience repeated episodes of eating a substantial amount of food at a certain time. Each episode continues until painfully full followed by behaviors that compensate for the overeating, for example, the use of diuretics and laxatives.

People suffering from bulimia nervosa are overweight or normal weight and sometimes slightly underweight.

Symptoms associated with bulimia nervosa include:

• Sore throat along with swollen salivary glands especially in the neck region
• Tooth enamel erosion followed by increased sensitivity and decaying of teeth due to frequent exposure to stomach acid
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and other stomach problems
• Intestinal irritation due to excessive use of laxatives
• Severe dehydration
• Electrolyte imbalance can disturb the heart functions increasing the risk of stroke or heart attack

Binge-eating disorder:

In this condition, the individual loses control over their eating and eats unusually large amounts of food in a relatively short duration of time. The symptoms of binge-eating disorder are much similar to bulimia except that the periods of binge-eating are not followed by the behaviors to get rid of the extra food and excessive exercising.  This is the reason why individuals with this type of eating disorder are mostly obese.

Symptoms associated with binge-eating disorder are:

• Eating a large amount of food despite being full in a very short duration of time such as a 1 to 2 hours period
• Eating in secret and until painfully full
• Eating fast
• Eating alone out of fear of being caught or emabrassarment
• Feelings of shame and guilt about eating such large quantities of food
• Frequently struggle for weight loss but can’t achieve the goal

Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID):

This eating disorder was previously known as a selective eating disorder. As the name suggests, in avoidant restrictive food intake disorder people restrict both the amount and type of food eaten due to a lack of interest in eating. People suffering from this eating disorder have no distorted body image or persistent fear of becoming overweight. Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder affects many individuals, particularly children. Children suffering from this problem can’t consume enough calories and therefore can’t develop properly. Similarly in adults ARFID interrupts the maintenance of basic body functions.

Symptoms associated with ARFID include:

• Restriction of type or amount of food that can prevent the consumption of enough calories
• Lack of interest in eating
• Significant weight loss and poor body development
• Abdominal pain and other stomach and intestinal issues
• Nutritional deficiencies due to picky eating

Risk Factors:

Eating disorders are types of psychological illness that can affect any person irrespective of their age, gender, race, and body weight. An individual can develop an eating disorder in childhood, adolescence, adulthood, or later in life.

Researchers are now using the latest technology to understand these problems and find their root causes. They are working to find out the genetic variations that can cause eating disorder that runs in families.

Brain imaging studies are also being done to understand the concept. For instance, researchers have observed an obvious difference in patterns of brain activity in healthy women and women suffering from some eating disorder. This type of research can help make advancements in terms of the diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders.

Treatment and therapies for eating disorders:

Individuals experiencing an eating disorder are at risk of developing other medical complications and committing suicide.

These medical complications include mental health problems such as stress, anxiety, and depression.

Below are the steps that should be followed for successful treatment of eating disorders

• Psychotherapy
• Proper monitoring
• Nutritional counseling
• Medications

Psychotherapy:

The goal of psychotherapy is for parents of affected adolescents to take responsibility for feeding their child and help him fulfill his nutritional requirements. People suffering from the disorder can also be treated with cognitive behavioral therapy to help them organize their distorted thoughts.

They should also be counseled through online counseling sessions or virtual counseling about how to deal with the situation.

Medications:

Medications such as anti-depressants, anti-psychotics, or mood stabilizers can also be used to manage the situation and prevent other medical complications such as anxiety, stress, or depression. The best approach is to consult with the health care provider before taking any medications.

Conclusion:

Eating disorders are the type of psychological disorders that disturb the normal eating pattern of a person. These include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, and binge-eating disorder. Eating disorders if left untreated can develop other medical complications. Therefore it is inevitable to seek professional help, attend counseling sessions and take some medications for effective results.

All information in this article is written based on the publication of The National Institute of Mental Health, a U.S based federal agency that researches mental disorders. The experts of NIMH provide information on mental health problems and the latest mental health research.

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/

For children and adults, mental well-being is important to ensure their overall health. However, many adults who are suffering from some mental health problem have been left undiagnosed and untreated in their childhood and adolescence. Therefore it is suggested that a young person with symptoms of mental problems should be treated as early as possible to get effective results. Moreover, early treatment can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases as the child grows up.

Signs of Mental Health Problem:

Sometimes as the child grows up, the hormonal imbalance in his body can make him frustrated and irritable. So it becomes difficult to figure out the reason for his troubling behavior. But if this annoying behavior of your child lasts for weeks or even months, and it affects his daily functioning at home and school, it is the time to talk to a health professional.

Below are the signs of young children that signal they require evaluation and treatment:

• Have annoying behavior and remain irritable for the most of the day
• Often express fear and worries
• Frequently complains about the headaches and stomachaches that are not supported by any medical cause
• Keep moving and can’t sit peacefully except when playing games or watching their favorite TV show
• Getting inadequate sleep or sleeping too much. Always feel tired
• Face difficulty in social interaction and can’t make friends easily
• Constantly struggling in the school or experiencing a continuous decline in their grades
• Repeatedly perform similar actions or check the things many times out of fear that something bad may happen to them

The warning signs of older children and adolescents showing that they need evaluation are:

• Have completely lost interest in their favorite hobbies that they used to enjoy
• Always feel low and tired
• Experience sleep disturbances, either sleep too much every night or too little
• Hesitant in making new friends and completely avoid social interactions
• Exercise regularly and becomes extremely conscious about their diet out of fear of gaining weight
• Engage themselves in self-destructive habits. For example, hitting themselves or burning the skin
• Use alcohol, cigarettes, and other drugs to get relief
• Get involved in harmful activities with their friends
• Have frequent thoughts of death and suicide
• Becomes hyperactive sometimes and sleeps fewer hours than usual
• Complain that they think someone is controlling their mind and body or they hear voices that a normal person can’t hear

Finding Help:

Mental health problems are treatable. So if you are the one affected by the mental illness, talk to your parents, counselor, or psychiatrist. Or if you are a parent and your child is experiencing the problem, talk to your child, his pediatrician, or your family doctor for help.

Many mental health clinics offer counseling for the parents and children to help them deal with the situation. Online counseling and virtual counseling sessions are offered to help you manage the situation as soon as possible.

The bottom line:

Mental disorders are becoming common in children and adolescents. If these problems are not addressed or treated on time, they can develop into chronic diseases. If your child shows any symptoms of mental problems, talk to a psychiatrist and seek professional help. Go for regular counseling sessions for quick results.

All information in this article is written based on the publication of The National Institute of Mental Health, a U.S based federal agency that researches mental disorders. The experts of NIMH provide information on mental health problems and the latest mental health research.

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/

For children and adults, mental well-being is important to ensure their overall health. However, many adults who are suffering from some mental health problem have been left undiagnosed and untreated in their childhood and adolescence. Therefore it is suggested that a young person with symptoms of mental problems should be treated as early as possible to get effective results. Moreover, early treatment can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases as the child grows up.

Signs of Mental Health Problem:

Sometimes as the child grows up, the hormonal imbalance in his body can make him frustrated and irritable. So it becomes difficult to figure out the reason for his troubling behavior. But if this annoying behavior of your child lasts for weeks or even months, and it affects his daily functioning at home and school, it is the time to talk to a health professional.

Below are the signs of young children that signal they require evaluation and treatment:

• Have annoying behavior and remain irritable for the most of the day
• Often express fear and worries
• Frequently complains about the headaches and stomachaches that are not supported by any medical cause
• Keep moving and can’t sit peacefully except when playing games or watching their favorite TV show
• Getting inadequate sleep or sleeping too much. Always feel tired
• Face difficulty in social interaction and can’t make friends easily
• Constantly struggling in the school or experiencing a continuous decline in their grades
• Repeatedly perform similar actions or check the things many times out of fear that something bad may happen to them

The warning signs of older children and adolescents showing that they need evaluation are:

• Have completely lost interest in their favorite hobbies that they used to enjoy
• Always feel low and tired
• Experience sleep disturbances, either sleep too much every night or too little
• Hesitant in making new friends and completely avoid social interactions
• Exercise regularly and becomes extremely conscious about their diet out of fear of gaining weight
• Engage themselves in self-destructive habits. For example, hitting themselves or burning the skin
• Use alcohol, cigarettes, and other drugs to get relief
• Get involved in harmful activities with their friends
• Have frequent thoughts of death and suicide
• Becomes hyperactive sometimes and sleeps fewer hours than usual
• Complain that they think someone is controlling their mind and body or they hear voices that a normal person can’t hear

Finding Help:

Mental health problems are treatable. So if you are the one affected by the mental illness, talk to your parents, counselor, or psychiatrist. Or if you are a parent and your child is experiencing the problem, talk to your child, his pediatrician, or your family doctor for help.

Many mental health clinics offer counseling for the parents and children to help them deal with the situation. Online counseling and virtual counseling sessions are offered to help you manage the situation as soon as possible.

The bottom line:

Mental disorders are becoming common in children and adolescents. If these problems are not addressed or treated on time, they can develop into chronic diseases. If your child shows any symptoms of mental problems, talk to a psychiatrist and seek professional help. Go for regular counseling sessions for quick results.

All information in this article is written based on the publication of The National Institute of Mental Health, a U.S based federal agency that researches mental disorders. The experts of NIMH provide information on mental health problems and the latest mental health research.

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/

A traumatic event is a type of incident that is highly stressful, shocking,  or dangerous. It can cause a lot of physical and psychological distress. Traumatic events are often marked by a feeling of helplessness, anxiety,   hopelessness, and extreme fear of death.

Experiences like natural disasters (such as earthquakes, and floods), war, terrorism, witnessing a death, domestic and sexual abuse, serious illness, car crashes, or other accidents are accounted as traumatic events.

Researchers are investigating various factors that can help people deal with stressful situations or that increase their risk for other health problems such as depression, following a traumatic event.

Warning Signs and Symptoms:

Every individual responds to traumatic events differently. However, shock and denial are the most common reactions.

According to the health experts, some people show immediate and brief responses while others show delayed but prolonged responses. Most people have an intense immediate response that can last for several weeks or even months.

These intense responses include:

• Anxiety, grief, and rage
• Trouble concentrating and sleeping, leading to laziness.
• Continuous thoughts about the traumatic event

These responses are normal and expected to be lessened with time. But if these responses continue for a longer time and start interfering with one’s daily life, they should be addressed and treated immediately through some professional help such as online counseling.

Some warning signs that indicate that a person needs quick help include:

• Anxiety, sadness, and fear
• Crying often without any reason
• Having trouble thinking clearly and performing well
• Having flashbacks about the traumatizing event
• Difficulty sleeping due to nightmares
• Feeling irritable and becoming anti-social
• Avoiding people, situations, and places that remind them of past stressful events

Similar to adults, children and teens also show these symptoms and develop kind of disrespectful and destructive behaviors.

They may feel guilty for failing to prevent the event, therefore develop feelings of revenge.

Some physical responses to trauma also indicate that an individual needs professional help. These physical responses include:

• Headaches
• Stomach upset, anorexia, and digestive issues
• Pounding heart, rapid breathing, feeling shaky and sweaty
• Feeling tired
• Feeling detached and confused
• Being very jumpy and easily startled

Individuals who have faced some traumatic events in the past, suffer from a mental health problem, face chronic stress, or lack moral and financial support from friends and family are more likely to develop severe symptoms, and therefore need some additional help.

Some people shift to alcohol and smoking to manage their symptoms unaware of the fact that these substances only help temporarily. Moreover, their continuous use can lead to other health problems and get in the way of recovery.

Tips to cope with traumatic stress:

Some proven ways that can help you cope with traumatic stress are:

• Try to stay engaged in your work and social life
• Avoid addictive substances like alcohol, cigarettes, and other drugs
• Try to spend quality time with your loved ones and friends who are always supportive
• Pursue your hobbies
• Maintain your normal routine
• Give yourself time and recognize your power and control over happenings
• Avoid major life decisions soon after the fearful event.

Finding Professional Help:

If you can’t practice any of the above-mentioned methods to cope with traumatic events, it is time to seek professional help. There are online counseling sessions and virtual counseling that can help you manage the situation. In virtual counseling, your counselor monitors your activities regularly and helps you to be accountable through an online virtual system.

This is an easily accessible service for everyone that ensures fast recovery.

The bottom line:

A traumatic event is a shocking experience that causes a lot of stress. Individuals show different physical and emotional responses to the trauma. If these responses interfere with life, they need to be managed through professional methods. Online counseling and virtual counseling are now widely used treatments that promise a fast recovery.

All information in this article is written based on the publication of The National Institute of Mental Health, a U.S based federal agency that researches mental disorders. The experts of NIMH provide information on mental health problems and the latest mental health research.

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/

World Health Organization statistics indicate that women are approximately two times more likely to experience mental health problems compared to men. However, all mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and personality disorders affect men and women differently. According to experts, there are some particular types of mental health disorders that are more common among women.

For instance, some women may experience symptoms of mental illness such as perimenopause-related depression, postpartum psychosis, and body dysphoric disorder at times of hormone change.

However, researchers are still working to clearly differentiate the percentage of men and women who experience some other mental health problems such as schizophrenia, eating disorders, and bipolar disorders.

The sex of an individual largely affects the course of the illness. Females experience these mental problems differently as certain symptoms in them are more common than in males.

Researchers are only now beginning to differentiate the various biological and psychosocial factors that may affect the mental health of both men and women and impair their lives.

Warning Signs:

Both men and women are vulnerable to developing the same type of psychological problems but they show different signs and symptoms. Here are some warning signs associated with some mental health disorders in women:

• Persistent sadness, emptiness, and endless feeling of hopelessness
• Alcohol or substance abuse
• Dramatic changes in eating, sleeping, and personal care habits
• Appetite changes that lead to significant weight changes
• Low energy or tiredness
• Extreme agitation, anxiety, guilt, fear, or worry
• Unshakable beliefs in something unnatural
• Extreme changes in mood
• Physical problems such as aches, headaches, or digestive problems without a known cause
• Social withdrawal
• Irresistible suicidal thoughts
• Reduced sexual performance
• Decreased productivity at work or home

Finding Help:

Fortunately, mental health disorders are treatable. First, consult a specialist and get your problem diagnosed. After this, your doctor will advise you to go for medications and psychotherapies (counseling). Besides medications, online counseling is becoming trendy due to its countless benefits.

Various mental health clinics offer online counseling to treat mental health problems. Psychotherapists talk to their patients, understand their problems, and help them figure out the ways to deal with the situation. Not only this but with virtual counseling they track your all-day activities and help you become mentally fit.

The bottom line:

Mental health disorders are more common among women compared to men. Although both men and women can develop the same type of mental health problem, their symptoms can vary. Thankfully, mental health illness in women is treatable. With online counseling sessions, you can easily get back to your old life.

All information in this article is written based on the publication of The National Institute of Mental Health, a U.S based federal agency that researches mental disorders. The experts of NIMH provide information on mental health problems and the latest mental health research.

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/

Life is always stressful— sometimes you feel stressed about your performance in school, the workload at your job, traumatic events, or a significant change in life. Everyone, from younger to the elder, feels stress at some point in their life.

Stress is the physical as well as the mental response of the body to external factors that can be threatening or unexpected for a person. These external factors are called stressors that can be short-term occurrences or happen repeatedly for a long time.

The most common stressors of every age are loneliness, overly restrictive rules or regulations, illness, the death of a loved one, and poor time management.

Anxiety, simply put, is the reaction of your body to stress. It is a feeling of apprehension about the future that might make you feel restless and tense.

Anxiety if not treated can interfere with your daily life which can affect your physical and mental health.  This may increase the chance of getting some psychological disorders or experiencing some other health problems.

Difference between anxiety and stress:

Stress is a response of your body to some harmful situations such as losing a job or chronic illness while anxiety is internal. It is simply your body’s reaction to psychological stress.

Anxiety involves a persistent fear of the future that doesn’t quickly disappear and ultimately interferes with one’s lifestyle. Stress, however, quickly goes away once the problem is resolved.

Stress can either be positive or negative. It may either motivate you to achieve your goals or cause you to lose your sleep.

Similarities between stress and anxiety:

Both stress and anxiety negatively influence your mental and physical health. The common symptoms of stress and anxiety are:

• Excessive worry and uneasiness
• Muscle Tension
• Hypertension
• Disturbed sleep schedule
• Body aches and pain

Managing stress is very important. If symptoms of stress impair your life and you can’t handle it, there is a chance that you might develop some anxiety disorder.

Coping strategies for anxiety and stress:

Complete information about stressors and coping techniques can help you reduce stress and improve your daily life. Not a single strategy can work for everyone so it may take repeated analysis to discover what works best for you. Both mild stress and mild anxiety can be managed with similar coping strategies.

Following are some strategies that can help you cope with stress and anxiety:

• Keep a diary and write your worries.
• Download a verified app that provides some relaxation exercises or tips for meditation
• Exercise daily and follow a healthy diet plan
• Get sufficient night's sleep
• Avoid coffee and tea
• Fight against your demotivating or self-obstructive thoughts.
• Reach out to your loved ones who understand you and can help you deal with difficult situations.

When to seek professional help:

Coping with stress or anxiety may drain away all your energy, so it is suggested to immediately consult a mental health professional. Medication and psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy or counseling, are effective treatments for stress and anxiety.

Many mental health clinics offer online counseling that can help you deal with your mental condition. Through virtual counseling, psychotherapists track down all your daily activities and give some professional advice regarding changes you should make in life to become mentally fit.

One of the most effective and widely used types of psychotherapy is cognitive-behavioral therapy. It is a type of mental health treatment that helps people learn how to identify and change the disturbing thoughts that have a negative effect on their lives.

The bottom line:

Both stress and anxiety are two major mental health problems that everyone experiences at some point in their lives. If symptoms of these problems are left untreated, they can interfere with your lifestyle and make you physically ill. So one should try some coping strategies or talk to a psychotherapist for effective treatment.

All information in this article is written based on the publication of The National Institute of Mental Health, a U.S based federal agency that researches mental disorders. The experts of NIMH provide information on mental health problems and the latest mental health research.

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/

Depression is a common mental health problem marked by negative emotions or low moods that affect every aspect of one’s life. Depression causes severe symptoms that negatively influence one's way of feeling, thinking, and attitude towards managing day-to-day activities, such as working, sleeping, exercising, and eating.

Depression causes feelings of sadness, loneliness, or loss of interest in the activities you used to enjoy. Fortunately, depression is treatable.

People who are diagnosed with depression show symptoms for at least two weeks.

Types of depression:

Some of the unique forms of depression that may develop under unusual circumstances are:

Persistent depressive disorder (also called dysthymia) is a chronic form of depression whose symptoms may last for at least 2 years.

An individual diagnosed with dysthymia (PDD) may also experience alternating periods of major depression and less severe symptoms. However, to diagnose this condition, an adult must have a depressed mood with feelings of hopelessness, fatigue, and low self-esteem for at least 2 years.

Postpartum depression is a type of childbirth depression experienced by new moms. Postpartum depression can last for months compared to maternity blues which typically goes away two weeks after childbirth.

However, women with postpartum depression experience full-blown major depression symptoms such as mood swings, crying spells, and difficulty sleeping during pregnancy or after delivery.  The feelings of extreme sadness, anxiety, and exhaustion that accompany postpartum depression may make it difficult for these new mothers to take care of themselves and their newborns.

Psychotic depression is another serious form of depression that involves severe depression plus some form of psychosis, such as delusions, hallucinations, or some other break with reality.

This type of depression affects roughly one out of every four people admitted to the hospital with a history of depression.

The seasonal affective disorder is related to changes in the season. This health problem begins and ends at about the same time in the year. This depression generally begins during the onset of winter seasons due to less exposure to natural sunlight. The symptoms of seasonal affective disorder are loss of interest in activities, feeling hopeless, having low energy, and gaining weight. These symptoms however lift during the spring or summer seasons.

Bipolar disorder, sometimes called a manic disorder, is different from depression. However, it is considered a type of depression because of symptoms which include episodes of extreme mood swings that meet the criteria for depression. But the moods of a person with bipolar disorder often fluctuate between extreme high (euphoric or irritable) moods called “mania” or a less severe form called “hypomania.”

Other types of depressive disorders newly added to the diagnostic classification of DSM-5 include disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (in children and adolescents) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (in women able to get pregnant).

Signs and Symptoms:

Depression is now becoming a common problem. Therefore, a good knowledge of its signs and symptoms can help you get diagnosed earlier. If you are experiencing any of the following signs and symptoms constantly for at least 14 days, you may be suffering from major depressive disorder:

If you are experiencing any of the following signs and symptoms constantly for at least 14 days, you may be suffering from major depressive disorder:

• Persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or emptiness
• Angry outbursts or irritability over small matters
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
• Complete loss of interest in all daily activities and hobbies
• Tiredness and lack of energy or fatigue
•  Weight loss due to a reduced desire for food or increased cravings for food causing weight gain
• Trouble concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
• Slowed speaking or other body movements
• Anxiety, agitation, exhaustion, or restlessness
• Sleep disturbances such as insomnia and waking early in the morning or oversleeping
• Uncontrolled thoughts of death, suicide, or suicidal attempts
• Unexplained physical health issues such as headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment.

Not everyone suffering from depression experiences every symptom. Some people experience only a few symptoms of depression while others experience many symptoms.

 The severity and frequency of symptoms and how long they last will vary depending on the individual depending upon the stage of illness.

Risk Factors:

There is no single factor responsible for causing depression. Current research suggests that depression is caused by a combination of factors such as:

• Genetic factors
• Environmental factors
• Biological factors
• Psychological factors
• No age group is resistant to experiencing depression.

However, the most vulnerable group to suffer from depression is the adult group.

In older adults, depression is related to some serious physical illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and Parkinson’s disease.

However, the medications used to treat these medical illnesses can cause depression as a side effect.

Common risk factors for depression include:

• A strong family history of depression
• Significant changes in life such as  loss of health, the death of a loved one, or stress
• Conflict with friends or family members
• History of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse

Treatment and Therapies:

Fortunately, every type of depression is treatable.

Standard treatment options for depression are:

• Psychotherapy
• Medications
• Combination of the two

These treatments are effective in most cases. However, if these treatments do not reduce symptoms, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and other brain stimulation therapies may be the alternative options.

It should be noted here that no two people are affected the same way by depression and there is no single treatment that helps everyone. It may take some trial and error to find the best treatment for an individual.

Medications:

You may have heard of “antidepressants”. These are the clinically approved medicines that treat depression. They help balance the levels of certain chemicals such as dopamine in your brain. This helps your brain control mood or stress.

First, you need to try several different antidepressant medicines to find out the one that improves your symptoms and has manageable side effects. Family history of using a particular medicine for treating depression can also be considered. Usually, antidepressants take 2 to 4 weeks to work, and often, symptoms such as sleep, appetite, and concentration problems improve before mood lifts. Therefore, the right approach is to try a medication before concluding its effectiveness.

Sometimes, people taking antidepressants feel improvement in their symptoms and then stop taking the medication on their own. This is not the right approach. According to experts, once you have begun taking antidepressants, don’t stop using them without consulting your doctor otherwise your depression might return.

After a course of approximately 6 to 12 months, when your symptoms have been improved to a great extent, you should consult your doctor about decreasing your dose slowly but safely.

This is because stopping the medicines abruptly can cause withdrawal symptoms that can worsen your condition.

Note: The Food and Drug Administration U.S. recommends watching closely the patients taking antidepressants, especially during the first few weeks of the treatment. This is because in some cases children, teens, and young adults under 25 taking antidepressants are at risk of experiencing an increase in suicidal thoughts, especially in the initial days of treatment.

Pregnant women or those breastfeeding should talk to their doctor about any increased health risks to them or their child.

An herbal medicine called St. John's wort is a top-selling botanical product. However, the FDA has not yet approved its use as a prescription medicine for depression because of some serious concerns about its safety and effectiveness.

People with depression should never use St. John’s wort before talking to their health care provider. Other dietary supplements such as S-adenosylmethionine and omega-3 fatty acids also have not yet been proven safe and effective for routine use.

Psychotherapies:

Psychotherapy often called counseling or talk therapy is a popularly practiced treatment for depression. This treatment helps the patient find out some easy ways to deal with everyday stressors. Examples of evidence-based approaches specific to the treatment of depression include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), interpersonal therapy (IPT), Psychodynamic therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and problem-solving therapy.

Many online platforms now offer online and virtual counseling sessions for the treatment of depression. Various virtual tools have been introduced that help you determine your degree of depression and then consult with a psychologist for treatment. Virtual counseling can help you get quicker results due to any time access to your therapist and 24/7 monitoring of your daily activities.

Brain Stimulation Therapies:

If your medicines don’t help reduce the symptoms of depression, brain stimulation therapies such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be an option to explore.

According to the latest research:

• Electroconvulsive therapy can help people with severe depression who have not been able to feel better with other treatments.
• Electroconvulsive therapy can be an effective method for treating depression. In cases where a rapid response is necessary but medications can’t be used safely, this therapy can even be a first-line intervention.
• Electroconvulsive therapy was once strictly an inpatient procedure, but today it is often performed on an outpatient basis. The treatment consists of a series of sessions typically three times a week, for a period of two to four weeks.
• ECT may cause some potential side effects such as disorientation, fatigue, nausea, confusion, headache,  and slight memory loss. Usually, these side effects last from minutes to hours, but, sometimes memory problems can persist for months.

Advancements in ECT devices and methods have made modern electroconvulsive therapy safe and effective for mental health patients. Before giving your consent to undergo ECT, make sure to consult with your specialist and get all information regarding the potential benefits and risks of this treatment.

• ECT is not painful as you cannot feel any electrical impulses. Before starting the treatment, a patient is put under brief anesthesia and given a muscle relaxant. Then the treatment session is started which usually takes only a few minutes, and after one hour the patient is conscious and alert.

Other recently introduced types of brain stimulation therapies that have been proven effective for the treatment of depression (medicine-resistant) include:

• Repetitive transcranial
• Magnetic stimulation (rTMS)
• Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS)

Other things you can do:

Following are the some effective tips you or your loved can try to deal with the symptoms of depression:

• Stay active or exercise regularly
• Set some realistic goals for yourself
• Try to spend more quality time with others and confide in a trusted friend or relative
• Say no to loneliness and let others help you
• Give yourself some time and expect your mood to improve gradually, not immediately.
• Postpone major changes in your life such as getting married or divorced, or changing jobs until you feel better. Share your decisions with others who know you well.
• Stay on track and continue to educate yourself about depression.

The bottom line:

Depression is a common mental health problem that affects your everyday life. There are many types of depression and not every type has the same treatment. Medications and counseling are effective treatments for reducing symptoms of depression. In some severe cases where medications don’t work, ECT can also be used.

All information in this article is written based on the publication of The National Institute of Mental Health, a U.S based federal agency that researches mental disorders. The experts of NIMH provide information on mental health problems and the latest mental health research.

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/

The younger generations of today have received a bad rap. More specifically speaking of millennials. The overarching perception of millennials is that they are outspoken, uneducated, and always looking for a “quick fix” to problems. It is important to note that every generation has its strengths and weaknesses. Every generation has its own awakening, and the importance of therapy and mental health is the awakening for millenials. Without millennials, would the world know the importance of being your best self? Truthfully, you are not your best self if your mental health is not in check. 

When you think of the word “therapy”, who and what do you think of? Personally, I think of millennials and generation z as the average therapy goers. Why is this the case? Perhaps it"s the vulnerability that comes along with social media- one of the upsides to social media. People are now more than ever inspired to be vulnerable and honest on social media, which can translate to off the screen as well. We must nourish ourselves to flourish with others. One way of nourishing ourselves is through therapy.Therapy is a wonderful and powerful tool to transform your mind and your life! However, this tool can be expensive. Like any other investment, we need to measure our return on investment. How can we maximize our counseling outcomes? 

Micheal Karson (Ph.D) suggests 6 things to look for in a therapist.

(https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/feeling-our-way/201905/6-things-look-in-therapist)

• The first of these six elements is that you and your therapist are cohesive. Therapy works best if you and your therapist work together, not just utilizing therapy as a one-sided relationship. Set clear goals for your therapy and daily journaling of all activities toward your goals and what hinders you. Sharing your daily journals with your therapist will create a cohesive force toward reaching your goals.

• The next element is pattern recognition. Pattern recognition is when a therapist can spot patterns of mistakes in your life and give you a different way of thinking and going about life. To emphasize,by sharing your daily journaling or mood tracing can be powerful for tracking your progress and measuring outcomes. 

• The third element is vitality and convention. This section talks about life balance between you and your therapist. It is important to make time for each other, while also that life does not start and end with therapy sessions. Therapy is used as a means to guide you through life in a healthier way than before. 

• The fourth element that Karson suggests when looking for a therapist is comedic sensibility; finding a middle ground between having a meaningful therapy session but also making it lighthearted. 

• The fifth element is being correctable. A mindful therapist makes sure that there is no victim-blaming in conversations shared between the therapist and patient, and makes sure the patient knows his or her mistakes and learns from them.

• Finally, the last element is titled therapeutic approach. Karson says to “Find a therapist who acts like a therapist and not like a friend or a doctor. And avoid therapists who compliment, criticize, or comfort you”. Therapists must do their job in the right setting. Of course a part of their job is to make sure you are comfortable, but their job is not to be your companion, but rather a colleague. It is important to have people you can rely on to help you become the best version of yourself. 

Thank you for reading through this article. Use my ID; Katelyn22 and receive a 10% discount if you decide to find your counselor on https://www.person.care/. Everybody needs a Coach!

The mind is a powerful vessel. However, this vessel can get worn down, forget important details, and can sometimes not be the most reliable. As humans, we need outlets. Some have physical outlets such as hiking, painting, singing, and every other activity known to man could be considered an outlet to relieve some sort of feeling of tension. The most powerful outlet of all is journaling. Writing ideas and thoughts down is a great way to measure growth and progress through different emotions, trauma, anxiety, mental illnesses, etc. Journaling is a private practice of well-being, so the person journaling can be completely honest with him or herself. 

There are different ways to journal, no one is more right than the other, or more wrong. One method, recommended by Dr. Shilagh Mirgain, says to pick an event or feeling that has significance to you, (if the event or feeling recently occurred, it is recommended to wait a few weeks until you start journaling) journal about this for 4 days for 15-20 minutes at a time. After, do as you feel is best.. burn the journal, hide it, keep it in the open, etc. Other methods, all recommended by Emma McAdam who is a licensed marriage and family therapist, include journaling practices that help restore the mind and body. 1 of 3 approaches to therapy journaling is creating a diagram of a problem or situation. This helps organize thoughts and bring clarity to thoughts- clarify what is real and what is not. The second approach is called “clarify your locus control”. Create 3 columns. The one on the far left reads “in my control”, the middle column reads “influence” (what one can influence, but still not change entirely), and the far right column reads “out of control”. The third approach recommended by Emma McAdam is to write an alternate version of a situation. Write about how you would like to be feeling, write about how you would like to handle a situation- focus on what is in your control. The purpose of this exercise is to not write about how you wished the other person reacted, but rather how you would like to handle issues in the future and address situations accordingly. These exercises can result in powerful outcomes, but it requires an open mind, a pen and a journal first! 

Journaling/ simply writing thoughts and feelings down helps process different emotions and/or traumas, relaxing, can make one more self-aware and critically think, etc. The downside of this practice is that if you are not consistent, you can lose interest and thoughts can be scattered. 

Journaling as a part of therapy has been in practice for 5 decades. This is a fairly new practice. According to https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/journal-therapy, Journal therapy originated in the 1960s with psychologist Dr. Ira Progoff"s Intensive Journal method. Especially with technology at the core of today’s world, it is refreshing to keep a private journal that cannot be accessed on the internet. With a private and physical journal, your thoughts are truly kept to yourself, unless of course, you have the desire to share these with a therapist or a close friend or family member. Journaling allows people to come as they are. To journal, you do not need any experience or anyone formula to practice good journaling. Journaling is for personal benefit and growth and there is no finite answer. Creativity and words are truly endless with this mindfulness practice. When it comes to journaling, the process and the physical notebooks is not a one-size-fits-all, which makes everyone’s journey so unique and personal to them. Some journals have built-in prompts, some have coloring pages, some work as trackers to track mood, habits, and daily routine, and for some, bullet journaling may work best. Embracing the process and leaning into life struggles is the mentality (of several!) that can help process what is and what can become. Person Care truly wishes the best of success for its clients, and a part of the road to a better mental health mindset is journaling! Person Care’s app and website offer journaling as a benefit to the therapy or life coaching package that can be purchased. Talk to a licensed therapist and/or life coach at https://person.care/​​. Find your PerSoN today!

SOURCES USED

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdlGBNKOjHc

https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/journal-therapy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CcZ7gyFXv0