Coping with Mental Illness

Asperger’s Syndrome used to be grouped with high-functioning autism since people with both disorders exhibit similar behaviors, but Aspergers is less severe and has a few biological and...

Control and restraint are important in a prison or asylum environment where the chances of prisoners or patients becoming violent are high. While sedation is normally the best method to bring...

Depression is a common mental illness that can affect all aspects of someone's life if left untreated. Learn how to recognize the symptoms of depression so you can get the help you need to feel...

Support and getting help from bipolar disorder is important. Obviously medical treatment is needed, but helping yourself can go along way as well. Bipolar disease is known as manic depression....

Exercise is essential to physical fitness and health. However, more and more we are hearing that exercise is also essential to mental health. Is it possible that exercise could be an effective...

Manic depression is a disorder that affects the brain. It causes severe shifts in mood and activity. Manic depression is also known as bipolar disorder. The two terms are used interchangeably. It...

Bipolar disorder and manic depression are the same mental disorders; the only difference is the name. This mental illness is unique as there are two distinct "phases" of it: the depressed phase...

Grief is usually emotional distress caused by the loss or death of a known person. This kind of loss can create emotional upsets such as shock and disbelief, which may lead to sudden and possibly...

Everyone faces moments of irritability, some worse than others. Perhaps you're having a bad day, your hormones are raging, or there may be a chemical imbalance. When treating extreme irritability...

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by feelings of detachment or emotional numbness, a feeling of distorted or altered reality, amnesia, insomnia and nightmares, or even...

People suffering from bipolar disorder experience extreme mood swings. Sometimes known as manic depression, bipolar disorder causes those with the condition to feel great energy and impulsiveness,...

Being the child of a narcissistic mother can be overwhelming. A Narcissistic mother can be overbearing, emotional, and impossible to please, but that doesn't mean she's impossible to deal with....

Fear of both physical and emotional intimacy is a problem that affects many kinds of interpersonal relationships. Being uncomfortable with closeness on various levels puts a strain on significant...

Helping a friend through opiate methadone detox is a remarkable act of friendship. It is important to come to the home prepared to deal with the physical and mental withdrawal symptoms that your...

Naturally Therapeutic Counseling became prominent in 1989 with Jacquelyn Small's book "Becoming Naturally Therapeutic: A Return to the True Essence of Helping". The book's concept is not only...

Depression can have serious effects on the lives of people who suffer from it, as well as people close to them, like friends and family members. According to psychcentral.com, denial can be a...

Suicidal thoughts can cripple a person's will to live. Depression and suicide are closely linked. Nevertheless, suicide ideation may be caused by a variety of factors, including environmental...

ADHD can be frustrating for physicians because of the intense cognitive demands required for their career. The inability to manage symptoms can result in serious consequences; a missed detail in...

"Addictive personality" is a catch-all term that is used to describe people who tend to become psychologically dependent on outside influences. Although substance abuse, including drugs or...

The term "addictive personality" is used to describe those with a tendency to become dependent on substances or situations. Part of certain addictions, such as alcoholism, is physical dependency....

Treating bipolar disorder without drugs is immensely challenging and very difficult. However, it is unavoidable for people who cannot positively respond to the present slew of drugs now available...

Breathing properly can increase your ability to relax, heal and concentrate. The parasympathetic nervous system, or the body's involuntary functioning, is affected by learning to breathe...

Some types of addiction hinge on a physical dependency to a chemical, while others are an internal compulsion for a type of behavior. Those suffering from gambling addiction, or individuals around...

Psychiatric medications can often cause side effects in those taking them; occasionally these side effects can be very uncomfortable and cause the patient stress. Most side effects are temporary...

Coaching is a new field of Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder treatment that seeks to help individuals with ADHD accomplish their life goals. ADHD coaching is specifically engineered as a...

Living with a wife with chronic depression can be mentally and emotionally challenging. Personal well-being as well as the marriage can suffer. Depression is a diagnosable mental illness and is...

Narcissism is a blanket term for a wide variety of behaviors. According to Medical News Today, narcissism can be described on a scale of 1-10; one being healthy narcissism and 10 being a...

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, approximately one in 13 Americans abuse or are dependent on alcohol. Alcoholics almost always need help to rid themselves of...

There are so many great ways to get help for alcohol related problems, including organizations, private and public counseling and medications. The solution for your individual needs exists.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders in the world. Ever since researchers found that the drug clomipramine has positive treatment effects on the...

Too much of anything can become bad. There is a difference between spending a weekend with your girlfriends in Las Vegas gambling and going into major debt due to a gambling addiction. There is a...

Dr. Stephen Mason with the Psychology Today blog estimates that approximately 10 to 15 percent of the population of the Earth has an addictive personality. Though many people have habits, people...

Dementia is a debilitating disease in which specific areas of the brain continue to deteriorate. This condition results in significant personal loss including memory retention, language...

Fear can be life-consuming, hindering the normal, daily functioning of an individual and preventing him from experiencing life to the fullest. Betrayal is a strong emotion that may appear to be...

Coping with depression while grieving is a challenging task that requires consistent management to ensure recovery. Experiencing grief after a loss is a "normal" reaction, as defined by The...

Every once in a while, you may feel down about life, which is normal. If this feeling does not go away within a few weeks, it may not be a normal feeling, but depression. To fight depression, your...

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, depression and bipolar disorder often occur simultaneously. According to Brainphysics.com, "Depression has long been known to be comorbid with OCD, but it was not...

Finding a therapist can be an exasperating and confusing experience. There are so many different types of therapists in different specialties, it can also be overwhelming. Developing a systematic...

Alcohol relapse rates are very high. Nevertheless, there are several strategies to employ that will help eliminate the cravings that come from withdrawal or from reacting to a bad mood or even...

If you have a serious and persistent mental illness, you may worry about your next hospitalization. You may have had experiences you would rather not repeat, and perhaps you have specific...

If you are planning to have weight loss surgery, like a gastric bypass or lap band surgery, you may be required to undergo a psych eval. Most insurance companies require their subscribers to pass...

From the moment you meet your therapist or Life Coach, you should feel a connection. If your therapist cannot connect to you on the FIRST visit, you need to leave and never come back. I am not...

Dementia is a group of symptoms that affects a person's intellectual and social abilities, interfering with daily functioning. Symptoms include memory loss, agitation, personality changes and...

There are many conditions that adversely affect memory: age, stress, depression and insufficient sleep to name a few. But one of the most overlooked and easily remedied causes of poor memory is...

The need for mental health care can be evaluated in the home. Needs can be assessed, although cannot override, the evaluation of a qualified mental health professional or physician. Harm to self...

Children who are hyperactive or have attention difficulties are sometimes diagnosed as having attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Parents who are finding it...

Helping a loved one with bipolar disorder can be difficult, particularly if your friend or relative refuses treatment. Bipolar disorder, also called manic depressive disorder, causes severe mood...

People with Down syndrome sometimes have trouble communicating and getting their needs met. Combined with a possible lack of impulse control, this can sometimes result in frustration and...

If you live alone and suffer from mild symptoms of Alzheimer's, you need to be aware of what you can do to improve your quality of life. You should also be aware of your symptoms and their...

Dual diagnosis is the term used for individuals who suffer from a mental illness in addition to having a chemical substance addiction. It became a specific condition due to the realization that...