General Mental Illness

What is a sexual addict? What behaviors are typical of a true sexual addict? Why can a sexual not control himself?

What is NPD - narcissistic personality disorder? How do you recognize it in your loved ones? How do you handle abuse at the hands of a narcissist psycopath?

Autism is a serious developmental disorder that usually develops before the age of 3. It's characterized by severe communication difficulties, language problems and behavioral issues. Autistic...

Oppositional defiant disorder, also known as ODD, is a behavioral disorder that generally causes children to have episodes of disruptive behavior and presents symptoms of anger issues. Currently a...

Many alternative schools have behavior management systems to help create and maintain structure for their students. Conducting an assessment of a behavior management system can help determine what...

Everyone experiences irritability sometimes. However, it is crucial to recognize when irritability goes beyond crankiness as it may be an early sign of a mental or physical disorder.

As the Eastern philosopher Osho states, loneliness is not the same as simply being alone. Time Magazine writer Alice Park states, it's completely possible to feel alone even in the midst of a...

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) to the left frontal lobe, whether from a closed-head injury, lesion, stroke, disease, tumor, or other misfortune of health, can have devastating effects on adaptive...

Ritalin and Focalin are two of the commonly prescribed drugs used for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Knowing the differences between these medications may be helpful...

Pathological or compulsive gambling is described as gambling that goes beyond the point of normal recreation such that it interferes with the person's life. Pathological gamblers often go to great...

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, and it affects the brain processes that control emotional responses, movement and your ability to feel pleasure and pain. Regulation of dopamine levels plays a...

It is challenging to be a single parent. You have to juggle the competing demands of work, family and personal needs. If you have a child who is autistic, this juggling act becomes tenfold more...

Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) are found to be comorbid in children which means that a child with ADHD could also have the diagnosis of...

Men and women both have similar rates of mental illness, however, gender can play a role in the scope of mental health care treatment

A variety of factors can influence the delivery and quality of mental health care. These factors can impact the treatment of a person suffering from mental illness.

Seratonin and dopamine are neurotransmitters. What this means is that they act as chemical messengers between brain cells to relay "messages" between the cells. Insufficient seratonin and...

Child custody, disability claims, and divorce are just three reasons why someone may need to prove untreated mental problems. The person may be trying to prove his own problems or the problems of...

There are five axes included in the DSM-IV multi-axial classification. This system helps a mental health professional clarify a person's diagnosis and determine treatment needs. It's a way that...

The subject of the relationship of mental illness to brain chemistry is a matter of controversy for religion, alternative medicine and conventional science. The argument boils down to the basic...

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a catch-all diagnosis that refers to assorted disorders with symptoms that include difficulty maintaining attention, impulse control problems, and...

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurological and cognitive behavioral disorder that first appears in childhood. Symptoms of ADHD include difficulty paying attention, poor...

Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland, a small cone-shaped structure in the brain. It is available over the counter in the United States as a dietary supplement. It is a powerful...

Calming a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, known as ADHD, sometimes takes extraordinary effort, as any parent of an ADHD child knows. It requires patience and perspective, and...

Narcissism is classified by the the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association as a personality disorder. Like all personality disorders, narcissism is deep-rooted...

A mental health clinic day treatment program offers a comprehensive option for mentally ill patients who need more structure, intensity, and support in dealing with their mental illness.

Some types of mental illness do not impair individuals to the point where they are not able to work. However, in some circumstances even people with these types of mental illness can allow their...

Don't let SAD stop you from enjoying three months of the year. Here are some tips for fighting the winter doldrums.

Things like memory loss, forgetfulness, and mental fog are not uncommon, therefore, trying to pinpoint their cause is often difficult. If the memory loss is severe, it may be a sign of something...

The neurotransmitter dopamine helps to regulate your mood, motor control, cognition, attention responses to motivation and reward. Lower levels of the hormone can lead to depression, a low sex...

Xanax, the brand name for the drug aprazolam, is also known under the brand name Niravam. It is often prescribed in such conditions as general anxiety disorder or panic disorder. Because of the...

Trichotillomania is the psychiatric term for someone who pulls her hair out. Someone suffering from this psychological disorder has a strong urge to pull her hair out even though it may lead to...

Dissociative identity disorder (DID) used to be known as Multiple Personality Disorder. It is a psychological condition in which a person has two or more distinct personality states, sometimes...

Finding a clinical therapist is as much art as science. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are hundreds of thousands of therapists in the U.S., some of whom specialize in specific...

The negative effects of substance abuse on families have been proven time and again by scientific research throughout the world. Financial problems, violence and delinquent kids are just a handful...

Gamblers Anonymous is a non-profit cost free meeting place for those that suffer from compulsive gambling addictions. Gambling addictions can ruin the lives of you and your family both mentally...

They are the world’s best actors. They are the most charming of everyone you know. They will keep you smiling from ear to ear. They are dazzling, funny, witty, and seductive. They are everything...

Codependency occurs when a person focuses on another's behavior and problems as a means of avoiding his own issues or pain. It is common for friends and family members of alcoholics or drug...

Trying to find a therapist can be a daunting process. However, the potential benefits of therapy are considerable, including relief of symptoms such as depression and anxiety, improvement in sleep...

There can be many reasons you need to end a counseling relationship with a client. The reason could be something as simple as a relocation, or something more complicated like a conflict of...

Mental illness affects millions of people, many of these are children. These illnesses can lead to suicide, juvenile violence and a life of misery. Programs must be in place to address these...

Mental illness can be hard for patients, friends and family members to cope with. But understanding it better can help improve communication about the issue. One way to approach the situation is...

Everything around us is meant to play on our desires and make us obsess over the dumbest things. So stop it!

Behavior modification is based on the idea that behaviors will continue it there is proper rewards present and will not continue if rewards are withheld or punishment is given for undesirable...

Residential mental health treatment offers a wide array of care that would not otherwise be available to the person in treatment. Understanding the various functions of residential treatment will...

The early signs of dementia can often be misleading as they mimic other disorders. However, recognizing dementia early will help with the treatment of this disease.

Computer addiction can be devastating to a person's life. Relationships can be destroyed, grades can slip, and careers can be lost all due to computer addiction. Computer addiction is striking all...

Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental illness that less than 1% of the general population and approximately 2% to 16% of individuals obtaining psychiatric outpatient services suffer from it.

Commitment fears are broadly defined as an unwillingness to advance a relationship (or enter into an "official" relationship) to the next level. Whether it be marriage, cohabitation, or an...

The success of international gaming meccas, such as Las Vegas, Monte Carlo and Macau, highlight the allure of gambling. But the associated euphoria can lead to addictive behavior. New drug...

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), mental illnesses affect one in four adults in the United States each year. These staggering numbers (approximately 57 million people)...