Mental Health

Overview Obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD, is a potentially disabling mental illness characterized by unwanted thoughts, or obsessions, and repetitive behaviors, or compulsions. An individual with OCD realizes these thoughts and behaviors are irrational but cannot stop them. Drug treatments…
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Sweaty hands, stuttering, butterflies in your stomach–each of these is a sign of speech anxiety. If you are afraid to speak in public, you are not alone. Many people experience speech anxiety. The solution is to identify the causes and…
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Acid reflux, also called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), affects infants by causing vomiting and fussiness after feeding. Acid reflux is caused by acidic contents of the stomach moving back up into the esophagus, reports Kids Health. Other symptoms reported by…
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Depending on a child’s level of understanding in relation to death and dying, the death of a loved one can ignite a confusing and sensitive grieving process that adults may find hard to understand. Grief support programs for children exist…
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Anxiety is a condition characterized by irrational, recurring feelings of nervousness or fear. There are many different types of anxiety disorders, all of which share the same basic features of excessive worry and uneasiness. Understanding the symptoms of common types…
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1. Practice Deep Breathing Techniques Deep breathing is a meditative exercise that helps establish mindfulness, an awareness of the rhythms and sensations of your body that allows you to refocus energy. You can use it when obsessive thoughts or compulsions…
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Overview Stress is usually the cause of anxiety, which is a way people deal with stressful events. Stress makes people feel frustrated or anxious. Anxiety brings about the feelings of apprehension or fear, according to the University of Maryland Medical…
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1. Find a Good Therapist Therapy is a very effective treatment for severe depression, helping you to discover the causes of your unhappy emotions and treat the root of the problem. The most common type of therapy is cognitive-behavioral therapy,…
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1. Look for Persistent Negative Feelings Symptoms of major depression can vary widely from case to case, but they usually include persistent, recurring negative emotions. That may involve feelings of worthlessness or guilt, a perceived inability to make any changes…
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If you have just lost a spouse, your reactions can feel overwhelming. Perhaps your spouse died after a long illness. If your spouse died suddenly, as in after an accident, your grieving process is sudden and difficult. If you and…
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Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or major depression may be able to manage their symptoms through the use of Lexapro, a prescription antidepressant medication. Lexapro, which is the brand name for the generic drug escitalopram oxalate, helps increase the levels…
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1. Take Medication Medication isn’t always necessary to treat depression, but it plays a vital role if biochemical factors are involved. It can also help provide stability for other treatments to work more efficiently. Doctors usually prescribe SSRI antidepressants, which…
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Overview Anxiety may cause nervousness or agitation about something that is about to happen. It’s the body’s way of alerting people to potential danger, according to FamilyDoctor.org, the website for the American Academy of Family Physicians. Anxiety is a defense…
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The death of a loved one, illness, divorce, job loss and facing your own death, are just some of life’s events that can cause grief. Reactions to loss vary amongst individuals depending on personality traits, past traumas, social support and…
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Communication involves listening, as well as speaking. But listening involves more than merely hearing the words directed at us. Good listening is active. It means focusing on verbal and nonverbal cues and interpreting the message. While some people are better…
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1. Remember a Few General Signs Personality disorders are marked by rigid, maladaptive behavior that develops into a recurring pattern. People afflicted with them will often use maladaptive coping mechanisms to deal with whatever traumas led to the creation of…
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Although it’s normal to feel anxious or fearful when facing an unfamiliar situation, the Kids Health website notes that excessive worry that negatively affects your life may be a sign of an anxiety disorder. If you don’t think your anxiety…
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Juvenile bipolar disorder, or manic-depressive illness, affects approximately 1 million children in the United States every year, according to the Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation. Children with juvenile bipolar disorder may experience intense irritability, annoyance, anger, silliness and excitement one moment…
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1. Look for Recurring or Persistent Thoughts The obsessive part of obsessive-compulsive disorder is marked by thoughts, images or impulses that appear in your mind and cause a great deal of anxiety and stress. These are different from normal worries…
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Everyone at some point can feel depressed, anxious, or stressed, but eventually these feelings go away. For people with diagnosed mental problems however, these feelings can go on for months or years and can affect anyone irrespective of age, sex,…
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Clinical depression in children consists of a variety of symptoms including pervasive sadness or irritability, a loss of pleasure, changes in appetite, problems sleeping and low energy. According to MayoClinic.com, depression appears to be as common in children as adults….
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Overview Sleep rejuvenates your body. It is how you mend and prepare for the next day. Different people require varying amounts of sleep, ranging from four to 10 hours a day, depending on age and biological factors. Many factors can…
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Antidepressants alter levels of neurotransmitters, or chemicals in the brain, which improve symptoms of depression. A doctor may prescribe an antidepressant for other disorders, such as anxiety. While antidepressants can help manage symptoms of mood problems, they can cause dangerous…
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Overview Teenagers sometimes use food to satisfy needs other than hunger. The American Academy of Pediatrics says an adolescent may eat in response to feelings of anger, depression, fatigue, boredom, insecurity and even happiness. From the moment of birth a…
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Overview Everyone gets nervous about certain things. For example, teenagers worry about dating a new person or getting good grades in school, while adults dread performance reviews at work or get stressed about about parenting responsibilities. These fears lead to…
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Psychological tests are designed to assess information based on answers you provide on a standardized test. The outcome generally isn’t conclusive, but it gives the evaluator some information to include in an overall psychological assessment. These tests are typically administered…
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1. Set a Sleep Schedule One of the initial ways doctors recommend you treat primary insomnia is to create a strict sleep schedule and stick to it. In order to get your body used to going to sleep and rousing…
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Chitosan is derived from chitin, a substance found in the hard outer shells of marine crustaceans such as crab, crayfish, lobster and squid. This indigestible fiber passes through the digestive tract without being absorbed. People take chitosan supplements to lose…
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People who turn to food for comfort and eat to suppress negative feeling are engaging in emotional eating. You eat to cope with feelings of anger, boredom, sadness, loneliness, fear and stress. The problem is, that this technique usually backfires;…
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1. Simple Observation Is Essential for Early Detection and Anxiety Management If you notice a loved one is starting to act manic or having outbursts of rage, it’s important to observe and record the frequency and severity of the incidents….
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