A psychological disorder is also known as mental illness or mental disorder. It is a mental health disorder characterized by persistently depressed mood or loss of interest in activities, which can interfere strongly with one’s daily activities. Furthermore, it refers to abnormalities of the mind which are seriously affecting day-to-day function and life.
Introduction
Psychological disorders include depression, bipolar disorder, and other psychoses. Mental disorder is generally characterized by a combination of perceptions, emotions, abnormal thoughts, and behavior with others. The causes of mental disorders are often unclear and usually defines as the combination of how a person feels, thinks, and behaves. Therefore, it is an aspect of mental health and may associate with functions of the brain often in a social context.
Mental or psychological disorders are treated in psychiatric hospitals and assessments are carried out by mental health professionals such as psychiatrists, psychologists, and clinical social workers. The two major treatments that work for treating mental health is psychotherapy and psychiatric medication. Many more treatments can be done to treat people dealing with psychological disorders such as changing lifestyle, social interventions, peer support, and self-help.
Symptoms of psychological disorders
- Anxiety
- Aggression
- Irritability
- Hallucinations
- Social withdrawal
- Mood changes affecting day to day life
- Sleep disturbance
- Weight changes
Types of psychological disorder
- Neurodevelopmental disorders: This mainly occurs in infancy or childhood.
- Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders: It causes detachment from reality. In this people experiences hallucinations and disorganized thinking.
- Bipolar and related disorders: This disorder includes people who suffer from a period of excessive excitement, activity, or energy.
- Depressive disorders: This includes the feeling of extreme sadness, worthlessness, and less interest in previously enjoyable activities.
- Anxiety disorders: Involves focusing on bad or dangerous things that can happen and worrying fearfully about them.
- Obsessive-compulsive and related disorders: People suffering from this disorder experience unwanted urges, thoughts, or images.
- Trauma and stress-related disorders: This disorder develops after having stressful or traumatic life events.
- Dissociative disorders: In this disorder sense of self-identity of a person disrupts.
- Elimination disorders: Inappropriate elimination of urine or stool by accident or on purpose.
- Sleep-wake disorders: People suffering from this disorder experience sleep disorders, nightmare disorders, and restless legs syndrome.
- Personality disorders: Personality disorder involves a lasting pattern of unhealthy behavior disrupting daily lives.
Factors increasing the risk of psychological disorders
- Family or personal history of mental illness or substance abuse: Personal history of mental illness in family or substance abuse is however responsible for increasing the risk of developing this mental disorder in one’s life.
- Childhood problems: A childhood history of abuse or neglect is strong enough to affect mental health.
- Previous mental illness/ stressful life situations: Having stressful life situations such as financial problems, unhealthy relationships with family or friends.
- Nervous damage: Brain damage causing serious traumatic brain injury to the head.
- Use of drugs: Using a high amount of recreational drugs and alcohol leads to mental illness
- Ongoing medical condition: An ongoing chronic medical condition such as diabetes can increase the risk of developing a psychological disorder.
Mental illness these days is common among people. About 1 in 5 individuals suffers from a mental illness. It can begin at any age, from childhood through later adult age but the study says that in most cases it occurs at an earlier stage in life. The effects of mental illness may be temporary or in some cases, it is long-lasting. People are having more than one mental disorder at the same time. Hence, there are various complications linked to mental disorders, it can cause disability and various health problems.
Complications that link to the psychological disorder
- Unhappiness
- Conflicts in families
- Unhealthy relationships
- Social withdrawal
- Poverty or financial problems
- Suicidal tendencies or self-harm and hating others
However, if you have a mental illness, taking steps forward to control your stress, increase resilience, and boosting low self-esteem will help you to keep your symptoms under control.
Preventive measures for mental illness
- Paying attention to warning signs
- Get routine medical care, if not feeling well
- Ask for help when you need it
- Taking good care of yourself
Health Insurance Plans
There should be health insurance plans for all kinds of mental or psychological disorders. Mental illness hardly gets attention. However, the consequences are bringing change in the attitude. Patients suffering from mental illness do not require hospitalization in the initial stage. There are counseling sessions for the patients initially. Most of the insurance plans do not cover OPD expenses. Hence, health insurance plans help in paying for mental health care needs including check-ups, visits, emergency care, and in-hospital stays.
Conclusion
Furthermore, people suffering from mental illness or psychological disorder needs proper care and treatment. It is important to seek help from others if you are in need. It can affect day-to-day activities. Even though a lot of people suffer from mental illness, and it is a common problem, most people do not share what they are going through and that is why it affects them mentally. Therefore, there should be more health insurance plans regarding mental disorders including regular check-ups, and routine visits. So, it will help in paying for health care facilities. Hence, keep in mind that mental health is as important as physical health.
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