“Dementia” describes a set of characteristic symptoms that may include memory loss and trouble with thinking, problem-solving, and/or language. The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition refers to dementia as “Neurocognitive Disorder.” There are actually several types of dementia based on both how the symptoms were brought about and what particular symptoms are displayed. Each […]
What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder? Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is caused by exposure to an extremely traumatic event where the victim’s natural reaction was intense fear, helplessness, or horror. There are several different events that can trigger this and everyone reacts differently. Some of the common events include war, torture, rape, child sexual assaults, terrorism, […]
What is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder? Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) refers to intrusive repetitive thoughts that cause an individual to perform acts in order to prevent something terrible from happening. The acts become ritualistic and can result in total control over the individual. There are four characteristic symptoms of obsessions and two characteristic symptoms of compulsions used to […]
Schizophrenia is a psychiatric diagnosis that is descriptive of a mental disorder in which the person experiences abnormalities in the perception or the expression of reality. The symptoms are typically exhibited in the early years of adulthood. The is no specific cause for schizophrenia, but research does indicate there may be factors that are encouraging […]
-What is Bipolar Disorder? Bipolar Disorder is descriptive of a category of mood disorders that are defined by episodes of abnormal mood swings with related changes in energy level and behavior. It is actually quite serious and dangerous because the person who is suffering from the disorder is often not even aware of it. There […]
What is anxiety? Anxiety or generalized anxiety disorder is a debilitating mental disorder characterized by excessive fears or worries about everyday things in life. The constant worrying is unrealistic and is characterized by a state of unease or apprehension that is exaggerated or out of proportion to the situation. Individuals who experience this are in […]
What is depression? Depression is a mental illness that is correlated with a chemical imbalance in the brain that affects the body and mind. This imbalance can cause changes in mood, behavior, thinking, and physical well-being. The symptoms vary from person to person but are generally signified by feelings of sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness, and loss […]
Substance abuse is a pattern of harmful use of any drug or medicine for mood-altering purposes. Here, the term “substances” refers to a variety of both legal drugs – like alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine – as well as illegal ones – like cocaine, heroin, and psychedelic compounds. It is generally believed that the use of […]
The most common eating disorders include anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder (BED). It is hard for people to understand something like an eating disorder if they have never experienced one firsthand. If you or a close friend or family member have never suffered from one, chances are good that you believe some common misconceptions […]
Neuropsychological testing involves the administration of standardized ability tests that help to identify changes in brain functioning that may result from various medical and neurological conditions. The results of these neuropsychological tests are interpreted in conjunction with a thorough understanding of clients’ backgrounds and the unique behavioral and emotional issues the client might be having. […]