1.6.
1 Different Types of Mental Illnesses
and their Treatment Process Mental
Illnesses
Depressive Disorders
Mental disorders characterized by
either depressed mood or markedly
diminished interest or pleasure in
most activities of the day.
Associated with any significant
weight loss or weight gain, difficulty
in sleeping or oversleeping, fatigue
or loss of energy, psychomotor
agitation and slowness, excessive
guilt or feeling of worthlessness,
diminished ability to think or
concentrate or indecisiveness,
recurrent thoughts of deaths,
recurrent suicidal ideations.
If they alternate with exaggerated
elation or irritability, they are
known as bipolar disorder (one pole
Treatment
There are clear guidelines for the
treatment of depressive disorders.
These include both antidepressant
medications and psychological
interventions like cognitive therapy,
behavior therapy, interpersonal
therapy and family therapy.
Individual: This therapy involves
only the patient and the therapist.
Group: 2 or more patients may
participate in therapy at the same
time. Patients are able to share
experiences and learn that others
feel the same way, and have had
the same experiences.
Marital/couples: This type of
therapy helps spouses and partners
understand why their loved one has
depression, what changes in
 depression, the other pole, elation
or mania).
The severity of the symptoms that
often accompany the depressed
mood and the duration of the
disorder cause significant distress
or impairment in social,
occupational or other areas of
functioning.
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder, sometimes called
manic depression, is a disorienting
condition that causes extreme
shifts in mood. The length of each
high and low varies greatly from
person to person.
During a manic phase, patients tend
to feel euphoric and may believe
they can accomplish anything. This
communication and behaviors can
help, and what they can do to cope.
Family: Because family is a key part
of the team that helps people with
depression get better, it is
sometimes helpful for family
members to understand what their
loved one is going through, how
they themselves can cope, and
what they can do to help.
Medications are key in helping
people with bipolar disorder live
stable, productive lives. Mood
stabilizers can smooth out the cycle
of ups and downs. Patients may
also be prescribed antipsychotic
drugs and anticonvulsant drugs.
Between acute states of mania or
depression, patients typically stay
on maintenance medication to
avoid a relapse.
can result in inflated self-esteem,
agitation, reduced need for sleep,
being more talkative, being easily
distracted, and a sense of racing
thoughts. Reckless behaviors,
including spending sprees, sexual
indiscretions, fast driving, and
substance abuse, are common.
Friends and family may not
Talk therapy can help patients stay
on medication and cope with their
disorder's impact on work and
family life. Cognitive behavioral
therapy focuses on changing
thoughts and behaviors that
accompany mood swings.
Interpersonal therapy aims to ease
the strain bipolar disorder may
place on personal relationships.
Social rhythm therapy helps
patients develop and maintain daily
routines.
understand bipolar disorder at first.
They may become frustrated with
the depressive episodes and
frightened by the manic states. If
patients make the effort to explain
the illness and how it affects them,
loved ones may become more
compassionate. Having a solid
support system can help people
 with bipolar disorder feel less
isolated and more motivated to
manage their condition.

Mental Retardation
In general, people with mild and

A condition of incomplete or halted moderate mental retardation held

development of the mind, which is the most flexibility to adapt to

characterized by the impairment of environmental conditions.

skills as manifested during the In most cases, the underlying

developmental period that intellectual impairment does not
contributes to the overall level of improve, yet the affected persons
intelligence (WHO). level of adaptation can be positively

Significantly below average influenced by an enriched and

intellectual functioning (IQ<70) with supportive environment.

accompanying impairment in the The best treatment of mental

persons effectiveness in meeting retardation is primary, secondary
standards expected of ones age, as and tertiary prevention.
is expected by social and cultural
influences in the following areas:
 communication, self-care, home
living, social-interpersonal skills, use
of community resources, self-
direction, functional academic skills,
work, leisure, health and safety.
Mental retardation is classified by
the degree of intellectual
functioning as mild, moderate,
severe and profound.
Schizophrenia

Antipsychotic medications reduce

Mental disorder characterized by
profound disruption in thinking and
feeling, that affects behavior, as
shown as abnormality in language,
thought, perception and sense of
self. This includes psychotic
experience like hallucinations,
illusions, delusions and disordered
thinking.
Additional symptoms are social
withdrawal, extreme apathy, lack of
the symptoms of schizophrenia.
Many are effective in reducing
hallucinations and delusions.
Some are effective in reducing
symptoms like apathy, withdrawal
and lack of motivation or drive.
Many reduce the likelihood of
relapse in continued use.
Some have mild side effects like
dryness of mouth, drowsiness,
dizziness and serious side effects as
 drive or initiative and emotional trouble with muscle control,
unresponsiveness. Social restlessness, tremors and facial tics.
dysfunction as shown in self- Psychotherapy
neglect, poor grooming, poor Psychosocial Treatments
interpersonal interaction and being Family Education
nonproductive occupationally. Self-help Groups
Duration of the signs and symptoms
are at least 6 months.
It is not a split personality, rather
it is shattered personality.
Schizoaffective disorder - is a
mental illness that shares the
psychotic symptoms of
schizophrenia and the mood
disturbances of depression or
bipolar disorder.
Alcohol Dependence
Treatment can be done in
Mental disorder recognizable community settings
through the following symptoms: Prognosis is good even if a person is
a. Strong and persistent desire to pressured into treatment
drink alcohol despite harmful
consequences
 b. Inability to control drinking Patients who come for voluntary
c. Higher priority given to alcohol treatment have the best prognosis
consumption than other Voluntary mutual help
obligations organizations play a large role in
d. Tolerance to alcohol and physical the treatment
withdrawal reaction when Effective alcohol control policies are
alcohol is abruptly discontinued also needed
Many problem drinkers have health
problems including accidents and
injuries, heart disease, cancer, liver
disease and alcohol psychosis.
Alcohol drinking is related to social
problems like crime and violence,
marital breakdown, poor school
performance, work absenteeism,
suicide and financial debt.
Alcohol drinking is responsible for
1.5% of all deaths in the world.

Alzheimers Disease
Currently no cure for Alzheimers
Is a form of dementia that is Disease
characterized by the progressive
 degenerative brain syndrome that General treatment approach to
affects memory, thinking, behavior patient is to provide supportive
and emotion. medical care, pharmacological
Constitutes 50-60% of all cases of treatment for specific symptoms,
dementia. including disruptive behavior and
Symptoms include the following: emotional support for patients and
their families.
o Loss of memory characterized
by the inability to recall pass as
well as new persons, events,
situations and information
o Difficulty in performing
previously routine tasks
o Personality and mood change
There is significant impairment in
personal care for social interaction
and occupation productivity.
At the late stage, the individual can
no longer care for themselves, do
not recognize friends, relatives and
familiar objects.
The course of the disorder is
characterized by gradual
 deterioration over 5-10 years
leading eventually to death.
Colloquially described as ulianin.
Anxiety Disorder
There are a variety of treatments
available for controlling anxiety,
Anxiety can range from the
including several effective
constructive kind that elevates
medications and specific forms of
performance as with performance
psychotherapy.
anxiety, to disorders of anxiety, in
The psychotherapy component of
that the individual suffers from a
treatment for anxiety disorders is at
level of fear, angst, or dread that
least as important as the
interferes with his or her ability to
medication treatment. The most
function. The most common anxiety
common type of therapy used to
disorders are specific phobias.
treat anxiety is cognitive behavioral
Other anxiety disorders include
therapy (CBT).
social anxiety disorder, panic
Behavioral techniques that are
disorder, generalized anxiety
often used to decrease anxiety
disorder, obsessive compulsive
include relaxation techniques and
disorder, and posttraumatic stress
gradually increasing exposure to
disorder.
situations that may have previously
precipitated anxiety in the
individual.
Types of Therapy
Medication - The administration of a drug or medicine. (Note that "medication" does not have the dangerous double meaning of "drug.")
Psychotherapy - Psychotherapy is often the first form of treatment recommended for depression. Called "therapy" for short, the word psychotherapy actually involves a variety of treatment
techniques. During psychotherapy, a person with depression talks to a licensed and trained mental health care professional who helps him or her identify and work through the factors that may
be causing their depression. Sometimes these factors work in combination with heredity or chemical imbalances in the brain to trigger depression. Taking care of the psychological and
psychosocial aspects of depression is important. Psychotherapy helps people with depression:
o Understand the behaviors, emotions, and ideas that contribute to his or her depression.

o Understand and identify the life problems or events -- like a major illness, a death in the family, a loss of a job or a divorce -- that contribute to their depression and help them

understand, which aspects of those problems they may be able to solve or improve.
o Help to restructure ways of thinking, negative attributes and attitudes someone has about himself, and ways in which faulty thinking may perpetuate depression.

o Regain a sense of control and pleasure in life.

o Learn coping techniques and problem-solving skills.

Group Therapy - A type of psychiatric care in which several patients meet with one or more therapists at the same time. The patients form a support group for each other as well as receiving
expert care and advice. The group therapy model is particularly appropriate for psychiatric illnesses that are support-intensive, such as anxiety disorders, but is not well suited for treatment of
some other psychiatric disorders.

Day treatment or partial hospital treatment - also known as PHP (from Partial Hospitalization Program), is a type of program used to treat mental illness and substance abuse. In partial
hospitalization, the patient continues to reside at home, but commutes to a treatment center up to seven days a week. Since partial hospitalization focuses on overall treatment of the
individual, rather than purely safety, the program is not used for acutely suicidal people. Treatment during a typical day may include group therapy, individual therapy, and
psychopharmacological assessments and check-ins. Programs are available for the treatment of alcoholism and substance abuse problems, Alzheimers disease, anorexia and bulimia,
depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and other mental illnesses. Programs geared specifically toward geriatric patients, adult patients, adolescents, or young children
also exist. Programs for adolescents and children usually include an academic program, to either take the place of or to work with the child's local school.
 Specific therapies, such as cognitive-behavior therapy (abbreviated CBT) - A therapeutic practice that helps patients recognize and remedy dysfunctional thought patterns. One
characteristic technique is exposure and response prevention, in which a patient with a phobia deliberately exposes himself or herself to the feared situation, gradually decreasing the panic
response. Cognitive behavior therapy is used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, and other biologically based psychiatric illnesses, often in combination with medication.
Evidence gathered from brain scans indicates that over time this therapy can sometimes create actual changes in brain and neurotransmitter function.
Behavior modification - rewarding appropriate or positive behavior and ignoring inappropriate behavior - also may help control unacceptable or dangerous behaviors.
Alternative therapies, such as water therapy, massage, and biofeedback.
Biofeedback - A method of treatment that uses a monitor to measure patients' physiologic information of which they are normally unaware. By watching a monitor, patients can learn by
trial and error to adjust their thinking and other mental processes in order to control 'involuntary' bodily processes such as blood pressure, temperature, gastrointestinal functioning, and
brain wave activity. Biofeedback is now used to treat a wide variety of conditions and diseases, including stress, alcohol and other addictions, sleep disorders, epilepsy, respiratory problems,
fecal and urinary incontinence, muscle spasms, partial paralysis, muscle dysfunction caused by injury, migraine headaches, hypertension, and a variety of blood vessel conditions, including
Raynaud's phenomenon.
Creative therapies, such as art therapy, music therapy, or play therapy.
Hypnotherapy - is entering the mainstream as a means of behavior and pain control. According to the American Psychological Association's official position on the subject, hypnosis is a
procedure in which a health professional or researcher suggests that a client, patient, or subject experience changes in sensations, perceptions, thoughts, or behavior. Subjects are
"induced" in many ways, usually by concentrating on an object or point and then by hearing suggestions that they are calm, focused. In time, the therapist can teach you to induce your own
trance state and give yourself helpful suggestions when necessary.
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) - During the ECT procedure, an electric current is passed through the brain to produce controlled convulsions (seizures). ECT is useful for certain patients
with significant depression, particularly for those who cannot take or are not responding to antidepressants, have severe depression, or are at a high risk for suicide. ECT often is effective in
cases where antidepressant medications do not provide sufficient relief of symptoms. This procedure probably works by a massive neurochemical release in the brain due to the controlled
seizure. Highly effective, ECT relieves depression within 1 to 2 weeks after beginning treatments. After ECT, some patients will continue to have maintenance ECT, while others will return to
antidepressant medications. In recent years, the technique of ECT has been much improved. The treatment is given in the hospital under anesthesia so that people receiving ECT do not feel
pain. Most patients undergo 6 to 10 treatments. An electrical current is passed through the brain to cause a controlled seizure, which typically lasts for 20 to 90 seconds. The patient is
 awake in 5 to 10 minutes. The most common side effect is short-term memory loss, which resolves quickly. After the initial course of treatment, ECT can be safely done as an outpatient
procedure.
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) - surgically implanted device sends electrical pulses to the brain through the vagus nerve in the neck. These pulses are believed to ease depression by
affecting mood areas of the brain.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a newer therapy. A non-invasive technique that consists of a magnetic field emanating from a wire coil held outside the head. It appears as a
promising treatment for some neuropsychiatric conditions, particularly major depression.