Mental Illnesses: Symptoms and Available Treatment Plans

Worry, fear, and tension will likely affect how you live your life. Though it is usual for everyone to occasionally feel out of their normal states, it is wearying when these feelings extend beyond usual and force you to withdraw from your daily activities. Dr. Winfield is a psychiatric & mental health specialist in North Chelmsford, leading a team of specialists who are experienced in providing a holistic treatment plan to their patients of all ages. The expert team boasts training and therapeutic techniques to address several mental conditions like anxiety and ADHD.

Other conditions these experts address include:

Depression

Experiencing low moments in life is normal, and upsetting events happen to everyone. However, if you are always feeling hopeless or sad, you could be dealing with depression. This mood disorder is severe and can worsen if you fail to contact your psychiatrist for help. Depression varies from mild to major and has varying symptoms, some of which may be ongoing while some come and go.

There are various causes of depression and they can either be biological or circumstantial. They include:

·         Family history. You are likely to suffer from this mood disorder if you have the condition running in your family.

·         Medical conditions. You are at risk of getting depression when you suffer from certain conditions like a chronic illness.

·         Trauma. Major stressful events will affect your reaction towards stressful situations.

You will know you have depression when you start showing symptoms like:

• Reduced libido
• Suicidal thoughts
• Reduced appetite
• Fatigue
• Long hours feeling sad
• Sleeping a lot or lack of sleep

Anxiety

You are most likely to get anxiety attacks following a tragic life event that suddenly interferes with your daily activities. It could be losing your job, the death of a loved one, financial stress, or drug abuse. Anxiety will make you feel nervous, worried, and fearful, feelings that will overwhelm you. Your doctor will diagnose your anxiety under various categories. They include:

• A panic disorder that arises for a reason
• Specific phobias and fears
• General anxiety that has no cause
• Social anxiety disorder

Anxiety disorders depict various symptoms. However, you will know you are suffering from anxiety when you have the following symptoms:

• Restlessness
• Irritability
• Difficulty being calm
• Difficulty concentrating
• Increased palpitations
• Shortness of breath

ADD/ADHD

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is not exclusive amongst children, even though it is common in kids. Your doctor can also diagnose you with this neurological disorder in adulthood. ADHD affects your ability to focus, plan, and execute tasks. An individual with the condition will not have pronounced symptoms though they are ever-present.

When you contact your doctor for diagnosis, he will perform a thorough mental evaluation and go through your medical history. After evaluating and ascertaining ADHD, your doctor will design a treatment plan to ease your symptoms. The plan may include:

• Stimulant medications
• Anti-anxiety or antidepressant prescriptions
• Psychotherapy
• Nutritional counseling
• Lifestyle changes
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy

Whether mild or severe, a mental disorder will interfere with your everyday life. You will find it hard to do the things you once found normal and fun. Contact a specialist immediately when you start noticing suggestive symptoms of a mental disorder in you or your loved one. For more on mental illness, book an appointment and talk to your psychiatrist today.