Mental Health And Mental Disorders

Theories vary about the causes of mental disorders. Mental disor¬ders may occur after traumatic events, alongside other psychological difficulties, or for no apparent reason. Close relatives of people with mental disorders are sometimes more likely to develop the same dis¬order than people in other families. This phenomenon has led some researchers to suggest a genetic cause for mental disorders. Genetic is a term that refers to characteristics that are inherited, such as hair or eye color. Most mental disorders have a biological component. There are chemicals in the brain that can cause mental disorders when the chemical levels are higher or lower than normal, or if the chemicals are not properly balanced. However, for many disorders, it is not clear whether the chemical imbalance is a cause or a symptom of the disorder.

To help psychologists diagnose mental disorders, each has been named, categorized, and described. These definitions appear in a ref¬erence manual, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Ed. (DSM-IV), published in 2001 by the American Psychiatric Association. The DSM-IV is the set of guidelines used by mental health professionals to diagnose all mental disorders. This book discusses two mental disorders that are defined in the DSM-IV: depression and anxiety disorders.

Sometimes the term depression is used to refer to a normal human emotion, feeling sad or blue. After failing a test or breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend, you may tell people you're depressed. But depression is actually a long-lasting mental disorder involving deep levels of hopelessness and despair. This level of depression usually requires professional treatment.

Bipolar disorder, or manic-depressive illness, is a mental disorder that includes depression. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) defines bipolar disorder as a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, and ability to function. Bipolar dis¬order is a kind of depression that includes periods of mania, times of extreme excitement or irritability. Unlike the normal ups and downs that everyone experiences, the symptoms of bipolar disorder and depression are severe.



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