Mental Illnesses and Disorders

Last Updated on Wednesday, 26 October 2011 01:22 Written by Natural Health Team Wednesday, 26 October 2011 01:22

Health Information about Mental Illnesses and Disorders

The ability to effectively design, implement, and reimburse treatment providers for delivering high quality services targeting specialized treatment needs is critical to establishing an effective community- based system of care for people who experience serious mental illnesses. In the absence of what are now seen as essential services for people with mental illnesses living in the community, people will continue to be forced into more costly, deep-end services in hospitals, crisis centers, emergency rooms, and the justice system.

Health care reform in America is as much an economic issue as a moral one. The economic, social, and human costs of mental health and addiction disorders in the USA are enormous. In the USA, mental disorders collectively account for more than 15% of the overall burden of disease from all causes and slightly more than the burden associated with all forms of cancer. The USA spends upwards of $ 99 billion a year for the direct treatment of mental and substance abuse disorders, which is more than 8% of total annual health expenditures.

Currently, there is no fixed responsibility within the Federal government to promote effective mental health/criminal justice activities and ensure accountability for the use of public dollars. The Special Advisor will serve as an advocate and ombudsman across the wide array of Federal agencies that serve the multiple needs of justice-involved people with mental and substance use disorders.

Mental disease, however, carries with it centuries of bias. Person after person speaks of the fear or distrust encountered from people if they find out you have a mental condition. Normal people treat you as if you were contagious. They seek ways to leave your company or treat you as if you are less than human. People with mental problems find themselves in an apologetic position. They become humble.

Some view these laws as victimizing – or blaming – people with mental illness. In a perfect world, court ordered treatment would be unnecessary but in our world the combined power of the court and treatment can mean successful community living for consumers that would otherwise be in and out of hospital or jail. Assisted outpatient treatment must be carefully used but when all else fails it can connect people to vital services. But assisted outpatient treatment alone isn’t enough – a full array of community services including housing, effective treatments, work supports, and general medical care must be available and accessible.

During the past fifty years hundreds of thousands of people have been released from the public mental hospitals as a result of civil rights involuntary commitment law suits and civil rights lawsuits that said a person with a mental illness has a right to refuse to take medications, even though the medications are effective in treating the person. The results led to deinstitutionalization which subsequently led to documented homelessness, violence, incarceration and tragedy for a segment of the mentally ill population.

Many professionals, individuals, political leaders,among others are prompted to alter the way we approach and believe, think, feel,etc, changing us to comply with another individual’s method of thinking and so on. Read between the lines and you may see a component of the issue already. When we are trying to help change what another individual believes it’s stepping on toes.Whenever you step on toes,you will find obvious consequences and often people did not realise why they’re a component of that consequence.

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A Tragically Interwoven Web – Homelessness, Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders

Last Updated on Saturday, 22 October 2011 01:21 Written by Natural Health Team Saturday, 22 October 2011 01:21

Health Information about A Tragically Interwoven Web – Homelessness, Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders

Homelessness and health care are deeply connected. We know that poor health – both physical and mental – is a cause and a result of homelessness. We cannot effectively address issues of homelessness without addressing access to health care for homeless persons. That is why we must continue to press for health care reform and remember the hope it holds for our most vulnerable populations.

It seems everyone is hoping for big changes in 2010. There is hope for the economy to improve, for the unemployed to find work, and for our brave servicemen and women to return home safely.

Next year, a decade after the Surgeon General’s Report on mental health revealed that mental illnesses are as treatable as physical illnesses, there also appears to be hope for people with mental illnesses. The health care reform legislation currently being debated in Congress includes historic provisions to expand health coverage and significantly improve access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment services.

Health care reform in America is as much an economic issue as a moral one. The economic, social, and human costs of mental health and addiction disorders in the USA are enormous. In the USA, mental disorders collectively account for more than 15% of the overall burden of disease from all causes and slightly more than the burden associated with all forms of cancer. The USA spends upwards of $ 99 billion a year for the direct treatment of mental and substance abuse disorders, which is more than 8% of total annual health expenditures.

The promise of reform is arriving at a critical time in this country. Demand for mental health and substance use treatment has increased while state budgets for these types of services are being severely reduced. Due in part to the current economic turmoil, community mental health and substance use treatment centers nationwide are experiencing a 20% increase in demand for services, according to a 2009 survey by the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare. At the same time demand is increasing, at least 32 states are known to be enacting funding cuts, resulting in reduced services and closing programs.

One of the most crucial components of the health care reform legislation now being debated is the concept of parity. The bill includes the principles contained in the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, the federal law passed last year which prohibits unequal treatment limits and financial requirements for mental health and substance use treatment. The parity provisions are essential, given that mental health and substance use treatment have traditionally been subject to discriminatory limits on coverage that restrict access to effective and, at times, lifesaving therapies.

Millions of Americans have mental health and substance use disorders and many still do not have access to treatment. Unlike most physical disorders these conditions start at an early age and often go untreated until the illness becomes debilitating. The delay in treatment often interferes with a young persons ability to succeed in school and in the workplace. As a result, many people with mental health and substance use disorders are unemployed or work in low-paying jobs without health insurance. They would greatly benefit from expanded mental health insurance coverage.

While health care reform is not a panacea for people with mental and substance use disorders, it takes groundbreaking steps in the right direction and may help stem the escalating death rates of people with serious mental illnesses. People in the USA with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other serious mental illnesses die years sooner than other Americans. Three out of every five people with these types of mental illnesses die from preventable, co-occurring chronic diseases such as asthma, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and cardiopulmonary conditions.

The tragic fact remains that in 2010, a majority of Americans with mental illnesses and addictions do not get treatment. Health care reform holds the promise of greatly increasing access to mental health and substance use services. Reform will finally open the treatment doors for some of the most vulnerable citizens in our society, and community behavioral health centers will be ready to help these individuals lead full and productive lives.

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Menstruation Disorders – Dysmenorrhea – Symptoms of Blood Deficiency in TCM Perspective

Last Updated on Friday, 21 October 2011 01:27 Written by Natural Health Team Friday, 21 October 2011 01:27

Health Information about Menstruation Disorders – Dysmenorrhea – Symptoms of Blood Deficiency in TCM Perspective

In traditional Chinese medicine, dysmenorrhea is defined as a pain in the lower abdomen, appearing with menstrual cycle that can spread over to the whole abdomen and lumbosacral region, depending on diagnosis. If not treated, it may contribute to infertility for some women.

Symptoms of blood deficiency of dysmenorrhrea can be defined as a vague pain in the lower abdomen during or 1-2 days after menstruation.

B.B. 1. Scanty menstruation with reddish and thin blood
As we mention in previous article, liver is important for blood formation and spleen for blood circulation, for what ever reason, women with dysmenorrhrea are found to have sluggish liver function during menstruation, leading to the inability of liver in making enough blood for our body, leaving no blood for menstruation.

B.B.2. Weakness and lack of strength
Weakness or lack of strength, during menstrual cycle may be due kidney yang deficiency or spleen inability to transport oxygen and nutrients to the body cells as resulting of blockage of qi in some meridians.

B.B.3. Pale tongue with white and thin fur
If there are not enough blood circulated in the body, the first thing is reflected in the tongue according TCM. Pale tongue is due to over consumption of raw food, cool or cold foods and drink, leading to kidney yang deficiency and affecting liver function in blood formation, resulting in pale tongue.

B.B.4. Weak pulse
Weak pulse may be caused by insufficient blood or slow blood movement in the circulatory system due to blockage of qi or blood stasis in certain organs, leading to not enough blood to the reproductive organs to sustain a healthy menstruation.

For the series of menstruation disorder in TCM perspective, please visit http://menstruationdisorders.blogspot.com/ To download the endometriosis and overcome infertility — how to get pregnant natural FREE e book or other health articles and series, please visit http://medicaladvisorjournals.blogspot.com/

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Physical or Mental Disorders – Depression

Last Updated on Wednesday, 19 October 2011 10:20 Written by Natural Health Team Wednesday, 19 October 2011 10:20

Health Information about Physical or Mental Disorders – Depression

Studies have shown that depression due to gender bias, often gets in the way of correct diagnosis of psychosocial disorders. In one study, for instance, 175 mental health professionals those are suffering from depression or physical or mental disorder, of both genders, were asked to diagnose a patient based upon a summarized case history. Some of the professionals were told that the patient was male, others that the patient was female. The gender of the patient made a substantial difference in the diagnosis given(though the gender of the clinician did not). When subjects thought the patient was female, they were more likely to diagnose hysterical personality, a “women’s disorder.” When they believed the patient to be male, the more likely diagnosis was antisocial personality, a “male disorder.”

A major controversy regarding gender bias has been the inclusion of a “provisional” diagnosis for premenstrual syndrome(PMS) in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(fourth edition; known as DSM-IV). The provisional inclusion, in an appendix to DSM-IV, signals that PMS should come in for further study and may be included as an approved diagnosis in future editions of the DSM. In other words, PMS could be considered a mental disorder in the future. Depression may be a cause of premenstrual syndrome.

PMS is characterized by depression, irritability, and other symptoms of increased stress typically occurring just prior to menstruation and lasting for a day or two. A more severe case of PMS is known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD. The distinction between these disorders is that while PMS is somewhat disruptive and uncomfortable, it does not interfere with the way a woman functions from day to day; PMDD does. To be diagnosed with PMDD, a woman must have at least five symptoms of PMS for a week to 10 days, with at least one symptom being serious enough to interfere with her ability to function at work or at home. In these more severe cases, antidepressants may be prescribed. The point of contention lies in whether administering this treatment indicates that PMDD is viewed as a mental disorder as opposed to a physical disorder. The controversy involves the legitimacy of attaching a label indicating dysfunction and disorder to symptoms experienced only once or twice a month. Further controversy stems from the possible use(or misuse) of the diagnostic label to justify systematic exclusion of women from certain desirable jobs.

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Mental Illness And Mood Disorders

Last Updated on Tuesday, 18 October 2011 04:21 Written by Natural Health Team Tuesday, 18 October 2011 04:21

Health Information about Mental Illness And Mood Disorders

Mental illness and mood disorders have been with us forever and affect all living creatures on this earth. Funnily enough, can you imagine a dog going to its own clinic for therapy? What about the lioness in the wilderness whose lone cub was killed by inadvertently going astray from the comfort of its mother. Think about the necessary therapy that she requires to recover her loss, hardly imaginable eh?

We may not be similar to those instances of aloneness, yet society has made us as alone as those two examples and many of us never find solace thus we live forever in our darkened caves. The good news is your life can change and it will if you become receptive to solutions. Here are a few questions for you to consider answering as appropriate to your circumstance.

A) Do you run home from work, lock the doors, and remain all alone until the         following morning when you have to go to work?

B) Do you avoid contact with your fellow workers?

C) Do you continually punish yourself without really knowing why?

D) Is suicide always on your mind and maybe you have attempted suicide many                 times or at least once?

E) Your family and friends have probably not contacted you for ages as they are             at a loss for an answer.

F) You visualize yourself in every tragedy that you see on TV and in the papers.

All of these and more are normal occurrences when living in the cave and please let me assure you here and now that you are not alone. Recognizing that you are not alone is a start. Asking for help and desiring an improvement during the brief interludes when you escape the cave will assist you in developing awareness that maybe there is hope and the cave may be left sometime soon!

While medicines may have a place in our recovery it is also important to measure the level of participation we place in our recovery as this will determine how long we will have to remain on the meds. The question to ask is: How strong is your desire to live a healthy life and are you willing to do what it takes to live that life you desire? ‘The mind in itself and in its own place can make a hell out of heaven or a heaven out of hell.’ John Milton

You see not every one is able to light their own fire and neither is everyone able to know why they need to light their own fire. Introspection is a gift but unless one is blessed with amazing clarity through presence of mind, one will be unaware of the need to service ones mindset through self-analysis. To look on mental illness and mood disorders as a form of adversity to be overcome through creative options and mental health, education will allow your successes to be more rewarding.

To conquer adversity irrespective of magnitude it is extremely beneficial to study self-help books so please consider studying them and join the ranks of millions who depend on these books for their very lives. If you would like a suggested list of some good books let me know and I shall gladly introduce you to ones that may be relevant to your particular requirements.

Consider too the art of meditation and it is a proven method of success for managing mental illness and mood disorders, thus it is worth exploring. Some mental suffering may be as a result of over indulgence in addictions of one sort or another and meditation also gives tremendous benefits for combating those as well.

Here are nine suggested avenues that shall benefit your life as you decide to embrace change and welcome the gratification of triumphant success; a) gratitude  b) Persistence c) Attitude d) Discipline  e) Vision  f) Purpose g) Focus  h) Action i) Humour.

If your answer is yes you desire solutions and you are truly in earnest without reservations then please commence with an open mind that other possibilities may guide you towards that life you desire! You have only one life thus it makes sense to explore it to the fullest allowable possibilities you were intended and it is within your grasp.

Having mental illness or a mood disorder does not have to be a death sentence so please follow my lead and embrace the endless possibilities we have been presented with through advances in psychology and neuroscience. God bless!

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