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Psychiatric
Disorder-It
is a clinically significant psychological or behavioral
syndrome that causes significant distress (subjective
symptomatology), disability (objective symptomatology), or
loss of freedom and which is not merely a socially deviant
behavior or an expected response to a stressful life event
(e.g. loss of a loved one)
Some
Psychiatric Disorders are-
1 Substance Use Disorder-Drug (substance) is
defined as any substance that when taken into the living
organism may modify one or more of its functions.
The
major dependence producing drugs are alcohol, opioids,
cannabis, cocaine, LSD, amphetamine, nicotine, caffeine
Substance use disorders are
- Alcohol use disorder
- Opioid use
disorder
- Cannabis use disorder
- Cocaine use
disorder
- LSD use disorder
- Amphetamine use
disorder
One of these
disorders is as follows
Alcohol use disorder-
Alcohol dependence was earlier called as alcoholism. Alcohol
dependence is more common in males & has an onset in late
second or early third decade The course is insidious There is
often an associated abuse or dependence of other drugs It the
onset occurs late in life especially after 40 years of age,
underlying mood disorders or brain diseases should be looked
for.
Cocaine use disorder-Cocaine is an alkaloid derived from the
coca bush. Cocaine can be administered orally, intranasally,
by smoking or parenterally, depending on the preparation
available. Cocaine use produces a very mild physical, but a
very strong psychic, dependence.
2.
Sexual addiction-
is not a recognized diagnosis the DSM-IV. However, is has been
developed by researchers to come to mean a person who
compulsively seeks out sexual experiences and who’s behavior
becomes impaired if they are unable to gratify their sexual
impulses.
3. Sleep
disorders-The
types of sleep disorder are legion.
The sleep disorders are divided in 2 subtypes
A) Dyssomnias B) Parasomnias
DYSSOMNIAS-are
those sleep disorders which are characterized by disturbances
in the amount, quality or timing of sleep. These are the
commonest disorders. One of those is as follows
Insomnia- It is as DIMS (Disorder of Initiation &/or
Maintenance of Sleep) It means difficulty in initiating sleep.
This includes frequent awakenings during the night & early
morning awakenings.
Common causes of Insomnia are heart diseases, respiratory
diseases, old age, and drug or alcohol withdrawal syndrome.
Mood
Disorders-The
emotions can be described as two main types
a) Affect- which is a short-lived emotional response to an
idea or an event
b) Mood- which is a sustained & pervasive emotional response
which colors
the whole psychic life.
So according to these definitions, depression & mania are
‘Mood disorders’
Mood disorders are classified as:
1) Bipolar mood (affective) disorder 2) Manic episode
3) Recurrent depressive disorder 4) Depressive episode
Bipolar mood
disorder-This disorder earlier known as manic depressive
psychosis (MDP) is characterized by recurrent episodes of
mania episodes & depression in the same patient at different
times. Bipolar mood disorder is further classified in to-
Bipolar I- characterized by episodes of severe mania &
severe depression
Bipolar II- characterized by hypomania(not requiring
hospitalization) & severe depression.
Depressive
episode-The most important feature is the sadness of mood or
loss of interest in almost all activities. The life time risk
of depression in males is 8-12% & in females is 20-26%; though
the life time risk of major depression or depressive episode
is about 8%
Anxiety Disorder-Anxiety
is the commonest psychiatric symptom in clinical practice &
anxiety disorders are one of the commonest psychiatric
disorders. Anxiety is a normal phenomenon which is
characterized by a state of apprehension or unease arising out
of anticipation of danger
Symptoms of Anxiety-
Physical symptoms
-Motoric symptoms-Tremors, restlessness, muscle twitches,
fearful facial expression
-Autonomic & visceral symptoms-Palpitations, trachycardia,
sweating, flushes, dry
mouth, dizziness, diarrhea
Psychic symptoms-
1) cognitive symptoms-Poor concentration, distractibility,
hyperarousal,
vigilance or scanning
2) Perceptual symptoms-Derealization, depersonalization
Anxiety
disorders are-
Generalized Anxiety Disorder-This is characterized by an
insidious onset in the third decade & a stable, usually
chronic course which may or may not be punctuated by repeated
panic attacks (episodes of acute anxiety)
The symptoms if anxiety should last for at least a period of 6
months for a diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder to be
made. It is commonest psychiatric disorder in the general
population
Panic disorder-This is characterized by discrete episodes of
acute anxiety The onset is usually in early third decade with
often a chronic course The panic attacks occurs recurrently
every few days.
Obsessive-Compulsive disorder-
An obsessive is defined as an idea, impulse, or image which
intrudes into conscious awareness repeatedly. Differentiation
has to be made from delusion & thought insertion.
A delusion is recognized as one’s own idea but is not
recognized as ego-alien. Thought insertion is not thought of
as one’s own idea but somebody else’s thought being forcibly
inserted into one’s mind.
An obsession is usually associated with a compulsion.
Compulsion is defined as a form of behavior which usually
follows obsessions
psychiatry.

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