Brief Introduction to Schizoaffective disorder
What is Schizoaffective disorder?
Schizoaffective disorder is the amalgamation of schizophrenia and mood disorders, this is perhaps the reason why this specific condition is not as well defined as other mental disorders. People suffering from schizoaffective disorder are often found struggling in their personal and professional lives. Untreated patients find solace in isolation and tend to live lonely lives.
Brief History of Schizoaffective disorder
Jacob Kasanin in 1933 coined the term schizoaffective psychosis, before that this disease was treated as another mental disorder [1]. Since this disease is one of those rare mental disorders in which the patient suffers from both mood swings and schizophrenia, thus the doctors and psychiatrists initially thought it to be another form of schizophrenia. Kasanin was the first person who claimed it to be a special disorder as he thought that this mental condition of patient lied somewhere in between schizophrenia and mood disorder.
How Schizoaffective Disorder Works
Person suffering from schizoaffective disorder is accustomed of having paranoid thoughts and confusions which leads to delusions and hallucinations. Patients have also reported that their thoughts are pretty much disorganized due to which they tend to speak quickly and abruptly in order to overcome their confusions. Depression is another major symptom of schizoaffective disorder that affects the social life of the patient.
Current treatment options for Schizoaffective Disorder
Treatment of Mental Illness before modern medicine.
Doctors usually prescribe therapy and medication in order to overcome depression and mood swings.
Once the patient gets rid of his depression then the process of psychotherapy and counseling starts, which helps the patient come out of his shell. Antidepressants are also recommended by some psychiatrists but should be used carefully.
7 tips to help manage schizoaffective disorder
Schizoaffective disorder is a common mental disorder nowadays and can easily be cured following few simple techniques.
- Antidepressants help the patient get out of depression and also help with the mood swings. These are also found helpful in overcoming feelings of hopelessness and sadness.
- If the patient is having trouble with delusions and hallucinations then antipsychotics are the best solution. Doctors usually prescribe these to the patients who found it difficult to fight absurd thoughts and weird notions. These although prove mighty helpful but should only be used if prescribed by a specialist.
- Mood stabilizers also help if the patient is suffering from bi-polar mental disorder. As the patient goes through different phases of depression and mania, thus these mood stabilizers help the patient stay normal.
- Family counseling is an integral part of treatment of schizoaffective disorder as the patient trusts only few people, thus support from family can help patient recover quickly.
- Group therapy is also advised by some doctors as the patients get to know each other and easily open to people that are suffering from same disorder thus patients recover speedily if they attend regular sessions.
- Counseling is another remedy for this particular disorder and is found to be effective as the specialists use number of techniques which help in the fast recovery of patient.
- Patient himself/herself needs to show courage and should have a strong conviction which will help them come out of this trauma quickly.
References:
1. Schizoaffective disorder, [Available at]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schizoaffective_disorder#History
Brief Introduction to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
This article gives a brief overview of OCD, find out more about Personality Disorders at our Public Health Information Session 'Anxiety & OCD' - 7:00pm 28th July 2015.
What is OCD?
OCD or Obsessive compulsive disorder is a mental disorder in which the person feels an anxious need to perform task, rituals or check, in repeatable patterns. These OCD checks can be things like: twisting a door knob 4 times, followed by turning off & on a light switch 7 times; every time the sufferer leaves the room. It is not uncommon for sufferers to maintain a state of cleanliness, with repeated hand washing a common symptom.
People suffering from OCD or obsessive compulsive disorder struggle to control their thoughts and activities. Many sufferers will admit that their need to perform these rituals is their biggest hurdle to overcome. To give you an idea of the condition, imagine your brain hijacks your body, flooding it with thoughts of dread & anxiety and the only way to stop this process is to perform a series of actions in a specific order; and if you mess up once, you will need start all over again. This gives you some insight into how burdensome OCD can be.
Brief History of OCD
In the late medieval ages, it was believed that people who experience obsessive or sexual thoughts were possessed by the devil, thus they were treated through exorcism. We have come along way since then with Sigmund Freud first attributed unconscious conflicts as OCD symptoms. OCD is an illness that affects people regardless class or social barriers, with many popular celebrities suffering from OCD [1].
How Does OCD Works?
OCD is characterized by baseless and unreasonable fears and thoughts that lead to repetitive behavior. People suffering from OCD may not realize that the obsessions and compulsions are unreasonable; however some do. If the patient tries to overcome these compulsions it increases the anxiety and distress. As a result patient is forced to perform repetitive tasks in order to relive and ease out the discomforting feelings.
Current treatment for OCD
Currently there a numerous treatments for OCD that include both medication and therapy. Anxiety medication is advised by doctors to aid in the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive disorder.Therapy is another remedy for OCD and has proved to be one of the best treatments for OCD. Doctors also sometimes advise anti-depressants but this depends on the state and condition of the patient.
7 Tips to Help Manage Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
- Make a list of things that make you anxious and then separate the ones that are not realistic. Often the person feels powerless in getting rid of compulsion, noting down these feelings might help.
- A person suffering from OCD should accept and understand that they have a condition that can be managed & treated. Acceptance is often the first proactive step to controlling anxiety.
- Keeping a journal and noting down the ways through which you combated your fears is a great solution to get rid of your compulsions.
- Try to reduce the number of repetitions of your compulsions. For instance, if you wash your hands ten times try to reduce it to eight and then cut it to six, eventually you will get rid of your compulsion.
- Delaying the compulsion is also a good idea, for example, if you check the stove every five minutes; try to increase the time span to ten minutes. This is a good technique for pushing out the time between rituals and minimizing their impact on your life.
- Anxiety medication for OCD helps in some cases but do not take medicine without consulting a doctor.
- Therapy sessions have always proven helpful in these sort of situations and going to a qualified counsellor or psychologist will help you on your road to recovery.
OCD is an interesting mental disorder that demonstrates how we we as people can be trapped by our own mental anxieties. OCD is currently thought of on the internet as the need for perfection, seeing it referenced in memes of ill-fitting tiles & rotated man hole covers; but the condition is far more intricate and obstructive (in a persons life) then these examples. It is important to know more about mental illness, to improve the treatment and acceptance of mental illness in our society. If you found it interesting learning this brief insight into OCD, then you're should attend our our Mid-Year Public Health Seminar on Anxiety & OCD.
Lead by Clinical Director Anneke Bull, this session will provide you with a thorough understanding of Anxiety & OCD. Tickets can be bought at the door, booked via email, txt or purchase using the below link.
TICKETS ARE LIMITED. Book now to avoid missing out.
References
1. Michael Knowles, 20 Celebs You Would Never Believe Have OCD And Anxiety. [Available at]: http://www.rantlifestyle.com/2013/10/25/20-celebs-never-believe-ocd-anxiety/.
Brief Introduction to Anxiety
Feelings of worry and uneasiness about a situation with uncertain outcomes is known as anxiety. Anxiety is one of the most common problems in today’s world, with many people suffering in one way or another from anxiety (at some point in their life). Find out more about Anxiety.
This article gives a brief overview of Anxiety, find out more about Personality Disorders at our Public Health Information Session 'Anxiety & OCD' - 7:00pm 28th July 2015.
What is Anxiety?
Feelings of worry and uneasiness about a situation with uncertain outcomes is known as anxiety. Anxiety is one of the most common problems in today’s world, with many people suffering in one way or another from anxiety (at some point in their life). People suffering from anxiety can sometimes become easily concerned, worried and fearful; and this can have a significant impact on their life and their productivity.
Brief History of Anxiety
Man has always been anxious before encountering tense situations. It was not until 1869 that anxiety was given the status of an illness by a young doctor named George Miller Beard. He for the first time coined the term neurasthenia, which is the modern equivalent of anxiety disorder. He called this condition ‘nervous exhaustion’ and concluded that it affected the ambitious middle and urban class members [1].
How it Works
Overthinking about future is the first and foremost symptom of anxiety disorder. Brain plays tricks with the person as he overthinks and over calculates certain situations. In such a scenario patient needs to be with a person who could comfort and console him. These anxiety attacks don’t last long and a person needs to be in a good company in order to see through these attacks.
Current Anxiety Treatment Options
Apart from medication and therapy there are many other techniques that can be used to overcome anxiety. Meditation is a quick remedy for anxiety and is advised by many doctors and psychiatrists. Regular exercise sessions also prove helpful in overcoming anxiety. Good company is recommended to all patients of anxiety. Patients can recover more quickly form episodes with the support and company of close friends and family members. Building a good working relationship with a qualified counselor or psychologist can be quite helpful in the treatment of anxiety.
7 Tips to Help Deal with Anxiety
Dealing with anxiety can be quite difficult at times, however the following are some tips to help you effectively manage aspects of your condition.
- When a person is suffering from anxiety his brain starts coming up with ideas that are absolutely bizarre and have no roots. In this situation person needs to relax and should start questioning his ideas and thoughts. The moment patient starts questioning their thoughts, anxiety attack washes out.
- Visualizing good times is one of the handiest techniques that psychotherapists recommend. In case of an anxiety attack, the sufferer should close their eyes and think about positive thoughts (consider reflecting on a pleasant memory or event in your life). It could be anything a family get-together or sight of a loved one; this will help them manage the attack.
- Meditation is another useful technique that can be adopted in order to manage anxiety.
- Warm baths are recommended, as they have a soothing effect on the body and aid in relaxation.
- Find ways that will help manage stress. Keeping track of deadline will prevent sufferers from becoming overwhelmed by looming priorities; thus decreasing the onset of anxiety attacks.
- Picturing oneself successfully facing and overcoming all the fears is another technique that is highly recommended by psychiatrists.
- Regular sessions with people who care helps overcome moments of great anxiety.
Anxiety is a common condition in Australia, affecting men and women alike. Concern & worry that comes with Anxiety, often leaves lasting impacts on the sufferers and their close friends & family. Knowing more about this condition is the best way for you to help aid the treatment of Anxiety and end the stigma of mental illness. If you're interested in learning more about Anxiety & OCD, then you should attend our Mid-Year Public Health Seminar on Anxiety & OCD.
Lead by Clinical Director Anneke Bull, this session will provide you with a thorough understanding of Anxiety & OCD. Tickets can be bought at the door, booked via email, txt or purchase using the below link.
TICKETS ARE LIMITED. Book now to avoid missing out.
References
- Scott Stossel, A Brief History Of Anxiety, [Available at]: www.psychotherapynetworker.org/magazine/recentissues/2014-novdec/item/2573-a-brief-history-of-anxiety.
Carrie Fisher - Actress, Author, Bipolar Disorder
Carrie Fisher is a talented actress who will always be remembered as Princess Leia from the Star Wars. While her fans saw her as an intergalatic princess taking on the likes of Vader, for Carrie Fisher, he battle between the light & dark side came in the form of Bipolar Disorder. Learn More...
Carrie Fisher is a talented actress who has played many parts since she first starred opposite Warren Beatty in Shampoo.
For many people, however, she was and always will be Princess Leia from the Star Wars franchise that made such a big hit in the 1970's.
While her fans see her as an intergalactic princess who is capable of taking on anything that comes her way, for much of her life Carrie Fisher has struggled with bipolar disorder.
Some of Fisher's other big hits in cinema include Austin Powers, The Blues Brothers, and When Harry Met Sally. She also revealed her talent as an author when she published Postcard from the Edge in 1987. Since then she has written three more books, Surrender the Pink, Delusions of Grandma, and Wishful Drinking. The last was most recently turned into a one woman play that Fisher says she still hasn't been able to watch, even though she knows that living it was tougher.
Carrie Fisher was originally diagnosed as an alcoholic and a drug addict. She went into rehab, but while the others in her group showed improvement, her condition only got worse as she sobered up. But while Fisher says that her drinking was a problem, it was actually her solution to the problems caused by her bipolar disorder.
When unmedicated, Fisher reports that she tends to be more manic than depressive. She said that the mania would make her very impatient because she was moving faster than everyone around her. She told WebMD that she felt "out of step with the world" (1). She understands people who turn to drugs to escape their own mental disorders because she knows that sometimes you just do whatever it takes to escape how you're feeling at the moment.
Fisher doesn't like to think about how her illness has affected her career because it cannot be changed. She told the Herald-Tribune that the only thing you can do is "cross your fingers and hope you don't get gobsmacked by it in the middle of something."(2).
She still feels that there is a stigma attached to mental disorders, as well as some treatments associated with it. She openly discusses her shock treatment in her memoirs, which is particularly uncomfortable for most people. She has hope that the stigma is fading, more in some parts of the world than others, and that awareness is growing.
For those suffering from bipolar disorder, medication can make a big difference. There is no need to feel ashamed or to refuse treatment. Fisher is accepting her role as the poster child for this disorder by refusing to let it define her, which is important for anyone with the same condition to remember. Her advice for anyone who is afraid of pursuing their dreams because of their disorder is to "stay afraid, but do it anyways."(2).
There is always help available for those suffering from bipolar or any other mental illness. If you need help, contact AB Consultation & Counselling Services to speak to a caring counselor.