Essay on Mental Disorders

Submitted By pitbullmom43
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Mental disorders is a common term used to describe those affected by it. These are manifested in the brain and affect a person’s thoughts, behavior, and how they interact with others. The definition alone encompasses a large number of psychiatric disorders that can vary widely in symptoms and severity.
Mental disorders can interfere with daily function in every aspect. It has a gigantic impact on a person’s overall well-being and will often adversely affect quality of life, along with those around them, often complicating matters further. The causes are still being studied and are currently known to be caused by a complex and still misunderstood interaction between genetics, learned behavior, personality, health, outside influences and coping skills(Nature vs. Nurture).
The current standard evaluation criteria used for diagnosis is the DSM-IV, with actual diagnosis being extremely difficult, treatment even more complicated, or at times simply not possible depending upon the illness and/or willingness of the affected individual to actually participate in managing their illness.
Characteristics vary widely with a main underlying theme of general loss of insight and reality. A multiaxial system including five axes are part of the DSM-IV classifications. These axes help to identify as exactly as possible what 3 the disorder/s may be and help to offer treatment options. Sounds pretty straightforward and simple enough but in actuality is anything but. Especially challenging are those with borderline or anti-social personality disorders. These are the people in the population that don’t see themselves as having a problem and often reject treatment in favor of immediate actions to pacify their narcissistic nature. The reasons these individuals are so resistant to treatment are many, but most importantly and destructive is the way they insinuate themselves into the mind of the sufferer. I can relate to this part personally as I was married for 15 years to a sociopath with very strong, yet subtle, hidden narcissistic traits. It literally was years before I realized the frightening reality of what I was living with and became as dangerous to get out of it as it still is 9 years post divorce today, still occasionally receiving messages of fantasy and threats. I still fear showering in the house alone, feeling extremely vulnerable, always looking over my shoulder, still carrying a pistol for personal defense. Their illness severely affects those around them also. These are the minds beyond repair as they are in their own minds, beyond reproach, with little or no regard for laws or feelings of anyone around them. They actually enjoy this game and love the challenge. The imprint for me may never pass and our children have a distant and skittish relationship with him for the same reasons. I always want the best for and hope for them, that the nature part of this wasn’t inherited and that they don’t ever mimic it, but do 4 have serious concerns for one son who is showing similar symptoms at the age of 23. Learning what I have in this course concerns me for his future. He doesn’t get involved in long term relationships so he wont hurt another. He lives with a daily struggle within himself trying to override what he knows isn’t okay or hurtful. He doesn’t always win and connects with his father on levels that are destructive and manipulative.
There are also disorders that may not actually be the deficit we assume them to be. Take for
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