Mental Disorders Mental Disorder- Is an illness that affects the mind and reduces person’s ability to function, adjust to change, or get along with others.

Causes of Mental Disorder Physical Factors- Growth or tumor, in the brain, an injury to brain. Heredity- Inherit tendency toward a mental disorder. Early Experiences- Negative experiences that occur early in life can lead to mental illness. Recent Experiences- Experiences that have occurred within a short amount of time and trigger mental illness.

Obsession- An unwanted thought or image that takes control of the mind. Compulsion- An unreasonable need to behave in a certain way to prevent a feared outcome Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder- People who survive life threatening event. May have flashbacks or nightmares that produce intense fear and horror.

Mood Disorder- Experience extreme emotions that make it difficult to function well in their daily lives. Depression- Is an emotional state in which a person feels extremely sad and hopeless. Schizophrenia- It can be identified by severe disturbances in thinking, mood, awareness, and behavior. Personality Disorder- Display rigid patterns of behavior that make it difficult for them to get along with others.

Treatment Psychiatrist- M.D. A physician who can diagnose and treat mental disorders. They will do a medical exam to rule out physical causes. Then will talk to patient to find out what symptoms the patient has. -They prescribe medications. If symptoms have a physical cause, they may ask the patient to see a neurologist.

Cont Neurologist- Is a physician who treats physical disorders of the nervous system. MRI of the head is a nuclear medicine technique frequently used in the field of Neurology. Clinical Psychologist- Is trained to recognize and treat behavior that is not normal. Clinical Psychologist have a doctoral degree in psychology and at least two years of practical training in clinics or hospitals. In some states, clinical psychologists can prescribe medications.

Cont. Psychiatric social worker- Helps people with mental disorders and their families to accept and adjust to an illness. Mental Health Counselor- Some focus on a specific problems or work with specific group of people. Ex. Alcoholics, drug abusers, OCD, ect.