What are they and how many people are affected? What are they? Behavior patterns or mental processes that cause serious personal suffering or interfere with a person’s ability to cope with everyday life Majority of people do not seek help for their illnesses 1 in 4 adults has suffered some form of psychological disorder

Types of Disorders- DSM-IV TR 16 different categories Major categories include: Early onset disorders: ADD, ADHD, Autism, etc. Cognitive Disorders: Brain damage, Alzheimer’s, exposure to toxic substances Substance Related: excessive use or withdrawal from illicit substances Schizophrenia/psychotic disorders: delusions, hallucinations, sever disruption of thoughts

Anxiety Disorders: phobias, generalized anxiety, panic attacks, PTSD, OCD Mood Disorders: major depression, bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, etc. Dissociative Disorders: multiple personality disorder Somatoform disorders: physical symptoms where no biological cause is found Sexual and gender identity disorders: sexual dysfunction including bizarre acts to achieve sexual satisfaction Eating disorders: abnormal eating patterns Sleep disorders: insomnia, sleep walking, etc. Impulse Control disorders: compulsive gambling, kleptomania, pyromania Personality Disorders: antisocial and paranoid personality disorders

Mood Disorders Depression Helplessness, hopelessness, worthlessness, guilt, and great sadness Bipolar Mood changes from depression to great happiness and back again Very common disorder In a 6 month time span, 8% of women and 4% of all men are likely to be diagnosed with some form of a mood disorder

Depression Most common of all psychological disorders 8-18% of the general population will be diagnosed with depression in their lifetime

Symptoms Agitation, restlessness, and irritability Dramatic change in appetite, often with weight gain or loss Very difficult to concentrate Fatigue and lack of energy Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness Feelings of worthlessness, self-hate, and guilt Becoming withdrawn or isolated Loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyed Thoughts of death or suicide Trouble sleeping or excessive sleeping Adult

Adolescents Include all adult symptoms Include behavior changes such as: Difficulty making decisions Acting-out behaviors (missing curfews, unusual defiance) Criminal behavior (such as shoplifting) Irresponsible behavior Poor school performance, grades dropping Pulling away from family and friends, spending more time alone Use of alcohol or other illegal substances

Causes of Adolescent Depression Difficult to diagnose because it can occur because of the normal process of maturing and the stress that occurs with it, the influence of sex hormones, and independence conflicts with parents Reaction to events such as death of a relative or friend, breakup with girlfriend or boyfriend, failure in school, etc. Bullying, child abuse, poor parenting, and stressful life events can also cause depression in adolescents Following can cause or occur because of depression Heavy drinking Regular marijuana (pot) smoking Other drug use

Why does depression occur? Psychological Views Past events to the present Loss in childhood Internalizes the anger and turns it upon themselves Biological 20-25% of people have relatives with depression Serotonin and noradrenaline deficiences

Treatment Medication: Anti-depressants Increase serotonin and noradrenaline levels Prozac, Zoloft, Cymbalta, Lexapro, etc. Can increase suicidal behavior in first few months Talk Therapy Cognitive behavioral therapy Psychotherapy Support groups

Prevention Do not drink alcohol or use drugs (make it worse) Seek help early- especially in adolescents Get more exercise Maintain good sleep habits Seek out activities that bring you pleasure Volunteer or get involved in group activities Talk to someone you trust about how you are feeling Try to be around people who are caring and positive