Facts and Statistics of Mental Disorders
I copy-pasted a lot of these from WebMD. I dunno about copywrites or anything. I just wanted good facts and went there. You can always do your own research, but I wanted to compile a list of symptoms and easy facts for you. Please note that I add my two-cents in occasionally and I don't directly copy-paste from WebMD. I do change wordings and such if it suites my fancy.
Anxiety
External Factors:
Stress at work
Stress from school
Stress in a personal relationship such as marriage
Financial stress
Stress from an emotional trauma such as the death of a loved one
Stress from a serious medical illness
Side effect of medication
Use of an illicit drug, such as cocaine
Symptom of a medical illness (such as heart attack, heat stroke, hypoglycemia)
Lack of oxygen - In circumstances as diverse as high altitude sickness, emphysema, or pulmonary embolism (a blood clot with the vessels of the lung)
Notice: There's a lot of "stresses" there... Learn to manage stress better and you'll do wonders for yourself. Just sayin'.
I decided to copy-paste this in here, because I thought it was very relevant to this page: '...sweating, racing heart, rapid pulse, feeling faint or as if one is choking, and-perhaps worst of all-the sense of "going crazy."' -WebMD on the physical aspects of a panic attack
Around 2.4 million U.S. adults suffer from a panic disorder
Agoraphobia, the fear of being outside of safe and known surroundings, effects many people who have panic disorders. When people have agoraphobia, they don't leave their houses or travel outside of what they are comfortable with. It sucks.
These are some straightforward symptoms of a panic attack:
Sudden overwhelming fear
Palpitations
Sweating
Trembling
Shortness of breath
Sense of choking
Chest pain
Nausea
Dizziness
A feeling of being detached from the world (derealization)
Fear of dying
Numbness or tingling in the limbs or entire body
Chills or hot flushes
Generalized anxiety disorder is excessive and unrealistic worry over a period of at least six months associated with three of the following:
Restlessness
Easy fatigue
Difficulty concentrating
Irritability or explosive anger
Muscle tension
Sleep disturbances
Personality changes such as becoming less social
What Causes Panic Disorder?
Although the exact cause of panic disorder is not fully understood, studies have shown that a combination of factors, including biological and environmental, may be involved. These factors include.
Family history. Panic disorder has been shown to run in families. It may be passed on to some people by one or both parent(s) much like hair or eye color can.
Abnormalities in the brain. Panic disorder may be caused by problems in parts of the brain.
Substance abuse. Abuse of drugs and alcohol can contribute to panic disorder.
Major life stress. Stressful events and major life transitions, such as the death of a loved one, can trigger a panic disorder.
How Common Is Panic Disorder?
Panic disorder affects about 2.4 million adult Americans. Panic disorder most often begins during late adolescence and early adulthood. It is twice as common in women as in men.
Depression
What are symptoms of depression?
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, symptoms of depression may include the following:
difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions
fatigue and decreased energy
feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and/or helplessness
feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism
insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping
irritability, restlessness
loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable, including sex
overeating or appetite loss
persistent aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment
persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" feelings
thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts
-Beside the suicide thing, unless you have these symptoms persistantly for over two weeks, you aren't clinically depressed... You just need counselling, probably. [Personal opinion here <- Always consult a professional about these kinds of things if you think you have depression or any other mental disorder]
Warning signs of suicide with depression include:
a sudden switch from being very sad to being very calm or appearing to be happy
always talking or thinking about death
clinical depression (deep sadness, loss of interest, trouble sleeping and eating) that gets worse
having a "death wish," tempting fate by taking risks that could lead to death, like driving through red lights
losing interest in things one used to care about
making comments about being hopeless, helpless, or worthless
putting affairs in order, tying up loose ends, changing a will
saying things like "It would be better if I wasn't here" or "I want out"
talking about suicide (killing one's self)
visiting or calling people one cares about
Remember, if you or someone you know is demonstrating any of the above warning signs of suicide with depression, either call your local suicide hot line, contact a mental health professional right away, or go to the emergency room for immediate treatment.
*I'dlike to say here that going to the ER, although may help, did pretty much nothing for me. I, personally, would recommend that if you're suicidal or know someone who is, help them stay alive (sleeping or tasks that require lots of concentration, if possible, are always good choices) until you can get them an appointment with a doctor or therapist who can perscribe medication or other medical treatment such as hospitalization, etc. Check my blog for more information about my hospitalization and ER visits.*
If you want to know more about the types of depression, check out this page - I found it to be very helpful: http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/depression-types
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Here's some info on OCD... The symptoms explained!
Obsessions. These are unwanted thoughts, ideas, and impulses that you have again and again. They won't go away. They get in the way of your normal thoughts and cause anxiety or fear. The thoughts may be sexual or violent, or they may make you worry about illness or infection. Examples include:
A fear of harm to yourself or a loved one.
A driving need to do things perfectly or correctly.
A fear of getting dirty or infected.
Compulsions. These are behaviors that you repeat to try to control the obsessions. Some people have behaviors that are rigid and structured, while others have very complex behaviors that change. Examples include:
Washing, or checking that something has been done.
Counting, often while doing another compulsive action, such as hand-washing.
Repeating things or always moving items to keep them in perfect order.
Hoarding.
Praying.
The obsessions or compulsions usually take up a lot of time-more than 1 hour a day. They greatly interfere with your normal routine at work or school, and they affect social activities and relationships.
Sometimes people may understand that their obsessions and compulsions are not real. But at other times they may not be sure, or they may believe strongly in their fears.
What is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)?
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a type of mental illness that causes repeated unwanted thoughts. To get rid of the thoughts, a person does the same tasks over and over. For example, you may fear that everything you touch has germs on it. So to ease that fear, you wash your hands over and over again.
OCD is a chronic, or long-term, illness that can take over your life, hurt your relationships, and limit your ability to work or go to school.
Bipolar Disorder
Symptoms
Bipolar Symptoms
The primary symptoms of bipolar disorder are dramatic and unpredictable mood swings.
Mania Symptoms
Mania symptoms may include excessive happiness, excitement, irritability, restlessness, increased energy, less need for sleep, racing thoughts, high sex drive, and a tendency to make grand and unattainable plans.
Depression Symptoms
Depression symptoms may include sadness, anxiety, irritability, loss of energy, uncontrollable crying, change in appetite causing weight loss or gain, increased need for sleep, difficulty making decisions, and thoughts of death or suicide.
Types
Bipolar Types
There are several types of bipolar disorder; all involve episodes of depression and mania to a degree. They include bipolar I, bipolar II, cyclothymic disorder, mixed bipolar, and rapid-cycling bipolar disorder.
Bipolar I
A person affected by bipolar I disorder has had at least one manic episode in his or her life. A manic episode is a period of abnormally elevated mood, accompanied by abnormal behavior that disrupts life.
Bipolar II
Bipolar II is similar to bipolar I disorder, with moods cycling between high and low over time. However, in bipolar II disorder, the "up" moods never reach full-on mania.
Rapid Cycling
In rapid cycling, a person with bipolar disorder experiences four or more episodes of mania or depression in one year. About 10% to 20% of people with bipolar disorder have rapid cycling.
Mixed Bipolar
In most forms of bipolar disorder, moods alternate between elevated and depressed over time. But with mixed bipolar disorder, a person experiences both mania and depression simultaneously or in rapid sequence.
Cyclothymia
Cyclothymia (cyclothymic disorder) is a relatively mild mood disorder. People with cyclothymic disorder have milder symptoms than in full-blown bipolar disorder.
Complications
Bipolar Disorder Complications
Self-injury, often referred to as cutting, self-mutilation, or self-harm, is an injurious attempt to cope with overpowering negative emotions, such as extreme anger, anxiety, and frustration. It is usually repetitive, not a one-time act.
Warning Signs
Bipolar Warning Signs
When a person's illness follows the classic pattern, diagnosing bipolar disorder is relatively easy. But bipolar disorder can be sneaky. Symptoms can defy the expected manic-depressive sequence.
I hope this has helped. I know it's not a professional fact sheet, but I'm not professional. This is just the information you'll want close at hand if you think you or a loved one has one of these disorders. Just like any health problem, it is a disease. It isn't something we can control, and we can't get rid of it without help. So if you think you have a problem, please, get help. You'll feel so much better, I promise.
