Schizoaffective disorder is defined as an: Illness during which the patient has symptoms of both schizophrenia and a major mood disorder at the same time. ... Schizoaffective patients have a higher "likelihood of returning to a previous level of functioning than schizophrenics- (Lambert, Gordon). ... Some schizoaffective patients experience symptoms between episodes, but generally, symptoms can be controlled with medication. Many schizoaffective patients function very well in normal society with treatment. ... Victim, not villain: the mentally ill are six to seven times more likely to b...

• Word Count: 1275
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The presentation of symptoms changes from one patient to the next and even from one episode to the next in the same patient. ... Psychiatrists listen to patients and patients family members describe the above mentioned symptoms and they assess their onset, course, fluctuation and impact upon the patient. ... Bipolar II patients are also at a higher risk to fall victim to alcoholism. ... Because these drugs begin working almost immediately, they are used on patients with acute mania and the severely ill manic patients. ... About two-thirds of all patients that undergo ECT report some level ...

• Word Count: 1580
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

An estimated 10-14 million Americans suffer from depression, according to a recent article in the "Alliance for the Mentally Ill" publication. ... It was also found to be less active in depressed patients. ... Although antidepressants drugs do initially help about 70% of patients, some people need to take psychotherapy. ... For patients with less severe depression, psychotherapy was as effective as antidepressant drugs. ... However, when patients who had recovered were followed for 18 months, the results were ...

• Word Count: 1564
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Physicians cannot always determine which drug will be best for a particular patient. ... Supportive therapies emphasize support and provide structure in the patient's life. ... Generally such groups consist of four to eight patients, and one or two therapists. ... Creative art therapy can be used for the patient unable to address his or her illness in the usual verbal manner. Patients are encouraged to express themselves through body movements or by writing poetry for instance. ...

• Word Count: 2345
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

During this time, Patty became ill while on the set of her new television show. ... In fact, the first thing most doctors will look at when taking on a new patient is family history. ... When the person with a mood disorder is a first degree relative, such as a mother or father, the chances the patient will eventually be diagnosed with manic depressive disorder increases. ... Another study discussed in the book was conducted with Amish families in Pennsylvania and revealed that all Amish patients with manic depressive illness had a defective eleventh chromosome. ... During that time, she lea...

• Word Count: 2195
• Approx Pages: 9

Therefore, diagnosis should not lie only in the physician's hands but be associated with parents, teachers, and anyone who interacts with the patient on a daily basis. ... Oster & Montgomery (1996) stated that "when parents are struggling over marital or career problems, or are ill themselves, teens may feel the tension and try to distract their parents." ... So how can the physician determine when a patient should be diagnosed as depressed or suicidal? ... An average of twenty to thirty percent of adult bipolar patients reported having their first episode before the age of twenty. ...

• Word Count: 1418
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Therefore, diagnosis should not lie only in the physician's hands but be associated with parents, teachers, and anyone who interacts with the patient on a daily basis. ... Oster & Montgomery (1996) stated that "when parents are struggling over marital or career problems, or are ill themselves, teens may feel the tension and try to distract their parents." ... So how can the physician determine when a patient should be diagnosed as depressed or suicidal? ... An average of twenty to thirty percent of adult bipolar patients reported having their first episode before the age of twenty. ...

• Word Count: 1418
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Unfortunately, about 10-20% of individuals with BD take their own life and nearly one third of patients admit to at least one suicide attempt (Martin, 1981). ... In other words, if the patient responds unequivocally to these medications, this is usually a clear indication of some form of bipolar illness (Hopkins & Gelenberg, 1994; Goodwin & Guze, 1989). However, the problem with the diagnosis of BD is that many individuals will present with depressive symptoms but initially make no reference to hypomanic symptoms unless the practitioner actively questions the patients about these. ... Nath...

• Word Count: 2287
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

The mentally ill were frequently incarcerated and mistreated at Bethlehem Hospital (also known as "Bedlam"). ... Mentally ill people were driven from towns, ridiculed, beaten, or stoned. Women who were mentally ill were often thought to be witches or possessed and were burned at the stake or drowned. ...

• Word Count: 2472
• Approx Pages: 10
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

This continued until I became ill with what I believe was a very bad case of the flu. ... I was ill for over a week. ... Typically, when a bipolar patient stops taking their medications they slip into a very deep depressive state. ...

• Word Count: 1747
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Depressed patients must learn to understand how their illness affects other people, and expect that their relationships will not be what they were. ... The best way for them to be relieved of the stress is to help the patient toward recovery. ... Thus, to attempt to treat all persons suffering depression with the same medication would be ill advised" ("Depression" 520). ...

• Word Count: 1798
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Therefore, diagnosis should not lie only in the physician's hands but be associated with parents, teachers and anyone who interacts with the patient on a daily basis. ... When parents are struggling over marital or career problems, or are ill themselves, teens may feel the tension and try to distract their parents. ... So how can the physician determine when a patient should be diagnosed as depressed or suicidal? ... An average of 20-30% of adult bipolar patients report having their first episode before the age of 20. ...

• Word Count: 2383
• Approx Pages: 10
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Physical ills are often viewed with more importance than emotional pain by parents, teachers, or even the teens themselves. ... One-third to one-half of patients with eating disorders has a major depressive illness at the same time. ... Studies have found that when depressed patients were given treatment, alcohol and drug intake diminished as well. ...

• Word Count: 1938
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography

I go through the ups and downs of being content, smiling and laughing, communicating with family and friends, going to class and be productive for a few moments, then ill-fated the next, wasting time watching television, sleeping, staying awake for multiple days, over-eating and under-eating, and having no interaction with the outside world. ...

• Word Count: 2277
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate