Mental Disorders Diversity

While mental disorders are often thought to be related to only those disorders that affect cognitive abilities, in fact, mental disorders include a wide variety of illnesses. In some cases, mental disorders affect the way that a person responds to situations or events while in other cases it affects the way they respond to other people. At the current time, there are more than 350 diagnosed and recognized mental disorders.

Mental disorders are common throughout the world and do not discriminate in terms of race, gender, ethnicity or social lines. The wealthy young executive may be just as likely to suffer from a mental disorder as the homeless individual standing on the corner of the street. Mental disorders are also quite common throughout the age spectrum. While some mental disorders do not present until late adolescence or even adulthood; others are found to be quite commonly associated with childhood. Still yet, others may not present until the individual has reached an advanced age.

The root of mental disorders also varies. In some cases, an individual may come to suffer from a mental disorder after experiencing an event that leaves a remarkable impression upon them. In post traumatic stress disorder, for example, a victim may only develop this disorder after experiencing extreme trauma. The effects of war, child abuse, automobile and airline accidents and natural disasters all may prompt the development of post traumatic stress disorder. In other cases, mental disorders may be genetically related. Some mental disorders are found to be particularly prevalent in families; including bi-polar disorder and schizophrenia. Still yet, other mental disorders may arise for no particular reason related to either genetics or major life events.

The symptoms related to these dozens of mental disorders range greatly and may include symptoms that most people have experienced at one time or another. The marked difference between the everyday experiences that most people endure and true symptoms of mental disorders is that behaviors and feelings associated with a mental disorder will commonly get in the way of enjoying and participating in everyday life activities. For example, while everyone feels sad from time to time the sadness will generally go away and the person will still be able to work or go to school or engage in other life activities. A person with severe depression will experience symptoms that will not allow them participate in these same activities.

Only a healthcare professional can diagnoses the presence of a mental disorder. Due to the wide range of various mental disorders, extensive testing may be required to diagnose a mental disorder and clarify one mental disorder from another. Some mental disorders appear to be very closely related to one another but in fact; have distinct differences. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are just two such examples.

Exact diagnosis is extremely important to the treatment of mental illness. Unfortunately, in many cases, mental illnesses may not be diagnoses at all or they may be under-diagnosed. When a mental illness is under-diagnosed, it may be determined that the illness is far less severe than it actually is.

Treatment options for mental disorders are almost as diverse as the disorders themselves; however, they typically include various combinations of medications and therapy. In many cases, through the correct treatment options, individuals suffering from mental disorders are able to lead normal or nearly normal lives. In other cases, they may still remain completely disabled and unable to function within normal society. Some persons suffering from mental disorders may experience bouts in which they are unable to function normally while at other times experience near normal activities.

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