There is a famous phrase with no defined authorship that says the following: “Even if he knows the center of the Universe or the bottom of the sea, man will not know what is closest to him: himself”. In a way, the phrase is right, because we have already advanced a lot in space exploration, for example, but there are still countless mysteries related to the human mind.
With the advancement of science and the development of Psychology and Psychiatry, we have come to understand more and more disorders and health problems related to the mind and brain, which are hundreds, perhaps hundreds of thousands. Knowing these disorders is essential to be aware of our health and also to know how to deal with people who suffer from them.
Depression
Clinically called major depressive disorder (MDD), but popularly known only as depression, it is one of the most serious problems in modern societies. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are more than 350 million people in the world with this disease.
More than 1 million people take their own lives each year in the world (WHO data). And, according to the Associação Españaeira de Psiquiatria (ABP), 97% of suicide cases were associated with mental disorders – with depression in the first place. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people aged 15 to 29, according to a report released by the WHO in September 2019.
Depression is mainly characterized by a period of two or more weeks with predominance of depressive/sad/melancholic feelings, as well as low self-esteem, loss of interest in activities that were previously interesting, low mood and pain without defined causes.
Depression is curable! Psychotherapy and psychiatric treatment are essential to promote healing. If you are experiencing symptoms of depression or know someone who is, make an appointment with a psychiatrist and look for a psychologist to start treatment.
Anxiety
Alongside depression, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), better known simply as anxiety, has been considered by mental health experts the evil of our century, as there are millions of cases of these two problems in our modern society.
GAD is characterized by a state of excessive and persistent anxiety, which occurs even without context, that is, without situations that arouse anxiety. If this type of condition persists for more than six months, it is likely to be GAD. In addition, symptoms include crises in which insomnia, excessive sweating, wet hands and feet, nausea, difficulty communicating, eating and being easily frightened and impressed.
Just like depression, anxiety has a cure, and follow-up is done by a psychiatrist and a psychologist.
Panic Syndrome
Often an offshoot of GAD, panic syndrome is characterized by recurrent and unexpected attacks, usually triggered by situations of intense fear. The most common symptoms are sweating, tremors, shortness of breath, palpitations, numbness and a feeling that something terrible is going to happen. The very feeling that an attack is about to happen can trigger a crisis.
Although some people develop the problem due to intense exposure to situations of fear and anxiety, Medicine still does not know the exact causes of panic attacks, but there is evidence that family history influences. Smoking, psychological stress and addictions can all cause this condition.
Treatment includes psychotherapy and psychiatry, but also breathing and calming exercises such as meditation, which can prevent seizures.
Burnout syndrome
We live in a society in which our professions are increasingly at the center of our lives, as well as the demands on them, which are many and “heavy”. That's why burnout syndrome has been increasingly discussed.
Also known as burnout syndrome, it is a problem exclusively related to work. It is a state of chronic stress characterized by physical and emotional exhaustion, especially among professionals who work constantly under pressure.
The main symptoms are physical and mental exhaustion, neglect of personal needs and leisure, aversion to social encounters, intense sadness or dissatisfaction, physical and mental collapse, among others. Treatment includes psychotherapy and medication to treat symptoms.
Bipolarity
Bipolar affective disorder (BAD), also known as bipolar disorder, is a mental disorder characterized by frequent alternation between two types of mood: periods of depression and periods of high mood, also known as mania, in which the person feels energetic, content and irritable.
It is a disorder that requires psychological and psychiatric follow-up, because the risk of suicide is high – at least 20 to 30 times higher than in the general population (according to a study published in the National Library of Medicine in 2013). In addition, it is estimated that 30% of people who suffer from this condition practice self-mutilation.
Its causes are not yet fully understood, but it is known that anxiety, depression, childhood abuse and long-term stress can cause it.
Borderline
Borderline personality disorder (BPD), popularly known only as borderline, is a disorder with less “exact” symptoms, such as depression and anxiety. It is mainly characterized by instabilities and difficulties in relationships with other people, instability of self-image and self-esteem and emotional instability. Risky behaviors and self-harm are common in these cases. Feelings of emptiness and intense fear of emotional abandonment are also frequent.
Substance abuse, depression and eating disorders are among the factors causing the problem. Although only 1,6% of the world's population suffers from this problem, according to a report published by the WHO in 2015, the suicide rate among people who suffer from this disease is very high, reaching 10%.
Psychotherapy and psychiatric treatment with medication promote a gradual improvement in the condition.
Schizophrenia
Formerly known as madness, schizophrenia is a mental disorder that causes recurrent or even uninterrupted episodes of psychosis, including hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking. The consequences are, among others, social seclusion, difficulty expressing emotions, lack of motivation and other psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression.
The WHO estimates that 0,5% of the world's population suffers from this disease. When the disease is triggered, life expectancy is around 8 to 20 years, due to the risk of suicide, cardiovascular diseases and excesses or shortages caused by reckless lifestyle.
Palliative treatment is done with medication, and psychotherapy is indicated.
Prosopagnosia
Considered a rare disease in its most advanced stages, prosopagnosia is a disorder that causes the affected person to have difficulty retaining, assimilating and recognizing faces, so he has to recognize people, even if they are close and known.
Its causes usually involve brain injuries or neurological diseases that affect specific areas of the brain.
There is no treatment for this problem, other than psychotherapy, which helps to deal with it in a healthy way.
Autism
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), popularly known as autism, is a disorder characterized by difficulty in social interaction and communication, whether verbal or not, in addition to restrictive and repetitive behaviors.
Autism is highly hereditary, and the disease is very varied, so each affected person has different symptoms and characteristics. It is a disease that manifests itself early and its diagnosis is usually made when the child is between three and four years old, a period in which interaction difficulties are usually perceived by parents.
Treatment includes psychotherapy and other additional care, as well as enabling the person suffering from this condition to live in stable and healthy conditions.
Its variety is so great that it is referred to as the “autism spectrum”, as many different disorders can be considered autism, such as the one we will describe below.
Asperger's syndrome
Asperger Syndrome is one of the most common disorders on the autism spectrum. It is characterized by difficulties in establishing social relationships and communicating, as well as very specific and intense behavior patterns and interests regarding certain topics.
The affected person usually has good degrees of intelligence and relatively normal language development, unlike other autism spectrum disorders.
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The signs usually manifest before the age of two, and palliative treatment, to give the person more quality of life, includes psychotherapy.
It is worth remembering that the term “Asperger” no longer appears in the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, being classified as “Autism Spectrum Disorder without linguistic or intellectual impairment”. But the use is still current because this nomenclature is still based on the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems. Experts in related fields prefer to use the term “mild autism”.
These are some of the many disorders that can affect the human mind, and Medicine has not yet been able to understand exactly why they occur. Our mind really is a mystery, isn't it? If you suspect that you suffer from any of these problems, book an appointment with a psychiatrist and / or a session with a psychologist, to be evaluated, and take care of your mental health!
