Form Of Mental Illness example essay topic

INTRODUCTION - On the 22nd of August, a woman called Amanda Collins, a qualified psychiatrist from the A.R.A.F.M. I association gave a speech about mental illness and its affect on society, as well as the main age group it generally affects. She also talked about the different types of mental illness' there are and their likely-hood as well as how drugs such as speed and marijuana can have a great effect on certain types of mental illness' to the point of actually causing them. In regards to mental illness there are two categories which most mental illness' can be separated into; those are psychotic and non-psychotic. Descriptions properly sorted into these categories as well as with their names are as follows. PSYCHOTIC (Psychosis) - This is also an illness as well as a word used to categorise other mental illness'. Psychosis as it is otherwise known as, is when the sufferer has a break from reality, meaning that they can be wandering around completely awake and believe that they are in a different place entirely, this can go on for a significant amount of time and people suffering this can often experience these events at any time.

Other symptoms of Psychosis are hearing voices and not necessarily just in their head. People have been known to hear voices as if a person were sitting right next to them speaking to them. Some people have had such a severe case of this illness that they will try to block their ears as to stop the voices. Some sufferers have been known to have voices that tell or "instruct" them what to do, theses voices can be very convincing to the sufferer, to the point of them committing suicide to either stop the voices or because it's what they have been told to do by them. Hallucinations are also another common symptom of psychosis, these can be full blown interactive things (hallucinations) being seen by the sufferer. People have been known to have on going conversations with their hallucinations.

In most cases people's hallucinations have been passive but some people have walked into on coming traffic and trains, because they were so emersed in their hallucination they weren't seeing what was in reality going on around them in reality. Sometimes people have such a break from reality that they become under the impression that they are in fact god! Some sufferers believe this so to the point that they will jump in front of a train because they think that they will either survive the train hitting them or they will be able to stop the train entirely. SCHIZOPHRENIA- Due too much hysteria from many movies, people that have been diagnosed with Schizophrenia are said to have what is commonly known as "Split personalities" or "Multiple Personality Disorder", but the fact of the matter is, that these forms of Schizophrenia don't exist, or at least there isn't any evidence to prove it, such as documented cases of Psychiatric hospital admittance of people who evidently have the disorder.

The more common and actual symptoms of Schizophrenia are Paranoia and becoming isolated from any form of social interaction. In most cases of Schizophrenia it can be treated with medication but many of the patients suffering from it choose to not have it due to the adverse effects it can have such as drowsiness. More extreme methods of treatments for Schizophrenia back in the 1900's were shock therapy, and a lobotomy through the eye, in which the piece of believed to be affected brain tissue was removed and if the patient survived they were believed to be cured, no matter how adverse the side affects were. In the days of witches it turns out many of them may have actually been suffering from Schizophrenia, Psychosis or some form of mental illness.

One of the olden day methods of treatment, conducted by the Catholics, for this was called "Trepanning", this is when a hand operated drill is turned over the person whom is suffering's forehead until a hole is formed, the Catholics believed that when a hole was drilled in a sick persons head (mentally ill or just plain sick), that the supposed daemon that was possessing them would escape leaving the persons soul cleansed so that it could go onto heaven. The main reason Psychologists came up with the idea of "Multiple Personalities" or "Split Personalities" is because the people that were believed to have this disorder and that were interviewed were constantly changing the topic of the conversation and also appeared to have voices in their heads, hence the "Talking to themselves" appearance of "Multiple Personalities"/"Split Personalities". MANIC DEPRESSION / BI-POLAR- Means splitting of the mind. This is a serious mental illness in which a person alternates between periods of severe depression and periods of mania (extreme joy, over activity or irritability). If this illness is treated incorrectly or in adequately there can be dire consequences, such as suicide. A period of depression for a person suffering from manic depression may feel sad, anxious, irritable, hope-less, un-motivated, insomnia or excessive sleeping, a decrease or increase in appetite, weight loss or weight gain, showing of deep thought and movement, as well as poor memory and concentration.

Many sufferers have though about wanting to die and have unrealistic feelings of quilt. However in a period of mania a sufferer may experience euphoric like states (indescribable happiness). Sufferers may sometimes behave inappropriately; for example they may laugh uncontrollably at funerals. Periods of mania are also characterized by increased energy, racing thoughts, increased rate of speech, decreased need for sleep, exaggerated sense of self worth and poor judgement. Scientist believe genetic factors cause many cases of Bi-Polar disorder. Sufferers usually show Signes of the illness in their teens.

Treatments include drugs and psychotherapy. The types of medication usually used for this illness are, Lithium, Carbamazepine and Valproate.