Taking a Look at Yourself. Have you been told that you have a psychiatric or mental illness like depression, bipolar disorder or manic depression, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, dissociative disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, an eating disorder or an anxiety disorder?

Do any of the following feelings or experiences make you feel miserable or get in the way of doing the things you want to do most or all of the time?

• feeling like your life is hopeless and you are worthless

• wanting to end your life

• thinking you are so great that you are world famous, or that you can do supernatural things

• feeling nervous or feelings of anxiety

• being afraid of common things like going outdoors or indoors, or of being seen in certain places

• feeling like something bad is going to happen and being afraid of everything

• being very “shaky,” nervous, continually upset and irritable

• having a hard time controlling your behavior

• being unable to sit still

• doing things over and over again—finding it very hard to stop doing things like washing your hands, counting everything or collecting things you don’t need

• doing strange or risky things – like wearing winter clothes in the summer and summer clothes in the winter, or driving too fast

• believing unusual things – like that the television or radio are talking to you, or that the smoke alarms or digital clocks in public buildings are taking pictures of you

• saying things over and over that don’t make any sense

• hearing voices in your head

• seeing things you know aren’t really there

• feeling as if everyone is against you or out to get you

• feeling out of touch with the world

• having periods of time go by when you don’t know what has happened or how the time has passed — you don’t remember being there but others say you were

• feeling unconnected to your body

• having an unusually hard time keeping your mind on what you are doing

• a sudden or gradual decrease or increase in your ability to think, focus, make decisions and understand things

• feeling like you want to cut yourself or hurt yourself in another physical way

If you answered “yes” to the first question or answered “yes” to any of these experiences, this booklet is for you. It is designed to offer helpful information and suggest things you can do to feel better.

Things To Remember in Your Quest for Improved Mental Health and Mental Health Treatment

Above all, remember, you are not alone. Many people have feelings or experiences like these at some time in their lives. When such experiences become severe, some people reach out for help and treatment from health care providers. Others try to get through it on their own. Some people don’t tell anyone what they are experiencing because they are afraid people will not understand and will blame them or treat them badly.

Other people share what they are experiencing with friends, family members, or co-workers.Sometimes these feelings and experiences are so severe that friends and people around you know you are having them even though you have not told them. No matter what your situation is, these feelings and experiences are very hard to live with. They may keep you from doing what you want to do with your life, what you have to do for yourself and others, and what you find rewarding and enjoyable.

As you begin to work on helping yourself feel better, there are some important things to keep in mind.

1. You will feel better. You will feel happy again. The disturbing experiences and feelings you’ve had or are having are temporary. This may be hard to believe, but it’s true. No one knows how long these symptoms will last.

However, there are lots of things you can do to relieve them and make them go away. You will want help from others, including health care providers, family members, and friends in relieving your symptoms and for ongoing help in staying well.

2. The best time to address these feelings and experiences is now, before they get any worse.

3. These feelings and experiences are not your fault. Remember, you are just as valuable and important as anyone else.

4. When you have these kinds of feelings and experiences, it is hard to think clearly and make good decisions. If possible, don’t make any major decisions—like whether to get a job or change jobs, move, or leave a partner or friend—until you feel better. If you have to make some major decisions, especially about getting treatment, ask your friends, family members, and health care providers for help.

5. Spend time with people you know, and work on developing friendships with people who are positive, caring and who like you just the way you are. Sometimes people who have these kinds of feelings and experiences are treated badly by people who don’t understand. Try to stay away from people who treat you badly.

6. Listen to the concerns of and feedback from your health care providers, friends, and family members who are trying to be helpful, and work with them to find solutions that feel right to everyone involved.

7. These feelings and experiences do not take away your basic personal rights. You have the right to-

o ask for what you want, say yes or no, and change your mind.

o make mistakes.

o follow your own values, standards and spiritual beliefs.

o express all of your feelings, both positive or negative, in a responsible manner.

o be afraid and uncertain.

o determine what is important to you and to make your own decisions based on what you want and need.

o have the friends and interests of your choice.

o be uniquely yourself and allow yourself to change and grow.

o have your own personal space and time.

o be safe.

o be playful and frivolous.

o be treated with dignity, compassion and respect at all times.

o know the side effects of recommended medications and treatments.

o refuse medications and treatments that are unacceptable to you.

8. If you are told that the following things are not normal, don’t believe it. They are normal. These kinds of things happen to everyone and are part of being human.

o Getting angry when you are provoked

o Safely expressing emotions when you are happy, sad or excited

o Forgetting things

o Feeling tired and discouraged sometimes

o Wanting to make your own decisions about your treatment and life

9. It’s up to you to take responsibility for your behavior and for getting better. You have the right to as much help as you need, but it is crucial that you take charge.

Teenagers may become physically or psychologically addicted to opioid prescription pills and in the long run, they will still be the ones who will suffer the dire consequences of addiction. Deciding to stop the excessive or addictive intake of opioids may be enlightening, but the effects of withdrawal may be otherwise. Sometimes, withdrawal to this substance may reinforce the addiction, which intensifies the need and desire of an individual to take the drug. People who use opioids for recreational use are more prone to opioid addiction rather than those individuals who just use opioids for medical use. Looking into treatment to fight the addiction is very important.

Teenagers who take opioids in excess are prone to its adverse effects on the health. Common adverse effects of opioids include nausea, drowsiness, miosis, vomiting, orthostatic hypotension, urinary retention, respiratory depression and constipation. Reversing the adverse effects of opioids can be done with substances such as naloxone or naltrexone.

These substances are called competitive antagonists and they work by binding the opioid receptors with agonists that have higher affinity without necessarily activating the receptors directly.

Opioids must only be used by people who are suffering from extreme and severe pain because people who are not suffering pain may experience fatal effects if they continue using opioids especially in high dosages. Detoxing from this medication can be overwhelming and cause a great deal of anxiety for the user. Effective treatment of anxiety as well as addiction treatment are available at SLS, notes Alfred Bergman.

Teenagers who have experienced taking analgesics and opioids are candidates of becoming addicted to these substances especially if they have proven to be very effective in instantly removing or alleviating pain. Although some teenagers abuse these drugs as a means of recreation, some teens are addicted to these substances because of the comfort and relief that it brings.

Admittedly, abusive and excessive use of opioids and analgesics may be a bit hard to detect by parents and teachers, especially if teenagers are good in hiding the drugs.

Heightened vigilance and sensitivity to the health condition and performance of teenagers must be observed so as to stop the addiction and prevent further health deterioration.

ADD is an acronym for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is a condition where the patient is not able to maintain attention for a good period of time. Other symptoms of this disorder include impulsive behavior and motor restlessness. SLS Health has reported that about 4.4% of all adults have ADD and that it is classified as a neurobiological disorder usually caused by problems in the dopamine neurotransmitter systems in the brain.

Most cases of tADD are inherited. It is proved that if a parent or a close blood relative has ADD then there is about 30% chance that a child will have ADD. In case of twins, if one of the twins has developed ADD, then there is almost 50 percent chance that the other twin will also develop ADD. ADD is not a result of poor nutrition. It is a disease that develops due to parenting, allergies and drugs.

SLS Health recommends that go for a thorough analysis of your body in order to determine if the person has ADD and not any other health related problem.

When a person is unable to get adequate amount of neuro-chemicals, the brain is not stimulated properly. This makes it find different ways to increase their release. Things including physical activity, movement or anything related to stimulation are different ways. People with ADD stimulate their brains. In short, there is a good amount of reflex to their inadequate reception of neuro-chemicals. This makes people with ADD act in a particular way. They are literally unable to control their actions.

There are many problems this action causes to people with ADD when they face a situation that does not stimulate them such as school work. This results in poor performance in the classroom. Actually, a person or child with ADD cannot help indulging in a particular act. It is simply out of their control.

People with ADD cannot stay in a particular relationship or staying employed. These people with ADD may do things to stimulate themselves. This can be reckless and dangerous. This is the reason that results in complicating their live with legal problems.

Some steps to cope with and healing attention deficit disorder ADD is a serious disorder. It results in depression, relationship inattentiveness, and behavioral problems. These problems can eventually lead to drug abuse, suicide and alcoholism. SLS Health has provided some important steps to follow in order to correct it:

a) Education Understand that ADD is caused by abnormalities in the cortex region of the brain. These are mostly genetics.

b) Medical attention Do not wait at all. Get medical aid on an immediate basis.

c) Nutrition You should eat a well balanced diet. Try to take multivitamins and drink plenty of water. Multivitamins are a necessity as many of the foods we eat lack in nutritional value. Take omega’s supplements.

d) Hydration You need to drink at least 8-10 glasses of water per day for proper mental functioning.

e) Plan Use a day planner. Keep a track of things you need to do on a daily basis. This will eliminate stress and anxiety.

f) Learn Believe in the art of memorization and studying. Exercise learning memory techniques like associations, linking, lists etc.

g) Meditate Stress and anxiety can make the condition worse. Prayer and meditation can benefit ADD sufferers.

Have you ever wondered what causes Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder , ADHD disorder? Many parents ask themselves why their children have the disorder and what went wrong. Some parents blame themselves and believe that it’s their fault. The truth is that ADHD causes are unknown but scientists believe that they stem from biological factors rather than from home environment or child-rearing practices. SLS Health has provided a breakdown of why it is important for parents to understand what the possible causes are of their child’s ADHD and what they can do about it.

1. Heredity is considered to be a cause of ADHD disorder since it tends to run in the family. Studies show that children may inherit a genetic tendency to develop ADHD.

2. Diet has often been linked to the symptoms of ADHD. Of all ADHD causes, this has been the easiest to pinpoint because many children react well to dietary change. Removing possible allergens from your child’s diet with the help of a health professional can assist you in ruling out or diagnosing diet-induced ADHD.

3. Another common cause of ADHD is chemical imbalance. Children who suffer from ADHD do not have enough chemicals in key areas of the brain that are responsible for controlling hyperactivity and impulsiveness.

4. Brain changes are also among ADHD causes because in some children who have the disorder, the parts of the brain that control attention are less active.

5. Recent studies show that the causes of ADHD can also be exposure to harmful toxins. Research shows that a mother’s use of alcohol, cigarettes, and other drugs during pregnancy can lead to an increased risk of ADHD. Furthermore, studies link the exposure to lead with ADHD-like symptoms.

Now that you are armed with this information, work together with a health professional to determine what might be causing your child’s ADHD. SLS Health explains that ADHD causes disruptive behavior in many children and while prescription medications may be very helpful in some cases as a treatment method, it’s also important to keep in mind that medications often have dangerous side effects.

Some parents choose to give their children homeopathic remedies in addition to making lifestyle/dietary changes because there is no risk of side effects. SLS Health recommends taking your child’s personal history and needs into consideration when deciding on a treatment method. Remember that each child is different and an all-around assessment of diet, lifestyle, genetics, etc. is needed in order to make a proper diagnosis and treatment decision.

When a person has both a drug or alcohol problem and also has a mental health disorder, this is called a dual diagnosis. Sometimes during drug rehabilitation or an alcohol rehab program, this is discovered. SLS Health emphasizes that because both problems are very real, they need to both be treated seriously.

Finding patients with a dual diagnosis is actually fairly common amongst addicts. According to the Alfred Bergman of SLS Health, nearly thirty seven percent of alcohol abusers and fifty three percent of drug abusers also have at least one serious mental illness. Conversely, amongst those that are diagnosed with some mental health disorder, close to one third are either drug or alcohol abusers and might already be in a drug rehabilitation program or not.

A dual diagnosis has many possible disorders associated with it such as: bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety attacks and disorders, panic disorder, phobias and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Other psychic disorders that might exist are personality disorders and even schizophrenia. Even though all of those are possible, one of the mental health disorders that occur more than the rest is the antisocial personality disorder. Second is manic, third schizophrenia and panic disorder follows that.

Regrettably, an abuser, even if they’ve been through a drug rehabilitation program, has to continually monitor who they are around and where they go. A dual diagnosis is a notice for everyone joined to that person to get educated to be able to better understand the diseases they are dealing with. No matter what the mental health disorder is, it is very important to fully understand the ramifications of the disease and how the person can be helped.

Finally, the question has been asked many times: which developed first – the addiction or the mental health disorder that caused a dual diagnosis? Oftentimes, the emotional problem developed first although that doesn’t always hold true. Unfortunately, many who self medicate, trying to alleviate an emotional issue becomes dependent on drugs or alcohol. SLS Health highly recommends that if anyone is dealing with a mental or emotional issue that they get professional help before they turn to drugs or alcohol and end up becoming an addict as well.

Alcohol addiction is a chronic and progressive condition that may attack any age, race, sex or orientation without prejudice. Alcohol addiction is all-encompassing, ruining the life of the sufferer and affects the lives of those around him or her. While alcohol addiction does not currently have a known cure, treatment can help the individual learn how to control their urges so they can live a productive life of sobriety. SLS Health explains that the key to sobriety is getting the individual to accept that they have a problem with alcohol, and then getting them into a rehab that can help them get on the path to recovery. If you believe that you or a loved one may be suffering from alcohol addiction, knowing exactly what to look for when trying to make that determination will really help. Accepting treatment yourself, or helping a loved one accept help, is a little easier when you are able to identify the five signs of alcohol addiction. SLS Health has provided 5 key signs to recognize with alcohol addiction.

Five Signs of Alcohol Addiction

1. Loss of Control Over Your Drinking – Once you start drinking, you are unable to stop.
2. You Want to Stop Drinking, But You Can’t – You are aware you have a problem and that you need to stop drinking, but you find yourself unable to.
3. Other Activities are Forfeited – Drinking alcohol seems to always have priority over any and all of the activities you used to enjoy.
4. Alcohol Has Become Your Primary Focus – All of your time is spent drinking, thinking about drinking, or recovering from drinking. Alcohol has become the center of your whole life.
5. You Continue to Drink Regardless of the Consequences – Alcohol addiction ruins marriages, friendships, and relationships. It also causes problems at work and with the law. An individual who is suffering from alcohol addiction will continue to drink regardless of the consequences.

Alcohol Addiction Treatment Can Help

SLS Health highly encourages that if you notice these five signs of alcoholism are present in yourself, or a loved one, it is critical that you seek the help of alcohol addiction treatment immediately. If left untreated, alcohol addiction can lead to death. However, more often than not, alcoholics end up killing someone else as a result of being drunk.

Each one of us faces different experiences everyday that will somehow shape us into a better person, from happiness to struggle. The world can be hard to deal with to such an extent that some people get to the point of giving up on life. Alfred Bergman explains that sometimes, the reason for this bleak outlook comes from a psychological disorder, such as bipolar. Most people who have bipolar conditions know that this will have a major impact in their daily life. This kind of disorder develops in the late adolescence or early adulthood. However, there are also children that have been identified as having it.

Bipolar disorder is the given name to describe a set of ‘mood swing’ conditions that is felt by a person. The most severe form of it is called ‘manic depression’. This disorder may affect both sexes. However, women who have it will usually have more episodes of depression, while men are more prone to begin with manic episodes. Doctors stated that the disorder has no single cause. It has been shown that some people are genetically prone to it. However, not everyone with hereditary liability develops it. We must take note that not only genes cause it. It also believed that external environment and psychological factors are involved in developing the illness.

Bipolar disorder is divided into several types and each has different patterns of symptoms. These include: bipolar I, bipolar II, cyclothymia, rapid cycling, and mixed bipolar. Bipolar I disorder is the more severe disorder. People with type I experience longer ‘highs’ and have psychotic experiences while those who are suffering from bipolar II disorder have less severe symptoms. They experience episodes that only last hours or few days and the severity of the ‘highs’ does not lead to hospitalization. Cyclothymia is a mild form of the disorder. Those who have cyclothymia tend to have more mild symptoms than with full-blown bipolar disorder. About 10% of people with bipolar illness have rapid cycling. In rapid cycling, four or more episodes of depression in a year occur. In most forms of bipolar conditions, moods vary between elevated and depressed but with mixed bipolar disorder, a person experiences both mania and depression simultaneously.

Each type of bipolar disorder may affect different people differently. The symptoms vary in pattern and severity. The disorder was commonly referred to as a part of depression but experts recommend that there are significant differences between depression and bipolar symptoms. Symptoms of bipolar disorder can spoil job and school performance, ruin your relationships with loved ones and disrupt daily life. Although bipolar is treatable, many people do not recognize the symptoms and should know that it tends to worsen without treatment. Thus it is essential to know the symptoms and to have the proper treatment. Alfred Bergman recommends that the first step to lessen bipolar problems is to learn more about the disorder and recognize those are experiencing it. Some doctors recommended that medication can prevent episodes but more varied treatment can be better than medication. Medication alone is not enough to fully control the illness. Bipolar requires long-term treatment because it is a chronic illness.

Study shows that if you are free from stress and maintain a healthy work-life balance, you are less likely to suffer. Most of all, surround yourself with friends that you can turn to, who will help and encourage you. A psychiatrist can also help find a way between the twists and turns that you feel. Suicidal thoughts and behavior are common among people with bipolar disorder. To get rid of these thoughts, first contact a family member or your loved ones and seek help from your doctors. The most effective treatment strategy for bipolar treatment involves a combination of medication, therapy and a lifestyle change. The goal of treatment is to recover from the longer disruptions of life.

Dealing with bipolar disorder isn’t easy but to have a successful treatment, you have to make smart choices. If you ignore the illness, it will certainly get worse. Living with untreated bipolar disorder can lead to troubles in relations and career. Anti-depressants do not help people with the disorder in the long term. In fact, they may even trigger rapid cycling between moods. Alfred Bergman strongly encourages that if you feel helpless and hopeless you should remember that you are not alone.

How do parents know when children require ADHD treatment? This can be a tricky subject, all the more so because it is heatedly debated amongst medical practitioners, psychologists, religious organizations and spiritualists, explains SLS Health. The argument is not necessarily that ADHD is non-existent (though a few sources argue this point as well); rather, it’s that many doctors and parents tend to misdiagnose the problem, perhaps even overreacting to typical displays of childhood, labeling them as proof of a medical condition. You have to realize that children naturally lean towards impulsive behavior, hyperactivity and sometimes even inattention-all of which could be proof of ADHD, or could merely be a case of exuberant youth.

In fact, some authorities have stated that ADHD can actually have some positive effects in children. Children who have ADHD or similar symptoms tend to be very creative, energetic and imaginative, notes SLS Health. Children who daydream have the potential to be outside-the-box thinkers, artists and problem-solvers. Children who have ADHD may be easily distracted but may actually notice what many others do not see. Children with ADHD tend to be flexible, more open to different ideas, and very enthusiastic and spontaneous. Now, as a loving parent, you would not want to stifle your children from having a naturally bubbly and gregarious personality. On the contrary, you would encourage them to pursue their interests, all the while making sure that their behavior never crossed a line of decency that would hinder their personal relationships.

As much potential as children with ADHD have, they may also have impairment towards impulsive and hyperactive behavior that is well beyond the norm according to SLS Health. How does one know when a child’s Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder requires professional treatment? Contrary to some popular misconceptions, not all evidence of ADHD requires strict medication-induced treatment. In fact, some children may not require medication at all.

The most productive ADHD treatment is that the child be taught structure in life regiment, consistency in discipline, and very clear communication between family members, friends and others, says SLS Health. Additionally, treating ADHD should include a rewards and consequences-based program based on behavior. When a child manages to control himself and use his energy for good, then lots of love, support, and encouragement should be given. When he hurts someone else because of his behavior, discipline may be necessary, but it should always be given in a spirit of love, with an explanation of why this prohibition was necessary. Consistency is very important here.

Many people often suffer with effects of a behavior disorder and don’t even know it according to SLS Health. It can be difficult to tell the difference between “normal” and abnormal feelings. The behavioral category contains thousands of disorders, many which share the same symptoms. One of the most common disorders is obsessive compulsive disorder, often referred to as OCD.

Studies have shown that OCD is actually a genetic disorder, meaning that it is passed through relatives, such as grandparents and parents. OCD is a lot more common than one might believe, notes Alfred Bergman of SLS Health.

OCD is a tough disorder to deal with but, it is not necessarily the worst disorder to deal with. OCD can be managed and given time, corrected to a level that eases the life of the individual dealing with it according to SLS Health Professionals. OCD can come in many variations and doesn’t affect every person the same. One of the key signs of OCD is the need for something to be repetitive or even done on a constant basis. Examples of this can be found in the washing of hands or even someone who repeats certain things in their head continually.

The problem with OCD tends to be the repetitiveness of the routine in which one is performing, not the action on its own. Sometimes medication can help suppress the overwhelming need to perform a repetitive action, such as twisting a lock a certain number of times; however therapy tends to be most effective according to SLS Health.

Signs of behavior disorders can range greatly and affect many in different ways. This makes pinpointing any disorder particularly difficult. If you feel like you may suffer from a behavior disorder, SLS Health recommends that you contact your healthcare professional.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is just one of many behavior disorders, says Alfred Bergman. If you feel you suffer any kind of behavior or social disorder, please consult your doctor.