Diagnostic and Treatment Check Point

Diagnostic and Treatment Check Point

Axia College of University of Phoenix

March 30, 2010

Everyone has feelings and behavior that they must control. Psychological Disorder often means a difference in degree of behavior, rather than completely different behavior. Many people who are mentally ill cannot control their social unacceptable behavior. Recent research shows that nearly half of all people in the United States will experience a deviation from mental health at some point. Psychiatric disorders can arise from external conditions, life stressors, or brain disorders and some arise from unknown causes (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Psychological disorder affects all spheres of a person’s life including physical health, employment, housing, finances and relationships. It must be influenced by or may be a cause of substance abuse and other addictions.

Mood disorders are a group of clinical conditions characterized by disturbance of mood along with a loss of control and a subject feeling of distress. Depression is the most common mood disorder, with over 15 million people in the United States experiencing it in a given year. At least 15% of suicides can be attributed to a depressive disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Diagnosis of a major depressive episode includes five or more signs and symptoms, which must be present frequently throughout the same two week time and must represent a change previous from earlier functional levels. At least one symptom must be a depressed mood most of the day or markedly diminished, lost of interest or pleasure in all or most activities Some additional signs and symptoms include weight or appetite changes, sleep disturbances, psychomotor retardation-very slow movements or responses, fatigue, feeling of worthlessness or low self-esteem, diminished ability to think or concentrate and recurrent thoughts of death or suicidal ideation with or without a specific plan.

Other observations and signs of depression in people are crying spells, poor grooming, anxiety, self blame, isolation, loneliness, irritability, and vague physical complaints. Symptoms of depression cause significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, and other areas of functioning. Physical causes of depression may also be found