Mental Health

Recently Answered

• QWhat should I know before working with someone with a cognitive impairment?

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  A Diveheart answered

  

  Individuals with cognitive impairment will vary as widely as those with physical impairments. It is important to understand the abilities of the individual you are working with. The impairment may affect memory, cognition, behavior and a wide variety of physical abilities. Regardless of the extent of the impairment it is important to be patient, understanding and compassionate when working with individuals. Be aware that some individuals may exhibit denial of deficiencies and may try to mask them.

  

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• QWhat are the symptoms of muscle dysmorphia?

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  A Dominion Hospital answered

  People with muscle dysmorphia display an abnormal preoccupation with looking muscular. In order to obtain a more muscular appearance, some people may attempt to lose what they perceive as excess fat, while others attempt to "bulk up" by gaining a lot of muscle mass. You may notice someone with this condition looking in the mirror, lifting weights, or dieting more than you consider normal. They may become very agitated or worried if they miss a work-out session and may miss social or family engagements in order to work out.

• QWhat are factitious disorders?

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  A Dr. William B. Salt, MD , Gastroenterology, answered

  

  Patients diagnosed with factitious disorder intentionally manifest disease. Their sole purpose in assuming the sick role rests in an inner need to be seen as ill or injured rather than a need to achieve an external benefit, such as financial gain. An extreme example of factitious disorder is the Munchausen syndrome, in which the patient deliberately produces or exaggerates physical symptoms in various ways, such as lying about or faking symptoms, causing self-injury, or altering diagnostic tests. The self-induction of disease is often not recognized at first. Factitious disorder patients who feign a psychiatric illness can be even harder to recognize.

  

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• QCan muscle dysmorphia be prevented?

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  A Dominion Hospital answered

  Because the causes of muscle dysmorphia are still unclear, it is similarly unclear whether or not the condition is preventable. Certain behavioral signs, such as a distorted body image or the beginnings of compulsive diet and exercise, may be seen as predictive risk factors that can be effectively halted if recognized. Encouraging healthy body image and self-esteem early in life may also help to keep people from developing dangerously low self-image opinions in the future. Scientists have begun to believe that muscle dysmorphia can be linked to specific DNA patterns, though, which suggests that prevention may not be possible.

• QIs a brief psychotic disorder related to schizophrenia?

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  A Dr. Douglas E. Severance, MD , Family Medicine, answered

  A person with brief psychotic disorder experiences some of the symptoms of schizophrenia, but the symptoms last less than one month. A diagnosis of schizophrenia is only given when people experience several schizophrenia symptoms for more than six months. Brief psychotic disorder is rare and may occur more often in people with personality disorders. Stress may cause certain people to have this disorder, where they experience:
  
  - delusions (for example, worrying that people are plotting against them)
  - hallucinations (for example, hearing voices or seeing things that are not real)
  - odd or inappropriate speech and behavior
  
  Treatment for brief psychotic disorder is similar to treatment for schizophrenia. The illness lasts only a few weeks, so antipsychotic medications may only be given for a short time.
• QHow is muscle dysmorphia diagnosed?

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  A Dominion Hospital answered

  Muscle dysmorphiacan be very difficult to diagnose, as diagnosing the condition often requires that the affected person come forward and ask for help and treatment. Many people with muscle dysmorphia do not recognize that they have a problem or are afraid of becoming weak if they discontinue their habit. About 50 percent of people known to have muscle dysmorphia refuse treatment. Once a person does come forward and seek help, though, diagnosis is mostly based on the person's own report of their history and habits.
• QWhat are the symptoms of ganser syndrome?

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  A Deborah Davis, DNP , OBGYN (Obstetrics & Gynecology), answered

  Ganser syndrome is a rare dissociative disorder previously classified as a factitious disorder.  It is characterized by nonsensical or wrong answers to questions or doing things incorrectly, other dissociative symptoms wuch as fugue, amnesia or conversion disorder, often with visual pseudohallucinations and a decreased state of consciousness. Symptomns include a clouding of consciousness, somatic conversion symptoms, confusion, stress, loss of personal identity, echolalia, and echopraxia. The psychological symptoms general resemble the patient's sense of mental illness rather than any recognized category.
• QWhat happens to people with schizoaffective disorder?

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  A Dr. Michael Roizen, MD , Internal Medicine, answered

  Schizoaffective disorder is a hybrid mental illness of schizophrenia and a mood disorder like depression or bipolar disorder. As a result, it is common to see people experiencing symptoms of both schizophrenia and a mood disorder, like hallucinations, movement impairment, unusual behavior and speech, mania, and feelings of hopelessness and despair. In some people, these symptoms come and go in episodes, but in others they are always there. As a result, it can be difficult to perform daily activities, even simple ones like brushing your teeth, holding down a job, and maintaining relationships with family and friends.

  Luckily, schizoaffective disorder is treatable with medication and therapy or counseling. The medications will mitigate or completely eliminate your symptoms and the therapy sessions give you an opportunity for you to voice all your feelings and feel more connected, as well as discuss your concerns, worries, and struggles in life. It can also help you identify relapse warning signs and learn coping techniques.

  When people stick to their treatment plan like a piece of gum under their shoe, their symptoms are controlled well enough that they can function like a pro.

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• QHow do I manage my muscle dysmorphia on a daily basis?

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  A Dominion Hospital answered

  Muscle dysmorphia should be managed according to the treatment prescribed by a doctor. This may include taking a medication or participating in therapy. If you're currently displaying the signs and symptoms of muscle dysmorphia but are not yet receiving treatment, take control of your condition by talking to a close friend or family member about your condition and get on the road to daily management and recovery.

• QWhat should I know to care for someone with muscle dysmorphia?

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  A Dominion Hospital answered

  If you have a friend or loved one who is suffering from muscle dysmorphia but is not yet receiving treatment, you can be instrumental in helping them get on the road to recovery. Talk to a health specialist and get advice on how you or another trusted party can intervene. If appropriate, try to approach your friend in a private, safe setting with your concerns and help your loved one to recognize their self-destructive behavior. Be prepared to provide them with support information; do not, however, force help upon your loved one or press the issue if they become uncomfortable.

  If your loved one is already receiving treatment, help supplement their recovery by being encouraging and offering to talk to them about their feelings as they go through the recovery process.