Mental Health

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• QWhat are the needs of families coping with mental illness?

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  A Medical City McKinney answered

  The needs of families coping with mental illness include the following: Access to mental health professionals, which is very limited; the ability to accept mental illness as illness rather than as weakness; and, finding yourself in an environment where you’re not afraid to share your feelings and emotions without the fear of being judged.

  There’s a concept in psychology of expressed emotion. Expressed emotion is being negative and judgmental. High expressed emotion is negatively associated with long-term mental illness. Families need to be supportive of the struggle and need to be willing to take that extra step to get loved ones help they need without putting them down.

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• QHow does vascular cognitive impairment change one's behavior?

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  A Medical City McKinney answered

  Vascular cognitive impairment is also known as vascular dementia related to stroke. It not only causes memory loss but it can change people’s personalities. A docile person can become agitated and aggressive. It depends on what part of the brain the vascular event involves. You can lose cognitive or physical abilities. Certain parts of the brain, if you have a stroke there, you can lose inhibitions. Others affect abilities of self-care, walking and memory. Depending on the part of the brain in which it happens, vascular cognitive impairment can have a variety of manifestations.

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• QHow can cancer affect my mental health?

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  A World Federation For Mental Health (WFMH) answered

  Approximately half of all patients with terminal or advanced cancer suffer with poor mental health. Specifically, depression, anxiety, and adjustment disorders plague people with advanced or terminal cancer. While half of terminally ill or advanced cancer patients suffer from depression, anxiety and/or an adjustment disorder, less than half of cancer patients receive treatment for their mental health.

  The relationship between cancer and depression is complex. Depression may be triggered by the diagnosis of cancer, other issues related to the cancer and its treatment, or the impact of the cancer on a person's life. However, depression may occur by chance or be related to other difficult events, either in the past or in the present, which have nothing to do with cancer, such as the loss of a loved one.

  Adequate recognition and treatment of depression in patients with cancer can enhance quality of life and help patients and families make the best use of their remaining time together.

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• QHow can I become more resilient?

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  A HealthyWomen answered

  There are a number of things you can do to become more resilient. Everyone needs resilience, especially in midlife. Everyone needs that ability to recover from difficulties. Resilience is a delicate balancing act; an ongoing process that takes practice and requires time and patience. Asking yourself—and practicing—these things can help you become more resilient:

  1. Can I change the channel? If you're watching a television drama you don't like, it's easy enough to find a different narrative—by changing the channel. Try changing your own channel and come up with a different story. Pay attention to the things you tell yourself, and question them. Doing so can change your take on what has happened, and put it in a different—and more positive—light. Instead of seeing the situation negatively, for example, think about what it has taught you and how it may help you help other people.
  2. Can I practice optimism? If you're not lucky enough to come about this trait naturally—and you're the half-empty rather than half-full kind of person—you can still learn to be optimistic.
  3. Can I make connections? It can be tough to go it alone. Making and maintaining good relationships with friends and family members can help strengthen resilience; social support is invaluable in getting through life's challenges.
  4. Can I detach? While this may seem contradictory to making connections, it doesn't mean you should disengage from personal contact. Instead, detaching yourself from a challenging situation—and not taking it personally or blaming yourself—can help bolster resilience. 
  5. Can I practice self-care? Don't neglect your own needs, feelings and desires. Get regular exercise, but also make sure to fit in some relaxation; nurturing isn't just for others. Taking care of yourself will equip your mind and body to deal with difficult situations.
  6. Can I trust myself? Can I trust myself? Building or maintaining confidence in yourself and trusting your instincts go a long way toward feeling mastery over your ability to solve problems. So does acting decisively on an adverse situation, which goes along with trusting yourself.
  7. Can I allow myself to feel my emotions? There's no doubt that many situations will evoke strong emotions, and it's okay to let yourself feel them. But just as importantly, you must know the time to push them aside to continue to function.

  This content originally appeared on HealthyWomen.org.

• QWhy is general health important in treating vascular cognitive impairment?

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  A Dr. David A. Merrill, MD , Psychiatry, answered on behalf of UCLA Health

  In treating vascular cognitive impairment, the most important thing is to take care of the person’s general health. Any known vascular disease, like a cardiac condition, high blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugars, must be managed. This is to prevent further cerebrovascular disease.
  
  If you can prevent damage, you can actually stop the progression of vascular cognitive impairment. It will not get any worse if you control some very straightforward things.
• QWhat are the symptoms of schizoaffective disorder?

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

  Symptoms of schizoaffective disorder can vary from person to person, especially since not everyone has the same mood disorder associated with their schizophrenia. The mood disorders typically associated with schizoaffective disorder are depression or bipolar disorder. You may experience some or all of the following symptoms:

  Symptoms of schizophrenia include not always being able to tell reality from fantasy, seeing and hearing things that are not real, feeling paranoid about a government plot against you, being extremely depressed and feeling void of emotions, and/or acting, speaking, and moving in odd ways (if at all).

  Depression is associated with feeling incredibly down and apathetic.

  Bipolar disorder is associated with periods of feeling depressed, but also periods of mania where you have lots of energy, speak a mile a minute, and feel like you can do a million tasks at once.

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• QWhat is the treatment for schizoaffective disorder?

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

  Treatment for schizoaffective disorder is similar to other mental illness treatment. This includes medicine and different forms of counseling.

  Medications used for schizoaffective disorder depend on which mood disorder is associated with the schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is typically treated with antipsychotic medications since they relieve the psychotic symptoms. Mood stabilizers and antidepressants are also common forms of treatment since they relieve the mood-related symptoms.

  Therapy can also help people with schizoaffective disorder. It is more likely to be helpful when combined with medication treatment. Therapy sessions give you an opportunity for you to voice 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.

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• QCan nutritional supplements help treat mood disorders?

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  A International Bipolar Foundation answered

  Studies conflict, answers escape us and the jury is out when it comes to the great finds on nutritional supplements and mood disorders. The most important thing to remember is to talk to your doctor about studies you have read or supplements you're considering using or adding to your treatment regimen. Your doctor should have the most up-to-date information on clinical studies and findings. Your doctor will also warn you about side effects and potential interactions a supplement causes.
  
  Like prescription medications, nutritional supplements can work wonders for one person and not even faze another. Our bodies are chemical storehouses, each one individual with differing levels of hormones, oils, proteins, acids and more! Taking one medication could do the trick for you. Taking two medications and one supplement may be just the cocktail your body needs to function optimally. With nutritional supplements—as with the right medication, the right therapist, and the right support group—success comes after persistent effort, trial and error.