Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Terminology Signs & Symptoms. Understanding Medical Language

·         Anxiety- Vague uneasy feeling that causes a response to stress
Signs and Symptoms/ finger tapping, chewing even if nothing is in the mouth, biting of lips, pacing, sucking of teeth.
·         Panic- Intense or sudden feelings, fear, anxiety, terror, or dread.
·         Obsession- Persistent thought or idea.
·         Compulsion- Uncontrollable performance of an act maybe repetitive.
·         Hallucinations- Seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling, tasting, anything that isn’t real.
·         Delusions- Miss belief or false beliefs.
·         Depression- Signs and Symptoms- Fatigue, lethargy, crying spells, trouble sleeping, with drawl from society or people, an inability to concentrate, headaches, back aches, stiffness of joints, things that maybe mistaken as physical ailments, suicidal thoughts or attempts in severe cases.
·         Agitation- Refers to a specific behavior such as aimless wandering, pacing, cursing, screaming, spitting, biting, repeating themselves or asking the same questions over and over, fighting, demanding attention.
·         Paranoia- Chief Characteristics of paranoia are feelings of being persecuted.  People with this disorder believe everyone or a specific group is out to get them or harm them.
·         Bipolar affects about 2.3 million people in America about 1.2% of the adult population.
·         Schizophrenia affects about 1% to 2% of the American population; although some researchers have said 1% to 3% of the U.S. population suffers from schizophrenia.
·         Schizoaffective Disorder is less commonly found than schizophrenia.
·         About 1/3 rd of the Schizophrenic population commits suicide.

Bipolar Manic Depression-   Bipolar was actually originally depression, then mutating into manic depression, and evolving into Bipolar Manic Depression.  Bipolar is when someone has unstable mood swings, sometimes up full, sometimes very down and out.  There are two types of Bipolar Disorders, Bipolar 1 and Bipolar 2.
·         Bipolar 1- Features periods of euphoria, elation, and mania (overexcitement).  These periods alternate with periods of depression.  Bipolar 1 is the most severe form of Bipolar
·         Bipolar 2- Features alternating periods of depression and hypomania ( a mild form of mania)
  SCHIZOPHRENIA-   Researcher's say a person affected with schizophrenia will with drawl from society and other people in the everyday world, into a world of delusions and fantasies.  The schizophrenic is often incoherent and can react inappropriately at times to events.  Most experts believe that schizophrenia is an inherited, hereditary disorder passed through the genes of the family.  They also feel schizophrenia is a Biological disorder, caused by a chemical imbalance found in the brain.  The chemical imbalance is related to the electrical impulses in the brain.
   Foods influence Brain Behavior, and Neurotransmitter’s in the brain.  Neurotransmitters are vitally important to our Well-Being.  Neurotransmitters are Natural Secretions in the brain, Electrically Charged, Chemical Impulses that communicate to Nerve Cells in the brain, and throughout the body.  Neurotransmitter’s help to keep our moods under control, help with sleep, calmness, anxiety, and relives depression.  They aide in sustaining our Central Nervous System Function and Production.  The 3 Neurotransmitter’s responsible for our wellbeing are Dopamine, Serotonin, and Norepinephrine. Neurotransmitter’s need Nutrients to perform properly.  Nutrients such as: Protein, vitamins, minerals, Amino Acids, Fatty Acids, Enzymes, Raw Food, Water, herbs and Antioxidants to list a few things.  
  Nutrition is key in a healthy recovery, and it’s not just eating healthy food and drinking water. 
    Researcher's say Schizophrenia can be translated into Split Mind.  Depending on the environment, surroundings, elements, and living situation; it can have an affect on the stress levels, and affect the signs and symptoms for better or for worse.  Positive symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking, speech complications, as well as behavioral issues.  Negative symptoms include lack of emotion, lack of energy, lack of motivation, reduced ability to plan or carry out activities, neglect of personal hygiene, social withdrawl problems, making sense of information, difficulty paying attention, and memory problems; according to Research.
“SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA”:
·         DELUSIONS- These are beliefs that are not based off of reality and usually involve misinterpretation of perception and experience. The most common schizophrenic symptom.
·         Hallucinations- involve seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling, tasting things that don’t exist.  Although hallucinations can be in any of the senses, hearing voices is the most common hallucination among schizophrenics.
·         Behavior- This may show in a number of ways, ranging from childlike silliness, to unpredictable agitation, to random outbursts
·         Disorganized Speech- Difficulty speaking and organizing thoughts.  May result in stopping speech mid-sentence or altogether, using meaningless words, sometimes known as word salad.  Also depression and negative thinking, lack of sex drive, lack of motivation, lack of social connection, lack of exercise and physical training.

“BASIC TYPES OF SCHIZOPHRENIA”
·         Paranoid Schizophrenia- Paranoid schizophrenics have the ability to think and function in daily life, maybe better at handling life than other types of schizophrenia.  A lifelong condition that can lead to complications, problems with memory, concentration, dulled emotions from the medication.  Not as severe as the other types of schizophrenia.
·         Disorganized Schizophrenia- Disorganized schizophrenia is characterized by illogical thoughts and behaviors.  It is considered a more severe type of schizophrenia.  People with this type of schizophrenia maybe able to carry out routine daily activities, such as bathing, and meal preparation.  Others may not understand what you’re saying; frustrations and agitations can cause one to lash out.
·         Catatonic Schizophrenia- Catatonic schizophrenia can be described as the extremes of behavior.  At one extreme unable to talk, move, or respond.  At the other extreme hyperactive and over excited.  The person holding this type of schizophrenia may experience involuntary motion, movements, making noise or sounds, mimicking others body movements or mimicking their speech.
·         Undifferentiated Schizophrenia- This form of schizophrenia holds all the types of schizophrenia within itself.
“SCHIZOAFFECTIVE DISORDER”   Schizoaffective Disorder is a mental condition that causes both loss of contact with reality, (Psychosis) and mood problems.  The signs and symptoms of schizoaffective disorder are: mood problems, daily functioning, abnormal thoughts, psychosis and mood change.  Psychotic symptoms can last 2 weeks, but can last a lot longer with or without major mood symptoms.  The course of the disorder involves cycles of severe symptoms, followed by depression and then some improvements over time.  The signs and symptoms of Schizoaffective Disorder are as follows:
·         Changes in appetite and energy.
·         Believing someone on TV or the Radio is speaking directly to them or secret messages being hidden in common objects (Delusions of Reference).
·         Disorganized speech that is illogical, and hard to understand.
·         Delusions and false beliefs.
·         Feeling that everyone, or one person, or agency is out to get them (Paranoia).
·         Irritability and poor temper control.
·         Lack of concern with hygiene and grooming.
·         Problems sleeping (Insomnia).
·         Hallucinations.
·         Trouble concentrating.
·         Good moods, or bad moods very little to no in between.
·         Carrying out of responsibilities.
·         Interacting with people normally.
·         Thinking incoherently.
·         Expressing emotion, which affects work, family, and one’s social life.
·         Schizoaffective Disorder is associated with Bipolar 1, the most severe form of Bipolar, and seasoned with the symptoms of Schizophrenia hallucinations and all.
   Treatment of schizoaffective disorder varies but generally health care providers prescribe medications to stabilize the mood and the psychosis.  They reduce the signs and psychotic symptoms, in order to stabilize the imbalance chemically. Schizophrenia, has no known cure. 
  The Anti-Psychotic Drugs come with side effects so be mindful and be aware!
·         Violent outbursts
·         Tardive Dyskinesia- Permanent side effect caused by prolonged use of Psycho-Tropic, Neurological Drugs.  Dystonic reactions, sudden intense uncontrollable movements, muscle spasms, prolonged muscle contraction of the eyes, neck, limbs, ticks and twitches, sucking of teeth, excessive blinking, twisting of the hands, uncontrolled movements in the face and limbs.
·         Phenothiazine drugs cause increased sensitivity to the sun
·         Acathesia- A side effect from medications, it’s an intense restless anxious feeling, uncontrolled motion, with Parkinson like symptoms, stiffness, dry mouth, sedation, creating a disabling, embarrassing, and untreatable unreversable physical movements
  As well as many others; but those are a few basic ones.
Be Aware

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