Mental Disorder as a Health Concept - Special Academic Support

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The concept of mental disorder is inextricably linked with the concept of mental health. This is a condition in which a person is a socially useful person, realizes themselves and is able to withstand stressful influences. This term defines not only the psychological state of an individual and their self-perception but also active, fruitful interaction in society in their social group (McKay et al., 2020). In a broad sense, a mental disorder is a condition that differs from the norm. At the same time, there are violations in the mental activity, emotional, and behavioral spheres. The criteria used to diagnose a mental disorder may be a violation of self-identification and a lack of self-criticism. Moreover, among the symptoms, one can distinguish the inadequacy of mental reactions to the action of the environment. Mental changes often lead to physical disorders because deviations in the psyche can also be a consequence of bodily illness. Therefore, before making a diagnosis symbolizing a mental disorder, the patient is carefully checked for the presence of pathologies in internal organs.

Depression

Depression is a mental disorder manifested by a steady decline in mood, motor inhibition and impaired thinking. The cause of the development may be traumatic situations, somatic diseases, substance abuse, metabolic disorders in the brain, or lack of bright light (seasonal depression). The disorder is accompanied by a decrease in self-esteem, social maladaptation, and loss of interest in habitual activities, ones own life and surrounding events. The diagnosis is established on the basis of complaints, anamnesis of the disease, the results of special tests and additional studies.

Depression is an affective disorder accompanied by persistent depressed mood, negative thinking and slowing down of movements. It is the most common mental disorder. According to recent studies, the probability of developing depression during life ranges from 22 to 33% (Goldfarb & Trudel, 2019). Mental health experts point out that these figures reflect only official statistics. Some patients suffering from this disorder either do not go to the doctor at all or make their first visit to a specialist only after the development of secondary and concomitant disorders.

Major Categories of Symptoms

Main

The behavior of patients is aimed at avoiding contact with society and refusing pleasure. Apathy can be replaced by sharp agitation and psychomotor anxiety. In some cases, they seek solace in alcohol and drugs. The main signs of a depressive episode include such manifestations as a decrease or loss of previous interests. Patients lose the opportunity to get satisfaction from habitual activities that cause positive emotions at normal times, and anhedonia is observed. They have a low mood most of the time, regardless of the situational features.

A specific sign is a painful mental insensitivity, a loss of the ability to empathize and rejoice. Patients are aware of changes in their perception, considering it irreversible. Losing hope for the return of a normal attitude, such patients are often prone to suicide. Moreover, patients note unexplained fatigue and lack of energy; patients complain of loss of strength. Symptoms differ in stability and constancy and are observed for 2 or more weeks (Ettman et al., 2020). A person reacts badly to the attempts of others to get out of a depressed state. Against the background of a negative attitude, working capacity and social functioning deteriorate.

Additional

The personal experiences of a person with depression are much deeper than it seems to others. Additional symptoms include signs such as feeling insecure about oneself, ones appearance, actions, achievements, and a reduced self-assessment. Patients experience pessimism, including about the future, as well as a feeling of the constant feeling of uselessness or unreasonable guilt. Patients have fear, anxiety and insufficient concentration of attention. They have thoughts of self-harm, death, suicide, and a gloomy vision of typical circumstances that prevails. Patients have a feeling of constant fatigue, apathy, and suicidal thoughts. They are characterized by a loss of pleasure and a sense of happiness. Attention is also drawn to the appearance of the patient drooping shoulders, sullen or indifferent facial expressions, and scant gestures. With the progression of the disease, patients stop caring for themselves; they do not care about the condition of their clothes or hairstyle. Patients may also retain a painful smile on their faces.

Somatic

The depressive disorder affects not only the psyche but also the physical health of a person. Almost all patients suffering from depression have many physical symptoms. Constipation, alternating with diarrhea, menstrual irregularities, the disappearance of sexual desire all these are frequent somatic signs of depression. Among the incessant physical symptoms of depression that do not respond to treatment are headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain (Goldfarb & Trudel, 2019). Sleep disorders are an important symptom that signals the exhaustion of the nervous system. Restless and intermittent sleep, difficulty falling asleep, early rises with a sense of anxiety, nightmares, and and feeling overwhelmed in the morning are somatic manifestations of depression. A violation of appetite is accompanied by a severe loss or gain of body weight. It can be expressed both in anorexic behavior and in overeating. A person may not feel hungry at all, or vice versa, experience it constantly. Against the background of depression, complaints about pre-existing chronic diseases may worsen. Hypochondriac manifestations are usually found in the pathology of the gastrointestinal tract, oncology, and cardiovascular disorders.

References

Ettman, C. K., Abdalla, S. A., Cohen, G. H., Sampson, L., Vivier, P. M., & Galea, S. (2020). Prevalence of depression symptoms in us adults before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. JAMA Newt Open, 3(9), 1-12.

Goldfarb, M. R., & Trudel, G. (2019). Marital quality and depression: A review. Marriage & Family Review, 55(8), 737-763.

McKay, M. T., Cannon, M., Chambers, D., Conroy, R. M., Coughlan, H., Dodd, P., & Clarke, M. C. (2020). Childhood trauma and adult mental disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal cohort studies. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 143(3), 189-205.

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