It is referred to as geriatric psychiatry and there is focus on the treatment of diseases, such as Alzheimer’s Disease, dementia, as well as depression. There is shortage across the nation of psychiatrists, even more so, psychiatric providers who specialize in treating older populations. Mental illness affects close to 15% of the older population. This number is a mere estimate, and doesn’t account for the untreated elders who do not have access to mental health services. In order to support our elderly loved ones as they approach end of life, it is important to educate ourselves on what they are truly going through so that we can be there for them as they have helped us throughout our life. 
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Older individuals often do not report their psychiatric symptoms, instead there is more focus on somatic symptoms and so there is a high risk for isolation and depression |  |
The elderly are also at risk for neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia and it is estimated there will be a substantial increase of these cases in the next 25 years.
These neurological diseases are typically not a normal part of the aging process; however, aging is a primary risk factor for developing these disorders. Symptoms involve a progressive decline in memory and overall cognitive functioning. Although there are no cures, research is being done to develop more effective treatments for these disorders.
Aging is a natural part of life and we may face these challenges. Social support is shown to be a huge protective factor against mental and physical illness. It feels important to ensure that our elders are receiving adequate social support. Keeping an open line of communication has a profound effect.
An interesting aspect of social support is its correlation to socioeconomic status, mental wellness, and physical health
Research has found that greater social support was linked to higher socioeconomic status and better health outcomes.
Socioeconomic status encompasses educational achievement as well as financial security and individuals with a lower status are more likely to experience adverse health outcomes. Low-income older individuals living below the poverty line often depend solely on Social Security for income and lack other resources.
It is helpful for older adults to plan for the future as they approach retirement and feel supported by their loved ones. The gaps in healthcare across socioeconomic classes impacts the elderly deeply. They are a vulnerable population and need social support to help combat adverse physical and mental health outcomes.
Socioeconomic status encompasses educational achievement as well as financial security and individuals with a lower status are more likely to experience adverse health outcomes. Low-income older individuals living below the poverty line often depend solely on Social Security for income and lack other resources.
It is helpful for older adults to plan for the future as they approach retirement and feel supported by their loved ones. The gaps in healthcare across socioeconomic classes impacts the elderly deeply. They are a vulnerable population and need social support to help combat adverse physical and mental health outcomes.
Disclaimer: All information, content, and material contained in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider.
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Psychoanalysts have many theories explaining what contributes to the human condition. It is an enigma and the answer is not quite concrete.
| Theories, religion, and society contribute different analysis of the human psyche. One thing about the human psyche that most can agree upon is that it is difficult to analyze our own personal condition without bias, in fact, it’s likely impossible. This bias is mitigated by the role of mental health professionals. We even attempt to eliminate this bias through friends and family. Most people are not aware of their actual condition, and others may have a measure of self-reflection, however, they may overlook certain aspects of their condition unknowingly. Self-reflection is not foolproof, which is why we must be willing to nuance our approach to the different challenges we will be presented with in life. |  |
You have to really go deep in understanding the depths of what you need to go into, and to have a method to be able to combat that.
You have to understand what the time line for that looks like. You have to think if it will be fixed in a month, but actually really be realistic with the timeline.
What are your strengths and weaknesses? IDing what your weaknesses are and accepting them. Seeing them as things that you can work on, and are not simply failures are important as well. Also, you can track your progress to see that you are improving in a certain direction. It is important to recognize how far you have come, and IDing these things in the very beginning as well.
Also, have something when you are at your lowest points as an immediate need when you are getting back into your mental headspace. For example, if your GPS goes off track, you need to re-route as soon as possible. Similarly, if you are having massive anxiety, you need to be able to revert back as soon as possible. Do you walk away, do you grab a drink of water, do you pray, what is it that you do to get your mental health in a certain direction.
Do not leave your plan or your program that you developed for yourself. It does not end there when you feel "better", and you can go back into that very quickly. Life is filled with a consistent stream of challenges that may present themselves at any moment.
What are your strengths and weaknesses? IDing what your weaknesses are and accepting them. Seeing them as things that you can work on, and are not simply failures are important as well. Also, you can track your progress to see that you are improving in a certain direction. It is important to recognize how far you have come, and IDing these things in the very beginning as well.
Also, have something when you are at your lowest points as an immediate need when you are getting back into your mental headspace. For example, if your GPS goes off track, you need to re-route as soon as possible. Similarly, if you are having massive anxiety, you need to be able to revert back as soon as possible. Do you walk away, do you grab a drink of water, do you pray, what is it that you do to get your mental health in a certain direction.
Do not leave your plan or your program that you developed for yourself. It does not end there when you feel "better", and you can go back into that very quickly. Life is filled with a consistent stream of challenges that may present themselves at any moment.
Belief plays a huge role in mental health.
Believe in something that will not be hindered by anything and will always be there for you. Don’t be afraid to tailor your beliefs to each situation, this leaves a lower chance of you repressing something toxic that will relentlessly bring you down throughout your life. Refining the way in which you approach a challenging event in your life will give you better understanding of your psyche and diminish the fear of failure. You will find that you begin welcoming the challenges in life because you are able to find a solution that satisfies the needs of your unique psyche.
Disclaimer: All information, content, and material contained in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider.
Research has found that mental health and social interaction have a strong connection with one another.
We find that consistent and positive patterns of social interaction boost overall mental health as well as physical health. Humans naturally gravitate towards social interaction. Hanging out with friends, seeing the smiling face of another person, these moments of social interaction all trigger a response in our bodies.
It is a central part of an individual’s survival. Research has found that the neurotransmitters responsible for regulating stress and anxiety are typically released during these moments of social interaction.
It is a central part of an individual’s survival. Research has found that the neurotransmitters responsible for regulating stress and anxiety are typically released during these moments of social interaction.
We find that social interaction plays an important role in boosting and maintaining good physical and psychological health in an individual.
When we strip this away, we find the opposite effect. This can be observed in the prison system. Prisoners are removed from society as a punishment for their crimes. The social isolation is necessary for the safety of the community, and we can observe very clearly the effect the social isolation has on these individuals. Most inmates already have existing psychiatric disorders and so they experience an even greater decline in their mental health with the loss of social interaction.
The Impact of Social Isolation on Mental Health
There was a study done which found that rats would rather have social interaction than drugs such as heroin or methamphetamine. Another study found that individuals who experience lots of social interaction also experience lowered stress levels.
Social isolation is directly linked with many mental health illnesses and so we see the importance social interaction has upon overall wellbeing. A marked symptom of depression is social withdrawal. One risk factor we observe amongst individuals who commit mass shootings is social isolation. The effects of social isolation have a negative impact not only on the body but also the mind. Research finds that social isolation was linked to a higher release of cortisol in both men and women. Cortisol is a hormone the body produces in response to stress. If cortisol levels gets too high we
Social isolation is directly linked with many mental health illnesses and so we see the importance social interaction has upon overall wellbeing. A marked symptom of depression is social withdrawal. One risk factor we observe amongst individuals who commit mass shootings is social isolation. The effects of social isolation have a negative impact not only on the body but also the mind. Research finds that social isolation was linked to a higher release of cortisol in both men and women. Cortisol is a hormone the body produces in response to stress. If cortisol levels gets too high we
Disclaimer: All information, content, and material contained in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider.
Have you ever wanted something so badly, and once you received it, you realized that it wasn't all that you hoped it would be?
The mind has this extraordinary ability to believe that if situations are different that life would be much "better". We tend to attribute the negative emotions we experience inside to the external world around us. That the world around us directly influences how we feel within and we have absolutely no control over that dynamic.
That if we received that promotion we would feel more content, if that special person came into our life, we would feel more fulfilled. If only someone understood us would we feel complete.
It seems the negative emotions we experience are the result of some shortcoming in the world. And if we change our external physical experience, it will have a direct impact on how we feel inside and instantly alleviate the suffering we feel inside.
There isn't any doubt, that if certain things in the external world were different, then we would indeed feel more contented. Living in an area where the weather is ideal would make almost anybody feel more content. Working your dream job will most likely also bring a sense of inner peace and fulfillment.
That if we received that promotion we would feel more content, if that special person came into our life, we would feel more fulfilled. If only someone understood us would we feel complete.
It seems the negative emotions we experience are the result of some shortcoming in the world. And if we change our external physical experience, it will have a direct impact on how we feel inside and instantly alleviate the suffering we feel inside.
There isn't any doubt, that if certain things in the external world were different, then we would indeed feel more contented. Living in an area where the weather is ideal would make almost anybody feel more content. Working your dream job will most likely also bring a sense of inner peace and fulfillment.
There are stimuli out in the world that do create a positive shift in the emotions we feel internally.
The issue that exists is that we are now constantly in search of what we can change in our external world in order to influence our internal experience. It becomes all we know. We don’t understand happiness, peace, or satisfaction without a direct stimulus that we can either find, change, or create in the world around us.
We condition ourselves to seek externally how we want to feel internally. We rely on an ever changing reality to maintain a sense of emotional stability. This is inherently a losing battle. We have to separate the external world from our internal world in order to achieve homeostasis.
The human body has mechanisms and pathways which helps it to regulate its own temperature. The body is constantly working to maintain homeostasis internally in response to our environment.
If we are outside on a hot summer day, our body sweats to cool us down. The mind should work in a similar fashion to maintain emotional homeostasis. We have to self regulate what we are feeling internally in response to our environment.
Much of the external world is beyond our control and so this will lead an individual to believe that much of what they are feeling inside is also beyond their control.
This is a myth.
We have to understand and regulate the relationship that exists between our mind and our environment.
We have to self regulate and separate how we feel inside from what is happening to us on the outside.
Many use meditation, music, exercise, reading, art, or religion as tools towards this separation. It’s important to practice this separation.
There is only so much we can attempt to do to control our external reality, our control is limited.
Many people foster a relationship in which their inner peace and happiness is directly dependent upon the external stimulus they are exposed to in the world.
If we foster this type of relationship we develop poor impulse control.
The ability to adapt to situations and navigate them well is what helps us the most.
Cultivating love, inner energy, and allowing that energy to permeate in the world around us is what allows for us to adapt to a world that is greatly out of our control.
Mass Shooting Tragedies
We come across increasing media reports of mass shootings claiming the lives of hundreds of innocent people. These shootings take place in schools, religious places of worship, malls, and many other public places. Theses tragic events seem to be random acts of violence carried out by a ruthless, most likely mentally ill individual. In the case of school shootings, the perpetrator is often a student who may have been a victim themselves of bullying. Attempts to reduce the incidence of these tragic events are being made through the reform of existing gun laws. This is seen as a preventative measure to lessen the likelihood that a gun could be accessed by individuals with ill intent. However, research has found that the states in the United States with the most restrictive gun laws saw a 53% increase in the risk of a mass shooting event, so gun laws seem to be one piece to a larger puzzle.
The Mental Health of A Mass Shooter
It is important we examine the risk factors that could predict an individual’s chances of engaging in acts of violence against innocent people in addition to the reform of gun laws. A study published in the Journal of Loss and Trauma explores the myriad of risk factors that can be identified specifically in the case of the student responsible for the Virginia Tech shooting. The risk factors discussed in the study focus exclusively on the student’s environment and its ultimate influence on him claiming the lives of his peers.
Could there be psychiatric risk factors as well that can help bring us closer to understanding how and why these mass shootings occur?
Below are 6 risk factors that describe psychological characteristics commonly present among mass shooters.
These risk factors give us some insight into the mental health and psychological dynamics of these perpetrators of mass shootings, that the individuals that commit these crimes may not necessarily have a mental illness, however, the presence of these characteristics predict a potential for engaging in acts of violence.
Could there be psychiatric risk factors as well that can help bring us closer to understanding how and why these mass shootings occur?
Below are 6 risk factors that describe psychological characteristics commonly present among mass shooters.
These risk factors give us some insight into the mental health and psychological dynamics of these perpetrators of mass shootings, that the individuals that commit these crimes may not necessarily have a mental illness, however, the presence of these characteristics predict a potential for engaging in acts of violence.
6 Psychiatric Risk Factors
1. Social Isolation/Rejection
- They have no social support and feel a sense of alienation from others in society.
- They are often alone and feel generally rejected by others.
2. Narcissism
- They exhibit excessive selfishness and grandiosity.
- They will overestimate their abilities and hold their beliefs in very high esteem.
3. Self-Esteem Issues
- They often struggle with developing a healthy sense of self-esteem.
- Self-esteem regulates narcissism and because of the presence of high narcissism, a healthy sense of self-esteem is never achieved.
4. Persecutory Delusions/ Paranoia
- They may feel as though society as a whole is out to get them.
- They express general disgust towards society and views of hopelessness.
5. Suicidal Ideation
- They may struggle with past or present thoughts of suicidality.
6. Depression
- These individuals also may struggle with Major Depressive Disorder.
Considering All The Factors
An individual may present all of these characteristics and never commit acts of violence against others. Specifically, in the case of mass shooters, it seems to be a multifactorial situation, in which psychological/psychiatric factors interact with environmental factors leading the shooter to engage in an act of violence.
It is important to open up the conversation and take into account the many aspects influencing these types of events so that we can work as a community to prevent these tragedies in the future.
Disclaimer: All information, content, and material contained in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider.
It is important to open up the conversation and take into account the many aspects influencing these types of events so that we can work as a community to prevent these tragedies in the future.
Disclaimer: All information, content, and material contained in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider.
Stigma of Mental Health Illness-
Society & Culture
Many individuals experience social stigma associated with their mental illness. Historically in society and certain cultures, mental health illnesses have been illegitimated and there was intense shaming towards individuals who were suffering from. Seeking treatment for psychiatric disorders was considered a sign of weakness and personal failure. Resilience was considered the treatment for psychiatric disorders and individuals often suffered silently, further worsening their symptoms.
Society heavily stigmatized mental illness and dismissed symptoms as illusions, individuals who suffered from mental health illness were often ridiculed and labeled as "crazy", and the isolation they experienced made psychiatric treatment near impossible.
Society heavily stigmatized mental illness and dismissed symptoms as illusions, individuals who suffered from mental health illness were often ridiculed and labeled as "crazy", and the isolation they experienced made psychiatric treatment near impossible.
Physical Illness vs. Mental Illness
Mental Illnesses are also subject to social stigma due to the manner in which illnesses present themselves in individuals. For physical illnesses the symptoms are material and observable in the body. If an individual breaks a bone, that person often receives immediate medical care, and sympathy from close friends and family who support them as they recover. If an individual suffers for depression, that person may receive sympathy from close friends and family if they feel comfortable to be open with them; however, the sympathy is often superficial in nature. The individual's depressive symptoms are typically regarded as a mood swing and they are encouraged to be strong, to cheer up, the feelings will pass.
Due to the symptoms of mental health illnesses being based in neuro-chemistry, they are often dismissed as figments of psychological illusion. Individuals fear to open up about their symptoms because they fear judgement and the invalidation of their symptoms; they often suffer silently in isolation with their symptoms.
Due to the symptoms of mental health illnesses being based in neuro-chemistry, they are often dismissed as figments of psychological illusion. Individuals fear to open up about their symptoms because they fear judgement and the invalidation of their symptoms; they often suffer silently in isolation with their symptoms.
Mental Health Stigma Today
Increasingly, mental health awareness has gained social traction. This is in part due to prominent celebrities opening up about their mental health struggles. This media presence does not necessarily eliminate the stigma associated with mental illness. Many of these celebrities share their stories on social media and receive mixed reviews from readers. Some comments express support and understanding, while others express shame, judgement, skepticism, and criticism.
There have also been very heart breaking tragedies that have claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent people. The individuals responsible for these casualties are demonized by the media and in some instances if they are suffering from a psychiatric disorder, it is often implicated as what drove their actions. This type of coverage reinforces the stigma that the mentally ill are inherently dangerous, evil, and a threat to society. Of course, not all those who suffer from a mental illness will carry out such vicious acts of aggression onto innocent people, but the stigma is widespread and media helps to support this.
Mental health awareness is important not only for those who suffer from a mental illness, but also those who do not. It is important we educate ourselves and help build a world in which the people in our community feel safe and supported. If you feel someone close to you is struggling, helping them to seek treatment is life changing. No one should face their struggles in isolation and shame.
There have also been very heart breaking tragedies that have claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent people. The individuals responsible for these casualties are demonized by the media and in some instances if they are suffering from a psychiatric disorder, it is often implicated as what drove their actions. This type of coverage reinforces the stigma that the mentally ill are inherently dangerous, evil, and a threat to society. Of course, not all those who suffer from a mental illness will carry out such vicious acts of aggression onto innocent people, but the stigma is widespread and media helps to support this.
Mental health awareness is important not only for those who suffer from a mental illness, but also those who do not. It is important we educate ourselves and help build a world in which the people in our community feel safe and supported. If you feel someone close to you is struggling, helping them to seek treatment is life changing. No one should face their struggles in isolation and shame.
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