Dr. Maikandaan C J

As most of the economies over the world become industrialized, the quality of life increases, but with it comes a plethora of mental health problems. Especially in a country like India, the rapid industrialization and the expansion of opportunities has seen a rise in the number of people afflicted by mental health disorders. Some of the common mental health issues and their treatment methods are discussed here-

Common Mental Health Issues

1. Depression – Depression is a very serious issue that affects a significant part of the population. It is not only a public health concern but also a fast spreading problem in the world. Although depression related to stress is on the rise, it could happen due to chemical imbalances within the brain as well.

2. Anxiety Disorder – While stress and anxiety tend to be a part of your daily life, over time, it could build up and end up being a disorder. Symptoms of frequent panics or anxiety could build up to become anxiety and panic disorders wherein you would be constantly under stress due to external situations such as social anxiety or have panic disorders.

3. Schizophrenia – This problem is caused within the brain due to neurochemical issues and causes paranoia, hallucinations, frightfulness and distorted thought patterns. This is a major psychiatric disorder and requires extensive treatment.

4. Eating Disorders – These disorders are marked by problems of eating which in turn affect your health adversely. These disorders are caused by mental issues and are primarily of three types; Binge eating disorder, anorexia (obsession over what one’s eats) and Bulimia (binge eating and then purging to avoid putting on weight).

5. Bipolar Disorder – A very common mental disorder, this mental problem entails uncontrollable mood swings from happy (at times, euphoric) to sad in a short span of time or alternating phases of feeling ecstatic and often exhibiting reckless behavior to being severely depressed. This is a serious issue and can even result in suicidal tendencies.

6. Substance Abuse and Addiction Problems – Another effect of stress is the increasing dependence on drugs and alcohol which in turn becomes a pattern and thus may cause problems in your life as you start using these substances to escape reality.

Common Mental Health Treatments-

Many people diagnosed with mental illness achieve strength and recovery through participating in individual or group treatment. There are many different treatment options available. There is no treatment that works for everyone – individuals can choose the treatment, or combination of treatments, that works best. Do consult a doctor before choosing one-

1. Psychotherapy – The treatment of mental problems provided by a mental health counselor through dedicated sessions over a period of time is one of the most effective ways of countering problems. Psychotherapy explores thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and seeks to improve an individual’s well-being. Psychotherapy paired with medication is the most effective way to promote recovery.  

2. Medication – This is the most common form of therapy that aims to reduce the chemical imbalances within the brain, either through oral pills or through injections.

3. Support Groups – This is especially good as getting to talk to similar people and sharing experiences with them help in reducing the isolation, thus helping them vent out repressed emotions and connect with like -minded people.

4. Residential Treatments – Effective in cases of drug or other forms of addiction as well as problems which require conditioning, hospitals and other residential treatment facilities such as a rehab center are used extensively to treat these along with other problems.

5. Treatment through stimulation of the brain – There are many newer treatments which are proving to be effective by stimulating the neurotransmitters that help correcting imbalances within the brain. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a psychologist and ask a free question.

All individuals get nervous or anxious at some point of time or the other due to a plethora of reasons. But for some individuals, anxiety becomes so frequent and forceful, that it overpower their lives. Normal anxiety is often short lived, but the feeling may last for few hours. However, an anxiety problem becomes an anxiety disorder when anxious feelings are very intense and last for weeks or months. Anxiety disorder exists in different forms like panic attacks, social anxiety and phobia.

The most common form of anxiety is Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) during which an individual worries too much about everyday things and situations, both large and small. The person in this condition has persistent anxious thoughts on most days of the week, for six months. Moreover, the anxiety is so overpowering that it interferes with daily life and is coupled by noticeable symptoms like fatigue. The anxiety level goes to such an extent that causes a lot of dysfunction and suffering. If a person suffers from sleep problems and finds himself regularly awake and agitated or worried, then it is a tell-tale sign of generalized anxiety disorder. This is followed by a situation when one wakes up overstimulated with mind racing and one is unable to calm down.

When the anxiety is tied to a specific situation and the fear is overwhelming and out of proportion to the actual risks then the condition is phobia. This can be due to anything ranging from crowd, animals to flying in an aeroplane or using an escalator. Muscle tension like clenching of jaw or fists or flexing of muscles though out the body always accompanies anxiety disorders. Regular exercise can help keep muscle tension under control, but the tension may get triggered up if an injury or other unforeseen event disrupts a person's workout habits. Panic disorder is repeated, unexpected panic attacks where one encounters panic in a situation where most people wouldn’t be afraid. Anxiety also leads to chronic digestive problems like cramping and bloating of stomach.

Social phobia or social anxiety disorder occurs when one develops an intense fear of being judged or embarrassed in public. People with social anxiety disorder have a tendency to worry for weeks leading to an event or situation. When and if they manage it, they tend to be deeply uncomfortable and are always judgemental about it. In case of social anxiety disorder, the anxiety is triggered by everyday situations like one-on-one conversation at a get-together, or eating and drinking in front of small group. The person feels that everybody is watching him and experiences profuse sweating, trembling, nausea and person becomes tongue-tied. These disruptions make it hard for the person to meet new people and maintain relationships.

Panic disorder causes terrifying panic attacks when the person experiences a sudden gripping feeling of fear and helplessness which lasts for several minutes. It is generally accompanied with scary symptoms like breathing problems, a pounding heart, numb hands and sweating.

Excessive fear of being separated from home or a loved one is separation anxiety disorder. Post -traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder in which the patient relives a disturbing or traumatic event like a violent encounter, the sudden death of a loved one.

An anxiety disorder affects the thinking, feelings as well as behaviour of a normal person. It’s important to seek professional help if one see any of the warning signs of anxiety disorders in an individual.

It seems dramatic in movies and television soaps to see depressed people having with a heart ailment, but there is sound scientific evidence to show a strong correlation between depression and hypertension. Read on to see how these two diseases are correlated. With the cases of both diseases on the rise and the age of onset decreasing, this is concerning.

Studies have shown that people diagnosed with depression (and/or anxiety) are three to four times more likely to develop hypertension as compared to people with normal moods. More than the condition per se, the associated habits and effects of these conditions leads to hypertension.

It is common to notice that people who are depressed would tend to smoke excessively, consume a lot more alcohol, poor sleeping patterns, and have eating disorders (binging). All these lead to atherosclerosis, leading to plaque accumulation in the blood vessels and reducing their thickness. This leads to reduced blood flow to vital organs, leading to more severe complications like stroke and heart failure.

Another correlation is the hormones that are produced when a person is depressed (or stressed). These hormones (from the adrenal glands) have a vasoconstrictor effect, thereby reducing hypertension. The body is also on constant alert with these increased levels of hormones, thereby increasing the strain on the vital organs. Hypertension is therefore one of the many side effects of depression. The good news, however, is that both these conditions can be managed easily. There are definitely changes within one’s control which will help control both, and improve the overall quality of life.

1. Eat healthy: While depression does lead you to end up feel-good foods like processes and junk items, tell yourself not to give in. Eating healthy and the benefits will be there for you to see. Eat less of salt, sugar, and fats.
2. Relax and take a deep breath: Consciously make an effort to relax every day, even for a short while, and take deep breaths. This could be during yoga sessions, meditations, or as a part of routine exercise, but this should definitely be a part of your daily routine. Just check with your doctor to ensure you are not doing something that would not suit your medical condition.
3. Keep your life simple: All of us feel rushed all the time, but review your to-do list to see and remove unimportant items. You would be surprised at how easier life can be.
4. Sleep tight: A good night’s sleep can make you feel a lot more relaxed and energetic.
5. Become positive: Change your perspective towards a more positive side and see life change.

Both depression and hypertension can be drastically managed (even eliminated) by doing these simple steps. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a General Physician.