Common diseases and their treatments

Psychic disorders resulting from bodily disorder and treatment



1.Disorder in the experience of the body
Origin
This disorder comes into being when people have too high expectations of themselves (and particularly of their body). They have excessive demands which they are not willing to give up. They have an obsession about their appearance. The disorder originates from feelings of inferiority and the fear to attract attention and make a fool of themselves.

Symptoms
Someone who suffers from this disorder is often too concerned about his looks and is annoyed by every small stain or lump on his body. To prevent that someone else discovers their 'physical defect' it may even happen that people do not dare to appear on the streets anymore. Often people set all their hopes on a medical surgery, but most of the time this does not have the desired result.

Treatment
Treatment cannot exist of medical surgeries. These never have the desired outcome, because if one 'defect' has disappeared people will find another one or they will focus on their scar from surgery.

However it is good if someone goes and talk to the patient. This may convince the patient that those 'physical defects' are not that bad at all. It is important to get treatment on time to prevent a depression.


2.Faking illness
Origin
This disease is a form of trying to attract attention. Usually these people fake an illness that brings them into a hospital which allows them to receive attention from family and doctors. This illness often originates from lack of attention.

Symptoms
Sometimes it is rather innocent, people only tell everyone that they suffer from some small cold or flu. However sometimes it is more serious, the patient causes infections or other injuries on purpose through which they get into the hospital

Treatment
Treatment is comparable with that of the 'Lack of attention syndrome'. One has to receive individual counselling with the help of focused attention and training of the behavior, because the patient often has the feeling that they do not get enough attention. But it is of utmost importance to realize the seriousness of the illness.

3. Alzheimer
Origin
Despite the fact that this disease does not appear among young people we considered it important enough to mention it in the Medguide.

The causes of Alzheimer are partly hereditary. It is estimated that about 40% of the Alzheimer disease has a hereditary origin. The effect of Alzheimer is in the brain, brain tissue is being broken down. The result of this is the deterioration of intellectual skills.

Symptoms
The disease manifests itself through concentration problems and forgetting things. Also personality changes appear, people become careless and get irritated quickly.

People who suffer from this disease often realize that something is wrong and because of this they get depressed.

Treatment
This disease gets more and more alarming and there is nothing you can do about it with medicine or any other kind of treatment. The velocity of the deterioration also depends on stress; the bigger the stress, the faster the deterioration.

4. Amnesia
Origin
Amnesia is a partly memory disorder. It can have different causes:
1. Meningitis
2. Concussion
3. Alcoholism
Symptoms
Amnesia patients suffer from a partly memory disorder. Things that happened a long time ago can still be remembered most of the time, but often the patient is no longer aware when and how they happened.

Amnesia patients lack the ability to learn and to remember new things. There is a total inability to remember things that just happened.

Treatment
Unfortunately there is no treatment available against amnesia. The effects of amnesia can be so strong that they unable the patient to live at home.



Mood disorders and treatment

1.Depression
Origin
A depression is a big mood change, in which people feel sad and completely powerless. Biological factors play an important role in the cause of a depression; some people have a larger tendency to suffer from the disorder than others. But also psychic factors play a role.

Symptoms
Depressed people are listless and often stay in bed or in an easy chair all day. They feel worthless and worry about everything.

Often there is nothing they find enjoyable and there is nothing one can do to cheer them up.

Treatment
The treatment depends on the age of the patient:
1. With young people it is necessary to change the environment.
2. With teenagers individual attention is more important. Also medication can be prescribed.


2.Manic episodes
Origin
A manic episode is a disorder of the mood. Its origin is similar to that of a depression.

Biological factors play an important role in the cause of a manic episode. Some people have a larger tendency to suffer from the disorder than others. But also psychic factors play a role

Symptoms
General characteristics of a manic episode are:
• The patient is abnormally busy or excited.
• During a busy period the patient has the feeling that he can do anything.
• The patient has a reduced need for sleep.
• The patient is extremely talkative.
• The patients thoughts are wild and chaotic.
• The patient gets easily distracted.
• The patient causes trouble in trying to do everything.
Treatment
It is important that people do not egg up the patient during the therapy. People should not enter into a discussion with the patient. It is important to set clear limits to what is allowed and what is not. The treatment resembles the treatment of a depression.




Fear disorders and treatment

1.Phobias
Origin
Phobias are extreme fears in specific situations lacking real danger or fears which are completely out of proportion. Most of the time the person with the phobia realizes that its fear is irrational and illogical, but he still keeps feeling the pain. Only avoiding the painful situation can bring relieve.

A phobia often originates from a negative experience with the subject concerning the phobia. There appear to be hereditary influences, but a phobia can also be taught.

Symptoms
A phobia for something exists if exposure to that something results in a panic attack. A lot of people are afraid of an injection from the doctor, but this is not called a phobia.

Kids most of the time do not get a panic attack but start crying really loud and clamp on to someone (usually their mom or dad).

Treatment
The most effective treatment is exposure to the fear, although this is very difficult. It has to be made clear that there is absolutely no reason for a phobia.

So if someone has a phobia for dogs, he or she has to learn how to get along with them through an intensive treatment.


2.Obsession
Origins
An obsession is an obsessional-compulsive disorder. The origin of obsessions is still unclear.

Symptoms
An obsession is characterized by involuntary repetitive acts or thoughts. However, not every thought that stays in ones mind is an obsession. For instance, everybody sometimes has the experience of a song that continuously pops up in ones mind. This of course is not an obsession.

An obsession often deals with a specific topic. A person is forced to think about something and subsequently cannot remove this thought from his mind anymore. Often these are specific topics which the person involved experiences as absurd or alarming.

Treatment
Treatment of an obsession is often difficult. The patient must undergo a carefully assembled behavioral therapy. Removal of the obsession has to be done in a safe environment.


3.Post-traumatic stress disorder
Origin
PTSD means post-traumatic stress disorder. This disease originates from a traumatic experience. This can be an experience in a concentration camp, a rape or a war.

Symptoms
People who suffer from PTSD often have fear-symptoms and nightmares. Sometimes people even deny the experiences they have been through, or they blame themselves.

Treatment
Treatment for PTSD is very hard. Often people do not want to talk about it as talking about it brings back the old feelings. However it is important that people discuss the matter, for example with fellow-sufferers.





Personality disorders and treatment

1.Avoiding personality
Origin
Both hereditary factors and environmental factors play a role at the origin of a personality disorder.

Symptoms
People with an avoiding personality do not dare to enter in a discussion with other people. They hardly dare to communicate with others and are afraid to be humiliated.

Treatment
Personality disorders, including the avoiding personality, are often difficult to treat. People suffering such a disorder are unaware that their personality is the cause of the disorder. In addition they have the feeling that they are unable to change their existing behavior. It is therefore important that the doctor in attendance starts by making the patient aware of the importance of his character and only then start the actual therapy. In addition to psychotherapy, use of medicine can help to overcome inferiority feelings.


2.Dependent personality
Origin
Both hereditary factors and environmental factors play a role at the origin of a personality disorder.

Symptoms
People with a dependent personality are emotionally dependent of other people. They have difficulty in taking decisions without having consulted other people. They always want to be in the company of others.

Treatment
Personality disorders, including the dependent personality, are often difficult to treat. People suffering such a disorder are unaware that their personality is the cause of the disorder. In addition they have the feeling that they are unable to change their existing behavior. It is therefore important that the doctor in attendance starts by making the patient aware of the importance of his character and only than start the actual therapy.


3.Antisocial personality
Origin
Both hereditary factors and environmental factors play a role at the origin of a personality disorder.

Symptoms
People with an antisocial personality behave asocial and do not take other people into account. Often they do not care about the law and they use others, who they humiliate and abuse, for their own pleasure. People who suffer from this disorder are often called psychopaths.

Antisocial personality is the most investigated personality disorder. This is because it is the most expensive one for society.

Treatment
In contrast to other personality disorders, psychotherapy has no effect on people with an antisocial personality as these people lie or try to lead the doctor up the garden path.
The patient has to be taken from the normal living environment so he can be put into a treatment center. There has to be kept an eye on the patient very carefully so he will follow the rules of the center. It has been proved that this treatment method works, but it may happen that the disorder comes back later.


4.Borderline personality disorder
Origin
Both hereditary factors and environmental factors play a role at the origin of a personality disorder.

Symptoms
People with a borderline personality disorder have problems maintaining a relationship. They often see small problems as huge ones.

About 2% of all the people suffer from borderline personality, about 75% of them are women. People with borderline diagnosis tend to be more liable for developing alcoholism, drug abuse, PTSD or a depression.

Treatment
The treatment of a borderline personality disorder differs from person to person.







Disorders in the ability to control oneself and treatment

1.Addiction to gambling
Origin
Mostly the problem originates when people start to gamble at a gambling machine when they have a night out. Often this gambling continues out of boredom which causes the addiction.

Symptoms
There is a continuous need to gamble and this costs money. This often leads to stealing and the patient gets social problems as a result.

Treatment
Addicts to gambling need professional help and they should get behavioral therapy. Often this happens too late and the patient has already accumulated large debts.


2.Kleptomania
Origin
Kleptomania is a strong desire to steal. Often a kleptomaniac person steals things he could have bought easily or things that are not at all expensive. The person steals just for the tension or the kick. Kleptomania can be the result of emotional shortcomings during the youth.

Symptoms
These patients have an irresistible inclination to steal. Often they throw away the stolen goods. They are mostly interested in the kick of the stealing itself. Although psychiatrists consider kleptomania as a disease, this is not a legal excuse in front of an American or British court.

Treatment
This disorder is rather easy to treat. It is important to find another occupation to replace the stealing activity. It is also very important to make the patient realize that others are harmed by the stealing activities.


3.Pyromania
Origin
Pyromania is a strong need to set things on fire. It is all about the kick it gives to see what other people have to do to extinguish the fire. The pyromaniac also enjoys reading about the effects of his activities. Pyromania can be the result of shortcomings during the youth.

Symptoms
The patient sets a lot on fire and enjoys to see what others have to do as a result of this. Often the pyromaniac is one of the spectators of the fire he has generated.

Treatment
This disorder is rather easy to treat. It is important to find another occupation to replace the arsons activities.


4.Suicidal tendencies
Origin
Suicidal tendencies are a common phenomena. They can have different causes. Often suicidal people have the impression that nobody cares about them. They are looking for more attention. They may even blackmail people by announcing to commit suicide if they will not do what they are asked to do.

Symptoms
People have a suicidal tendency, or they really commit suicide.

Treatment
If suicidal people do not get help in an early stage, there is not so much left to do. Even if they are placed in a guarded clinic, suicidal people tend to find a way to commit suicide. Even drowning oneself in a sink seems to be possible.

Real prevention is only possible if other people recognize the signals in time. It is important to talk to the patients, but without forcing them to do so. Forcing to talk even works contra-productive.





Psychotic disorders and treatment

1.Schizophrenia
Origin
The appearance of schizophrenia is partly hereditary. Previously people said that schizophrenia was caused by the education process, but people have come back from this thought.

High vulnerability for stress plays an important role in the origin of schizophrenia. Besides stressful situations also other influences from the environment are important. Which influences is not exactly known, but people think that problems during pregnancy or around the time of birth may play a role.

It is also known that there is a disorder in a particular chemical material in the brain responsible for the processing of information.

Symptoms
To recognize schizophrenia is not always easy. Often you cannot see it from the outside and it can take a while before the symptoms become noticeable. People who suffer from the disease cannot or do not want to express what their problems are. There are certain signals that can point to schizophrenia. Schizophrenia could exist if someone:
• is frightened or confused in a way others cannot understand;
• does not succeed to perform at work, in his study or hobby in a way to be expected;
• talks in a silly way, sometimes with new made up words;
• claims to hear voices or talks to imaginary people;
• tells stories about plots or secret organizations in which friends and relatives can take part;
• walks or moves in a weird manner in such a way that others feel uncomfortable;
• scares or irritates people by the way he neglects himself;
• has unpredictable explosions of rage;
• stays in bed all day, but goes around the house at night;
• threatens to hurt himself;
• does not have any friends or at the best short or superficial contacts;
• claims to be someone else;
• says that others pull thoughts out of his head or alternatively put them in.

Treatment
Schizophrenia cannot be cured yet, but in most cases it can be treated. Medication plays a big role in the treatment. The medicine most prescribed are anti-psychotics and an anti-parkinson medicine. The latter is used to diminish the side-effects of the anti-psychotics. Recently a new generation of medicine has become available, which gives excellent results for some patients.

Apart from medication, good education and support for the patient and family are important. Furthermore the patient should get help coping with society.


2.Paranoid
Origin
This physical disease originates from fear, mostly fear from the direct neighborhood. Often the person thinks that all kind of plots are set up against him.

Symptoms
Paranoid people are characterized by delusion; they continuously have the feeling of being threatened. But also other forms exist, for example suffering from acoustic or visual hallucinations; it may happen that they think they smell a poisonous gas.

Treatment
Most of the time it is not easy to treat a paranoid person. This is because the patient himself thinks that he is not ill and it is difficult to have him change his mind on this.

Firstly there needs to be a relation of trust between the patient and the person that treats him. This person also has to tell other people how to relate with the patient. Furthermore the patient needs to have the willingness to talk to the person that treats him.

3.Syndrome of Korsakov
Origin
The syndrome of Korsakov can be the result of a chronic form of alcoholism, but it can also be caused by a trauma of the brain.

Symptoms
The syndrome of Korsakov can result in a disorder of the ability to impress upon something and a disorientation of time, place and person. Also disorder of memory can occur.

Treatment
The syndrome cannot be healed. However, if the disease is caused by alcoholism to quit drinking will prevent deterioration.

4.Delirium
Origin
A delirium can appear on short notice and may also disappear on short notice. Causes of a delirium can be:
• Poisoning (from alcohol, drugs or medication)
• Abstinence of medicine or drugs
• Disorder of the hormone metabolism (diabetes)
• Infection diseases (pneumonia)
• Metabolism diseases (uremia)
• Heart and vascular diseases (coronary, stroke)
• Trauma of the skull or brain
• Dementia

Symptoms
A person suffering from a delirium has the following symptoms:
1. Its consciousness is not clear, he sees its environment different from which it is and he makes a dizzy impression.
2. He is disorientated; most of the time he does not know what time it is and where he is.
3. He observes strange things; he sees and hears things which are not there.
4. He cannot remember things because he is not clear.

These symptoms can be apparent in different levels of seriousness. A person can also have more trouble in the morning than at night. Treatment
There is always something physical going on with a delirium. The treatment of a delirium consists of a medical investigation to find the source and subsequently taking the cause away. Often the disease is solved after this.



Addiction and treatment

1.Alcoholism
Origin
Alcoholism can be a result of relationship problems, job problems or other important problems. It can also happen that people start drinking under pressure of their friends and cannot stop afterwards. But most of the time alcohol is being used to work of one's problems.

Symptoms
There is a continuous desire for alcohol which arouses guilt feelings. Often alcoholics are drowsy and listless.

Treatment
In most western countries the alcohol addiction is a major problem. That is why there are a lot of aid institutions which can help people cope with the problem.

Of course people just have to stop drinking, but it is not that simple. A treatment has to start with a cure for addiction. It is important that someone supervises the treatment, because it often happens that people drink furtive. It is also very important that people want to be cured.

A multidisciplinary treatment generates the best effects:
• A psychiatric treatment
• A phychotherapatic treatment, if necessary supported by medicine
• Taking part in the AA (Alcoholics Anonymous)


2.Drugs

Origin
We take heroin as an example because it is one of the most addictive drugs. People start using heroin because it generates a relaxed and pleasant feeling. This feeling is very addictive and after a while the body can no longer cope without it.

Symptoms
People addicted to heroin gradually get into a bad condition. They often have inflammations and their teeth become very bad. After a while many addicts start to use heroin in combination with alcohol, which intensifies the effect.

Treatment
Treatment against drug abuse is similar to that of alcohol abuse. Of course people just have to stop using drugs, but it is not that simple. A treatment has to start with a cure for addiction. It is important that someone supervises the treatment, because it often happens that people use drugs furtive. Also it is very important that people want to be cured.

A multidisciplinary treatment generates the best effects:
• A psychiatric treatment
• A phychotherapatic treatment, if necessary supported by medicine



Eating disorders and treatment

1. Anorexia nervosa
Origin
Over time different explanations are given for the origin of eating disorders. Probably the ideal of being slim and the related pressure put on woman, plays an important role.

These days people think a combination of physical, psychical and social factors influence anorexia nervosa:
1. There is a connection between eating behavior and depression.
2. Stuffing yourself can be looked upon as a form of conditioned behavior: after unpleasant experiences or frustrations someone immediately reaches for food.
3. A disturbed mother-child relation or the fear to become an adult can play a role. Anorexia nervosa will slow down the physical growth to adulthood.
4. Innate characteristics are probably of influence. It appears that anorexic patients often have a negative way of thinking, for example the desire to be perfect, thinking in extremes or having a negative image of themselves.
5. Certain family-characteristics appear more often among patients having eating disorders. The question is however whether these characteristics are the result or the cause of the eating disorder.
Symptoms
People with anorexia nervosa are constantly afraid of becoming fat and as a result suppress their appetite and the feeling of getting hungry. People with anorexia nervosa constantly and downwardly adjust their ideal weight. In spite of a serious loss of weight, they continuously consider themselves too fat. Over time they loose the normal feelings for appetite, hunger and satisfaction. They constantly watch the calories they eat and their eating pattern becomes more and more monotonous. Society only recognizes anorexia nervosa after the patient has lost a striking amount of weight. There are, however, several variants of anorexia nervosa, which makes detection complicated. There is a variant where periods of eating very little are alternated with periods of stuffing oneself followed by throwing up or the use of laxatives. Also abuse of diuretics exists.

Treatment
Several different treatments are in use to cure anorexia nervosa, but it is still not possible to conclude which one has the best results. Some treatments are more focussed on the eating behavior, others focus more on the psychical backgrounds. A combination of both methods is probably the most effective way.

In general, enforced therapies are not effective. Inferior treatment, in particular if it is enforced can aggravate the problems. It is important that the doctor in attendance has experience in the treatment of eating disorders.

One of the first targets of the treatment is the recovery of the normal weight. In addition, the treatment should try to improve the way people look at themselves, experience their body and establish and maintain social contacts and relations.

Often a special form of behavioral treatment is used. Step by step people are learned to accommodate to a rising weight by controlled exposure to the threatening situations.

With the help of a cognitive therapy people will be learned to change the wrong notions regarding their weight and their body.


2. Bulimia nervosa
Origin
Bulimia nervosa has mainly the same causes as anorexia nervosa:
1. There is a connection between eating behavior and depression; the exact nature of the connection is still unclear (what is the cause, what is the result).
2. Stuffing yourself can be looked upon as a form of conditioned behavior: after unpleasant experiences or frustrations someone immediately reaches for food.
3. Especially with bulimia nervosa traumatic experiences from the childhood can be on the origin of the eating disorder, for example ill-treatment and sexual abuse.
4. Innate characteristics are probably of influence. It appears that bulimic patients often have a negative way of thinking, for example the desire to be perfect, thinking in extremes or having a negative image of themselves.
5. Certain family-characteristics appear more often among patients having eating disorders. The question is however whether these characteristics are the result or the cause of the eating disorder.
Symptoms
People who suffer from bulimia nervosa stuff themselves often. They just eat whatever is close at hand and afterwards they try to throw up everything. These rituals of stuffing themselves are attempts to forget their problems.

Treatment
The treatment of bulimia is about the same as for anorexia nervosa.

In general, enforced therapy is not effective. Inferior treatment, in particular if it is enforced can aggravate the problems. It is important that the doctor in attendance has experience in the treatment of eating disorders.

One of the first targets of the treatment is the recovery of the normal weight. In addition the treatment should try to improve the way people look at themselves, experience their body and establish and maintain social contacts and relations.

Often a special form of behavioral treatment is used. Step by step people are learned to accommodate to a rising weight by controlled exposure to the threatening situations.

With the help of a cognitive therapy people will be learned to change the wrong notions regarding their weight and their body.