Dual Diagnosis

A person who suffers from alcohol abuse / alcoholism, drug abuse / drug addiction and an emotional/psychiatric problem is said to have a dual diagnosis. To recover fully, the person will require addiction treatment and psychiatric treatment for both problems.

Dual diagnosis is a common diagnosis. Thirty-seven percent of people with alcohol abuse and fifty-three percent of people with drug abuse also have at least one serious mental illness. Of all people diagnosed as mentally ill, 29 percent suffer from alcohol abuse or drug abuse.

The following psychiatric problems can occur in Dual Diagnosis Anxiety disorders, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and phobias and other psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and personality disorders. Bipolar disorder and depression are often present.

Often the psychiatric problem develops first. In an attempt to feel calmer, peppier, or more cheerful, a person with emotional symptoms may drink or use drugs; doctors call this "self-medication." Frequent self-medication may eventually lead to physical or psychological dependency on alcohol or drugs. If it does, the person then suffers from not just one problem, but two.

In a perfect world, both problems should be treated simultaneously. For any substance abuse problem, however, the first step in treatment must be detox - a period of time during which the body is allowed to cleanse itself of alcohol or drugs. Ideally, detox should take place under medical supervision. It can take a few days to a week or more, depending on what substances the person abused and for how long.

Until recently, alcoholics and drug addicts dreaded detox because it meant a painful and sometimes life-threatening "cold turkey" withdrawal. Now, doctors are able to provide those people with a drug addiction or alcohol addiction carefully chosen medications while in detox, which can substantially ease withdrawal symptoms. Detox done under medical supervision, is safer for the dually diagnosed.

Asperger syndrome

Asperger's syndrome is a mild form of autism. These two conditions are part of a larger group of neurological disorders called pervasive development in the United States or the PDD for short. 2. The most common symptoms are the eccentric behavior and self-imposed social isolation. Sometimes affected speech and gait and motor skills. Your child can also only focused on a specific area of interest like cars or astronomy. Social isolation comes from the child wants to know everything about his field of interest and nearly everything. Conversations generally focus only on this area as well.

Experts estimate that syndrome of Asperger and autism have fundamental biological reasons, but is not yet clear on what are these reasons. They know that there are some brain structure abnormalities, but do not know why they occur.

There is no definitive test for Asperger's, but there are some reasons, including:

** Significant impairment in social interaction, as evidenced by:-non-verbal communication with faculties impaired — failure to develop peer relationships-lack of shared fun age-appropriate activities/environment with others - can retaliate socially and emotionally

Repetition of patterns of behaviour or interests which:-abnormal intensity of interest in one or two rigid rituals for specific areas are used without repetitive mannerisms functional purpose of hand or finger stop parts occupied to beat persistent of objects

No significant delay in language

No significant delay in cognitive development or types adapted to the age-skill learning

If your child meets one or more of the criteria above, maybe your doctor suspected Asperger.

There is no treatment for Asperger syndrome that will make 'disappear '. But using a combination of methods to be notified the three main symptoms of disease (poor communication skills, obsessive or repetitive routines, and physical clumsiness); You can help your child to live a relatively normal life.

Histrionic Personality Disorder

Histrionics resemble narcissists - both seek attention compulsively and are markedly dysphoric and uncomfortable when not at the center of attention. They have to be the life of the party. If they fail in achieving this pivotal role, they act out or create hysterical scenes.

The histrionic is preoccupied with physical appearance, sexual conquests, her health, and her body. The typical histrionic spends huge dollops of money and expends inordinate amounts of time on grooming. Histrionics fish for compliments and are upset when confronted with criticism or proof that they are not as glamorous or alluring as they think they are.

Histrionics sexualize everyone and every situation. They constantly act flirtatious, provocative, and seductive, even when such behavior is not warranted by circumstances or, worse still, is highly inappropriate. Such conduct is often ill received. People usually find this unabashed directness and undisguised hunger for approval annoying, or outright repulsive. Consequently, histrionics are sometimes subject to social censure and ostracism.

The histrionics' intensity and unpredictability are exhausting. The histrionic's nearest and dearest are often embarrassed by her unbridled display of emotions: hugging casual acquaintances, uncontrollable sobbing in public, or having temper tantrums. The histrionic's behavior is so off-color that she is typically accused of being a fake.

Concerned only with the latest conquest, the histrionic uses her physical appearance and attire as a kind of conscious bait. It is ironic that histrionics often mistake the depth, durability, and intimacy of their relationships and are devastated by their inevitable premature termination.

Histrionics are the quintessential drama queens. They are theatrical, their emotions exaggerated to the point of a caricature, their gestures sweeping, disproportional, and inappropriate. The histrionic is easily suggestible and responds instantly and fully to the slightest change in circumstances and to the most meaningless communication or behavior by others.

Conduct Disorder

Children and adolescents with conduct disorder are budding psychopaths.

They repeatedly and deliberately - and often with great joy -violate the rights of others and breach age-appropriate social norms and rules. Some of them gleefully hurt and torture people or, more frequently, animals. Others damage property. Yet others habitually deceive, lie, and steal.

These behaviors inevitably render them socially, occupationally, and academically dysfunctional. They are poor performers at home, in school, and in the community. As such adolescents grow up, and beyond the age of 18, the diagnosis automatically changes from Conduct Disorder to the Antisocial Personality Disorder.

Children with Conduct Disorder are masters of denial. They tend to minimize their problems and blame others for their misbehavior and failures. This shifting of guilt justifies, as far as they are concerned, their invariably and pervasively aggressive, bullying, intimidating, and menacing gestures and tantrums.

Adolescents with Conduct Disorder are often embroiled in fights, both verbal and physical. They frequently use weapons, purchased or improvised (for example, broken glass) and they are cruel. Many underage muggers, extortionists, purse-snatchers, rapists, robbers, shoplifters, burglars, arsonists, vandals, and animal torturers are diagnosed with Conduct Disorder.

Conduct Disorder comes in many shapes and forms. Some adolescents are "cerebral" rather than physical. These are likely to act as con-artists, lie their way out of awkward situations, swindle everyone, their parents and teachers included, and forge documents to erase debts or obtain material benefits.

Conduct-disordered children and adolescents find it difficult to abide by any rules and to honor agreements. They regard societal norms as onerous impositions. They stay out late at night, run away from home, are truant from school, or absent from work without good cause.

Some adolescents with Conduct Disorder have been also diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder and at least one personality disorder

Symptoms of Post-traumatic stress disorder

During World War Two, a strange phenomenon called "Battle Fatigue" affected many veterans after they returned home from combat zones in Europe and the Pacific. Today, we know this condition to be "post-traumatic stress disorder". Back then, returning veterans didn't talk about it, because discussing these worrisome symptoms suggested weakness or cowardice.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a medical disorder that can occur to anyone after experiencing an extremely stressful situation. Soldiers aren't the only ones to suffer from this condition. Natural disaster survivors, as well as those who have experienced and survived attacks and accidents, also suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder. Twice as many women are affected than men.

A victim may experience one of many symptoms: A flashback or nightmare, a feeling of detachment, loss of interest in activities or a lack of positive emotion, avoidance of anything (activities, people or situations) associated with the trauma, difficulty sleeping, irritability and exaggerated responses to being startled.

Many people exhibit roller coaster feelings or emotions after a traumatic experience, but for most, such symptoms normally fade after a few weeks. Nevertheless, recognizing the early signs and symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder is important, as it can incur long-lasting consequences for those who suffer from it. Physiological changes that occur in victims have a brutal affect on both neurobiological functions such as memory, as well as fear-response reactions. Sleeping habits and the ability to deal with any stress can be disrupted. Physical complaints can range from headaches, to immune system disruption, debilitating pain, and in some cases, asthma.

Depression and a sense of growing anxiety can lead to phobias, panic attacks and behavioral changes. If you feel that someone you know is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, it's extremely important that he or she get help. It will not go away by itself.

The Psychopathic Personality

Are the psychopath, sociopath, and someone with the Antisocial Personality Disorder one and the same? The DSM says "yes". The psychopath has antisocial traits for sure but they are coupled with and enhanced by callousness, ruthlessness, extreme lack of empathy, deficient impulse control, deceitfulness, and sadism.

The psychopath refuses to conform to social norms and obey the law. He often inflicts pain and damage on his victims. But does that make this pattern of conduct a mental illness? The psychopath has no conscience or empathy. But is this necessarily pathological? Like narcissists, psychopaths lack empathy and regard other people as mere instruments of gratification or as objects to be manipulated.

Most people accept that others have rights and obligations. The psychopath rejects this. As far as he is concerned, only might is right. People have no rights and he, the psychopath, has no obligations that derive from the "social contract". The psychopath holds himself to be above conventional morality and the law. The psychopath cannot delay gratification. He wants everything and wants it now. His whims, urges, catering to his needs, and the satisfaction of his drives take precedence over the needs, preferences, and emotions of even his nearest and dearest.

Consequently, psychopaths feel no remorse when they hurt or defraud others. They don't possess even the most rudimentary conscience. They rationalize their behavior and intellectualize it. Psychopaths fall prey to their own primitive defense mechanisms. The psychopath firmly believes that the world is a hostile, merciless place, prone to the survival of the fittest and that people are either "all good" or "all evil". Psychopaths are abusively exploitative and incapable of true love or intimacy..

Psychopaths are irresponsible and unreliable. They do not honor contracts, undertakings, and obligations. They are unstable and unpredictable and rarely hold a job for long, repay their debts, or maintain long-term intimate relationships.