Health | Hawaii Psychiatric

More Types of Personality Disorders

Here are more personality disorders that are common in this day and age, and some of the details that make each distinct from the others in the list.

Narcissistic Personality. This is a type of personality disorder that is characterized based on self-centeredness. Just like with histrionic disorder, people that have this disorder cannot help but seek praise and attention on a consistent basis. Narcissistic personality disorder is frequently perceived as excessive or obsessive vanity.

Histrionic Personality. This is a personality disorder that tends to involve a pattern of emotional expression as well as attention seeking on an excessive basis. It may include the person having an excessive need to receive approval as well as inappropriate use of seduction to gain favor. People with this disorder crave attention in order to feel whole or worthwhile.

Passive-Aggressive Personality. This is a personality disorder that involves a chronic condition where the person always appears to acquiesce to the needs and the desires of others, and yet is simultaneously passively resisting them, creating an increase in anger and hostility as a result.

Dependent Personality. This is a chronic personality condition that involves an over reliance on others in order to meet the person’s physical and emotional needs, and is also commonly referred to as codependency.

Personality Disorder NOS. The “Personality Disorder NOS” term is reserved for any personality disorder that does not fit into these other categories of personality disorders. In most cases, it means that a personality disorder is identified, but the specific type of personality disorder cannot be pinpointed. Here, NOS stands for Not Otherwise Specified.

Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder. This is a personality condition that is characterized by having a chronic preoccupation with orderliness, rules and control. People with this personality disorder have a tendency to become obsessive about specific things or behaviors, such as counting, tapping, washing hands, “checking” and similar behaviors in order to ease the anxiety that is characteristic of the disorder.

Filed Under: Alcoholism Treatment, Health Tagged With: Attention seeking, Dependent personality disorder, Histrionic personality disorder, Narcissistic personality disorder, Personality disorder

Some Types of Personality Disorders

Here is a look at some of the common personality disorders that people are suffering from and some of the characteristics that make each unique.

Borderline Personality Disorder. This is also known as BPD and is a serious type of mental illness that is primarily characterized by a pervasive instability not only in moods, but also in behavior, in self image and in interpersonal relationships as well. Instability in sense of self is the most common way that this disorder manifests, and so people that have these personality traits are constantly seeing things in black and white, love and hate, up and down.

Schizoid Personality. This is a psychiatric condition that is characterized by social isolation as well as indifference to others in a pattern that is lifelong in nature. People with this disorder have a tendency to completely separate themselves from other people as much as possible, and may be largely reclusive in nature as a result.

Schizotypal Personality. This is a personality disorder that is typically characterized by odd beliefs, peculiarities in thinking, eccentricities in appearance, thought, behavior and interpersonal style.

Paranoid Personality. This is a psychiatric condition that is characterized by an extreme level of distrust as well as suspicion of other people. This personality disorder entails far surpassing any normal level of paranoia, as people with a paranoid personality constantly feel persecuted and as if they are unsafe or otherwise under attack.

Antisocial Personality. This is a personality disorder that is characterized primarily by a chronic behavior of manipulating, violating and exploiting rights of other people. Antisocial personality disorder is frequently associated with utilizing criminal behaviors and the exploitation of others hand in hand.

Avoidant Personality. This is generally considered to be an active-detached type of personality disorder. This means that people with avoidant personality disorder avoid people on purpose because of fears of rejection and humiliation. People with an avoidant personality may become completely reclusive in order to avoid real or imagined threats to this end.

Filed Under: Discussion, Health Tagged With: Borderline personality disorder, Paranoid personality disorder, Personality disorder, Schizotypal personality disorder

What to Expect When Beginning an Antidepressant

There are many different medications that you can use to treat a problem with depression. They always take some time to begin to work in your system, and then your symptoms of depression are going to start to improve over a period of time, typically spanning one and three weeks. It is important to know that it can take longer, sometimes between six and eight weeks before you see a serious improvement in your depression systems. If the medication does not seem to be working, then it might be necessary for your doctor to increase your dosage or to move you to a different type of antidepressant.

After you begin an antidepressant, there are some side effects that you may experience based on the medication. Most of the side effects that are associated with antidepressants are going to be temporary and they are generally going to go away as long as you continue to use the medication in the way that was directed by your physician. Keep in mind that some anti depressant products have side effects that are not likely to go away, persisting for much longer, but these are not typically harmful side effects and are usually constipation or sexual problems.

If you have any specific questions or concerns regarding the medications that you are taking, then it would be wise for you to talk to your physician. This is especially true if your questions are regarding how well your medication is working, as well as if any side effects are currently bothering you. You should never stop taking the antidepressant medication before you first talk to your doctor, because cutting off your antidepressants abruptly can cause a number of additional side effects and systems, including the return of your depression. Make sure that your doctor is aware of how the antidepressant is interacting with your body so that they can make changes to the dosage amount, frequency of use or type of antidepressant as necessary.

Filed Under: Discussion, Health, Psychiatric Consultant Tagged With: Adverse effect, Antidepressant, Pharmaceutical drug, Physician, Sexual dysfunction

Choosing an Antidepressant

If you are suffering from depression, there are a myriad of antidepressant products that you may try, but choosing an antidepressant must be an agreement between you and your doctor. One of the first steps is that your doctor may choose one for you.

Past experience with an antidepressant. Your doctor may choose an antidepressant that he or she has prescribed before, primarily for familiarity’s sake. If your doctor has experience with the drug interactions and side effects, then they may be more comfortable prescribing it. Some doctors have a tendency to prefer certain types of antidepressants or certain groups of antidepressants if they have had a track record of being effective for certain types of depression.

Past history with an antidepressant. If you have history with an antidepressant in the past, then the odds are good that your doctor will try prescribing it again, but only if you had any successful history with it. Your doctor will not likely revisit an antidepressant that was not effective for you in the past. Your doctor may ask you specifically which antidepressant products have or have not worked well for you in the past.

Family considerations with antidepressants. If you have family members with depression, your doctor may look to the medications that have worked for them in the past, and might make a suggestion based on that information. What has worked for a parent or a sibling may also be effective to treat your type of depression as well.

Health issues and antidepressants. Your doctor will also consider any health issues that you may have, and may end up choosing an antidepressant product based on any potential interactions. If you have a health issue that will prevent a certain type of antidepressant from being ideal, let your doctor know so that they can make choices about your depression treatment accordingly. It is important that your antidepressant benefit you without potentially interacting poorly with a medication that you are taking, or an issue with your health.

Filed Under: Health, Psychiatric Consultant Tagged With: Antidepressant, Major depressive disorder, Mood disorder, Past medical history

The Link Between Diet and Depression

While there is no single dietary change that can treat or prevent depression, some studies have shown that eating the right diet can make a difference. A good diet filled with the right nutrients and variety can help to improve mood and prevent conditions that may worsen depression. The following are some basic guidelines for a diet that can help people suffering with depression.

Antioxidants

Eating a diet rich in antioxidants, including vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta carotene may be helpful for people suffering from depression. These nutrients help to prevent free radical damage in the body and can sometimes help you to feel better. Good sources of antioxidants include sweet potatoes, carrots, berries, nuts and seeds, along with many other colorful fruits and vegetables.

Get Enough Protein

Including plenty of sources of protein can help to keep energy levels high, helping people with depression to feel better than they would without enough protein. Giving your body the tools to help itself feel better–like plenty of protein from lean meats, beans, and other sources–is important to overall health. Generally speaking, things that are good for your health will also help to prevent mental illnesses like depression. Some studies have linked the Mediterranean diet, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, as well as lean sources of meat and plenty of healthy fats to a lesser likelihood of developing depression.

Vitamin D and Selenium

Vitamin D can have a huge impact on your well-being. If your depression has ben diagnosed as seasonal affective disorder, or if you often feel better in the summer than in winter, you may be vitamin D deficient. Adding a supplement to your diet may help your moods. Selenium is another important nutrient that has been linked to mood swings and depression. Adding a supplement, or watching your intake from foods, may help.

Filed Under: Health, Mental Health Tagged With: Eating, Health, Mediterranean diet, Wine tasting descriptors

Smoking and Mental Health

Tobacco smoke in an Irish pub before a smoking...

Image via Wikipedia

Smoking may increase a person’s likelihood of developing mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety disorders. Recent studies showed that smokers, and even people exposed to large amounts of second-hand smoke, have a much higher rate of mental illness and an increased risk of being admitted to a psychiatric hospital for treatment as compared to non-smokers.

A study done at University College London looked at 5,560 non-smoking adults and 2,595 smoking adults, all of whom has no history of mental illness or time spent in psychiatric treatment facilities. The two groups were tracked for a six year period to determine whether or not their smoking status would affect their mental health. Subjects were also tested for the presence of certain chemicals to determine their exposure to second-hand smoke and this data was used in the findings.

Close the 15% of the people in the study reported psychological distress during the six year testing period. People exposed to a large amount of second-hand smoke were 62% more likely to experience psychological problems than people who were not exposed to smoke. The findings for smokers themselves were even more dramatic, showing close to a 250% increase in likelihood of psychological issues compared to non-smokers in the study.

41 of the subjects were admitted to psychiatric hospitals during the time period they were being studied. This occurrence was also the highest for smokers, followed by the group exposed to high levels of second hand smoke. Non-smokers had the lowest risk of being admitted.

While the association was strong, further studies will be needed to account for other causes and determine if smoking and exposure to smoke truly causes an increase in mental illness. Past studies have shown that smoking can increase the likelihoods of depression and have a strong impact on peoples’ moods.

Filed Under: Addiction, Health Tagged With: Mental disorder, Specific Substances, Tobacco smoking, University College London

Obesity and Eating Out

Today 64% of us in this country are either overweight or obese. As for our children between the ages of 6 and 11, 13% of them are obese; and 14% of teens between 12 and 17 also fit into this category. In order to be considered overweight you must have a body mass index – (BMI) – between 25 and 29.9. Obesity is considered a BMI of 30 or higher.

There is really only one way to become obese and that is to consume more calories than your burn. If you fail to burn calories the body stores them as fat. As an average we now consume more calories today than we did 30 years ago. In 1971 men consumed an average of 2,450 calories a day. Women of that same time frame consumed 1542 calories a day. By 2000 those numbers jumped to 2,618 and 1,877 respectively.

Diseases and even premature death have been closely tied to obesity. And as a consequence medical costs associated with obesity reach $92.5 billion a year – just over 9% of our entire medical expenditures.

By the late 1970′s Americans were getting approximately 18% of our calories from eating out. By the mid 1990′s that number had risen to 32%. These findings and other studies have linked eating out – whether it is restaurants or fast foods – to the rise in the number of Americans who are now obese. The following results from a report in 2006 were published:

Foods prepared outside the home are linked to obesity, higher BMI and body fat findings.
Women who consume foods prepared away from the house 6 or more times a week are taking in almost 300 more calories a day than women who are not engaged in this same behavior.
The consumption of increased fast foods is directly linked to additional calories and saturated fat intake as well as a decrease in consuming fruits, vegetables and milk.

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: Obesity

Keeping Fast Food Under Control

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The first thing that must be accepted is that as a general rule, fast foods have too many calories and a large number of fat grams. For example, those who buy a meal-deal at most of these chains are easily eating 1,200 calories in one sitting as well as 50+ grams of fat. That’s not to say you couldn’t eat the occasional fast food item and still keep your weight in check, but to do so keep in mind the high calories involved, for it requires self discipline and portion control.

If you’re determined to eat fast food, think small. Most of these food chains give you the option between sandwich and hamburger sizes that range between small and extra large. The smaller the size the better off your calorie intake will be. If you’re used to the larger sizes, going small could save you as much as 600 calories in a single order.

If you’re in the mood for a burger, order it as simple as possible. Don’t add bacon, cheese or chili. Leaving the additional toppings off can reduce the calories by several hundreds and scores of fat grams. If it’s a burrito you’re after, leave off the sour cream and go with salsa instead; skip the guacamole and cheese and ask for pico de gallo instead. And if you go with a fish sandwich ask for fresh lemon and forego the tartar sauce.

Whenever you are given the choice between grilled or fried, go grilled. If it’s between fried or baked, go baked. And order the option that skips any batter or breading. You may think you’re being healthier by ordering crispy chicken or breaded fish instead of a hamburger. Guess again. Both calories and fat in these choices sometimes exceed those of a hamburger.

Fortunately most fast foods now post the calories in most of their food choices. Check this information and you’ll be able to keep your calories under control.

Filed Under: Health, Medical Bills Tagged With: Calorie, Fast food, Fat, Food, Sandwiches

Raw Seafood

The experts who study food contaminants consider all raw food a risk. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is particularly emphatic about avoiding shellfish, particularly mollusks like scallops, clams, mussels and oysters because they are responsible for many food borne sicknesses due to the fact that their bodies filter water but retain the contaminants. When a person fails to cook these foods, or only lightly cooks them, the risk of food-borne illnesses increases.

If you’re considering a trip to a raw food bar, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, generally referred to as the CDC, has a suggestion for you: Don’t do it!

If that is too difficult an order to follow, you should at least consider the following advice from those who study the effects of food. If you plan on consuming any type of shellfish, don’t if any of the following conditions apply to you:

You have a gastrointestinal disorder, some form of an immune disorder or are taking immunosuppressants because of an organ transplant or because of HIV or AIDS.
You are a diabetic, or suffer from a condition that requires steroid drugs. You abuse alcohol are pregnant or breastfeeding.
You have a liver disorder like hepatitis, or suffer from Crohn’s disease or struggle with ulcerative colitis.
You have a chronic kidney disease or any form of cancer

The CDC recommends that children or the elderly avoid raw shellfish as well since both groups of people have proven to be high-risk for the bacteria often found in shellfish.

Vibrio Vulnificus is the deadliest of these forms of bacteria and can often be found in oysters. What makes it particularly deadly is that it multiplies even when refrigerated. It is not a bacterium connected to polluted water sources, therefore those oysters which are taken from “clean” sources can also contain this deadly virus. For those with liver disease it can be deadly, but even the healthy can experience diarrhea and vomiting in addition to extreme abdominal pain. Other symptoms include fever, nausea and a sudden onset of the chills.

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: Raw foodism

What is Binge Eating Disorder?

While many people today are familiar with the eating disorders anorexia and bulimia, not as much is known about binge eating disorder, another common eating disorder that is marked by cycles of extreme overeating.

People with binge eating order often eat extreme amounts of food during binges. In this state of mind, the individual often cannot control how much there are eating and consume the food very quickly. It’s common for binges to occur at night or at times when the person is alone so no one else will know. Binge eaters do not stop eating when they are full and instead, continue to eat even when they feel uncomfortable or sick.

Binge eating disorder can sometimes go hand in hand with another eating disorder. Weight fluctuations are normal as binge eaters may experiment with not eating or purging to control weight. Others may cycle between normal eating, weight loss, and binge eating, weight gain, based on what is going on in their lives.

People with binge eating disorder are often very secretive about food. They feel shame or guilt over their condition and hide their habit in any way that they can. They also often suffer from low self-esteem, decreased social interactions, and more time spent alone to hide from others’ judgments. It is not uncommon for binge eaters to experience depression that either fuels or is fueled by their eating disorder.

If you believe that someone you know is suffering from binge eating disorder, it is important to provide support without criticism and show them that you’re there to help. Helping them to get counseling and the resources that they need to get well is the first step to helping a friend get back on track after suffering from an eating disorder. While many people with eating disorders will always have to be careful about self-care to prevent falling back into habits, it is possible to move on and get healthy once again.

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: Binge eating