When faced with a problem, every human being feels nervous or anxious. Anxiety is therefore a normal human emotion which covers physical tension, mental apprehension, dissociative anxiety, and physical symptoms. Anxiety disorder is a very serious mental illness that is accompanied by constantly overwhelming fears and worries. It is the abnormal and pathological anxiety and fear (Gelder, Mayou & Geddes (2005)). It can cause so much distress that the victim’s ability to lead a normal life is disrupted. Several disorders are covered under the umbrella “anxiety disorder”. They include phobic, panic, and generalized anxiety disorders (Gelder et al 2005). The emotions range from simple to bouts of terror (Barker 2003). Treatment of this disorder includes pharmaceutical therapy and change of lifestyles. However, the universal treatment methods include education, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and reassurance.
Depressive Disorder (Universalist)
This is a mental disorder that is characterized by low mood, low self esteem, and loss of interest in the enjoyable activities. Depressive disorder adversely affects the victim’s family life, school life, eating habits, sleep, and the general health. Cases of suicide always result from this disorder (Barlow 2005). Victims of depressive disorder have shorter life expectancies due to their greater susceptibility to illnesses and suicide. Its treatment includes the use of antidepressant medication and counseling. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is also used in the treatment of the minority.
Part II
Question:
What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and how does it develop? Is it a situational disorder?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder develops depending on the stressful event witnessed e.g. death, disaster, and accident, resulting into fear, sadness, horror, shock, anger, etc. Not every event is traumatic to everybody, thus the disorder is situational.
Question:
What is Narcissistic Personality Disorder? Is this disorder more harmful than good?
Narcissistic Personality Disorder concerns the self and self-admiration leading to abnormal love of self and the feelings of superiority and importance. Is this disorder really dangerous? I believe that this disorder is more beneficial than it is dangerous. The strong self confidence normally makes individuals to achieve their goals. However, being the self-centered and feeling superior over others is bad.
Reference
American Psychiatric Association (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-IV. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association. ISBN 0890420610.
Barlow DH (2005). Abnormal psychology: An integrative approach (5th ed.). Belmont, CA, USA: Thomson Wadsworth;. ISBN 0-534-63356-0.
Gelder M, Mayou R, and Geddes J. (April 21, 2005). Psychiatry (Oxford Medical Publications). (3rd ed.) Oxford University Press, USA
Millon, Theodore (1996). Disorders of Personality: DSM-IV-TM and Beyond. New York: John Wiley and Sons. p. 393. ISBN 0-471-01186-X.
Phil Barker (7 October 2003). Psychiatric and mental health nursing: the craft of caring. London: Arnold. http://books.google.com/books?id=6qdoQgAACAAJ. Retrieved 17 December 2010.
Shiraev, E. & Levy, D. (2010). Psychological Disorders. Cross-Cultural Psychology: Critical Thinking and Contemporary Applications (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon Pearson Education, Inc.
Fullerton, CS; Ursano, Wang (2004). "Acute Stress Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and Depression in Disaster or Rescue Workers". Am J Psychiatry 161: 1370–1376.
