Approximately 11% of adolescents will develop a depressive disorder by the time they reach the age of 18. But sometimes it can take years, even decades, for someone to know and learn about their mental illness or disorder.

 

This is especially true when signs of a person’s aging process and symptoms of mental illness become confused with one another.

 

Late Onset Bipolar Disorder

 

Symptoms of bipolar disorder typically manifest when a person is between the ages of 15 and 24. But symptoms can also worsen over time, especially without therapy.

 

If you’ve been able to manage your symptoms in the past or if you’ve been misdiagnosed, there’s a chance you may not be aware of your mental illness until your symptoms worsen with age.

 

For instance, mania in younger patients may present itself as euphoric moods and grandiosity. Mania in elderly patients may present itself as a mixture of manic symptoms and depressive symptoms including a reduced need for sleep and pressured speech.

 

What Are The Steps I Can Take To Manage Late Onset Bipolar Disorder?

 

It can be difficult to accurately diagnose bipolar disorder in adults, especially elderly adults. This is because many illnesses that affect elderly patients share similar symptoms.

If you believe you might have bipolar disorder, there are a few steps you can take to get an accurate diagnosis and treatment.

 

First, start by visiting a healthcare provider. Because the symptoms of bipolar disorder can also be attributed to other illnesses, it’s important to first ensure you’re not suffering from an illness.

Your healthcare provider can test you for any illnesses and talk to you about medication side-effects that may be causing bipolar-like symptoms.

 

Next, talk to a mental health professional. If your healthcare provider has determined your symptoms aren’t being caused by an illness or prescription, it may be worth visiting a mental health professional.

Psychiatric doctors can help you understand your symptoms. You can also get the treatment you need to continue living a healthy life.

 

NeuroPsychiatric Hospitals can provide different types of treatment and therapy including family therapy and art therapy for a variety of different mental illnesses and disorders. To learn more about family therapy, psychiatric care, and what goes into our psychiatric acute treatment programs, contact NeuroPsychiatric Hospitals today.

With everything we now know about mental health, it’s no surprise that all kinds of treatment methods — both medicinal and therapeutic — have emerged. In some cases, the benefits of therapy may equal or even outweigh what traditional pharmaceuticals can provide. Because of this, therapy has become an essential part of mental health treatment for countless patients all over the world. Even for those who are suffering from physical pain (for example, during a hospital stay after surgery) can benefit both mentally and emotionally from certain types of therapeutic methods. Since the mid-20th century, art therapy has emerged as a unique way to address mental health concerns and has been embraced by hospitals, inpatient mental health facilities, and other healthcare centers.

 

What exactly is art therapy?

The American Art Therapy Association describes this practice as using “the creative process of art-making to improve and enhance the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of individuals of all ages.” The idea of this type of therapy is based on the idea that “the creative process involved in artistic self-expression helps people to resolve conflicts and problems, develop interpersonal skills, manage behavior, reduce stress, increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve insight.”

That’s quite a bit to take in. Amazingly, something so simple as creating art could help all people — whether they are in need of intensive psychiatric care or are experiencing substantial stress and anxiety from a professional or personal situation — work through their problems and gain a better understanding of themselves.

 

What’s involved in the average therapy session involving art?

This type of therapy initially came about when medical professionals found that those suffering from mental health issues often expressed their emotions through art, such as personal drawings. This practice later evolved into a healing strategy and is even used in mental health assessments.

This type of therapy is used with individuals of all ages — from young children to senior citizens. It’s also used in a variety of facilities, including hospitals, healthcare facilities, community centers, and schools. Art therapists will use different types of art-making methods with patients. Sometimes, a session may involve drawing or painting, while other therapists will utilize collage-making or sculpting.

However, this type of session is not merely an art class. Instead of focusing on improving your artistic skills or drawing inspiration from a still life, those who participate in this type of therapy will focus on their inner experiences. That refers to creating art based on an individual’s own feelings, thoughts, ideas, and imaginations. That’s really where the importance lies, as this can provide a patient with a way to work through trauma, fear, anxiety, stress, grief, anger, and a host of other emotions.

 

Who can benefit from this type of therapy?

Just about anyone can experience the benefits of creating art, but art therapy can be of particular help to certain demographics. Individuals who have a history of emotional trauma, severe stress, depression, anxiety, physical or mental abuse or violence, behavioral problems, brain injuries, and other mental health considerations may find this type of therapy to be extremely beneficial.

It’s also important to note that mental health issues and their treatments come with immense stigmas, even today. Some people do not wish to take medication or have trouble finding the right pharmaceutical solution. In some cases, these may not even be an appropriate course of action. Considering that only two-thirds of adults and one-fifth of teenagers receive treatment for anxiety, this can be an extremely approachable, non-medicinal way to embark on the recovery process for many people.

 

Although art may be dismissed by some as frivolous, more people now understand the essential role it plays in our culture and in our emotional well-being. To learn additional information about our art therapy offerings or other kinds of therapeutic methods, go to our Facebook page or contact us today.

Anxiety disorders are considered the most common type of mental illness in the U.S. (affecting 18% of the population). However, schizophrenia is nearly four times more likely to affect the U.S. population with mental retardation or developmental disability (MR/DD).

Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder that affects a person’s behavior, thoughts, and feelings. Those with schizophrenia may feel out of touch with reality, which can have negative effects on the person’s health choices and social interaction.

What are the health risks involved for those with schizophrenia?

Those who suffer from schizophrenia have been shown to have a life expectancy 15 to 20 years shorter than the national average. This higher mortality rate is mostly due to the fact that those with untreated schizophrenia have a higher risk of poor health.

This isn’t to say those who have schizophrenia are unhygienic. Rather, certain lifestyle choices such as heavy smoking, heavy drinking, poor diet, and lack of social interaction can increase risks for cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

Additionally, these lifestyle choices can play a role in chronic and incidental wounds. For instance, during a period of active psychosis, a person with schizophrenia may commit self-injury. However, lifestyle choices such as poor diet and high alcohol intake may also cause wounds such as diabetic leg and foot ulcers.

These types of wounds, especially chronic wounds, can put a significant burden on the individual with schizophrenia. What’s more, the collagen production and angiogenesis that are necessary for the body to heal chronic and incidental wounds can become inhibited by the individual’s alcohol intake and smoking. Therefore, not only are chronic and incidental wounds more likely to occur but they’re also more likely to have delayed healing.

When should I seek treatment for schizophrenia?

First, it’s essential that you understand your diagnosis and that you don’t buy into the stigma surrounding schizophrenia. Second, it’s important to seek psychiatric care with an experienced neuropsychiatric hospital once you’ve received your diagnosis.

This is because an experienced neuropsychiatric hospital can provide you with the treatment you want and the health care you need. Not only can neuropsychiatric programs help you live a healthier life, but they can also reduce the risk of chronic and incidental wounds.

NeuroPsychiatric Hospitals offers a wide variety of neuropsychiatric programs to help those with schizophrenia. For more information, contact NeuroPsychiatric Hospitals today.

It’s common to feel depressed or helpless after you’ve experienced a heart attack or have been diagnosed with heart disease. Those who’ve experienced these cardiac conditions are often met with feelings of uncertainty and feel as though their lives are out of their control.

Bouts of depression or sadness are normal and typically go away within a few weeks. However, in some cases, depression can last for a longer period of time and may keep you from living your everyday life.

More than 80% of those who have symptoms of clinical depression don’t receive the specific treatment they need. If your depression has become severe or persists for longer than two or more weeks, it may be in your best interest to seek treatment through inpatient neuropsychiatric care facilities to help you recover.

What role does depression play in heart disease?

According to the American Heart Journal, as many as 15% of patients with heart disease experience severe depression. Depression can have a negative impact not only on our daily activities and social interactions but also on our health.

Untreated depression can cause stress, which may lead to irregular heart rhythms, weakened immune systems, and high blood pressure. In fact, those who have clinical depression have been shown to exhibit increased proinflammatory markers, increased platelet reactivity, and decreased heart variability. These are all considered risk factors for heart disease.

What’s more, depression can increase the risk of blood clots and heart attack in those who already have heart disease. Depression has even been known to increase pain, cause social isolation, and increase fatigue in those recovering from their cardiac surgery.

When should I seek help for my depression?

Depression and feelings of sadness are normal for the first few weeks after a diagnosis or surgery. However, when your depression stays with you for two or more weeks it may be a problem.

You should consider seeking treatment for your depression if other symptoms such as social withdrawal, inability to participate in daily activities, and thoughts of suicide or feelings that you don’t want to be around anymore. You should also seek treatment if your depression is making it difficult for you to recover from your surgery.

If you or a loved one are depressed and your depression is impacting your daily life, it may be in your best interest to seek treatment through inpatient neuropsychiatric care facilities.

NeuroPsychiatric Hospitals offers a wide range of neuropsychiatric programs such as art therapy and recreational therapy to help you get back to where you want to be in your life. For more information, contact the inpatient neuropsychiatric care facilities of NeuroPsychiatric Hospitals today.