1.Why do I have mental illness?
In our daily work, we often encounter questions from family members and patients: “Why do I have a mental illness if I am fine?” This question is not only troubling to patients and their families, but also to professionals.
To date, the exact cause of mental illness is still unclear, but it is certain that it is the result of a combination of causes: one is the congenital quality of the individual, including genetic factors and personality traits; second is the psychosocial factors, including natural and social disasters, adverse events in daily life, family, social environment, etc.; third is a variety of physical and chemical factors (alcohol, drugs, industrial poisoning, etc.) and Biological factors (various infections, somatic diseases, etc.).
The congenital quality of the individual is the basis for the onset of the disease, and other factors are the precipitating conditions for the onset of the disease. Many people mistakenly believe that mental illnesses are caused by mental stimulation, caution, and inability to think, but this view is one-sided.
2, mental illness is a “disease of the mind”? Is the will not strong?
I often hear family members complain that the patient is not strong-willed, it is a problem of the mind. In fact, mental illness is not a “disease of the mind”, but a disease of the brain. Just as physical diseases are caused by the dysfunction of body organs, mental diseases are caused by the dysfunction of the brain due to various reasons, which leads to different degrees of impairment in cognitive, emotional, volitional and behavioral mental activities. It is not a “disease of the mind”, nor is it caused by a weak will.
Therefore, we should care for people with mental illnesses as we care for our friends with physical illnesses, and not look at people with mental illnesses with tinted glasses, because people with mental illnesses need our care, support and especially respect.
3. Are all mental illnesses hereditary?
Genetic problems are related to the health of the offspring and to eugenics, which is always the most important concern of the people. People mistakenly believe that mental illnesses are hereditary, so they are always fearful of marrying someone with a mental illness. In fact, mental illnesses are not always hereditary, because there are many types of mental illnesses, some of which are not related to heredity, but are often related to brain diseases or physical diseases, such as cerebral thrombosis, brain tumors, traumatic brain injury, serious infections, poisoning, etc. Even the mental illnesses that are currently considered to be hereditary are not hereditary.
Even for mental illnesses currently considered to be genetically related, genetic factors only play a role. In the case of schizophrenia and affective disorders, for example, the chance of family members suffering from mental illness may be higher than that of the general population, and the closer the kinship, the higher the incidence, but it does not mean that all offspring will suffer from mental illness.
4.What are the treatments for mental illness?
People mistakenly believe that the only treatment for mental illness is medication, and even give the title of “schizophrenia, chlorpromazine hydrochloride” to the treatment of mental illness. With the development of medicine, treatment methods for mental illness have evolved greatly, and the common methods are as follows.
(1) Medication, there are many varieties and new drugs are constantly being marketed, taking antidepressants as an example, there are no less than dozens of antidepressant drugs.
(2) Psychotherapy, such as psychoanalysis, cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy, family therapy, Morita therapy, etc.
(3) Chinese medicine treatment, including Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, electroacupuncture and auricular acupuncture, etc.
(4) Physiotherapy, such as insulin therapy, electro-convulsive therapy, endocrine therapy, ambient artificial hibernation therapy, etc.
(5) Rehabilitation therapy, such as social function rehabilitation training, art therapy, etc.
(6) Other treatments, such as EEG biofeedback, sensory integration, transcranial magnetic stimulation, computer-assisted cognitive therapy, etc.
5.Can schizophrenia be eradicated?
The causes of schizophrenia are complex and have not yet been elucidated. The goal of treatment for schizophrenia is the same as that for common chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, which is to control symptoms, reduce relapse and delay decline, restore social function as much as possible, and provide quality of life for patients. .
6.Do patients with schizophrenia need to take medication for life?
The principle for schizophrenia patients whose symptoms have been eliminated is to use the smallest effective maintenance dose to prevent relapse of the disease in order to stay in the best condition. For acute onset such as timely treatment, complete remission of psychiatric symptoms and no mood swings, take maintenance doses of medication for 1-2 consecutive years. For those with recurrent fluctuations and 2 episodes, it is recommended to maintain medication for 3-5 years, and for those who are untreated for a long time or have more than 3 episodes, long-term medication is appropriate.
It is best to take the medication under the guidance of a physician and not to increase or decrease the dosage without authorization, especially not to stop the medication without authorization. Unauthorized increase of medication can cause safety problems, while unauthorized reduction or discontinuation of medication can lead to recurrence of the disease, resulting in prolonged illness.
7, long-term use of antipsychotic drugs can become addicted?
Many people worry that long-term use of antipsychotic drugs may lead to addiction, drug resistance, and reduced efficacy. Addiction is usually said to be the discomfort that occurs in the body after you stop taking the drug, and the discomfort disappears after you take the drug. In order to seek the pleasure of taking the drug and to avoid the painful experience of withdrawal, patients compulsively take a certain drug for a long time or periodically, which is called drug dependence or addiction in medical science.
Years of clinical experience have shown that long-term use of antipsychotic drugs does not lead to dependence or addiction. However, long-term use of antipsychotic medications can produce withdrawal reactions when the medication is suddenly stopped due to the modulating effect on neurotransmitters. Therefore, it is not recommended to stop the medication suddenly, and the dosage should be reduced slowly.
8. Can taking antipsychotic drugs make people “stupid”?
Many family members find that patients have dull expressions after taking medication, so they worry that long-term use of antipsychotics can make patients “stupid” and are therefore reluctant to accept long-term medication. Patients with dull expressions, slow reactions, straightened eyes, slow movements, and inflexible limbs after taking medication tend to give the impression of “stupidity”, which is a side effect of medication.
The patient’s comprehension, calculation and judgment are not significantly affected. The side effects of these drugs can be effectively alleviated with appropriate treatment, and some of the newer antipsychotic drugs have greatly reduced their side effects. Therefore, do not delay treatment because of these side effects.
9. How can I get depression?
Many people will wonder how I can get depression if I am fine! The exact cause of depression is not known. But the overwhelming evidence suggests that depression is likely to occur when a person has a variety of social, psychological and somatic problems at the same time, such as chronic high psychological stress, relationship problems, financial problems, sudden and severe loss or loss, pessimism, excessive self-esteem, alcohol or drug abuse, chronic physical illness, and depression in the family.
10.What should depressed patients pay attention to?
(1) Be aware that your feelings of tiredness, worthlessness, helplessness and hopelessness are symptoms of the disease and can be treated.
(2) Try to reduce the stress that occurs in your life, stay physically fit, exercise regularly, and participate in social activities.
(3) Seek help from a psychiatrist or experienced therapist. Do not try to take medication on your own, and resorting to alcohol or drugs to solve your current dilemma is even less desirable.
(4) Do not make major decisions until your depressive symptoms have subsided.
(5) Do not be swayed by your own negative thoughts, such as ending your life.