Somatoform Disorder (now referred to as Somatoform Symptom Disorder SSD) is a mental disorder that occurs in people preoccupied with bodily functions such as their heart beat, breathing or digestion. People who appear to be perfectly healthy but constantly worry about minor physical problems, a small sore or mild coughContinue Reading
According to the National Institute of Mental Health Disorders (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH): An estimated 26% of Americans ages 18 and older – about 1 in 4 adults – suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder in any given year. Mental disorders are the leading causeContinue Reading
“One of the unpardonable sins, in the view of most people, is for a man to go about unlabeled. The world regards such a person as the police do an unrestrained dog: not under proper control.” (T.H. Huxley, Evolution and Ethics, 1893). The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical ManualContinue Reading
People who suffer from Psychotic Disorder are said to have “retreated from reality.” They are socially withdrawn and may experience hallucinations or delusions. Psychotic Disorder can be so debilitating it can lead to hospitalization. Psychotic patients are unable to control their thoughts, which also occur in Schizophrenia and Delusional Disorders,Continue Reading
Neurosis was once recognized as a mental and emotional disorder. However, because the term Neurosis is too imprecise and less serious than the word psychosis it is no longer used. What psychologists once referred to as neurotic is now part of other classifications of anxiety, somatoform, dissociative disorders and someContinue Reading
Impulsiveness or impulsivity is a personality trait characterized by the urge to act spontaneously, i.e., not planned, without reflecting on the consequences of an action. You might call it an arousing of the mind and spirit to do some unpremeditated action. Impulsiveness is considered an influencing factor in several importantContinue Reading
We all experience inadequacy, self-doubt and low self-esteem from time to time. The neurotic carries a feeling of inferiority with them constantly. This is a universal human experience rooted in childhood. Children naturally feel inferior because they are constantly surrounded by stronger, larger, smarter powerful people who have greater abilities.Continue Reading
Children with Conduct Disorder, a more severe problem that Disruptive Mood Dysregulation or Oppositional Defiant Disorders, repeatedly violate the basic rights of others. (APA, 2013, 2012) Conduct disorder usually begins between age 7 and 15. As many as ten percent of children, three-quarters of them boys, may qualify for thisContinue Reading
“A personality disorder is a method of thinking, feeling and behaving that deviates from the expectations of the culture, causes distress or problems functioning, and lasts over time.” – American Psychiatric Association (APA). Fortunately, we all possess our own personality. Without it we would be something similar to a robot.Continue Reading
The idea of the Neurotic Self was introduced by psychoanalyst Karen Horney (1885-1952). She put forth the theory that the neurotic self is split between an “idealized self” and a “real self,” and that unhealthy or “toxic,” social environments are likely to create unhealthy belief systems – hindering people fromContinue Reading