mental health

What is Cotard’s syndrome? The cause of Cotard’s syndrome, a neuropsychiatric condition, is unknown, but certain conditions are likely to cause it, including dementia, encephalopathy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, subdural bleeding, epilepsy, and migraine. Cotard’s syndrome, also known as walking corpse syndrome, is a neuropsychiatric condition in which people develop false beliefs that their body …

What is chemical restraint? A chemical restraint is a drug, usually a sedative or antipsychotic, administered to control a patient's violent behavior that could harm medical staff or themselves. Chemical restraint refers to the administration of certain medications to restrain agitated patients from behavior that is harmful to themselves or others, including the medical staff attending to them. The administration …

Facts you should know about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Women are twice as likely to develop PTSD as men. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an emotional illness that doctors first formally diagnosed in soldiers and war veterans and is usually caused by terribly frightening, life-threatening, or otherwise highly unsafe experiences but can also be caused by devastating life events like …

What is bipolar disorder? There are three main types of bipolar disorder – bipolar I, bipolar II, and cyclothymic disorder. Bipolar disorder (also called manic-depressive illness or manic depression) is a mental condition that causes unusual and extreme shifts in mood.  It is characterized by periods of deep, profound, and prolonged depression that alternate with periods of an excessively elevated …

Who is considered an alcoholic? The exact reason for someone to get an alcohol use disorder (AUD) is not completely understood. The term alcohol use disorder (AUD) refers to a condition in which a person has a strong and compulsive desire to consume alcohol despite the presence of negative consequences or impact on their life. The term alcoholic was previously …

What is therapeutic hypnosis? Hypnosis doesn't have a robust body of scientific evidence backing its effectiveness, but it may help people with mental health problems and addiction control symptoms. Therapeutic hypnosis (hypnotherapy) is a technique used by some psychotherapists to induce a trance-like state of mind that becomes more open to suggestions from the therapist. The technique uses focused attention, …

What is hypnotherapy? Though there is no robust body of scientific evidence for its effectiveness, hypnosis or hypnotherapy may help control symptoms of addiction and other mental health problems. Hypnotherapy is a therapeutic technique to produce an altered state of consciousness (hypnosis) in a person by inducing deep relaxation. While the person in this state, the therapist makes suggestions for …

What is bipolar disorder? Bipolar disorder is a mental condition that causes unusual and extreme shifts in mood. Bipolar disorder is characterized by periods of deep, prolonged and profound depression that alternate with periods of an excessively elevated or irritable mood known as mania. Bipolar disorder is also called manic-depressive illness or manic depression. Bipolar disorder does not have any cure, …

What is Rexulti (brexpiprazole), and what is it used for? What is Rexulti (brexpiprazole), and what is it used for? Rexulti (brexpiprazole) is an atypical antipsychotic indicated for use as an adjunctive therapy to antidepressants for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) and for treatment of schizophrenia. Rexulti is a prescription medicine used to treat: Major depressive disorder (MDD): …

What is nature vs. nurture (definitions)? Nature vs. nurture affects our mental and physical health. In the context of the nature vs. nurture debate, “nature” refers to biological/genetic predispositions’ impact on human traits, and nurture describes the influence of learning and other influences from one’s environment. The debate over whether the strengths and weaknesses of people are the result of …