Faqs

Common Questions

What is mental illness? How common is it? Does it affect everyone?
What is depression? (https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/depression/what-is-depression)
  • Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act.
  • Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home.
  • Depression is among the most treatable of mental disorders. Between 80% and 90% percent of people with depression eventually respond well to treatment.
  • Before a diagnosis or treatment, a health professional should conduct a thorough diagnostic evaluation, including an interview and a physical examination.
  • Common Side Effects of Depression can include:
    • Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
    • Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
    • Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting
    • Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
    • Loss of energy or increased fatigue
    • Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., inability to sit still, pacing, handwringing) or slowed movements or speech (these actions must be severe enough to be observable by others)
    • Feeling worthless or guilty
    • Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions
    • Thoughts of death or suicide
How can therapy help me?(https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/psychotherapy)
  • Psychotherapy can help eliminate or control troubling symptoms so a person can function better and can increase well-being and healing.
  • Problems helped by psychotherapy include difficulties in coping with daily life; the impact of trauma, medical illness or loss, like the death of a loved one; and specific mental disorders, like depression or anxiety.
  • Psychotherapy can be short-term (a few sessions), dealing with immediate issues, or long-term (months or years), dealing with longstanding and complex issues. The goals of treatment and arrangements for how often and how long to meet are planned jointly by the patient and therapist.
  • Psychotherapy has been shown to improve emotions and behaviors and to be linked with positive changes in the brain and body. About 75 percent of people who enter psychotherapy show some benefit from it. The benefits also include fewer sick days, less disability, fewer medical problems, and increased work satisfaction.
What is bipolar disorder? (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bipolar-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20355955)
  • Bipolar disorder (formerly called manic depression) is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings that include emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression).
  • Episodes of mood swings may occur rarely or multiple times a year. While most people will experience some emotional symptoms between episodes, some may not experience any.
  • Although bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition, you can manage your mood swings and other symptoms by following a treatment plan. In most cases, bipolar disorder is treated with medications and psychological counseling (psychotherapy).
  • There are several types of bipolar:
    • Bipolar I Disorder: You’ve had at least one manic episode that may be preceded or followed by hypomanic or major depressive episodes. In some cases, mania may trigger a break from reality (psychosis).
    • Bipolar II Disorder:You’ve had at least one major depressive episode and at least one hypomanic episode, but you’ve never had a manic episode.
    • Cyclothymic disorder:You’ve had at least two years — or one year in children and teenagers — of many periods of hypomania symptoms and periods of depressive symptoms (though less severe than major depression).
    • Other types:These include, for example, bipolar and related disorders induced by certain drugs or alcohol or due to a medical condition, such as Cushing’s disease, multiple sclerosis or strokes
  • Manic and Hypomanic episodes include 3 or more of the following symptoms:
    • Abnormally upbeat, jumpy or wired
    • Increased activity, energy or agitation
    • Exaggerated sense of well-being and self-confidence (euphoria)
    • Decreased need for sleep
    • Unusual talkativeness
    • Racing thoughts
    • Distractibility
    • Poor decision-making — for example, going on buying sprees, taking sexual risks or making foolish investment
  • A major depressive episode includes symptoms that are severe enough to cause noticeable difficulty in day-to-day activities, such as work, school, social activities or relationships.
Solace Psychiatry
close slider

Solace Psychiatry