MENTAL EFFICACY

DISORDERS OF CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE Externalizing Disorders ·          Attention Deficit /Hyperactivity Disorder o    Behavioral inhibition – difficulty inhibiting responses and interrupting ongoing activities o    Working memory – difficulty holding events in mind, anticipating problems and imitating complex behavior sequences o    Self regulation – difficulty controlling feelings and impulses and looking at situations with some perspective of their antecedents and consequences. o    Goal direction – difficulty formulating goals and keeping them in mind. o    Response to feedback – difficulty in attending to feedback from the environment and in using that feedback to plan the future. ·          Oppositional defiant disorder o    A pattern that includes negativistic, defiant and hostile behavior that lasts at least 6 months and includes the frequent the frequent occurrence of at least four of the following behaviors during that period; loses temper, argues wi

·          Generalized anxiety disorders : o    excessive anxiety and worry occurring for at least 6 months and affecting many areas of a person’s life, o    inability to control worry, o    considerable distress or impairment in social occupational or other important areas of life;   o    the presence or more of the following- restlessness feeling on edge, being easily fatigued, difficulty concentrating, mind goes blank, irritability, muscle tension, sleep disturbance ·          Panic disorders : o    Shortness of breath or feeling of being smothered; o    Dizziness unsteadiness or faintness; o    Trembling shaking or sweating; o    Heart palpitations or a racing heart rate; o    Choking nausea or stomach pain; o    Numbness or tingling flushing or chills; o    Chest pain or discomfort; o    A sense of strangeness of being detached from oneself surroundings; fear of going crazy losing control or dying. ·           Phobias : o    Acrophobia – fear of

What causes mental disorders? There is no single cause for mental illness. A number of factors can contribute to risk for mental illness, such as ·          Genes and family history ·          Life experiences, such as stress or a history of abuse, especially if they happen in childhood ·          Biological factors such as chemical imbalances in the brain ·          A traumatic brain injury ·          A mother's exposure to  viruses  or toxic chemicals while pregnant ·          Use of alcohol or recreational drugs ·          Having a serious medical condition like cancer ·          Having few friends, and feeling lonely or isolated Mental disorders are not caused by character flaws. They have nothing to do with being lazy or weak. Who is at risk for mental disorders? Mental disorders are common and every other individual is likely to experience mental strains. In Kenya very many cases go undetected for many suffer unawares. How are mental disord

  DEPRESSION Depression  can be defined as a mental state characterized by feelings of sadness, despair, unhappiness, worthlessness, and hopelessness.  Depression Characteristics Everyone has mood changes: sometimes feeling great and at other times feeling a little down.  Usually, we can swing up out of our depressed states by ourselves.   When a person's depression becomes such that the individual cannot function or is a danger to society, that depression has moved out of the normal range. The individual must have professional help. Types of Depression Depression may be classified as either Exogenous or Endogenous.  Exogenous Depression is often referred to as situational depression because it comes from something outside the person.  Possible causes include the loss of a loved one (death or departure of a parent or child); loss of self-esteem due to business failure, rejection, or divorce; or inability to express or admit anger toward others (