Self-Diagnosis and Treatment of Psychiatric Conditions
Psychiatric problems seem to be increasingly prevalent in today’s society. While that may or may not be true, it is a fact that psychiatric awareness has increased significantly in recent years. While some mental illnesses were ignored in the past, others were labeled as laziness or attention-getting strategies. We now know that mental illness is a reality that may affect up to one in five people in varying degrees of severity. If you think that you may be one of the many people that need psychiatric care, you are probably interested in self diagnostics and treatments. While it is not wise to completely care for yourself in the event of mental illness, there are some basic things that you can do to find out if you should seek professional help.
The Common Ailments
One of the most common ailments that affect people today is depression. Everyone gets depressed, but serious depression requires treatment and often requires medication. A good self-test to use is the timed test. If your depression lasts for more than two weeks without relief and if it interferes with your daily activities, it’s time to seek help.
Substance abuse is also very common in the world today. If you know that you are drinking (or using any substance) to excess, you should change your behavior. Avoid situations in which you are tempted to over-use the particular substance that you have trouble with. Talk to your friends and relatives about helping you to change your habits and establish some accountability. If you find yourself still addicted and unable to reduce your intake of a harmful substance such that the rest of your life is affected, professional help may be the answer.
Children are also affected by psychological problems. Children who have been abused may suffer in many ways. Children who are not developing at normal rates or who are unable to function in typical childhood situations may need intervention. All children do develop differently however, so don’t worry unnecessarily. If you are concerned, you can consult your pediatrician for more specific advice about what is normal behavior and development for your child.
Pitfalls in Self-Diagnosing
Self-treatment for actual psychological problems is next to impossible without at least some training. It will be impossible to self-medicate, however. Since you will need to visit with a professional for treatment, the potential problems lie in self-diagnosing. When looking for psychological problems in yourself or others, you may tend to find them. It is best to approach yourself with an open, but logical mind. Over-diagnosing problems may lead you to become fearful of your own mind. Just remember that the best test when you are concerned about a psychological problem is to determine whether or not your life and daily routine are affected. Are you able to go to work and perform your responsibilities? Are you able to feed yourself and perform personal hygiene tasks? If your lifestyle is basically unaltered over extended periods of time by your emotional or mental state, you probably do not have any serious psychological problems. You may want to consult a counselor or your personal physician if you are bothered by your symptoms, however.
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