If your headspace is drowning or if you're feeling blue

I may not have a bachelor’s degree in psychology but I’ve had experience for over a decade dealing with mental illnesses. With the intervention of my psychologists and psychiatrists, they have taught me so much. The list differs, but here is the main group of classifications:

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Psychosis

• Schizophrenia

• Obsessive compulsive disorder (also known as OCD)

You name it the list is endless. Each condition varies; depending on the severity.

Let’s start with,

Anxiety

This is a panic attack disorder. Usually arrives in social settings; for example, during a speech; people may tend to feel fear when communicating amid presentations; or just general speaking face to face. Palpitations of the heart can also skyrocket.

Symptoms may include:

• Racing heart

• Chest pain

• Difficulty breathing

• Sweating

• Acne

During treatment, you have an option of being prescribed antidepressants if things are too overwhelming for you.

An essential reminder, anxiety can increase the blood pressure; following it can immediately decrease back down temporarily when calm. So it is vital to keep that in account. If your blood pressure is high for weeks to months; please do consult your general practitioner (GP) as hypertension medications may be necessarily prescribed for you.

Depression

This is a mood disorder. People may tend to feel sad, lonely, in grief typically after the loss of a close companion. You may also feel both uplifted and downfallen.

Symptoms may include:

• Sadness

• Feeling down

• Crying a lot

• Loss of interest in hobbies

• Difficulty to forget the past

The most important thing to do whilst feeling this way is to try and retrieve all the things that make you happy, get up and go out with family and friends. Otherwise help is always there with a counselor should you need any support.

In addition, you can get prescribed antidepressants to boost your headspace for a positive outlook in life.

Psychosis

This is a more complex disorder; detachment from reality and possibility to hear voices or hallucinations.

Symptoms may include:

• Hearing voices

• Hallucinations

• Delusions

• Unrealistic thoughts

• Detachment from reality

To get the best treatment out of this illness is to seek professional help by a psychiatrist so that he/she can prescribe ongoing medication if symptoms are not improving with psychotherapy.

This illness is usually lifelong and permanent. However, antipsychotics can help to a certain degree. Anyhow, this is the best remedy to mute down the existing voices. Delaying of medication is alarming and can play a role to a relapse or cause an underlying condition to occur. So please, do not immediately stop any medication without the advice of your doctor.

Schizophrenia

This condition is very likeminded to psychosis as listed but can be more severe as you get older. Note that the sick patient can hear up to four voices and hallucinate up to four imaginary people. You can also get violent behavior or harm others physically.

Symptoms may include:

• Hearing voices

• Hallucinations

• Delusions

• Disorganized

• Difficulty in concentration

• Memory loss

Medication therapy; which is antipsychotics, for example, Amisulpride and/or Olanzapine; is a crucial step to this serious illness if left untreated symptoms may never go away on its own let alone with medications as you get older. The likelihood of getting stabilized again will no longer be valid; matter of fact, impossible to reverse in the long run; due to the chronic collapse and shrinkage of the brain after a tragic brain trauma.

Depending on which medication your doctor determines, some antipsychotics can increase prolactin levels so your doctor must assess occasional blood tests to check for any abnormal hormone levels.

For example, Amisulpride is a good tablet but does elevate the prolactin hormone. Please be aware, extremely high levels can cause a large pituitary gland tumor therefore is (benign) non- cancerous; consequently still can result in blindness. Surgery to remove the tumor is critically urgent. For any other information or concerns, please consult your doctor.

Side effects of medication may differ from person to person. Drowsiness may persist; weight gain, high cholesterol and sugar can level up caused by hunger due to the tablets.

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

This is a thought and anxiety disorder. Repetitive thoughts and the urge to constantly wash hands are present.

Symptoms may include:

• Repetitive thoughts

• Washing of hands

• A personal routine

• Thoughts and movements put into a specific order

• Anxiety

This disorder can feel like torture at times. You may even sight patients banging their heads on the wall. The trick is to try and live in the present moment; so that your puzzled thoughts don’t comeback to the past. Listening to brand new music or the current news can be helpful. Distraction is another key formula to drift away from the thoughts. Keeping yourself occupied is mandatory in this type of disorder.

I hope you have a clear understanding now; and that you’ve learned a lot. Keep this tip in mind, whenever you feel anxious or depressed, please do not stay silent. Speak up and seek help as soon as possible; stay hydrated and remember; to not miss a dose of your medications. And store them in a cool and dry place. Stay healthy and safe.

Written by a freelance writer,

Seniha Haksever