Biological and Biochemical Aspects of an Individuals Behavior

A psychological disorder is a disorder of the mind that involves thoughts, behaviors, and emotions that can cause either self or other significant distress. Significant distress means that the person cannot function, meet their own needs, or is a danger to themselves or others. Psychological disorders are more frequently known as mental disorders or psychiatric disorders. The DSM-5 defines a mental disorder as a syndrome that causes significant disturbance in behavior, emotion, and cognition. These disorders are also usually accompanied by considerable distress that affects a person’s work, school, and social relationships. Mental disorders are behavior patterns or psychological symptoms that can impact several areas of a person’s life.

Defining what constitutes a psychological disorder can be difficult, and with time the definitions and ways to express it have changed. How does one determine if a person has something psychologically wrong or unhealthy? The first step would be to define what a disorder is. A disorder can be defined as something that lies outside of the norm with people. A maladaptive behavior that causes significant personal distress and interrupts a person’s daily function can be labeled as a disorder.

There is a variety of signs that can help with indicating that someone is dealing with a mental health disorder. Not all the signs will be present in every case; the symptoms will look different from case to the patient, depending on the person experiencing them. Some of the most common signs a person can be exhibiting with a mental disorder include sudden mood changes, extreme anxiety, paranoia, delusions, aggressive behavior, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, and withdrawal from friends or family. Every mental disorder can be found and described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, known as the DSM-5. The DSM is one of the mental health professionals most widely used systems by mental health professionals to help classify mental disorders and provides standardized diagnostic criteria.

There are many different psychological disorders, and some of the disorders fall under a category of similar or related disorder subtypes. Some mental illnesses include eating disorders, mood disorders, sleep-wake disorders, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders. In the United States, some of the most common mental health disorders experienced by people are social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, specific phobias, and separation anxiety disorder. All these mental health disorders fall under the category of anxiety disorders.

An anxiety disorder is one of the most common mental health conditions in the United States. Anxiety disorders affect about 40 million Americans, and about 30 percent are adults. An anxiety disorder is characterized by excessive and persistent fear, worry, anxiety, and related behavioral disturbances. If a person has an anxiety disorder, they may respond to certain things and situations with fear and dread. Anxiety can be beneficial in some cases as it helps people notice dangerous situations and helps them focus attention to stay safe. An anxiety disorder goes beyond what an average person experiences. An anxiety disorder will interfere with the ability to function, and the person will experience intense, excessive, and persistent worry and fear about everyday life. Anxiety disorders involve repeated episodes of sudden feelings of severe anxiety and fear that reach a peak within minutes. Depending on the anxiety disorder one is experiencing, the symptoms can vary. Common anxiety symptoms include restlessness, increased heart rate, hyperventilation, sweating, trembling, tiredness, insomnia, and gastrointestinal problems.

Studies have shown that people who suffer from anxiety disorder have a problem regulating their serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is the chemical that acts as the neurotransmitter that will modulate the signals between the neurons and other cells. Serotonin helps moderate the mood of a person. If the levels are too high or too low, it can cause anxiety and depression, leading to an anxiety disorder. Studies have shown that almost every type of neurotransmitter and hormone in a person’s body has some role in anxiety. Anxiety, in many ways, is the body’s way of coping with the stress a person is experiencing. The body has many chemicals, and some of them, when they are not properly balanced, can cause anxiety. Some chemicals that contribute to anxiety disorders are serotonin, thyroid hormone, GABA, epinephrine, norepinephrine, endorphins, and dopamine.

There are several types of anxiety disorders; generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) makes a person feel extreme and unrealistic worry and tension even if there is nothing that triggers the feelings. Someone can worry about health, work, school, and relationships. Some of the physical symptoms of GAD include restlessness, sleeping problems, and difficulty concentrating. The following disorder is panic disorder. The person experiencing this will have sudden panic attacks. The attacks are often more intense feelings than other types of anxiety disorders. The sense of terror can be triggered by a situation the person is facing, or it may come on suddenly with no trigger. Panic attacks have been said to resemble heart attacks and can be scary for the people experiencing them. The physical symptoms include sweating, chest pain, feeling of choking, and heart palpitations. People who share panic attacks often spend a lot of time worrying about the next one and will often trigger the episode. The following disorder is phobias. Phobias are intense fears of objects or situations. An example of this would be fear of spiders which is called arachnophobia. Like other anxiety disorders, the person spends a lot of time trying to avoid the situation or object that can trigger the phobia. Social anxiety disorder is also known as social phobia. This causes people to have an overwhelming worry and be self-conscious about daily social situations. People who suffer from social anxiety disorder will tend to avoid social problems in their entirety. Agoraphobia is an intense fear of being overwhelmed. People with agoraphobia fear two or more of these environments; enclosed spaces, open spaces, places outside the home, lines or crowds, and public transportation. The last anxiety disorder is separation anxiety. This disorder is mainly seen in children or teenagers who worry about being apart from their parents. Children or teenagers with separation anxiety disorder fear their parents will not return as they have told them.

An anxiety disorder is like any other form of mental illness. There is no way to find out what causes it, but there is research that proves it can be a combination of factors. The first factor is a chemical imbalance. Severe or long-lasting stress can change the chemical that balances and controls a person’s mood. Environmental factors in a person that experiences trauma can trigger an anxiety disorder. The last factor that can cause an anxiety disorder is heredity. Anxiety disorders may be inherited from their parents. Stress due to buildup or an illness can increase a person’s risk of developing an anxiety disorder. Other mental health disorders like depression often are linked to anxiety disorder. Having an anxiety disorder does more than make a person worry. Experiencing an anxiety disorder can lead to other mental and physical conditions.

It is essential for a person experiencing any type of anxiety disorder to seek the proper help and treatment. The longer a person waits to get diagnosed and treated, the harder it can be to treat it. The specific treatment for an anxiety disorder varies depending on the needs of the individual affected. Many anxiety disorders can be treated with psychotherapy, medication, self-care, and nutrition.

Psychotherapy is used to describe the process of treating a psychological disorder through the process of psychological techniques and talking about it. Psychotherapy is done by a trained psychotherapist who will use a wide range of styles and strategies to help tackle the specifics of the mental disorder and its symptoms. Most psychotherapy involves developing a therapeutic relationship with the therapist, communicating, and working to overcome the problematic thoughts and behaviors being experienced. Some types of psychotherapy include individual therapy, family therapy, and group therapy. Within those therapies, different methods will be used to help. Behavioral therapy is often used with classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and social learning. Cognitive therapy identifies the cognitive distortions that lead to negative thoughts and help replace them with more realistic and positive ones. And lastly, the psychoanalytic approach involves delving into a person’s past and thoughts to help the unconscious thoughts, feelings, and memories that influence the negative behavior.

Paired with psychotherapy to help a mental disorder would be using medications. Antidepressants are most used to help ease a mental illness. Other medications that can be helpful are antipsychotics and anxiolytics. All these medications help in different ways to help create the right changes in the brain will help relieve some of the symptoms.

Self-care is essential when battling any mental disorder. A person battling a mental disorder can use medication to help ease the symptoms, but they also need to care for their body and mind. Some self-care things a person can do are finding hobbies to keep busy, meditation, yoga, and a support system.

Some people do not trust medication and have resorted to alternative ways of helping cope with anxiety disorder symptoms. Keeping a healthy diet and lifestyle is one way people use to help with the symptoms. Limiting the intake of caffeine is a way to help ease the symptoms of an anxiety disorder. It is suggested that people suffering from an anxiety disorder restrict their caffeine intake to about 200 milligrams daily. Another alternative way would be to avoid the consumption of alcohol and nicotine. Some people use the intake of these to help with anxiety, but it is only temporary and not a healthy way to cope. Drinking more water and exercising regularly can also help with living with an anxiety disorder.

Finding the correct type of treatment is different for every person. Not everyone will experience the anxiety disorder the same because everybody is different and will react differently to each approach to treatment. It is essential to feel comfortable and safe when seeking help so that the treatment can help with learning to live with the anxiety disorder.

Living with an anxiety disorder can be very difficult for many people. Depending on the condition, it can be tough to do day-to-day things without interruption. It is essential for a person who has symptoms of an anxiety disorder to seek professional help to get correctly diagnosed.

Once diagnosed, seeking the proper treatment will help ease the symptoms and help learn to live with the disorder since there is no cure for them. Many people suffer from different anxiety disorders and have learned to cope and live with them and live happy lives in the end.

References

Abrahams BSc, M (2020). The Biochemistry of Anxiety. https://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/biochemistry-of-anxiety

Anxiety Disorders. (2018). https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anxiety/symptoms- causes/sync-20350961

Anxiety Disorders. (2020). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9536-anxiety-disorders

Biological Explanations of Anxiety Disorders. (n.d.). https://www.mentalhelp.net/anxiety/biological- explanations/

Brogaard D.M. Sci., Ph.D., B (2015). What is a Psychological Disorder?. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-mysteries-love/201503/what-is- psychological-disorder

Cherry, K (2022). A List of Psychological Disorders. https://www.verywellmind.com/a-list-of- psychological-disorders-2794776#:~:text=Types%20of%20anxiety%20disorders%20include %3A%201%20Generalized%20anxiety,being%20watched%20or%20judged. %20…%20More%20items…%20

Gepp PsyD, K (2022). Alternative Treatments for Anxiety. https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety-alternative-treatments#alternative- treatments Psychological Disorders. (n.d.). https://open.maricopa.edu/psy101/chapter/psychological-disorders/

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Biology, as applied to the study of brain functions, is an important part of understanding behavior. Learning the anatomy of the brain, the nervous system, and the endocrine system provides a person in the field of mental health with a basis for researching and treating disorders. In this week’s assessment, you look at the biological aspects of a neurological, psychological, or neurodevelopmental disorder.

you have been asked to write a research article on the biological and biochemical aspects of a specific mental disorder for publication in a psychological journal.

Select and research a mental disorder that falls into one of the following categories of disorders:

Neurological

Psychological

Neurodevelopmental

Identify common symptoms associated with the disorder.

Describe the neurophysiological underpinnings of the disorder.

Provide 3 therapeutic interventions used to treat the disorder, and describe how each treatment helps to reduce or manage the symptoms of the disorder.

Examine contemporary attitudes toward the 3 treatments you selected.

Based on your research, identify an evidence-based approach to treating the disorder.