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What Is It?

Anxiety is a psychological and physiological condition that causes feelings of fear and worry. For the most part, anxiety is a normal response to stressful or tense situations. Anxiety motivates us to plan ahead and push through tough times.

Anxiety and fear are different emotional responses. Fear produces an overwhelming need to escape while anxiety creates feelings of stress and nervousness in response to uncontrollable and unavoidable perceived threats.

Excessive and constant anxiety can transform moments of worry into full-fledged disorders. Some amount of anxiety is normal, but excessive amounts are irrational and unjustified. Many people with anxiety disorders perceive threats that are not grounded in reality.

Types

Philosophers and psychiatrists have classified anxiety into several categories:
Existential anxiety is a philosophical term used to describe the anxiety associated with the freedom and responsibility of choice. People with this type of anxiety might experience excessive difficulty and apprehension when making decisions.
Test and performance anxiety cause people to feel apprehension when expected to perform in a competitive situation. Many people with test or performance anxiety feel physical symptoms of dizziness and nausea in competitive situations in school or at work. Generally, this type of anxiety causes people to underperform.
Social anxiety creates a feeling of nervousness as a response to social interactions. Many people experience social anxiety as young children. Most people outgrow this condition by the time they reach adulthood. Social anxiety is abnormal when it affects adults.
Trait anxiety refers to a situation when anxiety becomes a part of a person’s character. For people with trait anxiety, moments of irrational or excessive worry are the norm as opposed to the exception.

Other types of anxiety include panic disorder, agoraphobia, general phobias, social anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder.

Generalized anxiety disorder is a condition that results from unnecessary worry about everyday life. People with generalized anxiety disorder never seem to stop worrying about health, money, family, employment, school, or something else.

In the majority of situations, the worrying is unwarranted and excessive. Eventually, the condition escalates out of control, and unrealistic feelings of worry dominate every aspect of daily life.

Symptoms & Warning Signs

In many situations, anxiety is normal and justifiable. In fact, some experts say that a certain level of anxiety is necessary to facilitate performance in competitive situations. If you anticipate a stressful situation, anxiety can keep you motivated to persevere through.

Anxiety is a problem when your worrying is abnormal, out of place, and excessive. If you are always stressed and unnecessarily afraid of everyday situations, you may suffer from an anxiety disorder. In no situation should anxiety become a dominant feeling. When your anxiety becomes out of control, treatment and counseling are available to help relieve symptoms.

Physical symptoms of anxiety include heart palpitations, fatigue, nausea, chest pain, stomach aches, and headaches. Other symptoms include trembling, sweating, and papillary dilation. You may not notice your physical symptoms, especially if your emotional symptoms are overwhelming.

Causes & Risk Factors

Feelings of anxiety are normal responses to stressful situations and unfamiliar circumstances. Situations test us on a daily basis, and people will respond with a variety of reactions ranging from excitement to fear. If you start to feel nonstop fear or stress, you may be suffering from an anxiety disorder that is triggered by a specific event or no event at all.

Certain medications and drugs can cause sensations of worry, uncertainty, and nervousness. Both legal and illegal drugs can make you feel anxious, high-strung, and jittery.

Excessive anxiety is common among people who have recently stopped drinking or smoking.

Prevention & Treatment

Preventative measures and treatment will vary based on your age, lifestyle, environmental situations, and whether you suffer from an anxiety disorder. People with anxiety may need a combination of medication or counseling. Sometimes, counseling in an informal setting with family and friends can be helpful. If you feel that your anxiety is out of control, you should reach out to someone close to you.

Professional treatments may span weeks, months, or years depending on the patient’s condition and needs.

Tests & Diagnosis

No laboratory tests are available to diagnose anxiety. Instead, a doctor can diagnose anxiety disorders through questionnaires and psychological assessments. Lab tests are available to diagnose symptoms including high blood pressure, problems breathing, and heart palpitations.

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Clinical Definition

Mental breakdown is a term used to describe an acute psychiatric condition precipitated by intense stressors. Mental breakdown is not defined by the American Psychiatric Association, but is a common euphemism used to describe a reactive psychiatric condition causing impaired concentration and normal functioning.

In Our Own Words

A mental breakdown is a psychiatric state in which a person cannot function normally. It is often due to a severe stressor, which causes extreme anxiety, despair or depression. Although mental breakdown is not a medical term, it is used by the layperson or public to define a sudden abnormal mental state. The cause of a mental breakdown could be any type of severe stress, which causes a person to feel emotionally overwhelmed and unable to function

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Clinical Definition

Bipolar disorder is a mental disorder characterized by pathological mood swings from mania to depression. There is no clear cause for the disorder, although there appears to be a genetic link, and scientists are trying to understand differences in brain development, connections and activity in affected individuals. The disorder is often treated with the mood stabilizing drug lithium, antipsychotics, antidepressants and talk therapy.

In Our Own Words

Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that causes people to have mood symptoms that can range from depression and despair to an overly excited state of mania with inflated self-esteem, decreased need for sleep, racing thoughts and increased risk taking. Not all people with bipolar disorder experience this manic state, however.

Symptoms of bipolar disorder are much more severe than the normal ups and downs of daily life and can impact a person’s decisions, job or school performance and personal relationships. People with bipolar disorder often benefit from a variety of treatments, including mood stabilizing drugs, antipsychotics, antidepressants as well as talk therapy. Individuals with the disorder are at an increased risk of death by suicide.
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Memory loss can happen in many different ways, but in any case, it is always a difficult condition. There are several symptoms associated with memory loss, some of which can make it difficult to lead a normal lifestyle. Although memory loss is generally not curable, there are a few treatment options available that can help slow the process of memory loss for some individuals with the condition.

Definition

Memory loss, also known as amnesia, is unusual or extreme forgetfulness. It can be associated with the failure to remember either recent events or events of the past or, in some cases, both. Memory loss is often experienced as a symptom associated with a particular disease or condition.

It’s important to note that this condition is separate from the normal memory challenges associated with aging. As people get older, it is considered natural for them to take longer to remember certain facts or information. It’s also common for older individuals to have more trouble learning new material. However, dramatic reductions in memory and recall abilities at any age is considered to be memory loss, a term reserved for more serious cases of memory problems. (To learn how to combat memory loss associated with aging, read Brain Exercises For Memory Improvement To Stay Sharp.)

Types

There are several types of memory loss that an individual can experience. The most common distinction between types of memory loss is whether the condition is temporary or permanent:
Short-term memory loss is called transient memory loss.
A chronic condition of this sort is called permanent memory loss.

The cause of the memory loss also creates two potential types of amnesia:
When memory loss is caused by brain injury or damage, it is called neurological amnesia.
Memory loss resulting from emotional shock or trauma is called psychogenic or dissociative amnesia.

There are also different ways in which memory loss can affect an individual. Some experience memory loss associated with words and thoughts, while others have memory loss that affects their motor skills, making it difficult for them to perform certain tasks. There is also partial memory loss, which refers to a failure to remember only certain types of information.

Finally, there is also a difference in the way that memory loss can occur. While some people experience memory loss suddenly (as the result of trauma or surgery, for example), others have memory loss which gradually gets worse over time.

Symptoms

There are several common symptoms of memory loss, including:
Impaired ability to learn new information
Impaired ability to recall past events and information
False recollections, which may be composed of entirely false information or confusions of real memories (such as misplacing an event in time)
Confusion
Disorientation
Neurological problems, such as tremors, seizures or uncoordinated movements

Despite the fact that these are generally common symptoms of memory loss, not all of the symptoms described above will necessarily affect every person with the condition. For example, short-term memory loss is the most common form of amnesia, but there are also cases where people have trouble with remembering events and information from years long past.

In addition, there are some symptoms associated with memory loss in popular culture that provide a false picture of the condition. For example, the vast majority of people with memory loss do not have problems with a loss of self-identify (meaning that they know exactly who they are). In addition, sudden head trauma (such as that which may occur in a car accident) may cause some confusion or disorientation, but it rarely leads to amnesia.

Causes And Risk Factors

Brain injuries and damage to the brain are the most common causes of memory loss. A few of the ways in which this injury or damage can occur in the brain are:
Stroke
Seizures
Lack of oxygen in the brain (from respiratory distress, for example)
Brain tumors
Brain inflammation from an infection or virus
Long-term alcohol abuse
Electroconvulsive therapy
Some medications (such as benzodiazepines and barbiturates)
Dementia
Head trauma
Neurodegenerative illness (such as Parkinson’s disease)
Nutritional problems (such as vitamin deficiencies)
Cancer treatment (such as brain radiation)
Depression, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (when symptoms are not well controlled)

Experience with any of these conditions is considered to be a risk factor for memory loss. Other than that, there are no other known risk factors for developing amnesia.

In addition, there are rare cases where an emotional shock or trauma can cause memory loss. For instance, people who have been victims of violent crimes sometimes experience this type of amnesia.

Prevention

The best way to prevent memory loss is to avoid the potential causes of this condition. That means avoiding excessive alcohol use and getting treatment for any conditions that may lead to brain damage (such as infections, respiratory problems, etc.). In addition, it’s helpful to wear a helmet when doing sports like cycling or snowboarding and to wear a seatbelt in the car.

Treatment

There are several treatment options which may not cure memory loss but can help slow down the progression of amnesia. These options include:
Occupational therapy: Occupational therapists can work with those with memory loss to help them learn and organize new information. In some cases, they may even be able to replace some of the memory which was previously lost.
Visual reminders: People with amnesia can benefit from using planners, calendars or notebooks to help them remember events and even to help schedule their daily tasks. Photo albums can also be helpful for remembering people, places and past events.
Extended care facilities: For those with significant memory loss, residing in an extended care facility can help them ensure their safety and have their basic needs met.

One of the difficult parts of getting treatment for memory loss is that those who are experiencing amnesia are not always aware that it is happening. If you notice that someone you know is displaying any of the symptoms described above, make sure they get medical attention for their condition to determine is memory loss is the cause.

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The term “mental confusion” is often used synonymously with “off the hook,” “bonkers,” or “crazy” in modern day slang. However, it can be much more than not knowing something, or just being “out of it.” Read on to learn more about mental confusion as an actual medical condition.

Definition

Clinically, mental confusion is used interchangeably with delirium, and are both defined as an inability to focus, loss of memory, and general disorganization of behavior that leads to poor judgment and actions. It is important to note that delirium and dementia are two different conditions, even if they have similar signs and symptoms; the former can be more acute and short-tem, while the latter takes place over a period of time and is more permanent.

Types

Generally, there are three types of mental confusion:
Hypoactive: the affected individual is sleepy, withdrawn, unresponsive, and seemingly lost in his or her state of mind. This type is harder to detect based on its passive nature, and can be misdiagnosed as depression.
Hyperactive: the affected individual is agitated, full of energy, and has delusions or hallucinations. This is usually the more difficult type of delirium, as the hyperactive patient can interfere with treatment procedures. This can also be misdiagnosed as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
Mixed: the affected individual possesses both traits of hypoactive and hyperactive delirium.

More than two-thirds of the cases are hyperactive or mixed delirium. All three types possess similar signs and symptoms of mental confusion.

Signs And Symptoms

All types of mental confusion share similar signs and symptoms, including:
Depression
Delusions
Hallucinations
Restlessness, anxiety, irritability
Disturbed sleeps
Clouded consciousness or awareness
Decreased or no attention span
Loss or decreased short-term memory
Disorganized speech and thought process
Disorientation
Reversing day and night
Difficulty writing, drawing or finding words
Emotional and behavioral changes
Unsteady gait and/or tremors
Tendency to wander in a confused manner

Other types of mental conditions, such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, have similar symptoms as that of mental confusion. Delirium can also be an indication of other life-threatening conditions that may not be immediately present (such as sepsis of the body), so be sure to seek a medical professional for the proper diagnosis.

Causes

There are many factors that can cause mental confusion, and almost all of them have to do with the brain or the neurological system. Potential causes for delirium can include but are not limited to:
Cancers or tumors of the brain
Withdrawal from medications or abused substances
Side effects of medications or treatments, such as chemotherapy
Fluid or mineral imbalance within the body, specifically calcium or potassium
Organ failure
Infection of the spinal cord or brain-related parts
Lack of oxygen in the blood
Other brain disorders
Post-surgery effects
Psychological trauma or abuse
Malnutrition
Old age (greater than 65 years old)
Migraines
Vitamin D, thiamin, or vitamin B12 deficiency
Other hormonal disorders
Trauma to the head or brain
Sepsis of the body
High fevers
Malaria
Poison from neurological toxins

Tips For Management

If you are taking care of a loved one who is suffering from delirium without a treatable cause, here are few ways that can help with management:

1. Supportive management. This can be employed with individuals who goes in and out of mental confusion with clear episodes in between:
Adopt a clear communication model
Remind the person of the date, time, location, and identification of surrounding others
Have a clock available
Keep the patient around familiar objects from home
Keep the doctor and nurse staff consistent
Keep the patient relaxed
Keep the family and care givers involved

2. Environmental management. This can provide a relaxed atmosphere to minimize recurring episodes:
Avoid extreme sensory stimulation
Regulate sleep schedule
Keep the room spacious, controlled, and calming
Provide good nutrition
If the patient wanders, have familiar family members distract them and bring them back to the present

3. Medical management. This involves a series of treatment, therapy, or medication as prescribed by the physician. Depending on the individual’s needs, the doctor may prescribe antipsychotics or antidepressants. If the person’s delirium is due to substance abuse, such as drugs or alcohol, rehabilitation programs may be employed for proper recovery.

4. Do not be afraid to ask for help. There are doctors, nurses, and in-home care takers who can make this a better experience for both yourself and your affected loved one.

Taking care and managing a loved one suffering from mental confusion can be extremely trying and exhausting. Be sure to take care of your own health as well, and do not be afraid to speak out or ask for help.