Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, shortly known as ADHD, is a chronic mental condition that mostly affects children and, occasionally, adults. Generally, the condition is characterized by impulsivity, difficulty to pay attention, and hyperactivity. However, like other common mental conditions, these symptoms vary from one person to another. Similarly, the symptoms can occur together in some cases or occur individually without others.
Diagnosis and classification of ADHD depend on the presenting symptoms, which become apparent as the child grows. Below are the common types of ADHD.
1. Hyperactive-Impulsive Type
As the name suggests, hyperactivity and impulsivity mainly characterize this type of ADHD. However, children may not demonstrate any abnormal behavior in their early childhood, during the preschool and early school years. Though your child may demonstrate different behaviors, they are within the normal range. For instance, the child may run in circles, bang into people and objects, ask endless questions and doesn’t rest.
However, as the child grows, they demonstrate behavior signaling hyperactivity and impulsivity. This includes running around the house restlessly, climbing on furniture, and refusing to stay calm when eating or reading. If not intervened, children with hyperactive-impulsive ADHD develop into middle childhood with these symptoms.
Causes of Hyperactive-Impulsive ADHD
They may play actively for long, interrupt other children’s games, have difficulty in completing chores, cannot sit at mealtimes, fidgets with everything, and makes disruptive noise. Similarly, your child can grow with these symptoms into adolescence if not treated.
In adulthood, affected individuals can engage in active social activities for abnormally long periods, fooling around that annoys others, engage in very risky behaviors, restless, interrupts others, and often gets in trouble. Hyperactive symptoms may decrease or be replaced with restlessness in adulthood.
Key symptoms of hyperactive-impulsive ADHD include:
As the name suggests, children with the inattentive type of ADHD have trouble focusing on activities and easily get distracted. For one to be diagnosed with this condition, they should present at least six of the following symptoms:
Doesn’t pay attention to detail
Makes careless mistakes
Difficulty in listening
Unable to follow and understand instructions
Easily distracted
Very forgetful
Avoids tasks that require a lot of effort
Losing key items required to complete a task
Even with the above symptoms, your doctor can suggest some tests to rule out medical conditions that present with similar symptoms. That said, your child may be examined for anxiety and depression, hearing and vision problems, and learning disabilities.
Children with inattentive ADHD can benefit from medications that improve their concentration. Therapies with various devices can also help stimulate specific parts of the brain that causes ADHD. One of the FDA’s recently approved devices is the Monarch external Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation System, which has proven effective for children above 7 years who have not taken any ADHD medication. Experts also suggest a combination of therapy and medication.
Behavior therapy, which involves some parenting tactics, is also beneficial. For instance, you can establish a reward system for excellent behavior and withdraw some privileges if the child engages in unwanted behaviors.
Causes of Inattentive ADHD
Parents and teachers can also use the following tips to improve the behaviors of children with inattentive ADHD.
Have to-do lists
Divide large projects into small tasks
Give clear and easily understandable instructions.
Establish a routine
Minimize distractions
3. Combination Type
Children suffering from a combination type of ADHD don’t have exclusive symptoms for inattention or hyperactive-impulsive type. Such patients have combined symptoms from both types. This means that such children have severe symptoms compared to those diagnosed with predominantly inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive types.
With combined symptoms, diagnosing combined ADHD is quite challenging. However, psychiatrists use the DSM-5 classification manual to categorize children based on the evaluation of their behavior. For one to be diagnosed with combined ADHD, they should demonstrate at least six symptoms of hyperactive-impulsive behavior and inattention. Additionally, the behaviors should have disrupted the child’s life for at least six months.
Apart from showing patterns of hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention, DSM-5 classification states that the patient should have displayed these symptoms before 12 years. They should also be present in more than one settings, such as both at home and at school.
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While the causes of ADHD are unknown, most researchers suggest that the traits are genetically inherited and passed from parents to children. That aside, other factors thought to increase the risk of ADHD in children include premature birth, brain injuries during birth, low birth weight, exposure to lead during childhood, and excessive cigarette smoking and alcoholism during pregnancy.
Early detection and expert intervention can help reduce the severity of the symptoms and promote child growth. That said, if your child has symptoms aligning with this condition, book an appointment with Mango Clinic. Experts in the clinic will assess and treat your child accordingly.
It is challenging to think about the way your mind works without focusing on intuition. It is among the most deep-rooted elements within your mind. Knowing more about the mystery of the mind can be done with more discovery. And as research points out, spirituality and psychology are more connected and if further explored, can be a tool to healing undiscovered mental illness.
Depression can interfere with your life making you dysfunctional to some extent. That is why it can be regarded as a disability. In that effect, there is a lot that can be done to mitigate it as long as it is correctly diagnosed under the right criteria. The SSDI, a perfect certified program, is the criteria used to diagnose depression as a disability and to guarantee assistance, benefits, and rights to the individuals that qualify.
Proper treatment can save you from depression-related diseases. Click the button below to book your appointment.
According to the ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act), clinical depression is covered as a disability. However, not every depressed individual qualifies for the benefits. Read through this informative piece to find out if and how you or your loved one can be assisted to get through or live with depression.
1. When Is Depression a Disability? You Can Be a Victim Too!
Depression will get your mood low or blue for hours or days, or even longer. Being depressed daily will have you not enjoying the activities you would normally have fun doing. The fact that depression cripples your average productivity is a disability.
There is that feeling of hopelessness and reduces self-worth. You may sleep for longer hours and lack the strength to get out of bed and face the world. In other instances, you experience insomnia and constant headaches.
One symptom of depression will elicit after another, from low energy to lack of enthusiasm. All these symptoms may be chronic or can be experienced in cyclic episodes of highs and lows. Depression will lower your performance generally. Causes can be attributed to environmental and genetic factors. Having a history of alcohol and or drug use can be the cause of depression. Alcohol and drugs can be used to mask the symptoms of depression.
The depression may start from certain painful and heartbreaking situations that will lead to episodes of sadness. The attacks may be short at first, but as your condition worsens, you will deteriorate mentally and physically. Clinical depression will cripple your normal daily productivity due to the inability to cope with stress. Depression can render you functionless with the inability to work, perform a routine task, or even make rational decisions.
Currently, depression is on the top list of mental disorders, ruining peoples’ lives in the United States. The Covid-19 pandemic has worsened the cases of depression as lockdowns, curfews, and layoffs play a big role in damaging mental health.
Loss of interest to the surrounding and most activities
Anhedonia
Lack of motivation
Low self-esteem
Low libido
Insomnia
Agitation
Oversleeping
Hopelessness
Persistent sadness
Feeling of guilt
Excessive fatigue
Inability to complete tasks
Suicidal thoughts
You should not give up hope as there are various forms of treatment to cure the illness. The treatment works, and you can resume and be your normal self. However, if the depression resists treatment, it is a disability.
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2. Depression – Disability Benefit Programs
Finding yourself in this situation may seem hopeless, but it isn’t. There is the hope of solving the problem. The SSDI (Social Society Disability Insurance) is a certified program created to support individuals going through the tough phase. The program doesn’t cater to every person battling depression, not unless you fit the criterion used.
When you qualify to receive some benefits if your depression leads to disability, you and your family members receive benefits once you enroll in the program. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) covers adults and children with less financial capabilities and resources.
Even though the two programs work separately, their main aim is to assist individuals with disabilities, and depression disability is included. If you plan to apply to the program, do your research and know what is required during application to smoothen the process.
The medical requirements for both programs are the same. For the non-medical criterion, you are entitled to monthly benefits if your medical condition lasts a year or longer, and if the illness may lead to death.
The requirements for enrollment in disability programs include:
Inability to work due to depression.
Low-income.
Assets are lower than $2000 worth.
Spouses also have insufficient support, and combining yours and your spouse’s assets should be lower than $3000 in total.
Your depression should be considered severe to be a disability.
You cannot work based on your current condition, age, disability, and work history.
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Documents you will be required to provide for application are:
A birth certificate or driver’s license indicates your age.
Names and dosages of the medication you have been using.
Report on all your past jobs.
Social Security number.
The names, addresses, and contact of your healthcare providers.
Proof you are a U.S citizen.
Your federal tax return or recent W-2.
If you served in the U.S military before 1968, have your discharge letter.
A medical report detailing your disability and ailment.
It would be wise to have the above documents ready and photocopied for the application into the disabled program. Other documents may be required to do thorough research to lessen the application load.
3. How Can You Get SSDI for Depression? Criteria to Qualify
The SSDI application will benefit you if you have been struggling with depression for a year or longer, and you are unable to work as before. Mental health disorders are added to the list of medical conditions that qualify you for the benefits. These mental conditions include; depression, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, and bipolar disorder.
To qualify for the SSDI, you must experience a minimum of at least five symptoms of depression listed above. You should also have at least one of the following:
You cannot comprehend information dished to you, interact with others, have the right concentration, and take care of yourself. To qualify, you must be experiencing a minimum of two of the listed symptoms.
Your depression is considered a disability if your medical records indicate that your symptoms have been persistent. You have been receiving treatment for depression for at least two years.
You should also be having a hard time adapting to your new lifestyle of living with depression as a disability and adapting to the new set routine.
To have more credit, you should have worked before and paid for your Social Security. The credits are based on your annual net income. If you are not confident whether you qualify for the SSDI, you can contact the administration to confirm your eligibility.
According to the SSDI, you can qualify for exclusive monthly benefits or instead get a medical-vocational allowance.
Medical conditions to qualify for SSDI.
For you to receive medical funding, the following are needed:
You must have well documented medical records of your illness, laboratory investigations, and treatment administered for at least two years.
Medical reports are required in indicating that your depression is affecting your work performance. The persistence of the disease is despite treatment and hours of counseling.
Your medical report must indicate that there are periods during which your symptoms worsen. The periods should be extended and recurring. OR
The depressive state you are at is severe enough for you not to live outside a supported living arrangement.
The application forms will require you to answer some YES or NO questions on; whether you are currently receiving any disability benefits if you have been out of work for a year or longer, if you have an attorney, and still receive treatment from a doctor. Personal information like name, driver’s license, age, sex, social security number, and contact for the application process.
4. What Are the Three Types of Depression Which Are Eligible for SSDI?
Psychiatrists will classify the severity of the depression as mild, moderate, or severe forms. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM) is among the bodies determining the qualification for the benefits. Either way, the states of depression that are eligible for the SSDI are only three and are dependent on your productivity at work, the capability to attend school, and how you interact with others. The disorders are;
1. Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) – This form of depression occurs when you are experiencing persistent sadness for prolonged periods occasionally. Normal episodes of sadness are normally a part of being human, but the mood changes are severe when you suffer from a major depressive disorder.
This condition’s trigger may occur following life events like the death of a loved one, divorce, or diagnosis of a chronic illness. Clinical depression will have led to a significant deterioration of your moods and behavior, affecting your social life, work, or school. Studies done in 2017 show that about 7% of adults in the U.S have experienced an MDD episode. Some individuals never seek out professional help, but most do. They learn how to overcome, function, and heal from the disorder.
You must note a major change from your normal function.
Episodes and symptoms should occur for 2 or more weeks.
You must be experiencing five or more symptoms of; irritability, disinterest, sudden weight gain or loss with a change of appetite, restlessness, lethargy, suicidal thoughts and self-harm, worthlessness, and insomnia.
The trigger factors are; alcohol consumption and drug abuse, medical conditions like cancer or hypothyroidism, particular medication, and childhood abuse history.
Treatment can be by use of antidepressants and psychotherapy. To improve symptoms:
Healthy eating of foods with omega fatty acids, rich in vitamin B and magnesium.
Avoid alcohol intake and use of drugs.
Exercise and keep your body fit
Sleep well for about 7-9 hours
2. Dysthymia – The main characteristic symptoms of this disorder are depression and anhedonia, an inability to find pleasure in normally pleasurable things. This condition can last for two years or more. Dysthymia may seem like a lesser evil, but the disease is equally as chronic as the rest.
Symptoms presenting are; poor concentration, overeating, insomnia, oversleeping, difficulty in engaging in everyday activity, and suicidal among to name just a few.
The criteria used to determine the severity is similar to that of MDD. Treatment involves medication and psychotherapy.
The program evaluates its criteria on dysthymia and SSDI to qualify for the monthly benefits, as explained earlier. The same rules apply to major depressive disorder applicants too.
3. Manic Depression – This disorder is also known as bipolar disorder. Manic episodes involve hallucinations, psychosis, paranoia, and delusions. This disorder is associated with mood swings with extremes on the highs and lows. The cycle includes symptoms occurring mildly and progressing to severe at least four or more times a year.
The diagnosis can be made on individuals aging between 15-24. The etiology is unknown, but it comprises a disruption of normal brain function and can be genetic, meaning it can be inherited from your familial line.
Types of depression eligible for SSDI.
Presenting Symptoms Include:
Decreased appetite, overeating with weight gain or loss
Poor judgment
Hopelessness
Insomnia, waking up early or oversleeping
Disinterest in the surrounding environment
Low libido
Restlessness
Suicidal attempts
Signs of Mania in Bipolar 1 Disorder Are:
Disconnected thoughts or judgment
Extremely high energy
Increased sex drive
Euphoria
Mania is the main symptom of bipolar 1, while episodes of hypomania characterize bipolar 2. The difference between the two is the severity of the condition.
Signs of Hypomania in Bipolar 2 Disorder:
Decreased sleep
Overconfidence
Reckless and risky behavior
Increased normal activity
Diagnosis is based on presenting signs and symptoms. Treatment is by use of mood stabilizers, anticonvulsants, and antidepressants.
Cyclothymia is the mild form of bipolar disorder, meaning the mood swings are not as chronic. The difference between the two is dependent on the severity and duration of the mood swing. To be eligible for the SSDI, you have to meet the criteria used by the program. Some of the considerations are not functioning generally despite proper treatment or by listing any of the chronic forms of depression-like bipolar disorder.
5. Is There Another Way to Get Social Security Benefits if You Do Not Meet the Listing for Depression?
Yes, there is!
You can try qualifying for disability based on reduced functional capacity, applying the criteria ofmental Reduced Functional Capacity(RFC).
What is Mental RFC?
Describes the work you’re able to perform even with the limitations your mental illness places on you.
After your application, RFC evaluates your mental capabilities and the activities required to perform. The following criteria are used.
Intellectual functioning
Social functioning
You will now be categorized under the labels: “markedly limited” and “moderately limited.” Insufficient evidence is also an option.
The SSA’s satisfaction is essential; otherwise, it will be difficult getting anything from your disability. SAA works on the following areas;
Understanding and Memory
Your level of understanding and making correct decisions is assessed by SSDI, who are interested in the severity of your condition based on your capability of following instructions, remembering and executing simple tasks. If you can follow through with simple instructions, you are marked limited and can perform unskilled labor. On the other hand, you can be marked a misfit if your condition is affecting your memory and ability to understand simple instructions.
Social Interactions
How well you can focus on interests and activities is also important in determining your mental RFC. The SSA calls this “concentration, persistence, and pace” related to your ability to pay attention and concentrate long enough to complete everyday work or tasks.
If you are found “markedly limited” in any of the following areas related to concentration and persistence, you are unable to perform unskilled work: maintaining concentration and attention; keeping a routine without constant supervision; carrying out simple instructions; preventing being distracted by other people; making simple decisions; staying on schedule, and showing up to work on time.
Areas SSA Works In
Adaptation
Your capability to adapt to the work environment is evaluated based on your response to hiccups at work. If your depression is not as severe and you can at least tackle some of the pressures, then you are marked limited. In that case, you are unable to perform unskilled tasks.
SSA considers both medical and non-medical evidence in determining the benefits. All you need to do is compile all your medical records, tests, reports, psychological evaluations, and healthcare experts’ statements that prove your mental disorders.
6. How to Apply for SSDI? Application Stages
The criteria for application in cases of depression disability are:
First Stage:
You have to decide on how you want to go about the application process. You can apply by yourself, or you can seek help from a disability attorney for a fee. If you have enough knowledge of the requirements and have all the required forms for application, you can do the application process yourself and save some money. The good thing is that most disability attorneys work on contingency, meaning you are charged if you win your case. The attorney can also guide you if your application is denied.
Second Stage:
Determine whether you are eligible for application and have the required documents in order. Inform your mental health provider as information will be acquired from them by the SSDI. The medical providers will need you to sign forms permitting them to share your medical information with the SSA. The report given will be used to determine when you qualify for the disability benefits. Have all the necessary documents for enrollment ready.
Last Stage:
Complete the application. The process can be done online, in person at the Social Security office, or via phone. An online application is convenient as you can start the process immediately, you will fill the forms at your own pace, and no appointment is needed. Applying in person will demand that you call the administration to your local office with the toll-free number 1-800-772-1213. Call and make an appointment. You must be 18 years or above for an online application, currently not receiving any monthly benefits, and not denied benefits within 60 days.
When you go through the whole application process, wait for a confirmatory notification on your phone or via email. Your application is reviewed, and the insurance will call if any information is unclear. You will wait for about 3-5 months to receive the SSDI verdict on the matter.
During the wait, be ready mentally that your application will likely be denied, but all hope is not lost as you can apply for a reconsideration.
Reconsideration Request
In case of rejection, which happens to almost everyone on the initial application, you still have 60 days to reapply for a reconsideration. The team in-charge will re-evaluate your claim and allow you to receive disability benefits due to the depression.
Not to burst your bubble, but the SSDI program team can also deny the second application. When this happens, there is no need to panic as you can still have one last try. After your second re-application is declined, you have 60 days to request a third hearing. At this final stage, your chances of benefits approval are high.
The third and final hearing is to an Administrative Law judge, and you receive a 30 days notice to the date of your hearing. This last hearing is conducted at your local Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR). It is advisable to get your disability attorney to represent your claims as they are more experienced with this kind of scenario. Representing yourself is a bad idea, so don’t do it!
It takes the team involved a few months to make the decision. If your claim is approved, you receive a reward notice. It may go either way, and your re-application may get rejected. When that happens at this point, your move will be to present your case to the Appeals Council. Seek help from a disability attorney; don’t torture yourself with matters you don’t fully understand. The attorney will handle the presentation of your case for an appeal.
Steps to apply for SSDI benefits.
If your application is accepted, you can benefit as long as the depression still prevents you from work. With continued treatment, and when your condition improves, and you can go back to work, you are off the benefits. Your disability is reviewed occasionally to prove you are still eligible to receive the benefits.
With recovery and return to work, you should inform the SSA so that your services can stop because you can now make some money on your own. In instances where you are still receiving SSDI and retire, there will be a transfer of the benefits to your retirement benefits without a change in the amount received.
7. What Can Cause SSDI Benefits to Cancel?
While receiving SSDI benefits, your treatment continues simultaneously.
Once recovery is met, people opt for more stable jobs.
Reasons for the cancellation are:
Medical Improvement
Returning to Work
Reaching Retirement Age
Being Incarcerated or Institutionalized
Going about the Income or Asset Limits
Turning 18 if one was on the benefits of the parents
Changes in life situations
You can also secure your SSID benefits along with your work, but to do that, you are required to follow certain rules:
Rule 1# Returning to Work along with SSDI Benefits:
If you return to work while receiving the SSID benefits, SSA will consider your case as engaging in “substantial gainful activities,” but there is only one exception given; the ‘trial work period.’ This trial period allows a person to return to work without losing the benefits of SSDI. According to this exception, you can work up to 9 months despite how much you can earn.
Rule 2# Reaching the Age of Retirement while on SSDI:
You cannot stop yourself from aging. The retirement age for the benefit is 66 years. Upon reaching, the service is terminated as this can be prevented by switching to the social security retirement benefits program, which has the same payments gained.
Events that can lead to depression.
Rule 3# Being Institutionalized while on SSDI:
If you are convicted or found guilty of a crime, your benefits are nullified throughout your sentence. After completing your sentence, you are required to undergo some rehabilitation session therapies. Failure to do so, the services will be suspended for good.
Rule 4# Improvement in Mental Depression-Disability Condition:
Upon improving mental health, the SSDI and SSI benefits will automatically be stopped, but that does not necessarily mean it is done. The social security department will periodically view your condition, usually every 3 to 7 years, to determine your disability. Around 85 % of all beneficiaries continue to receive the benefits even after recovery. The appointment of a disability attorney can help ease the process of securing SSID benefits.
You can qualify for health insurance by Medicaid, a federal government program that works with low-income earners. The health insurance is after at least two years of having the SSDI, but you can apply for the health insurance after a month of receiving SSDI payments. Depression resistance to treatment will most definitely lead to a disability.
The disability qualifies you to apply for financial support to supplement your lost income source and possibly health insurance. The payments may range from about $600-$1300 monthly, depending on how much you had been paying to the program.
Depression is currently a common illness worldwide, with over 264 million people affected. People of all ages can suffer from depression, depending on their environmental and genetic factors. Women tend to be more affected compared to men. Chronic levels of depression can lead to suicidal attempts.
Following the stress people get from unavoidable life struggles, normal sad moods may be prolonged and lead to depression. Most depression is situational, and your sadness will float away when the situation gets better. Situation maybe events like divorce, diagnosis of chronic illness, death of a loved one, eviction, and homelessness, to name but a few. This type of sorrow is standard as long as it doesn’t get to the chronic state. In a more severe form, it becomes clinical depression.
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To qualify for the SSDI benefits for disability due to depression is not an easy task. You must at least have five of the major symptoms, as mentioned above, to qualify for the program. Application for disability benefits is not an easy job either. A lot of your personal information is required to evaluate if you are eligible for the services.
The sad part is that there is a chance of SSDI denying your application, which can happen even after the second and third applications. You can do the process yourself on your laptop or via phone, but if your application is rejected, make an appeal for reconsideration and get help from a disability attorney.
Adderall is a stimulant that, when taken, increases your ability to focus. It also boosts the ability to pay attention and regulate behavioral problems. Mainly, it is used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
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This prescription drug requires a proper prescription from a licensed pharmacist. Even with the tremendous results, patients report having some severe side effects, especially when taken without a prescription or supervision from a medic.
Blood flow problems, especially at the extremities such as toes and fingers
Mental, mood, and behavioral change
Change in sexual ability or desires
Uncontrolled movements, among others
As the list above indicates, Adderall may not be the best treatment to help you focus. There are many side-effects to consider and should only be taken after consultation with a doctor.
In this piece, we discuss what Adderall is and what other natural alternatives you can use to boost your focus.
What Is Adderall, and How Does It Work?
Adderall has gained a lot of traction in the medical industry among patients looking to stay focused, complete tasks, or treat ADHD. You might have heard of it or used it.
So, What Is Adderall?
Adderall is a prescription drug that combines two central nervous stimulants to help reduce impulsivity while boosting focus. The Food and Drug Administration approved it in 1996.
Adderall is effective for ADHD.
How Does It Work?
Adderall alters some naturally occurring chemicals in the brain to help improve your concentration and attention. When taken, Adderall affects the functioning of neurotransmitters.
Since this is a prescription drug, different people will receive different doses from their doctors.
Adderall is also used to treat daytime sleeping sickness or narcolepsy to help you complete tasks.
Is Adderall Effective?
According to asurvey conducted by the Cleveland Clinic, doctors who prescribed Adderall alongside their behavioral therapy sessions reported a 70% improvement in symptoms of their adult patients. These numbers range from 70-80% among children who reported an improvement in the symptoms of ADHD. So, you can say that Adderall is useful.
However, even with all the success in treating ADHD, there has been an emphasis on looking for Adderall alternatives. Why could this be?
The main reason behind the quest to find better natural Adderall alternatives are the side-effects associated with the use of this pharmaceutical drug.
Well, the good news is that there are alternatives. Keep reading to find out more on 9 of the best natural Adderall alternatives to boost your focus:
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Methionine is an amino acid that plays a crucial role in brain chemicals. It is an antioxidant that helps protect you from the harmful effects of toxins that accumulate in the body.
Nowadays, it is used in its active form for ADHD treatment and complications resulting from depression.
Some of the foods rich in Methionine include:
Eggs
Meat and fish
Sesame seeds
Brazil nuts
Seeds and cereal grains
How Does Methionine Work?
As mentioned before, Methionine is an antioxidant. And by preventing the accumulation of toxic material in your body, it helps to protect the brain from any damages.
Methionine is effective for liver problems.
Side Effects
Amino acid supplements tend to cause a negative nitrogen imbalance in the body. In turn, this affects your metabolism and makes your kidneys run in overdrive. Children who take Methionine could also experience some growth problems.
Other side effects of Methionine include:
Nausea and vomiting
Dizziness and drowsiness
Irritability
Constipation
Low blood pressure
2. Vitamin B-6
Pyridoxine or Vitamin B-6 is another natural Adderall alternative. It plays a crucial part in the making of serotonin, a hormone produced by the brain to regulate moods and induce calmness.
According to a study conducted on the effect of Vitamin B-6 for ADHD treatment, patients recorded improvements in their symptoms, including aggression, inattention, and hyperactivity.
Foods rich in Vitamin B-6 include:
Pork
Poultry, such as chicken and turkey
Peanuts
Soya beans
Wheat germ and oats
Milk
Bananas
Fortified breakfast cereals
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Possible Side-Effects of Vitamin B-6
There are no significant side-effects reported after a subject takes vitamin B-6. However, when taken in an overdose, the supplement prescription could result in:
Nausea and vomiting
Diarrhea and stomach ache
Loss of appetite
Tingling
Sleepiness and headaches
3. Pycnogenol
This is a brand name for extracts from pine bark. You can find the same compounds in wine, grapes, and some berries. This compound is an antioxidant and works to protect the brain while reducing inflammation and stress. As a result, it impacts favorably on the symptoms of ADHD by suppressing them.
Patients who used Pycnogenol as an Adderall alternative reported improved concentration, attention, and coordination, especially among children with mental conditions.
Citicoline works in a similar mode to phospholipids. These compounds work to repair the brain and reset it to standard functionality. Over the years, Citicoline, developed in Japan, has been used to treat:
While Citicoline is used as a supplement in the US, it is a prescription drug in many parts of the world. You can take it as an injection or via the mouth.
The dosage depends on the condition and age of the patient. However, it would be best if you always talked to a doctor before you take any Citicoline.
Clinical Uses of Citicoline
Side-Effects of Citicoline
Stomach problems
Headaches
High blood pressure or hypertension
Restlessness
Constipation, diarrhea, and nausea
Chest pains
Blurred vision
5. Mineral Supplements
TheNational Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, NCCIH, suggests that the lack of some minerals in the body could result in ADHD signs getting worse. In turn, they recommend that these minerals could help patients alleviate these symptoms.
These crucial minerals include:
Magnesium
Iron
Zinc
You can correct the deficiency of these minerals by introducing them to your diet. Some of the food rich in these minerals include:
Nuts
Beans
Avocados
Fruits
Ancient grains
Spirulina
Eggs
Vegetables
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Although these foods could be rich in these minerals, the optimal way to benefit from them as an Adderall alternative is to take mineral supplements.
Side Effects of Mineral Supplements
Stomach bleeding
Abnormal heartbeat
Confusion
Increased urination
Muscle weakness
6. GABA
GABA or gamma-aminobutyric acid is a neurotransmitter that regulates the activities of neurons in the brain. It acts to soothe the brain by blinding neurons, which inhibits transmission in the brain. The result is a calm and relaxed nervous activity, which is significant in treating stress and anxiety.
In children, GABA helps reduce hyperactivity, aggression, and impulsivity, which are the symptoms of ADHD.
Side-Effects of GABA
Muscle weakness
Stomach issues and
Sleepiness
GABA is effective for anxiety.
7. Organic Lion’s Mane Mushroom
Another good addition to the list of Adderall alternatives is the organic lion’s mane mushroom. It offers a long-term effect in boosting the activity of the brain. The Chinese understood these beneficial attributes a long time ago and have since used this edible fungus for various health benefits.
Besides improving cognitive ability, it also helps you concentrate when studying.
The best part about this mushroom is the lack of verified side-effects after animal testing, making it one of a kind.
8. Ginkgo Biloba
Over the years, people have been using Ginkgo Biloba to treat various health conditions such as:
Memory loss
Dizziness/ vertigo
Glaucoma
Cognitive disorders
Cerebral vascular insufficiency, among others
It is also known to improve blood flow, which works well to enhance brain activity.
Ginkgo Biloba is effective for anxiety.
Side Effects of Ginkgo Biloba
Headaches
Stomach upsets
Constipation
Skin reaction due to allergies
9. Phosphatidylserine
This is a phospholipid compound used in the making of nerve tissues in the brain. It also plays a crucial role in optimizing the function of the brain and generating energy to fuel these activities.
While it improves immunity, it also promotes nerve growth.
Some side effects include insomnia and stomach upsets.
Where Can You Buy Natural Adderall Alternatives?
Before you go out buying all these supplements, make sure you consult your doctor for advice and recommendations. Once you have the proper prescription, you can buy these Adderall alternatives from your local or online pharmacy.
While Adderall is a worldwide recognized drug used to treat ADHD and improve focus, it has severe side effects. Owing to this, communities are looking for better and more natural alternatives.
These natural alternatives provide a safer treatment. However, they also could result in side-effects. These undesirable impacts make it very crucial that you consult your doctor before changing your prescription.
It is challenging to think about the way your mind works without focusing on intuition. It is among the most deep-rooted elements within your mind. Knowing more about the mystery of the mind can be done with more discovery. And as research points out, spirituality and psychology are more connected and if further explored, can be a tool to healing undiscovered mental illness.
There are several obvious ways in which unhealthy lifestyles can affect your mental and physical health. Nonetheless, there is one lifestyle issue whose effect is not so evident. This is loneliness. The definition of loneliness is somewhat vague to most people. In psychology, however, there are two types of loneliness; subjective and objective loneliness. Objective loneliness is the physical state of living alone or being socially isolated. Subjective loneliness is more of an emotional state of being alone rather than a physical state.
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Loneliness often follows the loss of a job, relationship, or close friends, a movement to a new location, or a change of schools and workplaces. It is characterized by self-doubt, decreased energy, appetite loss, anxiousness, craving for physical warmth, and substance misuse, among other destructive behaviors. Though most people do not pay as much attention to loneliness or even seek treatment for it, the condition can make you suffer from stress and weight loss. The following are some guidelines on a few of these ways.
It Increases Your Risk of Inflammation
A 2015 study reported that lonely people had high biomarkers of inflammation, lowered activity of their anti-viral genes, and increased activity of the inflammatory genes. This genetic activity has been linked to generations ago when human bodies viewed isolation and loneliness as threats. As such, the body activates its flight or fight response to handle the threat. The inflammation heralded by the increase of different genes is meant to protect your body from injury or disease. Even so, too much inflammation in the absence of a threat often leads to the formation of tumors.
Subjective and Objective loneliness are two types of loneliness.
It Heightens the Risk of Chronic Illness
In a 2017 study that included 40 subjects, researchers linked loneliness to an increased risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular conditions. Lonely people in another study that considered the results of a 2012 Swiss health survey were also shown to be at a higher risk of high cholesterol, unhealthy lifestyles, and poor physical health compared to the general population.
Loneliness Lowers Your Sleep Quality
Optimal sleep is essential for your overall physical and mental wellbeing. According to studies in 2017 that considered 2000 twins, lonely young adults often have lower sleep quality than social ones. The findings of the study also pointed to loneliness being worsened by an experience of violence. A 2018 study that included 639 adults as respondents also concluded that isolation and loneliness affected the quality of sleep in study subjects.
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In most cases, people assume that depressed people are naturally lonely. This might, however, not be the case. Loneliness has been shown by a 2016 study among 1116 twin pairs to lead to depression. With depression currently among the leading causes of poor physical health, suicides, and self-destructive behaviors, increasing social connections as well as focusing on reducing subjective loneliness should be among the key tactics of battling depression.
Loneliness Affects Cognition
Experts have linked loneliness to a negative effect on how a person thinks. They have also shown that loneliness might cause issues with executive function, attention, cognitive function, and even increase your risk of contracting Alzheimer’s disease. One study that followed more than 12000 subjects for over ten years identified a noteworthy link between loneliness and the risk of getting dementia. According to the findings, lonely people have a 40% higher risk of getting dementia compared to others.
Health risks associated with loneliness.
It Increases Your Blood Pressure
Loneliness will raise the levels of your circulating stress hormones. These, in turn, make your body prepare for a fight or flight response. The preparation includes an increase in your blood pressure to push enough blood to your vital organs. Even so, since there is no threat to which your body is responding, the increased blood pressure undermines your circulatory system. Moreover, the heart has to constantly work harder to keep your blood pressure high. These effects result in constant high blood pressure that might need lifelong medication to manage.
It Increases the Risk of Premature Death
Premature death is described as death occurring before the average death age in a specific population. One study that included over 300,000 respondents considered the relationship between social relationships and the risk of mortality. It concluded that loneliness carried the same risk of mortality as smoking fifteen cigarettes daily.
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The line ‘’nobody wants to be lonely’’ might be from a pop song, but this is a universal truth. Furthermore, loneliness should not be ignored with its associated risks above. Even so, it is a complex diagnosis with different treatment options available for it nowadays. However, you should get your treatment from an accredited institution like Mango Clinic. This guarantees the diagnosis is made correctly and the treatment approaches instituted work for you. Moreover, professionalism when managing loneliness negates the side effects associated with some medications and treatment options for loneliness.
High-functioning depression is an insidious mental condition that affects millions of people across the globe. The disorder is almost indiscernible, and therefore, you can never tell that someone is battling with it by merely looking at his/her face. High-functioning depression is complicated and affects ordinary-looking people, including lawyers, doctors, and teachers. You could also be one among the millions of Americans who are battling high-functioning depression without knowing it.
At this point, you’re probably wondering what exactly this disorder is, and how it feels to battle an invisible mental disorder. Well, you’re not alone. If you don’t know about high-functioning depression or want to learn more about this disorder, worry no more. We are here to make things more apparent to you.
In this guide, we’re going to take a closer look at high-functioning depression. We will explain in detail what it’s all about. To achieve this, we will go beyond the basic definitions and symptoms of the disorder. So, let’s dive right into it!
1. High-Functioning Depression, Beyond the Definitions
When defining what high-function depression is, one needs to look beyond medical definitions. Think of a woman who does a great job managing her household and can also undertake her tasks at work successfully. She might appear to be happily married, a successful career woman, and an intelligent person to everyone else. However, that’s what people see from the outside.
In reality, the woman could be the most miserable person, totally unable to find happiness for herself or derive satisfaction from others. Those around her might never realize her unhappiness because she’s battling high-functioning depression.
That example brings out our definition of high-functioning depression (HFD).
Mental health professionals point out that HFD is a state of mind where the disorder doesn’t affect an individual’s functional ability or the abilities that he/she is capable of. This explains why the illness isn’t intense enough to disrupt an individual’s on-job performance in most cases. High-functioning depression also has other aspects to it, which we will cover later on in this guide.
For now, let’s learn more about HFD.
The term high-functioning depression implies that an individual can still function normally even when battling the disorder. Typically, depressive symptoms don’t manifest themselves physically or affect an individual in his/her daily life activities. Somewhat, nothing gets disrupted in an individual’s life since the condition often occurs insidiously.
HFD is commonly confused with another depressive disorder called dysthymia. Although the two disorders have similar characteristics, they differ.
Dysthymia is a long-term depression, which also tends to be chronic. The condition is also disruptive and persistent. It causes patients to lose interest in their work and their daily activities.
Dysthymia is also known as persistent depressive disorder.
What Makes HFD Different from Dysthymia?
When battling a mental illness, a typical American will use several vague terms to describe his/her symptoms. This explains why other similar disorders tend to overlap with the one that an individual is battling in most cases.
Many people confuse HFD with dysthymia. Health experts have also contributed significantly to this confusion since many of them claim that dysthymia is a pop term for HFD in current times. Others contradict this idea.
Despite sharing many similarities, there’s no concrete evidence to conclude that there’s a correlation between HFD and dysthymia.
But, what makes HFD an invisible disorder?
The primary reason why HFD is an invisible disorder is that doctors can’t diagnose it. Diagnosis only happens when an individual figures out that he/she is experiencing some symptoms and thus decides to seek help from certified health experts to discuss his/her condition openly.
Another reason for referring to HFD as an invisible disorder is that its signs and symptoms are remarkably similar to what you’d experience when battling other mental health conditions. Therefore, it’s challenging to figure out high-functioning disorder through differential diagnosis.
Living with HFD: How Does It Feel?
As we’ve already pointed out, there are no clinical criteria for diagnosing this disorder. This highlights the significance of considering what an individual feels about battling the disorder. In this regard, you should consider these critical parameters for evaluation and diagnosis:
You always feel down and low throughout the day. Those around you will notice that you’re quiet and out of energy most of the time. You may also feel tired and gloomy, whether you’re alone or surrounded by others.
It’s rare to find happiness, and when you do, it fades away within a short time. Your best moments also tend to turn into sad moments. Low mood and dissatisfaction are part and parcel of your everyday life and are present wherever you go. Your surroundings and everything else happening in your life don’t bring any substantial change in your sentiments and attitude.
Your energy levels are always low, and you tend to feel sick and tired of the tasks assigned to you. When undertaking normal daily activities, you feel inactive and physically weak. Getting a good night’s rest doesn’t seem to work in your favor because it doesn’t make any difference as far as your motivation and energy levels are concerned.
At times, you don’t feel lazy, yet your activities and energy levels are restricted to tasks that are necessary for survival. You lack the impetus to undertake extra work.
You keep downgrading your achievements and abilities all the time. You think of yourself as undeserving of the happiness and finer things that life offers. As a result, you think you’re destined to get nothing in life because you’re unworthy of the good thing that might come your way.
You find it difficult to balance your taste. You either have a ravenous appetite, or it disappears altogether. At times, you binge-eat and then find yourself missing meals. This often results in sudden and unintentional weight gain or loss.
You don’t have a prominent or valid reason, but sometimes, you get emotional and assume the worst outcomes of real and perceived problems.
Completing tasks isn’t an issue, but you find it difficult to focus on the tasks.
You push yourself hard to interact and socialize with others or even attend social gatherings. You tend to miss out even on family functions because of the urge to withdraw from crowds.
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In this section, we are going to take a look at the common symptoms of the high-functioning disorder and the things/situations that trigger this condition. Therefore, this chapter is of great significance to those who are battling the disorder.
By now, you probably know that HFD can easily fly under the radar and remain invisible even to those who are closest to you. Not even your friends and family members may notice that you’re struggling with a mental health issue. That applies to you too!
Signs of HFD
As a patient, you should be able to recognize come significant signs of the disorder, including:
Feeling unworthy and guilty over things you can’t control
Sleep disorders and insomnia
Suicidal thoughts
When suffering from other mental health disorders, patients tend to feel captivated by their condition. As a result, it’s difficult for them to get over their symptoms. This isn’t the case with HFD because symptoms of the disorder tend to be less severe. Therefore, patients can easily manage their condition by figuring out coping strategies that work best for them.
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Are There Proven Criteria for Diagnosing HFD Symptoms?
There’s a definite set of criteria used to distinguish mental health conditions from each other to attain the final diagnosis. However, the same cannot be said for high-functioning depression since the condition doesn’t have an authentic criterion for diagnosing its symptoms. The symptoms don’t show, and there’s also a notable contradiction on whether to establish a separate benchmark for distinguishing HFD from dysthymia.
Some notable symptoms of HFD are a fundamental component of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Most of the symptoms that we will highlight in this guide are also symptoms of other depressive disorders. Nevertheless, the severity of high-functioning disorder tends to be less than other mental health conditions.
The first criterion for diagnosing HFD is that individuals need to experience a depressive mood for several days for at least two years. Furthermore, depressive behavior should include at least two of these symptoms:
Binge eating
Poor appetite
Low self-esteem
Feeling of hopelessness
Low energy
Signs of a Major Depressive Episode
Most people who are battling HFD experience a significant depressive disorder more than once in their lives. They often have low depressive symptoms, which typically don’t show up. However, depression in itself can cause a significant depressive episode.
When an individual suffers from a regular mental health disorder, he/she tends to experience severe depressive symptoms. However, this isn’t the case with HFD since it can be easily distinguished from major depressive disorders. HFD can be distinguished from major depressive disorder by two parameters; duration and severity.
A high-functioning disorder affects an individual for a long time. On the other hand, the major depressive disorder only stays for a brief period. The two disorders’ symptoms are somewhat similar but may worsen when an individual experiences a depressive episode.
Another distinguishing feature of both disorders is their effect on the level of functioning. It’s understood that although HFD doesn’t affect an individual’s level of functioning, it might affect the level of focus. Nevertheless, it doesn’t affect one’s ability to complete tasks assigned to him/her. Individuals experiencing a major depressive episode tend to start stuttering at task completion, and meeting set deadlines. Some of them may start avoiding embarking on tasks, which forces them to miss out on school or job opportunities. Also, there’s a notable slide in social interaction and self-hygiene.
HFD can be a reason for depressive disorder.
What Triggers High-Functioning Disorder?
Many people think that depression is always triggered by something, but that’s not the case. Here are some of the triggers of high-functioning disorder.
Financial Difficulties
Economic crises and financial difficulties are a leading cause of HFD. People who struggle with complex financial matters are at a higher risk of developing HFD. Such individuals end up being unable to focus even on the simplest of tasks due to their condition.
When financial matters intermingle with someone’s cognitive ability, it becomes difficult to focus and make crucial decisions. When HFD results from financial problems, it significantly affects the brain’s psychomotor functioning.
Extreme Stress Levels
What many people fail to understand is that stress is part and parcel of everyday life. It keeps us going, more so when facing challenging situations. In intense situations, the body needs to be kept in flight and fight mode. You need maximum concentration, focus, and energy to handle such situations, and stress comes in handy. However, extreme stress levels shift the optimal level to a chronic level, thus triggering depression.
When you experience chronic stress constantly, you’re likely to have HFD. The workload and stressors you have may feel normal since they’ve become part of you. However, you won’t realize that these stressors only escalate your HFD even without any symptoms.
Traumatic Events
Human life is characterized by traumas, such as losing our loved ones, accidents, and other bad experiences. Such events often have a longstanding impact on the brain and may lead to HFD in disguise. Typically, HFD is the body’s response to the trauma you have experienced or witnessed. Reactions of depression tend to be short-lived. However, if your reactions don’t go away after years, you’re probably experiencing deep-rooted mental health issues. HFD could be one of them.
Loneliness
It is human nature to love being surrounded by other people, and psychologists attest to that. Being in the company of other people is enjoyable and provides a positive environment that your brain needs to develop. Isolating yourself excessively makes you feel lonely and depressed. It raises your cortisol levels, thus giving the brain the impression that you’re under stress.
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Since human beings are social creatures by nature, alienating yourself from social interactions harms your mental health, and leaves you feeling depressed. You may not notice it because the high-functioning disorder doesn’t affect your work and tasks assigned to you, and neither does it give you peace of mind.
Major Life Changes
Change is an inevitable aspect of human life. Often, the changes that we experience in our lives result in challenging situations that may leave you feeling depressed. A major life change has both negative and positive sides to it. For instance, what would be your reaction if you made a million dollars overnight? Indeed, the emotions will likely be exaggerated, just like the stress that comes with such a change.
Your body reacts to both good and bad extreme situations in a similar psychological pattern. At times, the responses that we have towards major life changes hit us back suddenly, more so when we are mentally unprepared to take them. This often results in high-functioning depression.
3. The Challenges of High-Functioning Depression
It’s difficult to understand HFD both as a patient and a healthcare professional. Although this mental health condition doesn’t stipulate the tasks, capabilities, and ambition of an individual, there are a couple of specific challenges related to an individual’s behavior and mood, which affect his/her lifestyle. The characteristics and traits linked to depressive behaviors and thoughts fall into two categories:
The clinical challenges of high-functioning depression
Challenges faced by individuals battling HFD
1. Challenges Faced By Individuals Battling HFD
Self-Criticism and Doubt
Criticizing yourself or being criticized reasonably is healthy. Nevertheless, nobody likes taking incessant criticism. Individuals who are battling HFD often struggle with extreme self-criticism and like making harsh judgments about themselves. Such criticism only adds more stress to your life and helps to trigger HFD symptoms. In the beginning, it’s easy to calm yourself, despite your doubt and self-criticism. However, this strategy always fails with time.
Often, the criticism ends up taking on a broader shape, more so when you start feeling ashamed of yourself and cornering yourself from society. This explains why most people who have HFD end up alienating themselves from others, thus depriving themselves of the treatment and help they need.
Seeking Self Perfection
Nothing is perfect in life. However, this is something that never registers in the mind of an individual with HFD. There’s a connection between high-functioning depression and perfectionism. Adaptive perfectionism is healthy since it enables you to correct wayward things and organize yourself. The same cannot be said of maladaptive perfectionism since it has a deep-rooted link to HFD.
There are three subcategories of maladaptive perfectionism, which are:
Self-oriented perfectionism
Other-oriented perfectionism
Socially-prescribed perfectionism
To summarize these sub-categories, we could state that maladaptive perfectionism has unrealistic and exaggerated standards that individuals cannot attain. As a result, it becomes difficult for them to accept shortcomings and flaws in themselves and others. This leaves them in a depressive state of mind.
Challenges faced by individuals battling HFD.
Restlessness and Agitation
HFD is among the leading causes of restlessness and agitation. This is an inner feeling of turmoil, which leaves you annoyed. Agitation is caused by:
Unease feelings
Crankiness
Lack of patience
Nervousness
Sometimes, agitation turns into aggression, which explains why individuals battling high-functioning depression are usually easily irritated and short-tempered. Often, their brains are racing against their inner thoughts and feelings. This also ends up affecting their sleep patterns. If agitation is caused by a mental health issue such as HFD, it’s important to manage the disorder with a mental health expert’s help.
Social Stigma
Even in today’s modern society, a lot of stigma is related to mental health issues. Most people who are battling mental health disorders such as high-functioning disorder can’t speak about it due to the negative views and behaviors that others hold for them.
Patients tend to hide their battle with HFD and thus fail to speak about what they are experiencing due to societal stigma. Even today, many people still believe that individuals who are battling mental health issues lack standard human capabilities. Other myths and misconceptions related to high-functioning disorder will be addressed later on in this guide.
2. Clinical Challenges Faced by HFD Patients
Diagnosing and treating HFD is difficult due to the clinical challenges that mental health experts face. The greatest challenge is distinguishing between high-functioning depression and other mental conditions. HFD symptoms are strikingly similar to most depressive and anxiety disorders, thus making diagnosis difficult.
Despite the advances that have been made in the field of mental health over the past few years, there is no HFD-specific diagnostic criteria. The biggest challenge that mental health experts face is that HFD doesn’t have known clinical criteria for diagnosing it. Health experts only grope in the dark by considering the signs and symptoms that patients are experiencing, besides asking about their complaints.
This makes it difficult to rule out the condition without a doubt. Diagnosis primarily depends on the precision with which a patient describes his/her symptoms to a doctor. The experience of the doctor also goes a long way in enabling him/her to know that it’s a case of HFD and no other mental disorders.
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Before delving into the available treatment options for HFD and the condition’s coping strategies, it’s essential to understand the significance of treating the disorder.
At this point, you definitely understand that HFD doesn’t affect an individual’s normal functioning. Even so, emphasis should be made to the fact that basic functioning alone isn’t enough for survival. Individuals struggling with HFD often experience a subdued level of depression. Therefore, they live with stress throughout.
Fair treatment is necessary for these individuals’ higher functioning. It also enhances their mood, mental health, and ability to exist harmoniously in society. A fair treatment regimen can suppress most of the complications related to HFD, including:
There are many residential centers that claim to offer treatment for HFD. Most of these facilities provide patients with treatment and coping strategies. Treatment tends to be individualized in the sense that the mechanisms used are selected for each individual case. This is done to ensure compatibility and the best outcome for individual HFD cases.
The treatment strategies and coping mechanisms that you’ll come across are always straightforward and can be used at home after visiting a mental health facility. Moreover, HFD treatment comes with the option of getting treated alone or undergoing group therapy sessions.
Although medication plays a significant role in treating the high-functioning disorder, therapy is the number one intervention. Typically, medications come after therapy.
Individual Psychotherapy
As indicated above, HFD patients can either undergo individual or group therapy. Individual therapy is whereby patients are treated alone in one-on-one sessions. This helps to uncover their underlying emotions and feelings. Different negative stressors can also be determined during individual psychotherapy sessions. This treatment method is highly recommended for HFD patients.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Also known as CBT, this form of therapy helps to correct an individual’s thinking patterns and eventual actions. Patients are guided on how to regain their lost confidence and get over their fear of social interaction. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is also widely used to treat HFD and other mental health disorders.
Relational Therapy
Typically, the high-functioning disorder affects an individual’s interpersonal relationships. Relational therapy enables patients to sort out the connections between themselves and their loved ones. It makes them aware of how their thoughts, mood, and behaviors influence their relationships. Ultimately, they use this to ensure that relationships work better for everyone.
Family Therapy
This is an ideal intervention for educating people who are close to you about the high-functioning disorder. Once your family members and loved ones are aware of your situation and the challenges you face, it will be easier to tackle any issues that may arise. Family therapy also goes a long way to eliminating the stigma associated with HFD.
HFD patients can live a stressed life.
Trauma-Focused Therapy
Trauma is among the leading causes of HFD. If a traumatic incident is the underlying cause of your condition, treatment should focus on reshaping memories of that incident. This is what trauma-focused therapies are all about. They concentrate on reframing and processing your past experiences to improve your HFD symptoms and ultimately get over the condition.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
This intervention focuses on helping patients to accept their negative thoughts. It teaches them about coping with their negative feelings and emotions better, rather than trying to replace those emotions with worse or vague thoughts and feelings.
Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques
Holistic and alternative therapies such as relaxation and mindfulness are an excellent option for treating high-functioning depression. Meditation, yoga, and other specially-designed exercises are used by health experts to help patients.
FDA-Approved Pharmaceutical Therapy
As we highlighted earlier, several pharmaceutical interventions have been advanced to help treat HFD. The commonest pharmaceutical treatments for HFD are:
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
These drugs are mostly used to treat depressive disorders. They are great at easing out the symptoms of both moderate and severe depressive disorders, including high-functioning disorder. As the name suggests, SSRIs work by increasing the availability of serotonin in the body. This is a neurotransmitter in the brain that optimizes behavior and mood.
Before embarking on medication, it’s best to keep in mind that SSRIs have possible side effects, including:
Sedatives and anxiolytics antidepressants are the other drugs used to treat high-functioning depression.
When using pharmaceutical drugs to treat high-functioning depression, ensure that you take the medications as per the doctor’s prescription and guidance. Also, you should only take FDA-approved medication.
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5. HFD Facts and Suicide Depression
It’s difficult to figure out that a person is battling HFD. This is because patients tend to appear normal to others, but deep inside, they are in a silent battle with this depressive disorder. Here are some probabilities based on acts that an individual with HFD may experience.
If You Feel or Notice that You’Re Pretending to Be Okay
There’s a point in life when you feel like you’re continuously pretending to be fine, yet you’re not. When this happens, you’re likely to keep your struggles to yourself because there’s nothing much to explain about your condition. Gatherings and other social occasions may not work for you because you are sad and hopeless. Your thoughts do nothing to help you get out of this gloomy cloud.
No One Believes You’re Struggling
When battling HFD, you may be able to step out of the house and attend to your chores. You’re even likely to be a successful career person who is envied by other people. No one will believe that you’re struggling behind the scenes.
In your moments of frustration, people may think that you’re faking your emotions or experiencing mere mood swings. Others may think that you either don’t want to work, or you’re running away from tasks and responsibilities.
Typically, high-functioning disorder patients hear mild or harsh comments about themselves due to the difficulty in proving that their condition is just like any other mental health issue. Therefore, it becomes difficult to seek and receive help from others.
Good Days Are Average while Bad Days Are Unbearable
For HFD patients, there’s nothing cheerful about good days. Indeed, he/she may feel just like a typical person, get up early and energized to start off the day, but that’s just it. On the other hand, the not-so-good days tend to be unbearable for high-functioning disorder patients. Right from the moment they wake up, everything feels like hell. On such days, they will wake up feeling drained out of energy, in a bad mood, and unable to focus on and complete tasks at work or school.
On bad days, you should remember that HFD isn’t always the cause for your low energy and bad mood. Undeniably, continuously battling HFD takes a toll on you. However, you should accept that the disorder does not always cause laziness. There could also be other factors that make you a couch potato.
Destructive eating habits, lack of sleep, taking multiple medications for other conditions, and lack of essential nutrients in the body are some of the factors that can make you feel lazy. Therefore, it’s best to ensure that these factors are ruled out by a doctor when diagnosing HFD.
Mental health affects the way we think, feel and behave.
How and when Should Patients Seek Help?
If you are experiencing any of the HFD symptoms we’ve mentioned, you should seek immediate help from a mental health professional. Just like it’s the case with other disorders, early diagnosis helps to resolve any issues before they worsen.
Once you visit a healthcare facility, your doctor will note down the history of your symptoms before screening you. If he/she determines that you’re battling with a mental health issue, you will be referred to mental health experts.
Medications, therapies, and coping strategies for high-functioning disorder tend to differ from one patient to another.
Suicide Prevention
Many people who are battling mental health issues like high-functioning depression also struggle with suicidal thoughts. Among the possible challenges of battling HFD, suicide is arguably the most dreadful. Therefore, suicidal thoughts should be addressed promptly before patients do any harm to themselves. Here are some warning signs of suicidal behaviors among high-functioning disorder patients:
Talking about suicide directly
Hopelessness
Seeking access to dangerous objects such as guns and poison
Self-hatred
Writing a will unexpectedly
Drastic mood changes
Withdrawal from one’s social circle
Increased alcohol/drug consumption
To detect suicidal behavior, or if you feel like you’re going off-track, these tips will come in handy:
Seek help from a qualified mental health expert
Don’t miss out on therapy or follow-up sessions
Instill positivity in yourself by adopting a healthy lifestyle
Speak positively of yourself and your prospects in life
Keep dangerous objects out of reach
Maintain ties with friends and family members
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Among all the known mental health conditions, the high-functioning disorder doesn’t have a formal and definitive diagnosis. The term ‘high-functioning disorder’ is in itself misleading and can be confused with other prominent physical and mental health conditions.
Anyone who feels depressed should seek help from professionals. Your primary healthcare provider will recommend a mental health expert so that your condition is diagnosed and treated early.
Dealing with depression is energy-sapping, and therefore, you shouldn’t do it alone. You need a supporting cast that will stand by you till the end. Therefore, it’s essential to recognize your symptoms early and seek help from professionals without delay.
The CDC asserts that adults should have 7-9 hours of sleep daily. Nonetheless, research among U.S residents revealed that 25% of people battle insomnia annually. Thankfully, 75% of this population only has short-term insomnia. Some people, however, do not realize they are battling insomnia because they are not conversant with the disorder’s description.
Insomnia is described as a difficulty in falling or/and staying asleep. In most cases, you will also wake up too early when suffering from insomnia. Acute insomnia lasts for a night to some weeks, while chronic insomnia occurs at least three nights per week and lasts for more than three months. Below are tidbits on the causes of insomnia and some treatment alternatives for it.
Causes of Insomnia
There are two types of insomnia, including primary and secondary. Secondary insomnia is linked to an underlying health condition, while primary insomnia has no underlying cause. Below are some of the common causes of different forms of insomnia:
A doctor will diagnose insomnia after listening to your sleep and medical histories, then conducting a physical exam to rule out other issues. You might also be required to keep a sleep diary and have special tests at a sleep center. Below are the management options the doctor will recommend if you are diagnosed with insomnia:
1. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy {CBT}
The ACP {American College of Physicians} recommends cognitive behavioral therapy as the first-line treatment for adults with chronic insomnia. Part of the problem in insomnia arises from the fears and anxieties associated with insomnia, which make it hard to fall or stay asleep. CBT helps you cope with these anxieties and calm your mind to sleep.
2. Sleep Hygiene Training
In sleep hygiene training, a specialist will help you pick the behaviors and issues that might be causing your insomnia. The training will then focus on helping you change these disruptive behaviors. Some of the changes that might be suggested in sleep hygiene training include:
Avoiding caffeinated drinks, sugary or spicy foods, and exercise before bedtime.
Minimizing the time you spend on the bed when not sleeping, such as when watching television or surfing the internet.
Developing a consistent bedtime routine.
Avoiding daytime naps.
Keeping your bedroom sufficiently cool or warm and the bed comfortable.
Insomnia can make it hard to fall asleep.
3. Medications
In a few instances, medications might be needed to manage your insomnia. One common over-the-counter medication category used for insomnia management is an antihistamine like Benadryl. Even so, these medications only cause you to sleep as a side effect and come with a range of side effects, more so when used for a long time. As such, they should not be used without an expert’s input. Some of the prescription drugs used for the treatment of insomnia include:
Eszopiclone.
Zolpidem.
Benzodiazepines like diazepam, triazolam, and lorazepam.
Most medications used for insomnia can cause tolerance. This is a reduced effect of the medication when used for a long time. To minimize this risk, drugs are often used in combination with other treatments and not for long periods.
4. Melatonin Supplements
Melatonin is a hormone that your body naturally produces during the sleep cycle. There are now melatonin supplements that can be prescribed to mimic this natural hormone and help you fall asleep. While there is some evidence that the supplements will reduce the time it will take you to fall asleep, they should only be used for a short time because their long-term safety profile is inconclusive.
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Insomnia is not an issue that you should take lightly. When left untreated, the condition leads to difficulty in concentrating, mood changes, anxiety, irritability, and daytime fatigue, among other issues. The information above has hopefully increased your understanding of the causes and management alternatives for insomnia. You thus can now make an informed choice on managing insomnia. The management should, however, only be handled by trained specialists.
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According to estimates from the National Alliance of Mental Illness, around 2.6% of people have bipolar disorder in the USA. Of these, 86% of the cases are severe. People with bipolar disorder have mood alterations of high {manic} periods and low {depressive} states. During the manic period, the person feels happy, is quite sociable, and has lots of energy. In the depressive period, he/she is socially withdrawn, has low energy levels, and often feels sad.
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The severe mood alterations associated with bipolar disorder can affect someone’s life, including his/her work, relationships, and sleep. Though there is currently no cure for the mood disorder, there are several methods of managing the condition so that a person lives free of its symptoms. Below are some options for managing bipolar disorder.
Lifestyle Management
When you carefully consider your lifestyle habits, you can keep your mood change episodes at a minimum. Some of the beneficial lifestyle habits to adopt include getting enough sleep, sticking to a healthy diet, exercising, and minimizing stress. People with bipolar disorder have a higher risk of engaging in addictive behaviors, with about 56% addicted to drugs or alcohol at some point. Practicing moderation will help you avoid addiction and minimize your bipolar disorder symptoms.
Education
The optimal management of bipolar disorder requires a thorough understanding of the condition. When you and your loved ones understand what causes it, you can take deliberate steps to minimize its manic or depressive phases. There are a lot of online sites that will help you understand what bipolar disorder entails and the best way to manage it. Moreover, most hospitals now have support groups where you can learn from other people dealing with the same condition about strategies that will help you cope with bipolar disorder.
Bipolar disorder is a mental illness.
Psychotherapy
Stress is one of the main things that can trigger a mood change in people with bipolar disorder. Keeping your stress levels under control is, therefore, essential. Psychotherapy techniques that help you cope with stress, regulate your mood, repair your relationships, and communicate your feelings are used by experts to manage bipolar disorder. Some of the techniques that a psychotherapist might use in your case include cognitive behavioral therapy {CBT}, family therapy, and social rhythm therapy.
Family therapy addresses issues that might trigger your mood change in a home environment while social therapy centers on establishing a stable social rhythm that will, in turn, stabilize your mood. CBT helps people with bipolar disorder examine the negative emotions and thoughts that trigger mood changes then change these into positive emotions or coping mechanisms.
There are now day treatment programs for groups and individuals dealing with bipolar disorder. The programs include case management, peer support, daily living skills, and psychoeducation that will help you cope with the triggers that cause a mood change. Some day treatment programs also have housing and vocational support for people with additional needs.
Bipolar disorder can be treated.
Medications
Medications are the cornerstone of the management of bipolar disorder. The drug categories a doctor might prescribe to manage your symptoms include:
Antidepressants: These manage depressive episodes. Though they have been used extensively in the past, antidepressants are no longer routinely prescribed for bipolar disorder patients because of increased concern on their efficacy and safety.
Mood stabilizers: These will manage both depressive and manic episodes. Lithium is the most commonly used mood stabilizer for those with bipolar disorder. It is highly effective in the management of manic episodes. Even so, it is not the best choice for people who have rapid cycling or mixed episodes type of bipolar disorder. Other mood stabilizers include quetiapine and olanzapine.
Antipsychotics: These treat some of the symptoms of bipolar disorder. Some common examples include clozapine, risperidone, and ziprasidone.
Anticonvulsants: These reduce mood swings and relieve manic symptoms. They include carbamazepine, lamotrigine, topiramate, and valproic acid.
Other than these drug categories, your doctor might prescribe benzodiazepines to relieve agitation, insomnia, and anxiety in bipolar disorder patients. They are often used for a few weeks before mood stabilizers take effect.
There are also treatments that you can combine with the above approaches to better manage bipolar disorder symptoms. Some complementary treatments that have shown some promise in this regard include:
Light and dark therapy: This regulates a person’s biological rhythms, much like social rhythm therapy.
Acupuncture
Mindfulness meditation: This uses breathing exercises, yoga, and meditation to manage bipolar disorder symptoms.
With the right approaches, you can successfully manage bipolar disorder. The above alternatives might seem easy enough to institute or get from your nearest health center. Even so, they need an expert’s input because they should be customized to fit a patient’s needs. Book an appointment with the expert physicians at Mango Clinic to get a management approach that will work best for you. The professionals here will also consider different aspects to guarantee the management option you use has no or minimal side effects.
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According to theAnxiety and Depression Association of America, more than 40 million US adults deal with mental illnesses, majorly, anxiety-related. Of these, about 6.7% of the American adult population, which is about 16.1 million has to deal with major depressive disorder. And despite these conditions being easy to treat, only 36.9% receive treatment.
America is a country known to offer a dietary variety to everyone. And it would be relatively easy to find any food you want. However, there are a lot of people who remain in the dark about the role of a suitable diet in the management and treatment of depression.
For instance, niacin, found in animal and vegetarian food, is found to be helpful to patients with psychiatric disorders, as published by Bo. H. Johnson of theNational Institute of Health.
So, What Is Niacin?
Niacin, also known as vitamin B3 is an essential nutrient required for the proper functioning of your entire body. When taken as a supplement, it can ease symptoms of various illnesses such as arthritis, lowers your body cholesterol, and even boosts your brain function.
Its deficiency can result in conditions such as diarrhea, mental confusion, fatigue, skin problems, and depression. Yes, you read it right, depression.
To better inform yourself, below are 7 fascinating facts about niacin and depression that you must know.
Number One: Niacin Has Two Functional Forms
Niacin, one of the eight Vitamin B types, has two different functional forms. And as with all vitamin B types, niacin helps break down food into energy by assisting enzymes. Niacin is majorly associated with NAD and NADP, coenzymes significantly involved in cellular metabolism.
Niacin exists in two primary chemical forms, which have different effects on the body, and you can find either in foods and supplements.
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1. Nicotinic Acid – This form of niacin lowers cholesterol levels and helps prevent heart diseases.
2. Niacinamide – Also known as nicotinamide, and it helps in treating psoriasis. Besides, it also lowers the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer
Niacin is a water-soluble nutrient. Therefore, the body does not store it and can also excrete the excess amounts when not needed.
Number Two: Niacin Deficiency Can Lead to Depression
Lack of sufficient amounts of niacin can result in mental confusion, headache, skin problems, diarrhea, and depression. Some people have shown signs of falling back to depression after missing a dose of niacin within days. For instance, according to the National Institute of Health publication, the male patient in the study was prescribed niacin, alongside lithium and other medication. With time, he could drop all medication, except niacin. And when off niacin, he exhibited signs of anxiety and depression 2-3 days after stopping the medication.
Well, What Is the Explanation behind This?
Behavioral disorders and depression all result from the failure of the proper functioning of the serotonin neurotransmitters. And as previously mentioned, niacin helps in metabolism, which provides energy for neurotransmission. Equally so, niacin plays a vital role in theproduction of serotonin, which boosts brain activity.
Now you can see how a niacin deficiency can affect you negatively and drive you to depression.
Common Disruptive Behaviour Disorders
Number Three: Niacin Is Easier to Access
The human body cannot produce niacin naturally. That is why doctors advise taking niacin-rich foods. The good news is that niacin is readily available in a wide range of food. However, it would help if you were careful not to ingest too much.
Women have a 14mg/day dietary recommendation while men are allowed to take 16mg/day of niacin.
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid found in foods that helps in nitrogen balance and growth. It is also crucial when it comes to the creation of niacin in the human body.
So, where can you find tryptophan?
Here is a list of foods that are rich in niacin:
Liver – Eighty-five-gram cooked beef liver can fulfill up to 100% of women’s recommended dietary allowance, and about 91% of the men’s RDA. Chicken liver can supplement the beef liver, but it is not as rich.
Chicken Breast – This well-known source of lean proteins is rich in niacin. 85 grams of cooked, skinless, and boneless chicken breast provides women with 80% of their niacin RDA, while the men get about 70%.
Turkey – Although it contains less niacin compared to chicken, turkey is rich in tryptophan, which is crucial in the production of niacin.
Salmon – A wild-caught salmon is rich in niacin. And 85 grams of cooked salmon supplies about 53% of the men’s RDA, while it only fulfills 60% of the women’s RDA. However, a farmed salmon has less niacin content.
Light Tuna – A tuna canned in oil can supply up to 53% of the niacin recommended dietary intake.
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Number Four: A Niacin Overdose Has Serious Effects
Vitamins are like drugs. Take them in the recommended doses, and you’re relatively safe. Overdose and you are in for some severe interactions. And in this case, an overdose can be severe.
3. Niacin can have serious side effects when mixed with some drugs. Some of these include:
Niacin and Alcohol – Combining niacin and alcohol increase your risks of liver damage.
Niacin and Blood Pressure Meds – When taken together, niacin can worsen low blood pressure.
Niacin and Herb Supplements – Herb supplements, when taken alongside niacin increase the risk of hemorrhage.
Mental Health Disorders
Number Five: The Niacin Flush
This is undoubtedly the most common but harmless side effect of niacin. The niacin flush is uncomfortable but harmless. It appears as a flush of red skin followed by itching and burning sensations.
The niacin flush is a side effect of taking the immediate-release of nicotinic acid, mostly experienced among people who take high doses of immediate-release niacin supplements.
Once taken, the niacin expands the capillaries and increases blood flow to the skin. Some of the common symptoms of the niacin flush include:
A burning sensation and itching of the skin.
Reddening of the skin, with the pigment looking like a sunburn.
Warm skin due to the increased blood flow to the skin.
Number Six: Niacin Has Reversible Side Effects
Niacin side effects can subside in a few weeks. However, there are measures you can take to reverse them. These include:
1. Taking Aspirin before the Niacin Dose
According to a study published by thenational institute of health, NIH, taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as 325mg of aspirin 15-30 minutes before the niacin dose can reduce the itching and flushing.
However, it would help if you got a prescription from your health care provider for the aspirin.
2. Avoid Hot Beverages and Alcohol
Keep a good gap between when you take your niacin dose and drink your hot beverage. Alcohol and hot beverages such as hot cocoa, tea, and coffee speed up the process of flushing.
General Depression Treatment Methods
3. Divide Your Dose throughout the Day
One large dose of niacin can cause flushing. So, to avoid this, you can subdivide your immediate-release niacin into small doses until your body can adapt. For instance, instead of taking 50mg of niacin at once, you can take 25mg in the morning, and 25mg at noon.
4. Take Flush-Free Niacin
Nicotinamide and inositol hexaniacinate are some of the flush-free niacin you can take. These forms of niacin work differently from nicotinic acid and do not have side effects.
Number Seven: Compared to Antidepressant Drugs, Niacin Is a Safe Option
Imagine a treatment plan that is not addictive and has no side effects. What wouldn’t you give to have that? Well, niacin is the solution. Keeping in mind that niacin is a vitamin, and NOT a drug, then you can use it with no fear of forming habits. And since it is a crucial vitamin in the creation of serotonin and other brain functions, you do not need a signed prescription to take it.
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With the details of your recommended dietary intake, you can experience better mental health and ease the symptoms of depression. Niacin-rich foods are readily available, and the supplements are in your local pharmacy. Provided you do not take an excess amount; you are good to go.
Conclusion:
Niacin is an essential member of the complex vitamin B family. It plays a vital role in cholesterol regulation and increasing protection against cardiovascular diseases.
Niacin is also instrumental in the management of depression in the modern medical field. Even so, much research is still underway to understand niacin, and its side effects better.
Despite the myriad of benefits of niacin, long-term therapy using niacin to treat depression is facing a serious challenge, because of flushing. This condition occurs after the activation of the niacin receptors in the skin. There is a need to find a solution to the niacin flushing.
