Manic-depression

Manic-depression usually results from a personality disorder. Extreme stress can also trigger it. Mild cases can be treated with medication, psychotherapy, and rehabilitation.

Symptoms

• Extreme mood swings
• Mood cycles of elated overactivity (mania) to irregular, deep depression
• Sleep disturbances, awakening earlier each day; inability to stay in bed
• Decreased work output; distraction and restlessness
• Spending sprees
• Inability to finish a project
• Sexual promiscuousness
• Irritability; sudden attacks of misplaced rage
• Abnormal excitability
• Exaggerated feelings of well-being
• Flight of ideas
• Excessive activity
• Total elation with wild speech full of rhyming, punning, and illogical word associations
• Singing, dancing, uproarious laughter, or crying at inappropriate times
• Underlying sadness, futility, unworthiness, and despair
• Loss of appetite, sleep, and weight; exhaustion
• Delusions of grandeur or intense anger when unable to carry out a wild scheme
• Capable of violence, suicide, murder

 

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia can be inherited or caused by a physical disorder, such as a brain tumor. It is usually caused from a malfunction of brain cells, though extreme mental stress or personal loss can trigger the disorder. Schizophrenia is lifelong; acute attacks come and go. A schizophrenic is capable of violence, suicide, murder, or both.

Symptoms

• Disorganization of thoughts and feelings
• Withdrawal from everyone and everything
• Vague speech; inability to follow normal conversation
• Disconnected remarks
• Blank looks; staring into space
• Sudden statements springing into the mind
• Bizarre speech, hallucinations, hearing voices (often hostile)
• Fear of others hearing thoughts and stealing them
• Feeling like a puppet controlled by an outside being or force
• Exaggerated emotions, ranging from joy to sadness
• Inappropriate emotional responses and outbursts
• Feelings of fear, paranoia, resentment, hostility

Susan J. Shelley