Emotional and Behavior Disorders - Assignment Example

Emotional and behavior disorders have been known to be caused by either the environment or genes or a combination of both. In order to ascertain whether a behavior is normal or not, judgments are used. It has also been ascertained that majority of the people suffering from behavioral and emotional disorders are males, and 80% of the students in regular schools. In educational settings, emotional and behavioral disorders comprise a broad category that is used in grouping of a range of difficulties or problems that affect adolescents and children. It is always difficult to define emotional behavioral disorders because the behavior that is observed may depend on a variety of factors. Emotional or behavioral disorders are classified into three groups, namely: internalizing factors, low incidence disorder and externalizing. Behavior disorders can also be inherited through an individual’s genes or because of a chemical imbalance in one’s brain because of an injury sustained in the brains. Youth exposed to violence, death of a family member(s), abuse and extreme stress are also prone to suffering from behavior and emotional disorders (Faz, 2008). 8 emotional and behavioral disorders Characteristics/Traits Commonly Used Medications Recommended Therapeutic Interventions Recommended Educational Interventions Disorder Name: Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD)     The affected child is unable to pay attention to anything. The affected child is easily distracted and not constantly active. The child is not still. The use of stimulant and non-stimulant medications like atomoxetine are normally recommended. Induced psychosis in methylphenidate is also recommended as medication. Lisdexamfetamin, Dextroamphetamine, Amphetamine-Dextroamphetamine are also the common medication. The Team Approach should be effectively used in which the parents, therapist, psychologist, teachers and the school, and physician should work together to focus on interventions, like consistent use of reward systems, techniques and schedules to help in mastering of skills. People should be made aware of the causes of these conditions and preventive measures put in place to prevent occurrence. Treatment should also be sought as early as possible for people who are affected. Disorder Name: Severe Depression     Loss of concentration in normal activities. The affected child experiences changes in appetite and feels hopeless. Lack of value towards life which may lead to destructive behaviors and suicide. Various antidepressants are used in the treatment of depression and conditions related to depression. They include Tricyclic antidepressant, Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors, Selective Serotonin Inhibitors reuptake inhibitors and Serotin & norepinephrine Inhibitors. Interpersonal Therapies and cognitive behavioral therapies should be used in the treatment of severe depression. People should be made aware of the causes of these conditions and preventive measures put in place to prevent occurrence. Treatment should also be sought as early as possible for people who are affected. Disorder Name: Eating Disorders     The affected person suffers from either bulimia or anorexia. Excessive weight loss due to starvation. Vomiting eaten food to avoid gaining weight. Most common prescriptions for treatment of eating disorders include Prozac, Zofran, Remeron, Lithium, Luvox, Paxil, Zoloft, etc. Families should be involved in therapeutic treatment of eating discords in order to increase compassion and empathy in the family. Activity based sessions should also be used and structures for therapy provided. Group therapy can also be used. People should be made aware of the causes of these conditions and preventive measures put in place to prevent occurrence. Treatment should also be sought as early as possible for people who are affected. Disorder Name: Bipolar Disorder     The affected individual suffers from lows and highs. The person affected has feelings of happiness and then depression. Having a change of moods during several circumstances, crying, and lack of sleep and spending of lots of money. Lithium has been commonly used for treatment of Bipolar disorder. Benzodiazepines are also known to be helpful. Electroconvulsive therapy is recommended for the treatment of Bipolar disorders. People should be made aware of the causes of these conditions and preventive measures put in place to prevent occurrence. Treatment should also be sought as early as possible for people who are affected. Disorder Name: Psychotic Behavior     An individual suffering from this behavior will portray bizarre behaviors than others. Hallucination and dealing in fantasy world. Talking in gibberish. Medications like Clozapine or Clozaril, Olanzapine or Zyprexa, Risperidone and aripiprazole are commonly used among others. Behavioral therapy should be used and cognitive behavioral therapy. People should be made aware of the causes of these conditions and preventive measures put in place to prevent occurrence. Treatment should also be sought as early as possible for people who are affected. Disorder Name: Motor Excess     The affected person becomes hypersensitive. Lack of listening and stillness. Lack of focus and attention. Use of antipsychotic drugs Special equipment and physical therapy should be used for treatment of motor excess. People should be made aware of the causes of these conditions and preventive measures put in place to prevent occurrence. Treatment should also be sought as early as possible for people who are affected. Disorder Name: Withdrawal/Anxiety     The affected individual becomes unsure of himself/herself, reticent and self-conscious. A feeling of withdrawal and low esteem in activities. Frequent depressions and anxiety. Medications for anxiety or withdrawal include Clonazepam, Oxazepam, Alprazolam, Chlordiazepoxide, etc. Treatment of anxiety or withdrawal will involve exposure therapy and cognitive behavioral. Occupational and physical therapy can also be used. People should be made aware of the causes of these conditions and preventive measures put in place to prevent occurrence. Treatment should also be sought as early as possible for people who are affected. Disorder Name: Attention Problems     A deficit of attention and a feeling of immaturity. Poor concentration and easily distractible. Truancy, delinquency and dropping out of school. Ritalin should be used as medication. Amphetamines, norepinephrine and dopamine can also be used for medication. Psychosocial therapy should be used. People should be made aware of the causes of these conditions and preventive measures put in place to prevent occurrence. Treatment should also be sought as early as possible for people who are affected. Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder ADHD is a biobehavioral disorder that is initially manifested in childhood and which is normally characterized by impulsivity, inattention, and hyperactivity even though not all individuals may manifest such symptoms. Because of these symptoms, an individual suffering from this condition may have trouble in emotional, social, and academic functioning. The diagnosis of this condition is done through the satisfaction of the behavioral characters. Someone who has been diagnosed with this disease will have to struggle with many aspects related to this order and it is only through medication that concentration can be increased and hyperactivity reduced. ADHD, also known as Hyperkinetic Disorder outside the US, is estimated to affect at least three to seven percent of the schoolchildren and it has been known to affect more boys than girls (Zionts, 2002). The disease was first documented in 1902 and its name AD/HD refers to the various behaviors that are exhibited by the affected person that range from impulsiveness, hyperactivity, and inattention which form the characteristics of the behavior. Children affected by this disease will experience inattention, which can be manifested in easy distraction in focus, lack of concentration and the inability of the child to know how long and when to focus. The characteristics of the inattention in the affected children will normally vary according to each child’s AD/HD but all the characteristics have yielded to both social and school arenas and a translation into the poor grades by the affected persons (Peirce, et al., 2007). Even though the causes of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder have not been ascertained, the disease is neurologically based in that the affected people may belong to one parent or sibling who is prone to the disorder or who is at a higher probability of developing it. Even though the exact cause of the disease has not been known, a deficiency or an imbalance of the chemicals found in the brain (neurotransmitters) which are responsible for transmission of messages between the various nerve cells has been known to be the probable cause of this emotional and behavioral disorder. Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder has been categorized into three subtypes namely, the Predominantly Inattentive type also known as the AD/HD-I, the predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type, also known as the AD/HD-HI type, and the combination of both the AD and HD to form the AD/HD-C type. This categorization of the subtypes is based on the behavior exhibited in the general symptoms of the person affected by AD/HD. Diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder cannot be done through a laboratory test as is common with most diseases and therefore it has to take into consideration many aspects of behavior in the affected individual or child. In most circumstances, the first person to notice the prevalence of this health condition is the child’s teacher who should bring this observation to the attention of the concerned parents. Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder should be developed through approaches which make use of combination of various forms of treatment. Medication should therefore use a combination of classroom accommodations, behavioral interventions, medical personnel and the best treatment of all should be the proactive parents. In order to control hyperactivity and aggression, medication such as antihypertensive should be used while bubroprion should be used for therapy of AD/HD. It is always an overwhelming challenge for parents who have to deal with children who are affected by chronic AD/HD. Parents should therefore foster a positive and healthy relationship with their affected children and face the issues affecting such children in an honest and transparent manner. Parents should also keep themselves updated with information on available treatment for AD/HD while remaining proactive at all times (Fitzgerald, et al., 2008). Psychotic behavior Psychotic behavior or disorders refers to a group of serious ailments which affect the mind and alter an individual’s capacity to make sound judgments, think clearly, behave appropriately, respond emotionally and communicate effectively. Individuals with severe psychotic disorder symptoms are unable to meet the normal demands of life in their day-to-day lives and experience difficulty in staying connected with reality. Fortunately, even the most severe cases of psychotic disorder are treatable. There are various types of psychotic disorders, and these include Schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, Brief Psychotic disorder, delusional disorder, shared psychotic disorder, substance-induced psychotic disorder, psychotic behavior as a result of a medical condition, and Paraphrenia (Scultz, 2008). The symptoms of a person with a Psychotic Disorder will normally vary from one individual to another and over a period of time. However, the major symptoms of a psychotic behavior are delusions and hallucinations. Hallucination refers to unusual perceptions or sensory experiences of events which do not exist like seeing things which are not present, having funny tastes in one’s mouth, hearing voices and feelings of sensations on one’s skin even if there is nothing touching the body. A delusion, on the other hand, refers to false beliefs which are organized and persistent and which do not fade away even when the person suffering from this condition receives the accurate or logical information. Some other possible symptoms of psychotic disorders include confused thinking, and incoherent or disorganized speech (Dziegielewski, 2009). Up to now, the exact cause of psychotic disorders has not been ascertained although researchers have a strong believe that many factors are to blame for the existence of this disorder. There is a big assumption that the disorder may be inherited within families, while environmental factors have also been attributed towards the development of this disorder like for instance drug abuse, stress, and big challenges in life. Diagnosis of psychotic disorders involves carrying out a complete physical examination and medical history on the body of the affected person to ascertain the cause of the symptoms. There have been no known laboratory tests meant to diagnose psychotic disorders. Doctors can conduct various x-rays and tests to rule out the presence of physical illness as being the cause of the symptoms. Treatment of psychotic disorders involves medications known as antipsychotic, which cannot cure the illness but are effective in the management of symptoms related to psychotic behaviors. Examples of antipsychotic medications are Mellaril, Thorazine, and Abilify (Dziegielewski, 2009). References Dziegielewski, S. (2009). Social Work Practice and Psychopharmacology. London: Springer Publishing Company Faz, R. (2008). Emotional and Behavior Disorders. New York: California State University. Fitzgerald, M. et al. (2008). Handbook of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Peirce, J. et al. (2007). Attention-Deficit/hyperactivity Disorder. New York: Infobase Publishing. Scultz, J. et al (2008). LippinCott’s Manual of Psychiatric Nursing Care Plans. New York: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Zionts, P., et al. (2002). Emotional and Behavioral Problem.London: Corwin Press. Read More