Mental Disorders - Assignment Example

Different communities and cultures exhibit and explain symptoms in different ways. These variations apply to incidents of panic attacks. In some cultures, it is exhibited as headaches or uncontrollable crying. In others, the primary symptom is expressed as difficulty in breathing. This difference has a great impact on treatment, which will be offered depending on the symptoms exhibited. The strong expression of a panic attack may necessitate the use of faster and stronger medication while a less strong exhibition may lead to the use of weaker medication or the lack of medication at all. Owing to this, clinicians should have contextual information related to a particular culture, race, geographical origins, or religion. An understanding of such distinctions will help them to be more accurate in their diagnosis and, as such, be in a position to provide effective treatment (Britt, Denny, William & Michael, 2011).

Although group therapy is not useful to all people, it is beneficial to a number of individuals. For this reason, it seems to be gaining more popularity. As indicated by Sharp, Power, and Swanson (2004), it has been found to be a cheaper and more effective alternative to individual or one-on-one therapy. Therefore, in most cases, it works as well as individual therapy does. These include the exhibition of major disorders such as panic disorder, depressive disorders, substance abuse disorders, and social phobia among others. Most of these disorders occur and end due to the influence of others, hence the need for two leaders.

Nonetheless, there are circumstances when group therapy is considered ineffective. They include handling particular groups of people. One of these are adolescents who have behavior problems.  Thus, at such moments individual therapy is preferable (Sharp, Power & Swanson, 2004).