Severe, Persistent Mental Illness
The Severe Persistent Mental Illness topic covers issues related to general mood and thought disorders. This includes coverage of such areas as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, mania, and depression. Examples of courses tha t are covered under this topic are general overview of psychiatric symptoms such as an Introduction to Clinical Issues Relating to Mental Illness.
General Psychiatric Diagnosis and Symptoms
Mental Disorders are conceptualized as clinically significant behavioral or psychological syndromes or patterns that occur in an individual and that is associated with present distress (e.g., a painful symptoms) or disability (i.e., impairment in one or more important areas of functioning) or with a significantly increased risk of suffering death, pain, disability, or an important loss of freedom (4th ed., text rev.; Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders; American Psychiatric Association, 2000: xxxi).
Thought Disorders: Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a disorder that lasts for at least 6 months and includes at least 1 month of active-phase symptoms, which are two or more of the following: delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior, negative symptoms (4th ed., text rev.; Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders; American Psychiatric Association, 2000: 298).
Mood Disorders: Bipolar, Depression, Mania
The Mood Disorders section includes disorders that have a disturbance in mood as the predominant factor. The Mood Disorders are divided into Depressive Disorders (unipolar depression), the Bipolar Disorders, and two disorders based on etiology – Mood Disorders Due to a General Medical Condition and Substance-Induced Mood Disorder (4th ed., text rev.; DSM–IV–TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2000: 345).