Month: July 2021

OLD AGE SCHIZOPHRENIA SPECTRUM DISORDERS

SOMATOFORM DISORDERS

The Somatoform Disorders are a group of conditions that involve physical symptoms and complaints suggesting the presence of a medical condition but without any evidence of physical pathology to account for them. In other words, they involved medically unexplained physical symptoms. They are also not intentionally faking symptoms or attempting to deceive others. For the most part, they genuinely and sometimes passionately believe something is terribly wrong with their bodies and so they frequently show up in the practices of primary-care physicians, who then have the difficult task of managing their complaints, which have no known medical basis.

Patients with somatic symptom and related disorders have usually been evaluated (perhaps many times) for physical illness. These evaluations often lead to testing and treatments that are expensive, time-consuming, ineffective, and sometimes dangerous. The result of such treatment may be only to reinforce the patients’ fearful belief in some non-existent medical illness.

Worried if you / your loved one have/has a Somatoform Disorder?

Do you experience pain that is excessive or chronic?
Do you experience changes in sensory or voluntary motor functioning, with no physical or physiological malfunctioning as its cause?
Do you have chronic, multiple symptoms that seem to lack an adequate explanation?
Do you have complaints that don’t improve, despite medical treatment that helps most patients?
Are you excessively concerned with your health or bodily appearance?

If you have said yes to most of the above, we might be able to help you.

Treatments we provide that can help you:

Psychoeducation

Pharmacotherapy (medication), if required

Relaxation Techniques

Interpersonal Therapy

OLD AGE SCHIZOPHRENIA SPECTRUM DISORDERS

SCHIZOPHRENIA

Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. People with schizophrenia may seem like they have lost touch with reality. Commonly, people suffering from this problem, have several other symptoms that are considered to be odd and out of touch with the real world. Thus they might be unable to carry on with their daily life, work, and relationships smoothly. They might even neglect their hygiene and withdraw themselves from the others. Symptoms of schizophrenia usually start between ages 16 and 30. The symptoms of schizophrenia fall into three categories: positive, negative, and cognitive.

Positive symptoms: “Positive” symptoms are psychotic behaviors not generally seen in healthy people. People with positive symptoms may “lose touch” with some aspects of reality. Symptoms include:

Hallucinations
Delusions
Thought disorders (unusual or dysfunctional ways of thinking)
Movement disorders (agitated body movements)

Negative symptoms: “Negative” symptoms are associated with disruptions to normal emotions and behaviors. Symptoms include:

“Flat affect” (reduced expression of emotions via facial expression or voice tone)
Reduced feelings of pleasure in everyday life
Difficulty beginning and sustaining activities
Reduced speaking

Cognitive symptoms: For some patients, the cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia are subtle, but for others, they are more severe and patients may notice changes in their memory or other aspects of thinking. Symptoms include:

Poor “executive functioning” (the ability to understand information and use it to make decisions)
Trouble focusing or paying attention
Problems with “working memory” (the ability to use information immediately after learning it)

Worried that you / your loved one may be suffering from Schizophrenia?

Since the past 1 month or more,

Do you feel that your thoughts often become jumbled, jump around or become blocked?
Do you feel that your thoughts tend to get fixed in your mind and you can’t get your mind off them?
Do you feel that your thoughts have a definite impact on others as though you can control things or ‘do things’ with your thoughts?
Do you feel that your thoughts, feelings and actions are being controlled by someone else?
Do you hear voices / see / smell / feel / taste things that other people don’t?
Do you believe that other people can read your mind, or you can read others’ minds?
Do you find it difficult to relate to other people and trust them?
Do you find it difficult to make decisions and get yourself moving to do anything?
Do you have difficulties controlling impulses (like shouting in public or suddenly becoming angry) or difficulties engaging in regular daily activities (like bathing or dressing)?
Do you experience severe difficulty in expressing your emotions?

If you have said yes to most of the above, we might be able to help you.Browse our partner-sponsored Glasses, with a variety of options to suit every taste and budget, available to buy online

Treatments we can help you with:

Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy

EMOTIONAL ISSUES

GERIATRIC DEPRESSION

Senior asian man covering his face with his hands. Depression and anxiety Copy space.

Depression is one of the most common mental health problems of older adults. The features of depression are the same for elderly people as for younger people, including feelings of profound sadness and emptiness; low self-esteem, guilt, and pessimism; and loss of appetite and sleep disturbances. Depression is particularly common among those who have recently undergone a trauma, such as the loss of a spouse or close friend or the development of a serious physical illness.

Often, depression makes its presence felt gradually, making it difficult to realise that something is not right. This leads to people trying to cope by themselves instead of reaching out for help. If left untreated, depression raises an elderly person’s chances of developing significant medical problems. If symptoms are present for beyond 21 days, and disturb your family, social, and professional life, it’s time to seek help.

Worried that your loved one or you might have Depression?

Do you experience little interest or pleasure in doing things that you liked doing earlier?
Are you feeling down, depressed, or hopeless?
Are you having trouble falling or staying asleep, or are sleeping too much?
Are you feeling tired or as having little energy?
Are you experiencing reduced appetite, overeating, or considerable weight changes?
Do you tend to feel bad about yourself – that you are a failure or experience feelings of guilt?
Are you having difficulty concentrating on things or making decisions?
Have you had thoughts like you would be better off dead, or of hurting yourself in some way?

If you have said yes to most of the above, we might be able to help you.If you are in the market for superclone Replica Rolex , Super Clone Rolex is the place to go! The largest collection of fake Rolex watches online!

Treatments that can help you or your loved one:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Interpersonal Therapy

Neuropsychological Assessment

NEUROCOGNITIVE DISORDERS

PARKINSON’S DISEASE

Worried senior man sitting in living room at home

Parkinson’s Disease is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disorder of the brain that causes a gradual loss of muscle control. Age is the largest risk factor, with most people who develop Parkinson’s being 60 or older, and symptoms may take as long as 20 years to become full blown. While a small number of individuals are at risk because of a family history of the disorder, head trauma, exposure o environmental toxins, or illness could be risk factors.

Primary symptoms include slowness of movement, difficulty maintaining balance, muscle rigidity, and tremors. While there is no cure for Parkinson’s there are a number of treatment options available to make everyday life as easy as possible. Using a bath chair in the shower, well-lit stairwells, night lights for rooms and hallways, keeping walking areas clutter-free, avoiding rugs and/or carpets, and wearing low-heeled, comfortable shoes are some safety tips to keep in mind.

Worried that your loved or you might have Parkinson’s Disease?

Does your loved one / you experience tremors or involuntary shaking of hands, arms, legs, jaw, and/or face?
Does your loved one / you experience shuffling gait with short steps and trouble moving/walking?
Does your loved one / you experience impaired balance and coordination?
Does your loved one / you experience stiffness of the limbs and trunk?
Does your loved one / you experience dizziness or frequent fainting?
Does your loved one / you experience stooping or hunching over?
Does your loved one / you experience slowness of movement?
Does your loved one / you experience reduced arm swinging?

Treatments that can help your loved one or you:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Group Therapy

Neuropsychological Assessment

NEUROCOGNITIVE DISORDERS

STROKE

A stroke occurs when blood supply to the brain is reduced or interrupted, decreasing or stopping oxygen supply, causing brain cells to die. Symptomatic and silent are the two types of strokes. While symptomatic strokes, as the name suggests have identifiable symptoms, silent strokes are subtle, and neither the onset nor the side-effects are easily identifiable. In fact, most who have suffered a silent stroke will not even be aware that they have had a stroke till they have a brain scan as side-affects may be attributed to ageing.

Life after a stroke requires regular check-ups, neuromuscular rehabilitation, and mental health care. Also, in addition to movement, memory and speech being affected, those who have had a stroke are at risk of having another one. Risk factors for stroke include age, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, smoking, obesity, family history of strokes, and brain aneurysms.

If you suspect that you or your loved one are having or have had a stroke, get professional medical help immediately as every minute counts.

Worried that your loved or you might have had a Stroke?

Have your loved one / you experienced sudden weakness/numbness or drooping on one side of the face?
Have your loved one / you experienced sudden numbness on an entire side of one’s body?
Have your loved one / you experienced sudden dizziness or coordination issues when walking?
Have your loved one / you experienced sudden confusion in comprehension?
Have your loved one / you experienced sudden difficulty in speech, slurred speech?
Have your loved one / you experienced sudden trouble in walking, dizziness or loss of balance/coordination?
Have your loved one / you experienced sudden severe headaches unlike any experienced before?

Treatments that can help you or your loved one:

Neuropsychological Assessment

NEUROCOGNITIVE DISORDERS

DELIRIUM

Delirium is a major disturbance in attention and orientation to the environment. As the person’s focus becomes less clear, he or she has great difficulty concentrating and thinking in an organized way, leading to misinterpretations, illusions, and on occasion, hallucinations. Sufferers may believe that it is morning in the middle of the night or that they are home when actually they are in a hospital room. Generally, delirium has a sudden onset (hours or days), a brief and fluctuating course, and rapid improvement. Delirium may occur in any age group, including children, but is most common in elderly people. Fever, certain diseases and infections, poor nutrition, head injuries, strokes, and stress (including the trauma of surgery) may all cause delirium. Delirium often involves perceptual disturbances, abnormal psychomotor activity, and sleep cycle impairment.

Worried that your loved one may suffer from Delirium?

Does your loved one have difficulty focusing attention, for example being easily distractible, or having difficulty keeping track of what was being said?
Is his/her thinking disorganized or incoherent, such as rambling or irrelevant conversation, unclear or illogical flow of ideas, or unpredictable switching from subject to subject?
Is he/she able to adequately respond to stimulation?
Does he/she tend to get disoriented, such as misjudging the time of day or place where he is in or fail to recognise people around him?
Has he demonstrated any memory problems, such as inability to remember events or difficulty remembering instructions?
Did he/she show evidence of disturbance of the sleep‐wake cycle, such as excessive daytime sleepiness with insomnia at night?

If you have said yes to most of the above, we might be able to help you.

Treatments that can help you or your loved one:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

SCHIZOPHRENIA SPECTRUM DISORDERS

Schizophrenia

A young woman with nervous breakdown expressions on background.

Hallucinations
Delusions
Thought disorders (unusual or dysfunctional ways of thinking)
Movement disorders (agitated body movements)

Negative symptoms: “Negative” symptoms are associated with disruptions to normal emotions and behaviors. Symptoms include:

“Flat affect” (reduced expression of emotions via facial expression or voice tone)
Reduced feelings of pleasure in everyday life
Difficulty beginning and sustaining activities
Reduced speaking

Poor “executive functioning” (the ability to understand information and use it to make decisions)
Trouble focusing or paying attention
Problems with “working memory” (the ability to use information immediately after learning it)

Worried that you / your loved one may be suffering from Schizophrenia?

Since the past 1 month or more,

Do you feel that your thoughts often become jumbled, jump around or become blocked?
Do you feel that your thoughts tend to get fixed in your mind and you can’t get your mind off them?
Do you feel that your thoughts have a definite impact on others as though you can control things or ‘do things’ with your thoughts?
Do you feel that your thoughts, feelings and actions are being controlled by someone else?
Do you hear voices / see / smell / feel / taste things that other people don’t?
Do you believe that other people can read your mind, or you can read others’ minds?
Do you find it difficult to relate to other people and trust them?
Do you find it difficult to make decisions and get yourself moving to do anything?
Do you have difficulties controlling impulses (like shouting in public or suddenly becoming angry) or difficulties engaging in regular daily activities (like bathing or dressing)?
Do you experience severe difficulty in expressing your emotions?

If you have said yes to most of the above, we might be able to help you.

Treatments we can help you with:

Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy

Cognitive Behaviour therapy

Eating Disorders

Anorexia Nervosa

In Anorexia Nervosa, a person might be so preoccupied with being slim that she/he might starve herself/himself to achieve weight loss. Anorexia is characterized by an abnormally low body weight, an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted perception of one’s own body. People with anorexia place a high value on controlling their weight and shape, using extreme efforts that tend to significantly interfere with their day to day functioning. This could have severe consequences and, in women, lead to disturbance in the menstrual cycle. Although the disorder most frequently begins during adolescence, an increasing number of children and older adults are also being diagnosed with anorexia.

Worried that you might have Anorexia Nervosa:

Are you excessively fearful about gaining weight?
Do you excessively restrict your calorie intake in spite of being thin/ underweight?
Do you pretend to eat or lie about eating?
Do you exercise compulsively or take laxatives?
Do you deny feeling hungry?
Are you excessively concerned about eating in public?
Have you experienced dramatic weight loss?
Do you have strange or secretive food rituals?

Treatments, we provide that can help you:

Diet Counselling

Body Image consulting