medical_specialty schizophrenia
A delusion is a belief that is held with strong conviction despite superior evidence to the contrary . As a ___MASK34___ , it is distinct from a belief based on false or incomplete information , confabulation , dogma , illusion , or other effects of perception . A mental disorder , also called a mental illness or psychiatric disorder , is a diagnosis by a mental health professional of a behavioral or mental pattern that may cause suffering or a poor ability to function in life . Such features may be persistent , relapsing and remitting , or occur as a single episode . Many disorders have been described , with signs and symptoms that vary widely between specific disorders . The causes of mental disorders are often unclear . Theories may incorporate findings from a range of fields . Mental disorders are usually defined by a combination of how a person behaves , feels , perceives , or thinks . This may be associated with particular regions or functions of the brain , often in a social context . A mental disorder is one aspect of mental health . Cultural and religious beliefs , as well as social norms , should be taken into account when making a diagnosis . Services are based in psychiatric hospitals or in the community , and assessments are carried out by psychiatrists , clinical psychologists , and clinical social workers , using various methods but often relying on observation and questioning . Treatments are provided by various mental health professionals . Psychotherapy and psychiatric medication are two major treatment options . Other treatments include social interventions , peer support , and self - help . In a minority of cases there might be involuntary detention or treatment . Prevention programs have been shown to reduce depression . Common mental disorders include depression , which affects about 400 million , dementia which affects about 35 million , and schizophrenia , which affects about 21 million people globally . Stigma and discrimination can add to the suffering and disability associated with mental disorders , leading to various social movements attempting to increase understanding and challenge social exclusion . Antipsychotics also known as neuroleptics or major tranquilizers , are a class of medication primarily used to manage psychosis ( including delusions , hallucinations , paranoia or disordered thought ), principally in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder . They are increasingly being used in the management of non - psychotic disorders . Antipsychotics are usually effective in relieving symptoms of psychosis in the short term . The long - term use of antipsychotics is associated with side effects such as involuntary movement disorders and metabolic syndrome . They are also associated with increased mortality in elderly people with dementia . First - generation antipsychotics , known as typical antipsychotics , were discovered in the 1950s . Most second - generation drugs , known as atypical antipsychotics , have been developed more recently , although the first atypical antipsychotic , clozapine , was discovered in the 1960s and introduced clinically in the 1970s . Both generations of medication tend to block receptors in the brain ' s dopamine pathways , but atypicals tend to act on serotonin receptors as well . Neuroleptic , which originates from the Greek word  " neuron " (" nerve ") and  " lepsis " (" seizure " or " fit "), is a reference to neurological side effects . Medical uses . Antipsychotics are most frequently used for the following conditions : Positive psychology is the branch of psychology that uses scientific understanding and effective intervention to aid in the achievement of a satisfactory life , rather than treating mental illness . The focus of positive psychology is on personal growth rather than on ___MASK34___ , as is common among other frameworks within the field of psychology . A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in ___MASK53___ , the branch of medicine devoted to the diagnosis , prevention , study , and treatment of mental disorders . Psychiatrists are medical doctors , unlike psychologists , and must evaluate patients to determine whether their symptoms are the result of a physical illness , a combination of physical and mental ailments , or strictly psychiatric . Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by abnormal social behavior and failure to recognize what is real . Common symptoms include false beliefs , unclear or confused thinking , hearing voices , reduced social engagement and emotional expression , and a lack of motivation . People often have additional mental health problems such as major depression , anxiety disorders , or substance use disorder . Symptoms typically come on gradually , begin in young adulthood , and last a long time . The cause of schizophrenia is believed to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors . Possible environmental factors include cannabis use , poor nutrition during pregnancy , being raised in a city , parental age , and certain infections . Diagnosis is based on observed behavior and the person ' s reported experiences . During diagnosis a person ' s culture must also be taken into account . As of 2013 there is no objective test . Schizophrenia does not imply a `` split personality '' or `` multiple personality disorder '' -- a condition with which it is often confused in public perception . The mainstay of treatment is antipsychotic medication along with counseling , job training , and social rehabilitation . It is unclear if typical or atypical antipsychotics are better . In those who do not improve with other antipsychotics , clozapine may be used . In more serious cases -- where there is risk to self or others -- involuntary hospitalization may be necessary , although hospital stays are now shorter and less frequent than they once were . About 0 . 3 -- 0 . 7 % of people are affected by schizophrenia during their lifetime . In 2013 there was estimated to be 23 . 6 million cases globally . Males are more often affected than females . About 20 % of people do well and a few recover completely . Social problems , such as long - term unemployment , poverty , and homelessness are common . The average life expectancy of people with the disorder is ten to twenty five years less than the average . This is the result of increased physical health problems and a higher suicide rate ( about 5 % ) . In 2013 an estimated 16 , 000 people died from behavior related - to or caused by schizophrenia . Alcoholism , also known as alcohol use disorder ( AUD ), is a broad term for any drinking of alcohol that results in problems . It was previously divided into two types : alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence . In a medical context , alcoholism is said to exist when two or more of the following conditions is present : a person drinks large amounts over a long time period , has difficulty cutting down , acquiring and drinking alcohol takes up a great deal of time , alcohol is strongly desired , usage results in not fulfilling responsibilities , usage results in social problems , usage results in health problems , usage results in risky situations , withdrawal occurs when stopping , and alcohol tolerance has occurred with use . Risky situations include drinking and driving or having unsafe sex among others . Alcohol use can affect all parts of the body but particularly affects the brain , heart , liver , pancreas , and immune system . This can result in mental illness , Wernicke  Korsakoff syndrome , an irregular heart beat , liver failure , and an increase in the risk of cancer , among other diseases . Drinking during pregnancy can cause damage to the baby resulting in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders . Generally women are more sensitive to alcohol ' s harmful physical and mental effects than men . Both environmental factors and ___MASK87___ are associated with alcoholism with about half the risk attributed to each . A person with a parent or sibling with alcoholism is three to four times more likely to be alcoholic themselves . Environmental factors include social , cultural , and behavioral influences . High stress levels , anxiety , as well as inexpensive easily accessible alcohol increases risk . People may continue to drink partly to prevent or improve symptoms of withdrawal . A low level of withdrawal may last for months following stopping . Medically , alcoholism is considered both a physical and mental illness . Both questionnaires and certain blood tests may detect people with possible alcoholism . Further information is then collected to confirm the diagnosis . Prevention of alcoholism may be attempted by regulating and limiting the sale of alcohol , taxing alcohol to increase its cost , and providing inexpensive treatment . Treatment may take several steps . Because of the medical problems that can occur during withdrawal , alcohol detoxification should be carefully controlled . One common method involves the use of benzodiazepine medications , such as diazepam . This can be either given while admitted to a health care institution or occasionally while a person remains in the community with close supervision . Other addictions or mental illness may complicate treatment . After detoxification support such as group therapy or support groups are used to help keep a person from returning to drinking . One commonly used form of support is the group Alcoholics Anonymous . The medications acamprosate , disulfiram , or naltrexone may also be used to help prevent further drinking . The World Health Organization estimates that as of 2010 there were 208 million people with alcoholism worldwide ( 4 . 1 % of the population over 15 years of age ). In the United States about 17 million ( 7 %) of adults and 0 . 7 million ( 2 . 8 %) of those age 12 to 17 years of age are affected . It is more common among males and young adults , becoming less common in middle and old age . It is the least common in Africa at 1 . 1 % and has the highest rates in Eastern Europe at 11 %. Alcoholism directly resulted in 139 , 000 deaths in 2013 up from 112 , 000 deaths in 1990 . A total of 3 . 3 million deaths ( 5 . 9 % of all deaths ) are believed to be due to alcohol . It often reduces a person ' s life expectancy by around ten years . In the United States it resulted in economic costs of $ 224 billion USD in 2006 . Many terms , some insulting and others informal , have been used to refer to people affected by alcoholism including : tippler , drunkard , dipsomaniac , and souse . In 1979 , the World Health Organization discouraged the use of " alcoholism " due to its inexact meaning , preferring " alcohol dependence syndrome ". Signs and symptoms . Early signs . The risk of alcohol dependence begins at low levels of drinking and increases directly with both the volume of alcohol consumed and a pattern of drinking larger amounts on an occasion , to the point of intoxication , which is sometimes called " binge drinking ". Young adults are particularly at risk of engaging in binge drinking . Mental health is a level of psychological well - being , or an absence of mental illness . It is the " psychological state of someone who is functioning at a satisfactory level of emotional and behavioral adjustment ". From the perspective of positive psychology or holism , mental health may include an individual ' s ability to enjoy life , and create a balance between life activities and efforts to achieve psychological resilience . Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one ' s own death . Risk factors include mental disorders such as depression , bipolar disorder , schizophrenia , personality disorders , alcoholism , or substance misuse . Others are impulsive acts due to stress such as from financial difficulties , troubles with relationships , or from bullying . Those who have previously attempted suicide are at higher risk for future attempts . Suicide prevention efforts include limiting access to method of suicide , such as firearms and poisons , treating mental disorders and substance misuse , proper media reporting of suicide , and improving economic conditions . Although crisis hotlines are common , there is little evidence for their effectiveness . The most commonly used method of suicide varies between countries , and is partly related to the availability of effective means . Common methods include hanging , pesticide poisoning , and firearms . Suicide resulted in 842 , 000 deaths globally in 2013 ( up from 712 , 000 deaths in 1990 ). This makes it the 10th leading cause of death worldwide . Approximately 0 . 5 % to 1 . 4 % of people die by suicide , about 12 per 100 , 000 persons per year . Three quarters of suicides globally occur in the developing world . Rates of completed suicides are generally higher in men than in women , ranging from 1 . 5 times as much in the developing world to 3 . 5 times in the developed world . Suicide is generally most common among those over the age of 70 ; however , in certain countries those aged between 15 and 30 are at highest risk . There are an estimated 10 to 20 million non - fatal attempted suicides every year . Non - fatal suicide attempts may lead to injury and long - term disabilities . In the Western world , attempts are more common in young people and females . Views on suicide have been influenced by broad existential themes such as religion , honor , and the meaning of life . The Abrahamic religions traditionally consider suicide an offense towards God due to the belief in the sanctity of life . During the samurai era in Japan , a form of suicide known as seppuku was respected as a means of making up for failure or as a form of protest . Sati , a practice outlawed by the British Raj , expected the Indian widow to kill herself on her husband ' s funeral fire , either willingly or under pressure from the family and society . Suicide and attempted suicide , while previously illegal , are no longer in most Western countries . It remains a criminal offense in many countries . In the 20th and 21st centuries , suicide has been used on rare occasions as a form of protest , and kamikaze and suicide bombings have been used as a military or terrorist tactic . The word is from the Latin " suicidium ", which means " the killing of oneself ". Definitions . Suicide , also known as completed suicide , is the " act of taking one ' s own life ". Attempted suicide or non - fatal suicidal behavior is self - injury with the desire to end one ' s life that does not result in death . Assisted suicide is when one individual helps another bring about their own death indirectly via providing either advice or the means to the end . This is in contrast to euthanasia , where another person takes a more active role in bringing about a person ' s death . Suicidal ideation is thoughts of ending one ' s life but not taking any active efforts to do so .