Memory and Mental Health Disorders
Mental Health Disorders Rising
More People Than You Realize suffer With a Memory or Mental Health Disorder
Each year:
- One in 24 people has a serious mental illness.
- One in 12 people has a diagnosed substance abuse disorder.
- One in 10 people have Alzheimer’s dementia.
- One in five experiences some form of mental illness in the United States.
Often family members with medical conditions also have mental health diagnoses. The opposite is also true. Therefore, it is important to understand the nature of both type of illnesses and how to cope with them in providing care.
In the Mental Health section, I provide a brief overview of some of the more common mental health diagnoses. The information provided came primarily from the CDC, the National Institute of Mental Health or the National Mental Health Association. Any of these sites can give you more detail. The following additional informational topical are covered:
Memory disorders are all grouped under the broad term of dementia, including Alzheimer’s. There are several types. The Memory Disorders page reviews dementias, Alzheimer’s and Dissociative disorders.
Learning Disability
Learning Disorders fall under intellectual disabilities as a subgroup. Having a learning disorder means that a child has difficulty in one or more areas of learning. The learning limitation, however, has no impact on overall intelligence or motivation to learn. Examples of common learning disorders include:
- Dyslexia – difficulty with reading
- Dyscalculia – difficulty with math
- Dysgraphia – difficulty with writing
Developmental Disabilities
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, developmental disabilities are a “group of conditions due to an impairment in physical, learning, language or behavior areas.” They begin in early childhood during the development phase of life and continue throughout the lifespan. Children with developmental disabilities do not reach certain developmental milestones as quickly or sometimes ever as compared to other children their same age.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. Although scientists do not know exactly what causes these differences, known causes include genetic conditions as well as environmental, chemical, and other factors.
There is often nothing about how people with ASD look that sets them apart from other people. However, they may communicate, interact, behave, and learn in ways that are different from most other people. The learning, thinking, and problem-solving abilities of people with ASD can range from gifted to severely challenged. Some people with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives; others need less.
Intellectual Disabilities
An injury, disease, or problem in the brain occurring before birth or after birth up to eighteen usually cause intellectual disabilities. Individuals with intellectual disabilities struggle when trying to learn new things or communicate their thoughts or needs.
An injury, disease, or problem in the brain occurring before birth or after birth up to eighteen usually cause intellectual disabilities. Individuals with intellectual disabilities struggle when trying to learn new things or communicate their thoughts or needs.