The concept of disorder explains that it is a joint alteration of the apparently normal conditions of an organism. To know what a disorder is, you have to talk about the alterations and disturbances that affect a person's daily functions. In the branch of psychology, there are different disorders, such as mental ones, which reflect an imbalance in a person's psyche. There are also food, sleep, etc. Each and every one of these disorders will be described in the development of this post.
What is a disorder
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This word can be used in different areas, for example, in health, it is about a psychological and mental alteration or alienation that radically changes people's behavior. It can also refer to the drastic change in the operational functioning of an object or a process.
Generally, when a disorder is mentioned, reference is made to psychological imbalances, these are based on mental disorders that some subjects of the world population may suffer. These have psychotherapy treatments and are very helpful for patients.
These can be congenital, developed by brain-type abnormalities, by entities external to people, or simply by biological issues. It is also possible to speak of physical disorders, which are closely related to psychological ones, because these lead to the origin of physical ones.
At this point, it is not difficult at all to determine what a disorder is, but it is necessary to take into account the different characteristics that surround it, its types and the risks that these can cause in the daily lives of people who suffer from them.
Elementary characteristics of a disorder
Every disease, object and even processes have a series of characteristics that individualize them and in the case of disorders, it is exactly the same. The first elementary characteristic is concern at the body level, there are cardiac alterations and excessive sweating, this is motivated by the suspicion that something is not right in the body. The second characteristic is denial or fear of knowing that you have a disorder (regardless of its type). Here two aspects can be presented, both totally valid and variable according to the person.
The first is the absolute denial of visiting doctors and specialists, in this way, they avoid confirming that they have a disease. The second is the repetitive medical consultation to rule out not one, but several diseases or irregularities, or simply look for different options to be totally sure that there is an alteration. Finally, there is the conviction that a disorder is suffered even when there are no symptoms to verify that. This can lead to other difficult-to-treat psychological disorders. It is always advisable to visit a doctor to improve the quality of life.
Types of Disorder
As mentioned before, these are classified according to their types. There is no similarity in them, there are certain individualizing aspects that define them and isolate them from the rest.
Mental disorders
These have a psychological genesis. Currently, it is one of the most common diseases worldwide, in fact, it is said that 8 out of 10 people may be suffering from mental disorders. In this aspect is depression, anxiety and stress. It is normal to feel the need to know how to identify an imbalance of this type, well, symptoms such as:
- Emotional (sadness, apathy, fear).
- Cognitive (There is total or partial difficulty in concentration, memory loss, beliefs out of context).
- Behavioral (aggressiveness and abuse of chemicals).
- Severe alterations in perception (visual and auditory hallucinations).
Another important point in how to identify an imbalance like this is that it usually generates a chain reaction of other alterations, for example, when suffering from one of the 3 most serious mental disorders mentioned above, you can also suffer other alterations that will be explained then:
Eating disorders
These are diseases that directly affect stomach behavior, being able to reduce at least 60% of the daily appetite. People with eating imbalances lose weight in a short time, in addition to creating a pattern of eating, vomiting, eating. These disorders include anorexia and bulimia. If you want to know how to identify this condition, you should take into account that the fear of gaining weight is an essential characteristic, as well as irritability, body weakness and feelings that range from guilt to shame.
Another important aspect to add to the list of how to identify a disorder is the behavior of the person and their environment, as this generates another alteration such as the following:
Communication disorders
These are language and speech problems that hinder or limit oral communication or function. These are generally known for problems transmitting feelings and thoughts, therefore, here Autism, stuttering, oppressive language and expressive and receptive language can be perfectly named. These disorders can be treated from an early age, but not all can be cured.
Developmental disorders
These are more severe problems than the previous ones, since they involve physical diseases that impede, to some extent, the motor functions of an individual. These can last for long periods of time, some can be cured by surgical interventions but a fairly strict follow-up must be done. Some of these disorders are visual diseases (blindness), learning disabilities and, in extreme (and incurable) cases, Down syndrome.
Sleep disorder
Here we talk about abnormal behaviors before, during and after sleeping. Sleep disorders are associated with problems resting, falling asleep at inappropriate hours, sleeping too much, or staying without sleep for long periods of time. Examples of such imbalances are insomnia (lack of sleep), idiopathic hypersomnia (you sleep through the night and 4 hours during the day) and recurrent hypersomnia (you sleep for 3 uninterrupted days).
Endocrine disorders
These physical imbalances affect a considerable number of glands in the human body. Endocrine disorders affect the thyroid, adrenal, pituitary, and pancreas. The affection in one or in all these glands generates drastic changes in the body and in the minds of the patients, so, once again, one disorder can cause another. These alterations can be treated, but the symptoms tend to vary too much, so it is advisable to see a doctor.
Post-traumatic stress disorders
This type of disorder is caused by a really terrifying situation, which could be traffic accidents or physical or psychological violence. In these it does not matter if the person has experienced the trauma or has simply witnessed it, the consequences are practically immediate and the symptoms tend to vary between nightmares, hallucinations, irrevocable fear of certain places, elements or people and recurring thoughts about the event that originated the trauma.
There are situations that generate short-term post-traumatic stress trauma, but there are also others that are more complicated and delicate, in this sense, it is imperative to go to a doctor to prevent the patient from experiencing other types of mental problems and their consequences.