Encyclopedia of Health and Medicine

358 Psychiatric Disorders and Psychologic Conditions
logic causes for symptoms. Loss of inhibition, for
example, may occur as a consequence of STROKE,
ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE, or BRAIN TUMOR. There is a
high correlation between untreated HYPOTHY-
ROIDISM and bipolar disorder. When the doctor can
eliminate physical causes, the emphasis shifts to
psychologic evaluation to identify the disorder.
Because many psychologic conditions and psychiatric
disorders have overlapping symptoms, distinguishing
among them is often a challenge.
In the United States most providers and insurance
companies follow the diagnostic criteria and
treatment algorithms detailed in the American
Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders, commonly called the
DSM. The current version of the DSM includes a
Roman numeral in the title to differentiate it from
previous versions; for example, DSM-IV indicates
the fourth version. Though other diagnostic criteria
and treatment methods are available and valid,
the DSM reflects the conventional perspective and
is widely accepted as the standard.
Treatment and Outlook for
Psychiatric Disorders and Psychologic Conditions
The mainstays of treatment for psychiatric disorders
and psychologic conditions are medications
and therapy. As is the case with numerous physical
health conditions, treatment often cannot cure
the condition and so aims to instead manage
symptoms. A person who has HYPERTENSION (high
BLOOD PRESSURE) often needs lifelong antihypertensive
medications and lifestyle modifications to
support cardiovascular health (such as WEIGHT LOSS
AND WEIGHT MANAGEMENT and nutritious EATING
HABITS). This therapeutic approach regulates the
body’s functions in regard to BLOOD pressure
though does not end the underlying factors causing
the hypertension. Likewise, a person who has
bipolar disorder may need lifelong mood stabilizing
medications in combination with PSYCHOTHER-
APY and lifestyle measures to limit exacerbations of
symptoms.
Combinations of different types of medications
are common because the boundaries of many
mental disorders are not clear cut and the biochemical
functions that underlie them are similar.
Both depression and anxiety often respond to
treatment with selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants, for example,
even though they present different symptoms. As
well, some mental disorders, such as SCHIZOPHRENIA
and bipolar disorder, have multiple components
that often require different types of medication to
moderate symptoms.
Because most psychiatric disorders and psychologic
conditions result from multiple factors,
including genetic and physiologic, there is usually
no way to prevent them from occurring. Many
conditions respond to treatment to manage symptoms
so that the condition has a negligible effect
on the person’s QUALITY OF LIFE. Some short-term,
reactive, or narrowly defined conditions such as
BRIEF REACTIVE PSYCHOSIS, POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DIS-
ORDER (PTSD), or certain phobias are curable with
appropriate treatment.