There are three main categories of mental health disorders that caregivers may encounter: anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and mood disorders. Anxiety disorders involve excessive and uncontrollable worry that makes daily life difficult. Schizophrenia is a severe disorder that typically emerges in late teens to thirties and can cause delusions, hallucinations, and paranoia. Mood disorders include bipolar disorder and depression, with depression commonly affecting adults and older adults and often being treatable through medication.

1. MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS As a professional caregiver, you may at times be asked to work with individuals who are dealing with mental health disorders.

3. All of us experience anxiety from time to time. A person with an anxiety disorder will have such a high level of anxiety that coping with life’s challenges may be too difficult. Anxiety Disorders A person with an anxiety disorder may use a variety of coping mechanisms, some of which might be harmful to the person or to others.

4. PANIC DISORDER PHOBIAS POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER

5. Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a severe, chronic and disabling mental health disorder. It typically begins in the late teens to the twenties or thirties. As they age, individuals with schizophrenia may look a lot like a person with Alzheimer’s disease. Many of the same tools work with these individuals—distraction, humor, reassurance and not challenging their reality.

6. DELUSIONS HALLUCINATIONS PSYCHOSIS PARANOIA

7. Mood Disorders Mood disorders typically include bi-polar disorder (what we used to call manic-depressive disorder) and serious depression. Serious depression occurs in many adults, including older adults. It can frequently be very successfully treated with medication.

8. HIGH ENERGY RACING THOUGHTS IRRITABILITY RESTLESSNESS

9. HOPELESSNESS LOSS OF INTEREST DECREASED ENERGY SUICIDAL THOUGHTS