Most common mental disorders can adversely affect the bodies of developing children, with some disorders adversely affecting the elderly. Mental disorders can be caused by infection, trauma, with some disorders stemming from brain imbalances and genetic disparities. The more common mental disorders tend to be clinical depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, and autism.
Clinical depression is a common disorder that has relatively obscure causes. Reports have noted that the cause may stem from a chemical imbalance in the brain; however, many studies mark this as a mere theory. Symptoms of clinical depression tends to manifest itself as consistent gloom, sadness, and melancholic thoughts. Individuals who are disproportionally at a greater risk of being affected are people who have gone through divorce, death, or extreme emotional or physical anguish.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is also part of a family of common mental disorders with no clear causes. It has been noted to increase with individuals who have suffered from head trauma or a brain infection. The disorder is characterized by unwanted and repeated thought processes that become static, often showing up as erratic behavior. An individual who is affected with OCD has to carry out repeated actions to temporarily relieve himself of anxiety, with chronic anxiety attacks ensuing if he does not perform the particular action. A large proportion of OCD sufferers also have tics, suggesting that the disorder may stem from Tourette’s syndrome.
Common mental disorders, like schizophrenia, are caused by genetic abnormalities. The disorder seems to be prolific with families that have generational schizophrenia sufferers. Many doctors theorize that schizophrenia is caused by environmental effects, like an infection inside of a developing womb. Individuals affected with the disorder are noted to have a difficulty separating real life from their imaginations, making it difficult for them to think logically or prosper in social interactions. Schizophrenia often manifests itself in later stages of life, with affected children often being mistaken in having have autism instead.
Autism is one of the most common mental disorders among children. The mental disorder has been noted to stem from abnormal biological function and chemistry imbalances in the brain. Genetics also seem to play a part in the manifestation of autism, with identical twins being more like to be born with autism when compared to non-identical twins. Difficulty in participating in pretend play and having stunted communication skills tend to be early manifestation of autism in a child.