Mental Health and Behavioral Health
The classification of behavioral health and mental health has been getting a lot of attention as of late among both medical professionals and the media. There are dozens, if not hundreds of articles out there providing conflicting information further complicating how we classify many of the disorders and diseases such as depression or anxiety.
While the debate continues on for the classification of many diseases and disorders, the main focus at Carolina Dunes Behavioral Health remains caring for and helping our patients get the help they need to get better.
Mental Health
Mental health disorders are often times biological or neurological issues a person is born with. To prevent these issues interfering with everyday life, most people require treatment in order to manage these ongoing personal challenges related to specific disorders and diseases.
Treatment for mental health disorders can come in the form of medication, psychological therapy, and in many cases, a combination of the two.
Below is a list of examples related to the field of Mental Health.
- Addictions
- Autism
- ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Addictions: Alcohol and Substance Abuse
- Anxiety Disorders
- Bipolar Disorder
- Conversion Disorders
- Depression: Major Depression and Unipolar Varieties
- Childhood Mental Disorders and Illnesses
- Eating Disorders
- Dissociative Disorders
- Impulse Control Disorders
- Internet Addiction and Media Issues
- Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders
- Personality Disorders
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Sexual Disorders
- Suicide
- Tourette’s and Other Tic Disorders
Behavioral Health
According to the experts at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Behavioral Health is classified as “a state of mental/emotional being and/or choices and actions that affect wellness. Behavioral health problems include substance abuse or misuse, alcohol and drug addiction, serious psychological distress, suicide, and mental and substance use disorders.”
Disorders listed under Behavioral Health tend to fall under the personal decisions an individual makes, or decisions others make that affect someone else. These decisions can be prompted by significant life events such as getting injured in a car accident, losing the life of a family member or friend, getting bullied at the playground as a child, or another event that results in a person having a hard time managing their feelings and emotions.
A person struggling with his or her behavioral health may encounter:
- Stress
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Relationship problems
- Grief
- Addiction
- Mood disorders
- Other psychological concerns
Oftentimes, a disease and disorder can be both classified as a behavioral health and mental health disorder. This can further confuse people trying to understand and treat particular diseases and disorders. With time, medical professionals will come to agreement under which category particular diseases and disorders are categorized. Until that time comes, it’s important to remember the main focus should continue to be on proper treatment.