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theleadingphysiciansofthewo-blog · 6 years

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Illness and Disability

When the subject of disability comes in our conversations or thoughts, we mainly think of disabilities caused by an affliction or physical ailment. Illnesses such as heart disorders, arthritis and back illnesses are certainly the major cause of long term disability. However, mental illness has become a leading cause of disability in U.S and other nations around the globe. According to statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health, a huge percentage of U.S citizens ranging from age 15 and above suffer disabilities caused by mental illnesses.

This shows that a big number of people in the U.S and other regions of the world are affected by mental illnesses such as mood disorders, depression, dementia, schizophrenia, psychotic disorders and anxiety disorders. The number of people living with disabilities as a result of mental illnesses continues to rise in the U.S as many are filling for disability benefits due to mental disorders or illnesses.

Mental Illnesses Causing Disability

1. Schizophrenia and psychotic disorders

Schizophrenia is a very serious psychotic disorder that is characterized by difficulty in interacting socially in a normal manner, thinking logically, control behavior and distinguishing between hallucinations and reality. Schizophrenia is a broad spectrum disorder meaning that it has a range of symptoms varying between different people especially when we compare their responses to treatment. Though some people can respond to medications and resume with their daily chores normally, many others do not.

Schizophrenia is a common psychotic disorder that has been listed by Social Security as a disability. Other types of schizophrenia or psychotic disorders that qualify the benefits of disability include:

schizoaffective disorder

· delusional disorder

· schizotypal or personality disorder

· substance abuse or medication related psychotic disorder

· Psychotic disorder as a result of underlying medical condition.

Psychotic disorders and schizophrenia become a disability when an individual suffers the following:

· Hallucinations or delusions

· Disorganized thinking such as illogical thoughts, disorganized thinking and disorganized speech.

· Intense disorganized behavior also known as catatonia that causes unresponsive and rigid muscles and inappropriate actions.

· Emotional isolation and also withdrawal from social interaction.

Psychotic disorders may have the following limitations which qualify it them to become a disability:

· Interacting with other people

· Remembering or understanding information

· Concentrating or maintaining a task pace

· Managing oneself or adapting to change

2. Anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorder is another chronic mental illness that can cause disability affecting people in their daily work, social routines and school work. Anxiety disorders can be grouped into three major categories:

· Social anxiety- Social anxiety of social phobia is a form of anxiety where its victims experience crippling anxiety when they face day-to-day social interactions. Its symptoms include fear interacting with people, making an eye contact with workers or strangers, and fear of being judged or embarrassed.

· Panic disorder- Panic disorder also known as agoraphobia is a type of anxiety that is characterized:

o Increased fear of being in certain situations or places such as being in a crowded area, being in a public place, taking a bus or being out of your home compound.

o Panic attacks followed by worry or persistent concerns about consequences you bear having another attack in the future.

· General anxiety disorder- This is a type of anxiety disorder characterized by symptoms such as muscle tension, restlessness, irritability, sleeping disturbance, difficulty concentrating, and fatigue.

Disability and anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders may become a disability if a person experience extreme limitations in one or two of the following areas:

· Interacting with others using appropriate behaviors

· Persisting or concentrating at tasks. Sometimes being unable to complete tasks

· Managing oneself such as regulating emotions, controlling your behavior and adapting to change.

· Understanding or remembering information such as learning new things, understanding instructions and applying new experience or knowledge to work.

3. Mood Disorders/Depression

Mood disorders are other medical conditions that have been seen to be forms of disabilities. Depression is a major type of mood disorders with others being dysthymia and persistent depressive disorder. Almost all mood disorders are characterized by symptoms such as a feeling of hopelessness, inadequacy groom and sadness. In addition to these symptoms, a person with mood disorders may suffer decreased energy levels, fatigue and a feeling of restlessness. People with depression may experience loss of interest in some things a condition called anhedonia. In such a condition someone may have limited ability to complete tasks at work.

Several people suffer depression associated with painful situations such as death of loved ones and divorce but this is situational depression and is short-lived. However, people who have repeated issues triggering depression especially on daily bases that last for weeks, they suffer intense depression that affect their ability to cope with daily responsibilities. If a person cannot perform his daily tasks normally due to mood disorders then it becomes a case of disability.

4. Eating disorders

Many people think that eating disorders are common for those with physical disabilities though this is false. Eating disorders can occur in anyone, affecting his or her ability to perform what others can. We usually look at ourselves and compare our images with those in the media, and this can have a negative influence on body esteem. People with disabilities know their bodies have no physical ability to do what normal people can. They have a feeling of fear, shame and inadequacy. Eating disorder can be a disability when it punishes your body for failing to do what others do with ease.

Typically, individuals who struggle with eating disorders have heard hardly positive feedback about their bodies and physical abilities. Such people often have a feeling of body disconnection as well as shame regarding their body weakness. Negative remarks about people with eating disorders leave them feeling they don’t deserve the same rights or care.

5. Dementia

Dementia is another mental condition that is characterized by memory loss, problems solving life issues, communication problems as a result of memory loss. People with dementia can also suffer mood disorders and changed behaviors that affect their ability to do or complete tasks at work. Dementia is a neural degenerative and progressive condition which means its symptoms get worse with time. In some stages of dementia some people are totally disabled lacking the ability to reason, think logically, make life decisions, learn, and understand information. At some points, dementia becomes a condition that requires one to have a caregiver.

#health #healthcare #Illness and Disability

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heathertruitt · 6 years

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Alpha Brain Review: nootropic will improve your mind?

Alpha Brain is a nootropic supplement claiming to improve mental function.

The formula is geared around improving memory, increasing focus and supporting processing time when undertaking tasks – no matter how difficult or complex they may be.

This Alpha Brain review will help you decide whether this natural nootropic is a good option for your needs.

Attention Alpha Brain readers: Click here for our #1 rated nootropics supplement

Benefits

Alpha Brain is devised to support the mind during your busy lifestyle.

The blend does not include caffeine and is packed with natural ingredients, amino acids and essential compounds to keep the brain healthy and functioning at its best.

The formula of Alpha Brain consists of the following benefits for the mind:

Memory Support

Our memory is key to our identity. If we were unable to remember who we are, where we live or how to avoid danger, we would not be able to survive let alone thrive.

In the simplest biological terms, memory is a complex collection of coded connections within our brains. The neurons (brains cells which receive signals) involved in the previous experience fire up again in synchronisation to recreate the original memory.

Memory is made up of two parts: short term and long term.

The short term memory deals with ideas, actions and decision making in the present moment. The long term memory is where our learned behaviour and records of past experiences is stored. (1)

This ability to effectively recall past experiences and learned behaviour is very important to your productivity and success in many areas of life.

Unfortunately, memory is known to decline with age. Alpha Brain includes ingredients to support memory and improve your efficiency. This ensures you are able to work at your optimum during work and play.

Increased Focus

Many tasks in life require us to maintain constant attention and effort in order to attain great results in the shortest time.

Focus is a cognitive skill that helps you to stay attentive, overcome hesitation, and not be distracted while completing your work or reaching goals.

This skill can be very hard to master, especially nowadays as we live in a busy, noisy world filled with potential distraction.

Feeling stressed and overwhelmed by your schedule can also contribute in inability to focus. (2)

Alpha Brain contains focus boosting and stress busting ingredients that work together to promote the calmness and focus you need to better achieve your goals.

Faster Processing Speed

It sounds like a selling point of the latest computer, but processing speed is something our brains can struggle with too.

Processing speed means exactly what it says, it is the speed at which we can absorb new information, decide what to do with it, and then undertake the response.

Scientific research has found that our brain processing speed varies with our age; increasing rapidly from childhood to our teenage years, remaining around that level until middle age, and then slowly declining. (3)

It goes without saying, supporting the processing speed of your brain will assist you in being your best, most efficient self in all areas of life.

Alpha Brain uses ingredients with this idea in mind, it helps to keep the brain’s processors on top form.

Ingredients

Now we have discussed the benefits of Alpha Brain, we can take a closer look at the most influential ingredients of the formula:

L-Tyrosine

L-tyrosine is an amino acid vital for synthesis of proteins and also many essential neurotransmitters such as dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine.

Neurotransmitters are chemical compounds which our brain cells use to transfer messages and communicate with each other. (4)

Dopamine is sometimes known as the ‘motivation molecule’ as it is responsible for drive and the need to feel successful. It also plays a role in motor control, sleep, learning and mood. (5)

Norepinephrine and epinephrine are commonly referred to as adrenaline. This neurotransmitter activates our “fight or flight response” when we feel we are in danger.

If we have low levels of norepinephrine this can result in depression and ADHD, whereas if we have too much this can result in anxiety. (6, 7)

L-tyrosine can enhance memory, focus, mood, attention and drive, as well as the suppression of anxiety.

Research shows that it can also support creative thinking and our ability to effectively switch back and forth between different tasks. (8, 9)

L-Theanine

Another amino acid, l-theanine improves the ability to focus by relaxing the mind and allowing the clearing of any present ‘brain fog’.

L-theanine is so effective at inducing relaxation it can create a meditative or zen like mental state. It is believed to have this impact because it affects the production of certain brain waves known as ‘alpha waves’. (10)

Alpha waves are usually recorded during the pre-sleep stage when you are deeply relaxed with eyes closed but are not yet fully asleep.

L-theanine is effective at eliminating distracting and stressful thoughts which can destroy your ability to focus.

Oat Straw

Oat straw is an extract taken from the oat plant when it is still in its pre-grain or ‘milky’ stage.

It has been used as a behavioural remedy since the middle ages, usually in the treatment of skin disorders or depression.

Oat straw is clinically proven to alleviate stress and tiredness, which can therefore improve cognitive performance. (11)

Cat’s Claw

Cat’s claw comes from a woody vine that grows in the Amazon rainforest. It dates back to Inca times as an effective natural remedy for a wide variety of ills.

Long term inflammation in the brain can lead to depression and dementia. As it’s an effective antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, Cat’s Claw defends the brain from inflammation and associated damage.

Cat’s Claw also reduces the build up of amyloid plaques (damaging proteins to brain cells) associated with Alzheimer’s Disease. (12)

Bacopa Extract

Bacopa is a herbal remedy used for centuries in Chinese and Indian medicine.

It has a balancing effect upon the body and mind, promoting calmness and focus. It is recognised as a beneficial treatment for stress, anxiety and attention issues, also boosting the learning ability of users. (13)

Bacopa can also defend the brain from degenerative diseases later occurring later in life. (14)

Huperzia Serrata

Huperzia serrata is a rare herb originating from China. It contains an alkaloid known as huperzine A, which has powerful inhibitive properties upon certain enzymes. (15)

This is important because these enzymes also break down a crucial messenger cell, acetylcholine, which the brain needs to transmit signals between both the brain and around the body.

If levels of acetylcholine are reduced, it also lowers cognitive activity.

By blocking the enzymes, huperzine A protects levels of acetylcholine and therefore supports mental ability. (16)

Phosphatidylserine

Phosphatidylserine is a kind of lipid or fat which is widely present in brain cells. It is a type of phospholipid, which means it provides structural support to cell walls. (17)

Phosphatidylserine makes up 15% of all phospholipids found in brain cells. (18)

These lipids break down as we get older. Therefore, maintaining adequate availability is useful for supporting brain health and function as we age. (19)

Pterostilbene

Pterostilbene is a concentrated antioxidant providing many benefits for brain health.

Antioxidants help protect the body from damage caused by molecules known as free radicals. (20)

Free radicals are “unstable” or “incomplete” molecules, which means they travel the body looking for chemicals to “steal” from other cells to complete themselves. This is how they cause damage. (21)

Clinical studies have shown pterostilbene can enhance cognitive function and is likely to be supportive in treatment of age related mental illnesses such as Alzheimer’s. (22)

Side Effects

In terms of side effects, it would appear Alpha Brain is generally well tolerated. The fact it doesn’t contain any caffeine eliminates a common offender.

Although, when examining the ingredients independently there is a potential risk of the following mild reactions: headaches, nausea and graphic dreams.

Recommended Dosage

The recommended dosage of Alpha Brain is two capsules per day, preferably with a light meal.

FAQ

What is Alpha Brain?

Alpha Brain is a nootropic supplement aiming to improve memory, focus, processing speed and general cognitive health.

How to take Alpha Brain?

Two capsules of Alpha Brain should be taken per day with a light meal.

Who should use Alpha Brain?

Alpha Brain is for those who feel they need mental support to help them manage focus and attention effectively. This could be dealing with a large workload during a stressful period at work, or making sure you are performing at your best in your chosen sport.

How much does Alpha Brain cost?

30 capsules of Alpha Brain retails at $34.95. 60 capsules cost $59.88 and 90 capsules cost $79.95.

Is Alpha Brain legal?

Yes, Alpha Brain is legal.

Is Alpha Brain safe?

Yes, Alpha Brain is safe to take.

Where to buy Alpha Brain?

Alpha Brain can be purchased from the official website, Amazon, or other online health stores.

Does Alpha Brain really work?

The ingredients in Alpha Brain have been subjected to clinical studies and have proven their effectiveness.

Are there any Alpha Brain alternatives?

Some Alpha Brain alternatives with similar claims are ‘Provasil’ and ‘Noocube’.

Summary

Alpha Brain is an interesting supplement that appears to have strong scientific backing with regards to effectiveness.

We like how all of the ingredients have been chosen specifically to support both health and performance of the mind.

As more and more of us are feeling the pressure and stress of modern life, it can seem as if our minds barely take a break from work or technology.

Alpha Brain appears to be a promising aid for stamping out mental strain, helping you to maintain focus and sustain optimum levels – whatever the situation.

Attention Alpha Brain readers: Click here for our #1 rated nootropics supplement

https://bodynutrition.org/alpha-brain/

https://bodynutritionorg.wordpress.com/2018/07/10/alpha-brain-review-nootropic-will-improve-your-mind/

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