According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), selective mutism is diagnosed in individuals who fail to speak when expected to during social interaction. He or she may speak normally at home and with immediate family with ease, but usually not with even close friends or extended family. This failure to speak or interact is often due to high social anxiety. Children with this disorder will refuse to speak at school, making it difficult for their teachers to measure how well they are learning and if they’re on track with their grade level. Sometimes individuals with selective mutism try to overcompensate for this hindrance by using unspoken or nonverbal means, such as pointing and writing, to communicate. Criteria Used to Diagnose Selective Mutism DSM-5 312.23 (F94.0) The individual fails to speak when spoken to or expected to in social situations, like at school This shortcoming interferes with the individual’s education, … [Read more...]
Restless Legs Syndrome: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment DSM-5 333.94 (G25.81)
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is characterized by an urge to move the legs or arms in response to uncomfortable feelings like creeping, tingling, burning, and itching. The diagnosis of this sensorimotor, neurological sleep disorder is primarily based on the patient’s self-report and history. He or she experiences worse sensations at rest and at night and attempts to relieve them with frequent movement. However, in extreme cases, individuals may find no relief from the symptoms even with repeated movement. RLS can sometimes be confused with simpler explanations. These include leg cramps, positional discomfort, arthritis, leg edema, myalgia, and habitual foot tapping. Additionally, muscle cramps, joint limitation, and other physical abnormalities do not point to RLS. Criteria Used for Diagnosing Restless Legs Syndrome DSM-5 333.94 (G25.81) It is important an individual pays close attention to their symptoms so they can be compared with the diagnostic criteria as outlined in the … [Read more...]
What are the Symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress?
Following a traumatic event, some people experience Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS). PTS is not Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The latter occurs when an individual experiences persistent and significant symptoms of post-traumatic stress for a minimum of one month. It’s easy to confuse PTS and PTSD because of the similar names, and there is considerable overlap in the symptoms between the two conditions. Both are associated with feeling fearful and/or nervous, avoiding the activity or place associated with the traumatic event, and nightmares. However, there are significant differences in symptom intensity, duration and treatment. PTS is a common and often adaptive response to experiencing a traumatic or stressful event, such as a car accident or the more unusual events of military combat or kidnapping. Nearly everyone who faces a scary situation will display at least a few signs of PST, because the brain is hard-wired to tell the body to tense the muscles, breathe faster and … [Read more...]
Low Sexual Desire Disorder: Overcoming Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder and Sexual Aversion Disorder
Scenarios of Low Sexual Desire Disorder 1) When Virginia learned about sex from her mother, the message was that sex is dirty and an obligation that women have to their husbands. Virginia believed that “good girls” don’t have sex unless they “have to” and don’t enjoy it when they must do it. She grew up ingrained with her mother’s skewed attitude toward sex. Now that she’s married, Virginia avoids sex with her husband as much as she can. 2) Mary is in her 40s and has experienced her husband turning his back on her in the bedroom. While she is annoyed at her husband for “shutting her out” in the bedroom, she feels that it’s not something she can talk about openly. Counselors who work with couples can provide further insight into the challenges in the bedroom. Women like Mary have many emotions when their husbands dismiss their advances—everything from rejection to frustration. It can cause major issues that put distance in the relationship. While men experience the same emotions … [Read more...]
Addiction Counseling: Facts for Overcoming Alcoholism, Substance Abuse
Am I an Addict? John was infamous for how many beers he could drink without experiencing any apparent effects. He spent several nights each week at the bar and his friends had seen him drunk several times recently. He was just arrested for a DUI. Katherine always loved Bingo games. No one really thought much about it until a family member discovered her children home alone one evening while Katherine was out at the casino. Addiction Counseling: Definitions and Key Thoughts Addiction involves having a dependence on a substance (i.e., alcohol, marijuana, prescription or nonprescription drugs) or an activity (i.e., shopping, gambling). It can be either a physical (as in the case of most drugs) or psychological (as in the case of most activities) compulsion to use the substance of activity as a way to cope with everyday life. Addiction is a habitual behavior that is extremely difficult to control and leads to activities that are designed solely to continue or cover up the … [Read more...]