Our daily habits and thoughts affect our overall well-being. Cognitive habits affect behavior, biology, and emotions. Behavioral health refers to the way our thoughts and habits affect our lives. This term is often confused with mental health, but they do differ. Understanding behavioral health and how it differs from mental health help a person better understand the impact habits impact their mental and physical wellbeing.
How Does Behavioral Health Differ From Mental Health?
When distinguishing between mental and behavioral health, keep in mind they don't always mean the same thing. Mental health refers to a person's psychological state, while behavioral health refers to both a person's physical health as well as their state of mind. Behavioral health care refers to focusing on patients' daily actions, behaviors, and habits that affect their physical and mental health issues.
What Are Common Behavioral Disorders?
There are a few types of behavioral disorders. The list includes dissociation disorders, anxiety disorders, and disruptive behavioral disorders. Some common behavioral disorders include:
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Panic Disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Generalized anxiety disorders
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder
- Emotional Behavior Disorder
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
These disorders often make it difficult for patients to carry out their everyday activities and healthily deal with life.
What Happens If Behavioral Disorders Go Untreated?
A person suffering from a behavioral disorder may turn to alcohol or drugs to self-medicate or to feel better. Children with behavioral disorders may become violent or act out in a disruptive manner. Depending on the type of disorder, a person may suffer in other ways.
- Suicide
- Self-harm
- Isolation
- Violence
- Questioning authority
- Anger issues
- Blaming others
The way a person with a behavioral disorder behaves greatly depends on the individual and the symptoms the person is struggling to cope with.
What Are Treatment Options For Behavioral Disorders?
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a common tool used to treat behavioral disorders. The therapy consists of talk sessions as the therapist engages the patient to discuss feelings. Along with therapy, behavioral health care includes medications. This can include anxiety medications and those to treat ADHD. The treatment plan often involves other options as well, such as family psychoeducation, interpersonal psychotherapy, relaxation training, and social skills training. A behavioral health care service can assess patients to determine a treatment plan based on the patient's needs.
Behavioral health is essential to our wellbeing, and suffering from behavioral health prevents patients from living their best life. Treatments are available, so no one has to deal with mental or physical health issues alone.
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