Mental illness names and meanings

Types of mental health issues and illnesses

Mental illness is a general term for a group of illnesses that may include symptoms that can affect a person’s thinking, perceptions, mood or behaviour. Mental illness can make it difficult for someone to cope with work, relationships and other demands. The relationship between stress and mental illness is complex, but it is known that stress can worsen an episode of mental illness. Most people can manage their mental illness with medication, counselling or both.This page lists some of the more common mental health issues and mental illnesses.

Anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders is a group of mental health disorders that includes generalised anxiety disorders, social phobias, specific phobias (for example, agoraphobia and claustrophobia), panic disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder. Untreated, anxiety disorders can lead to significant impairment on people’s daily lives.

For more information see: Anxiety disorders.

Behavioural and emotional disorders in children

Common behaviour disorders in children include oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), conduct disorder (CD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Treatment for these mental health disorders can include therapy, education and medication.

For more information see: Behavioural disorders in children.

Bipolar affective disorder

Bipolar affective disorder is a type of mood disorder, previously referred to as ‘manic depression’. A person with bipolar disorder experiences episodes of mania (elation) and depression. The person may or may not experience psychotic symptoms. The exact cause is unknown, but a genetic predisposition has been clearly established. Environmental stressors can also trigger episodes of this mental illness.

For more information see: Bipolar disorder.

Depression

Depression is a mood disorder characterised by lowering of mood, loss of interest and enjoyment, and reduced energy. It is not just feeling sad. There are different types and symptoms of depression. There are varying levels of severity and symptoms related to depression. Symptoms of depression can lead to increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviours.

For more information see: Depression.

Dissociation and dissociative disorders

Dissociation is a mental process where a person disconnects from their thoughts, feelings, memories or sense of identity. Dissociative disorders include dissociative amnesia, dissociative fugue, depersonalisation disorder and dissociative identity disorder.

For more information see: Dissociation and dissociative disorders.

Eating disorders

Eating disorders include anorexia, bulimia nervosa and other binge eating disorders. Eating disorders affect females and males and can have serious psychological and physical consequences.

For more information see: Eating disorders.

Obsessive compulsive disorder

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder. Obsessions are recurrent thoughts, images or impulses that are intrusive and unwanted. Compulsions are time-consuming and distressing repetitive rituals. Treatments include cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), and medications.

For more information see: Obsessive compulsive disorder.

Paranoia

Paranoia is the irrational and persistent feeling that people are ‘out to get you’. Paranoia may be a symptom of conditions including paranoid personality disorder, delusional (paranoid) disorder and schizophrenia. Treatment for paranoiainclude medications and psychological support.

For more information see: Paranoia.

Post-traumatic stress disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop as a response to people who have experienced any traumatic event. This can be a car or other serious accident, physical or sexual assault, war-related events or torture, or natural disasters such as bushfires or floods.

For more information see: Post-traumatic stress disorder.

Psychosis

People affected by psychosis can experience delusions, hallucinations and confused thinking.. Psychosis can occur in a number of mental illnesses, including drug-induced psychosis, schizophrenia and mood disorders. Medication and psychological support can relieve, or even eliminate, psychotic symptoms.

For more information see: Psychosis.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a complex psychotic disorder characterised by disruptions to thinking and emotions, and a distorted perception of reality. Symptoms of schizophrenia vary widely but may include hallucinations, delusions, thought disorder, social withdrawal, lack of motivation and impaired thinking and memory. People with schizophrenia have a high risk of suicide. Schizophrenia is not a split personality.

For more information see: Schizophrenia.

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Alphabetical Listing of Psychological Disorders & Mental Illness

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This alphabetical list of Mental Disorders, also called Psychological Disorders, Psychiatric Disorders, and Mental Illnesses has been gathered from a wide variety of sources including the DSM-IV, DSM 5, ICD-10 Chapter V, and online resources including the Wikipedia page on mental disorders. While we have attempted to make this a complete alphabetical list of mental illnesses, including those that are no longer recognized in either the DSM 5 and ICD-10 Chapter V; there are often local disorders that we are not aware of. There are also older disorders that we have made educated guesses based on our own research. If you see that we’re missing something, please contact us and let us know. List of Psychological Disorders | Substance Abuse Disorders | Childhood Disorders

Alphabetical List Of

Mental Disorders, Psychiatric Disorders, And Neurological Disorders

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Mental Disorders / Psychiatric Disorders / Neurological Disorders Starting With A

Absence seizure: Also called the less common Petit Mal Seizure, these seizures typically cause a short period of “blanking out” or staring into space. Like other kinds of seizures, they are caused by abnormal activity in a person’s brain. [Epilepsy Foundation, Mayo Clinic]
Abulia: A pathological inability to make decisions or take action.
Acute Stress Disorder: Also known as Acute Stress Reaction and sometimes called Shock, this is a psychological condition caused by experiencing or witnessing a terrifying or traumatic event, such as a severe automobile accident, violent crime, or death. It should not be confused with the unrelated circulatory condition of shock, or the concept of shock value. Acute stress reaction may develop into PTSD if untreated. [PsychCentral, VA.gov]
Adjustment Disorders: Adjustment Disorder is defined as a maladaptive response to a normal, psychosocial stressor that has occurred in the past three months, and is not caused by another mental illness.
Adverse effects of medication NOS
Age-related Cognitive Decline: (now known as Dementia and Neurocognitive Decline)
Agoraphobia: This is a condition where an individual doesn’t wish to go to places or face situations where they could become exposed to panic attacks.
Akiltism: [Note from MHM Staff ] We were unable to find any solid information about this disorder. Our best guess is that this disorder was once used as a catch-all for unknown diagnoses, it seems to be based on the word “akilter” meaning off-kilter or unbalanced. Our further assumption is that it was dropped as more understanding was gained and because of the extreme stigma it carried. [Merriam-Webster]
Alcohol Addiction: According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, approximately 17.6 million adults abuse alcohol or are physically dependent on it.
Alzheimer’s Disease: Approximately 19 million Americans have a family member who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. There are seven stages of Alzheimer’s …
Amnesia: (also known as Amnestic Disorder) a person suffering from memory amnesia lost parts or all of his memory. It’s not your plain everyday forgetfulness, instead, it is the complete eradication of any or all events and relations.
Amphetamine Addiction: Amphetamines are some of the most addictive drugs in the world. The best way to overcome an amphetamine addiction is to get help from a professional treatment center.
Anorexia Nervosa: This is an eating disorder. The symptoms of Anorexia tend to be that the sufferer will eat very little, or not eat at all for a number of days, for fear of gaining weight.
Anterograde Amnesia: The loss of ability to create new memories after an amnesia event. The inability to recall recent past events, but retaining long-term memories from before the event.
Antisocial personality disorder: (also known as Sociopathy) “A psychiatric condition in which a person manipulates, exploits or violates the rights of others … this behavior is often criminal.
Anxiety Disorder: (Also known as Generalized Anxiety Disorder) A condition in which people experience a constant state of high anxiety, which does not seem to be attributed to any particular cause. Learn more about Anxiety Treatment, Therapy and Counseling here.
Anxiolytic related disorders: A number of different disorders that result from the abuse of a class of medications known as sedatives, hypnotics, and anxiolytics (SHA).
Asperger’s Syndrome: (now part of Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD) Asperger’s is characterized by social impairment, communication difficulties, and restrictive, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior.
Attention Deficit Disorder: (Also known as ADD) Children with this condition generally have challenges paying attention to or concentrating on a given task. They also tend to move constantly and are impulsive.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: (Also known as ADHD) This is a neurodevelopmental disorder, meaning that the disorder is present at the time of birth. There are 3 types of ADHD:
- Inattentive type
- Hyperactive/Impulsive type
- Combination type
Autism Spectrum Disorder: (also known as Autism) Autism is classified as one of the pervasive developmental disorders of the brain. It is not a disease. People with classical autism show three types of symptoms …
Autophagia: A disorder where a person compelled to inflict pain upon oneself by biting and/or eating portions of their own body.
Avoidant Personality Disorder: Marked social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and extremely sensitive to criticism.

Starting With B

Barbiturate related disorders: The use of Barbiturates can lead to some of the following: Addiction to stimulants like amphetamines or methamphetamines; antisocial personality disorder; anxiety, bipolar and conduct disorders; depression, insomnia, and schizophrenia.
Benzodiazepine-related disorders: Benzodiazepines are a class of drugs prescribed due to their effectiveness in treating anxiety, and insomnia. Addiction can occur. Withdrawal symptoms include trouble sleeping, feelings of depression, and sweating.
Bereavement: A period of mourning after a loss, especially after the death of a loved one. There is no right way to experience bereavement.
Bibliomania: A passionate enthusiasm for collecting and possessing books.
Binge Eating Disorder: Binge eating disorder is an illness which resembles bulimia nervosa. It differs from bulimia because its sufferers do not purge their bodies of excess food.
Bipolar disorder (also known as Manic Depression, includes Bipolar I and Bipolar II):
- Bipolar I:
- Bipolar II:
Body Dysmorphic Disorder: This is a mental disorder where an individual can’t stop thinking about perceived defects or flaws in their appearance.
Borderline intellectual functioning: Also known as borderline mental retardation. A person has below average cognitive ability (IQ of 70-85), but not as severe as an intellectual disability (IQ below 70).

Borderline Personality Disorder: A psychological illness involving unstable moods, behavior, and relationships.
Breathing-Related Sleep Disorder: Characterized by abnormal breathing during sleep. Symptoms include snoring, apneas or daytime sleepiness.
Brief Psychotic Disorder: A psychosis that lasts less than one week that is a reaction to severe stress.
Bruxism: A condition in which you grind, gnash or clench your teeth.
Bulimia Nervosa: A type of eating disorder where a person frequently eats a large amount of food then tries to prevent weight gain with self-induced vomiting.

Starting With C

Caffeine Addiction
Cannabis Addiction
Catatonic disorder
Catatonic schizophrenia
Childhood amnesia
Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (now part of Autism Spectrum Disorder)
Childhood Onset Fluency Disorder (formerly known as Stuttering)
Circadian Rhythm Disorders
Claustrophobia
Cocaine related disorders
Communication disorder
Conduct Disorder
Conversion Disorder
Cotard delusion
Cyclothymia (also known as Cyclothymic Disorder)

Starting With D

Delerium
Delusional Disorder
dementia (now known as dementia)
Dependent Personality Disorder (also known as Asthenic Personality Disorder)
Depersonalization disorder (now known as Depersonalization / Derealization Disorder)
Depression (also known as Major Depressive Disorder)
Depressive personality disorder
Derealization disorder (now known as Depersonalization / Derealization Disorder)
Dermotillomania
Desynchronosis
Developmental coordination disorder
Diogenes Syndrome
Disorder of written expression
Dispareunia
Dissocial Personality Disorder
Dissociative Amnesia
Dissociative Fugue
Dissociative Identity Disorder (formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder)
Down syndrome
Dyslexia
Dyspareunia
Dysthymia (now known as Persistent Depressive Disorder)

Starting With E

Eating disorder NOS
Ekbom’s Syndrome (Delusional Parasitosis)
Emotionally unstable personality disorder
Encopresis
Enuresis (bedwetting)
Erotomania
Exhibitionistic Disorder
Expressive language disorder

Starting With F

Factitious Disorder
Female Sexual Disorders
Fetishistic Disorder
Folie à deux
Fregoli delusion
Frotteuristic Disorder
Fugue State

Starting With G

Ganser syndrome
Gambling Addiction
Gender Dysphoria (formerly known as Gender Identity Disorder)
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
General adaptation syndrome
Grandiose delusions

Starting With H

Hallucinogen Addiction
Haltlose personality disorder
Histrionic Personality Disorder
Primary hypersomnia
Huntington’s Disease
Hypoactive sexual desire disorder
Hypochondriasis
Hypomania
Hyperkinetic syndrome
Hypersomnia
Hysteria

Starting With I

Impulse control disorder
Impulse control disorder NOS
Inhalant Addiction
Insomnia
Intellectual Development Disorder
Intermittent Explosive Disorder

Starting With J

Joubert syndrome

Starting With K

Kleptomania
Korsakoff’s syndrome

Starting With L

Lacunar amnesia
Language Disorder
Learning Disorders

Starting With M

Major Depression (also known as Major Depressive Disorder)
Major depressive disorder
Male Sexual Disorders
Malingering
Mathematics disorder
Medication-related disorder
Melancholia
Mental Retardation (now known as Intellectual Development Disorder)
Misophonia
Morbid jealousy
Multiple Personality Disorder (now known as Dissociative Identity Disorder)
Munchausen Syndrome
Munchausen by Proxy

Starting With N

Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Narcolepsy
Neglect of child
Neurocognitive Disorder (formerly known as Dementia)
Neuroleptic-related disorder
Nightmare Disorder
Non Rapid Eye Movement

Starting With O

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (also known as Anankastic Personality Disorder)
Oneirophrenia
Onychophagia
Opioid Addiction
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Orthorexia (ON)

Starting With P

Pain disorder
Panic attacks
Panic Disorder
Paranoid Personality Disorder
Parkinson’s Disease
Partner relational problem
Passive-aggressive personality disorder
Pathological gambling
Pedophilic Disorder
Perfectionism
Persecutory delusion
Persistent Depressive Disorder (also known as Dysthymia)
Personality change due to a general medical condition
Personality disorder
Pervasive developmental disorder (PDD)
Phencyclidine related disorder
Phobic disorder
Phonological disorder
Physical abuse
Pica
Polysubstance related disorder
Postpartum Depression
Post-traumatic embitterment disorder (PTED)
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Premature ejaculation
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
Psychogenic amnesia
Psychological factor affecting medical condition
Psychoneurotic personality disorder
Psychotic disorder, not otherwise specified
Pyromania

Starting With Q

There Are Currently No Disorders Starting With Q

Starting With R

Reactive Attachment Disorder
Reading disorder
Recurrent brief depression
Relational disorder
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
Restless Leg Syndrome
Retrograde amnesia
Retts Disorder (now part of Autism Spectrum Disorder)
Rumination syndrome

Starting With S

Sadistic personality disorder
Schizoaffective Disorder
Schizoid Personality Disorder
Schizophrenia
Schizophreniform disorder
Schizotypal Personality Disorder
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Sedative, Hypnotic, or Anxiolytic Addiction
Selective Mutism
Self-defeating personality disorder
Separation Anxiety Disorder
Sexual Disorders Female
Sexual Disorders Male
Sexual Addiction
Sexual Masochism Disorder
Sexual Sadism Disorder
Shared Psychotic Disorder
Sleep Arousal Disorders
Sleep Paralysis
Sleep Terror Disorder (now part of Nightmare Disorder)
Social Anxiety Disorder
Somatization Disorder
Specific Phobias
Stendhal syndrome
Stereotypic movement disorder
Stimulant Addiction
Stuttering (now known as Childhood Onset Fluency Disorder)
Substance related disorder

Starting With T

Tardive dyskinesia
Tobacco Addiction
Tourettes Syndrome
Transient tic disorder
Transient global amnesia
Transvestic Disorder
Trichotillomania

Starting With U

Undifferentiated Somatoform Disorder

Starting With V

Vaginismus
Voyeuristic Disorder

Starting With W

There Are Currently No Disorders Starting With W

Starting With X

There Are Currently No Disorders Starting With X

Starting With Y

There Are Currently No Disorders Starting With Y

Starting With Z

There Are Currently No Disorders Starting With Z

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Schizophrenia

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Key Facts

Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder that affects approximately 24 million people, or 1 in 300 people worldwide.

Schizophrenia causes psychosis, is associated with severe disability, and can negatively affect all areas of life, including personal, family, social, academic and work life.

People with schizophrenia are often subject to stigma, discrimination and human rights violations. nine0286

Worldwide, more than two thirds of people with psychosis do not receive specialized mental health care.

There are a number of effective care options for patients with schizophrenia that can lead to a complete recovery of at least one in three patients.

Symptoms

Schizophrenia is characterized by significant disturbances in perception of reality and behavioral changes such as:

persistent delusions: the patient has a persistent belief in the truth of certain things, despite evidence to the contrary;

persistent hallucinations: the patient hears, sees, touches non-existent things and smells non-existent smells;

feeling of external influence, control or passivity: the presence in the patient of the feeling that his feelings, impulses, actions or thoughts are dictated from outside, put in or disappear from consciousness at the will of others, or that his thoughts are broadcast to others; nine0005
disorganized thinking, often expressed in incoherent or pointless speech;

Significant disorganization of behavior, which is manifested, for example, by the patient performing actions that may seem strange or meaningless, or in an unpredictable or inappropriate emotional reaction that does not give the patient the opportunity to organization of their behavior;

"negative symptoms" such as extreme poverty of speech, smoothness of emotional reactions, inability to feel interest or pleasure, social autism; and/or

Extreme agitation or, on the contrary, slowness of movements, freezing in unusual postures.

People with schizophrenia often also experience persistent cognitive or thinking problems that affect memory, attention, or problem-solving skills.

At least one third of patients with schizophrenia experience complete remission of symptoms (1). In some, periods of remission and exacerbation of symptoms follow each other throughout life, in others there is a gradual increase in symptoms. nine0322
Scope and impact

Schizophrenia affects approximately 24 million people, or 1 in 300 people (0.32%) worldwide. Among adults, the rate is 1 in 222 (0.45%) (2). Schizophrenia is less common than many other mental disorders. Onset is most common in late adolescence and between the ages of 20 and 30; while women tend to have a later onset of the disease. nine0322
Schizophrenia is often accompanied by significant stress and difficulties in personal relationships, family life, social contacts, studies, work or other important areas of life.

Individuals with schizophrenia are 2-3 times more likely to die early than the population average (2). It is often associated with physical illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, and infectious disease.

Patients with schizophrenia often become the object of human rights violations both within the walls of psychiatric institutions and in everyday life. Significant stigmatization of people with this disease is a widespread phenomenon that leads to their social isolation and has a negative impact on their relationships with others, including family and friends. This creates grounds for discrimination, which in turn limits access to health services in general, education, housing and employment. nine0322
Humanitarian emergencies and health crises can cause intense stress and fear, disrupt social support mechanisms, lead to isolation and disruption of health services and supply of medicines. All these shocks can have a negative impact on the lives of people with schizophrenia, in particular by exacerbating existing symptoms of the disease. People with schizophrenia are more vulnerable during emergencies to various human rights violations and, in particular, face neglect, abandonment, homelessness, abuse and social exclusion. nine0322

Causes of schizophrenia
Science has not established any one cause of the disease. It is believed that schizophrenia may be the result of the interaction of a number of genetic and environmental factors. Psychosocial factors may also influence the onset and course of schizophrenia. In particular, heavy marijuana abuse is associated with an increased risk of this mental disorder.

Assistance services
At present, the vast majority of people with schizophrenia do not receive mental health care worldwide. Approximately 50% of patients in psychiatric hospitals are diagnosed with schizophrenia (4). Only 31.3% of people with psychosis get specialized mental health care (5). Much of the resources allocated to mental health services are inefficiently spent on the care of patients admitted to psychiatric hospitals.

Available scientific evidence clearly indicates that hospitalization in psychiatric hospitals is not an effective treatment for mental disorders and is regularly associated with the violation of the basic rights of patients with schizophrenia. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure the expansion and acceleration of work on the transfer of functions in the field of mental health care from psychiatric institutions to the level of local communities. Such work should begin with the organization of the provision a wide range of quality community-based mental health services. Options for community-based mental health care include integrating this type of care into primary health care and hospital care. general care, setting up community mental health centres, outpatient care centres, social housing with nursing care and social home care services. Involvement in the care process is essential the patient with schizophrenia, his family members and members of local communities. nine0322

Schizophrenia management and care
There are a number of effective approaches to treating people with schizophrenia, including medication, psychoeducation, family therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and psychosocial rehabilitation (eg, life skills education). The most important interventions for helping people with schizophrenia are assisted living, special housing and employment assistance. It is extremely important for people with schizophrenia and their families and/or caregivers to a recovery-centered approach that empowers people to participate in decisions about their care. nine0322

WHO action
steps are in place to ensure that appropriate services are provided to people with mental disorders, including schizophrenia. One of the key recommendations The action plan is to transfer the function of providing assistance from institutions to local communities. WHO Special Mental Health Initiative aims to further progress towards the goals of the Comprehensive Plan mental health action 2013–2030 by ensuring that 100 million more people have access to quality and affordable mental health care. nine0322
The WHO Mental Health Gap Action Program (mhGAP) is working to develop evidence-based technical guidelines, tools and training packages to scale up services in countries, especially in low-resource settings. The program focuses on a priority list of mental health disorders, including psychosis, and aims to strengthen the capacity of non-specialized health workers in as part of an integrated approach to mental health care at all levels of care. To date, the mhGAP Program has been implemented in more than 100 WHO Member States. nine0322
The WHO QualityRights project aims to improve the quality of care and better protect human rights in mental health and social care settings and to expand opportunities of various organizations and associations to defend the rights of persons with mental disorders and psychosocial disabilities.

The WHO guidelines on community mental health services and human rights-based approaches provide information for all stakeholders who intend to develop or transform mental health systems and services. health in accordance with international human rights standards, including the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. nine0322
Bibliography

(1) Harrison G, Hopper K, Craig T, Laska E, Siegel C, Wanderling J. Recovery from psychotic illness: a 15- and 25-year international follow-up study. Br J Psychiatry 2001;178:506-17.

(2) Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). Global Health Data Exchange (GHDx). http://ghdx.healthdata.org/gbd-results-tool?params=gbd-api-2019-permalink/27a7644e8ad28e739382d31e77589dd7 (accessed 25 September 2021)

(3) LaursenTM, Nordentoft M, Mortensen PB. Excess early mortality in schizophrenia. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology , 2014;10, 425-438.

(4) WHO. Mental health systems in selected low- and middle-income countries: a WHO-AIMS cross-national analysis. WHO: Geneva, 2009

(5) Jaeschke K et al. Global estimates of service coverage for severe mental disorders: findings from the WHO Mental Health Atlas 2017 Glob Ment Health 2021;8:e27.

Autism
Autism

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nine0004 Autism

Key Facts

Autism, also called autism spectrum disorder, is a diverse group of pathological conditions caused by the development of the brain.

Signs of autism can be detected in early childhood, but often it is not diagnosed until later in life.

Approximately 1 in 100 children have autism.

The abilities and needs of people with autism can vary and change over time. Some people with autism are able to lead independent and productive lives, while others become severely disabled and require lifelong care and support.

Evidence-based psychosocial interventions can improve communication skills and social behavior that positively impact the well-being and quality of life of people with autism and their caregivers. nine0286

Care for people with autism must be accompanied by local and community action to make physical and social environments and relationships more accessible, inclusive and supportive.

Introduction

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are a group of different conditions. All of them are characterized by certain difficulties with social interaction and communication. Other features include atypical patterns of action and behaviors, such as difficulty moving from one activity to another, focus on details, and unusual responses to external stimuli. nine0322
The abilities and needs of people with autism can vary and change over time. Some people with autism are able to live independent and productive lives, while others become severely disabled and require lifelong care and support. Autism often negatively affects educational or employment opportunities. In addition, for family members of people with autism, care and support responsibilities can often be a source of significant stress. Community attitudes and the level of support from local and national governments are important determinants of the quality of life of people with autism. nine0322
Signs of autism can be identified in early childhood, but the condition is often diagnosed at much later stages.

People with autism often have comorbid conditions and illnesses, including epilepsy, depression, anxiety, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, as well as behavioral problems such as sleep disturbances or self-harm. The level of intellectual abilities of people with autism varies in a wide range from severe cognitive impairment to a high level of intelligence. nine0322
Epidemiology

Worldwide, autism is estimated to affect about 1 in 100 children (1). At the same time, we are talking about an average indicator, and the prevalence rates of autism recorded according to different studies vary widely. Nevertheless, according to some reputable controlled studies, the real numbers are much higher. The prevalence of autism in many low- and middle-income countries is unknown.

Causes

Available scientific evidence indicates many factors that may increase the likelihood of children developing autism, including environmental and genetic factors.

Available epidemiological data do not establish a causal relationship between autism and measles, mumps and rubella vaccination. Past studies suggesting such a causal relationship have been many methodological problems were found (2), (3). nine0322
Similarly, there is no evidence that any childhood vaccine can increase the risk of developing autism. Evidence reviews on a potential association between the preservative thiomersal and aluminum adjuvants contained in inactivated vaccines and the risk of developing autism strongly suggest that vaccines do not lead to an increase in this risk.

Needs Assessment and Care Management

A range of interventions, from early childhood and throughout life, can contribute to the optimal development, well-being and quality of life of people with autism. Timely evidence-based psychosocial interventions at an early age can improve the ability of children with autism to communicate and interact effectively with others. It is recommended to monitor the development of children as part of the planned provision of medical care to mothers and children. nine0322
It is important that immediately after diagnosis, children, adolescents and adults diagnosed with autism and their caregivers have access to relevant information, referrals and practical support tailored to their individual needs. constantly changing needs and preferences.

The health care needs of people with autism are complex and therefore they require comprehensive services, including health promotion, care and rehabilitation services. Therefore, it is important to ensure cooperation with other sectors, in particular with the education system, employment and the social sector. nine0322
Interventions to help people with autism and other developmental disabilities should be planned and implemented with the participation of people with these conditions themselves. Caring for people with autism should be accompanied by local action. and at the level of society as a whole, in order to make the physical and social environment and relationships more accessible, inclusive and supportive.

Human rights

All people, including those with autism, have the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. nine0322
Yet people with autism often face stigma and discrimination: their health care and education rights are unfairly denied, and their opportunities to participate in society are limited.

People with autism may experience the same health problems as the rest of the population. In addition, they may have special health care needs related to autism and other related conditions. They can be are more vulnerable to chronic noncommunicable diseases associated with behavioral risk factors such as physical inactivity and poor diet, and are at greater risk of violence, injury and abuse. nine0322
People with autism, like the rest of the population, need affordable health services to meet general health needs, including health promotion and prevention services, as well as acute and chronic care. However less than in the general population, the level of satisfaction of the medical needs of people with autism is at a lower level. These people are also more vulnerable in humanitarian emergencies. One of the common barriers is the insufficient level of knowledge and understanding of the specifics of autism by medical professionals. nine0322
WHO Resolution on Autism Spectrum Disorders

In May 2014, the Sixty-seventh World Health Assembly adopted a resolution on "Comprehensive and concerted efforts for the management of autism spectrum disorders", supported by over 60 countries.

The resolution calls on WHO to work with Member States and partner agencies to strengthen national capacity to address ASD and other developmental disabilities. nine0322
WHO activities

WHO and partners recognize the need to strengthen countries' capacity to promote the optimal health and well-being of all people with autism.

The main activities of WHO in this regard are:

promoting the adoption of targeted measures by national governments to improve the quality of life of people with autism;

develop recommendations for policies and action plans to address autism in the broader context of physical, mental, brain health and care for people with disabilities; nine0005
help to empower healthcare professionals to provide appropriate and effective care for people with autism and achieve optimal health and well-being; and

promote and support an inclusive and supportive environment for people with autism and other developmental disabilities.

WHO comprehensive mental health action plan 2013–2030 and World Health Assembly Resolution WHA73.10 "Global action against epilepsy and other neurological disorders" contain calling on countries to address significant gaps in the early detection, care, treatment and rehabilitation of people with mental and neurodevelopmental disorders, including and autism. The resolution also calls on countries to take action to meet the social, economic, educational and other needs of people living with mental and neurological disorders and their families, and to develop surveillance and related research activities. nine0322

References

(1) Global prevalence of autism: A systematic review update. Zeidan J et al. Autism Research 2022 March.

(2) Wakefield's affair: 12 years of uncertainty whereas no link between autism and MMR vaccine has been proven. Maisonneuve H, Floret D. Presse Med. 2012 Sep; French https://pubmed.
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