It's in Your Mind
	An estimated 450 million people worldwide—200 million in Asia alone—suffer from a mental or behavioral illness. The major disorders include:

Posted Monday, November 3, 2003; 21:00 HKT
Depression (Unipolar Depressive Disorder)
• What it is: An illness characterized by lackluster energy and a general lack of interest in life. Often recurrent or even chronic
• Symptoms: Poor self-esteem; a sense of sadness, dejection or hopelessness without any clear cause; suicidal thoughts
• How it's treated: With antidepressant medications such as Prozac and/or psychotherapy, through which patients can learn to overcome—among other things—their negative self-image

Manic Depression (Bipolar Affective Disorder)
• What it is: Alternating bouts of mania and depression
• Symptoms: Feeling dramatically more active, confident and sociable, then depressed or intensely irritable; delusions
• How it's treated: Mainly by mood-stabilizing drugs such as lithium or anticonvulsants such as sodium valproate (Depakote) and carbamazepine (Tegretol)

Schizophrenia
• What it is: A psychotic disorder that severely alters the way a person usually thinks and behaves
• Symptoms: Hallucinations; delusions; confusion; withdrawal; agitation; emotional numbness
• How it's treated: Therapy, along with antipsychotic drugs. Success rate is fairly high—about 50% of patients can expect a full and lasting recovery

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
• What it is: A delayed psychological reaction after witnessing or experiencing a highly traumatic event, like a war, natural disaster or a violent physical assault
• Symptoms: Anxiety; flashbacks; recurring nightmares; emotional numbness; chest pain
• How it's treated: Therapy, in which patients talk through the traumatic event, helping them accept the incident and regain control. New antidepressant drugs can also relieve symptoms

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
• What it is: Repeated, unwanted thoughts, or unnecessarily repeating actions such as washing hands or counting
• Symptoms: Extreme anxiety or depression. Obsessions and compulsions
• How it's treated: Drugs are effective, enabling some 75% of patients to recover. Therapy helps the sufferer confront the problem and alter his or her behavior

Panic Disorders
• What it is: Sudden and recurrent attacks of intense fear or panic
• Symptoms: Palpitations; chest pain; shortness of breath; hyperventilation. Fear of being alone or of dying
• How it's treated: Therapy involves repeated exposure to the patient's anxiety or fear in order to change his or her thinking patterns and actions. Medication might also be prescribed

Sources: Atlas: Country Profiles on Mental Health Resources, World Health Organization; Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary; Sharon Glick, director of St. John's Counseling Service, Hong Kong; TIME Research

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