Adult regressive behavior and mental illness

Join us for our Virtual Adult Summit! At least half of all children and adults with Down syndrome face a major mental health concern during their life span. Children and adults with multiple medical problems experience an even higher rate of mental health problems. The most common mental health concerns include: general anxiety, repetitive and obsessive-compulsive behaviors; oppositional, impulsive, and inattentive behaviors; sleep related difficulties; depression; autism spectrum conditions; and neuropsychological problems characterized by progressive loss of cognitive skills. The pattern of mental health problems in Down syndrome vary depending on the age and developmental characteristics of the child or adult with Down syndrome as follows.

Have you ever treated an adult patient who was acting like a child? Has one of your patients thrown a temper tantrum when he or she was under distress? Have you wondered what could have caused such behavior and how it should be managed? If you have, then this article should prove useful when creating a differential diagnosis and managing regression. Ms A, a year-old woman with panhypopituitarism complicated by diabetes mellitus, gastroparesis, diabetes insipidus, and hypothyroidism and schizoaffective disorder with a history of inpatient psychiatric admissions was admitted to a general hospital for worsening agitation, auditory hallucinations, and an inability to perform activities of daily living eg, feeding, toileting, and grooming. Her preliminary evaluation and laboratory workup were unremarkable for acute medical problems.

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt much younger than your actual biological age and not in a good way? Perhaps when you encounter certain people, like your parents, you start feeling and acting like you did as a child; this is an example of emotional regression. Usually, when we are in close, interpersonal relationships with certain people, we find ourselves most vulnerable to emotionally regressing. The purpose of this article is to educate you on what emotional regression is in yourself, and teach you how to help yourself find your composure and your adult self in these times of regression, especially if you see that it is not an emotionally beneficial place for you to be. Usually when you are in a state of emotional regression, you tend to act in ways that are overly sensitive; your reaction does not fit the event; you find yourself overreacting to something someone says or does.

Unfortunately, nearly one in three of those seniors does not receive treatment. While anxiety and concern related to the pandemic affect people of all ages, the elderly may be more susceptible to mental health disorders during this time. Mental illness is not a natural part of aging. In fact, mental health disorders affect younger adults more often than they do older adults, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.