Social Stigma and Behavioral Disorders

Kids absorb like a parched desert during rain. Their minds are in the developmental phase and they constantly acquire general behavioral trends from their immediate surroundings. While most of them might not be able to assign specific logic to what they follow, they grow to understand the reality.

But do all children avail an equal chance at life? Adults frequently fail to understand children with behavioral disorders. At social events, they’re isolated or ignored as the naughty or weird ones. The contemporary situation is very indicative of the fact that the society is not educated about the symptoms of these ailments. These children fail to receive proper treatments.

Why this should be discussed more often

The social stigma towards people who face these disorders doesn’t allow them to get timely and sufficient treatment. This ignorance is felt at both the individual and family level. Lack of proper infrastructure for healthcare in rural areas further hinders the diagnosis and treatment process.

The stigma is also reflected at an institutional level in terms of education and employability. Only an increased awareness will pave way for health care reforms in this specific field.

Some common disorders that go ignored

Autism:

Autism spectrum of disorders is a syndrome that results from any of the plethora of developmental disorders of the immature brain. And there is strict differentiation between autism and the wide range of other psychiatric disorders.

Autism challenges the kid’s social skills. It affects the child’s verbal and non-verbal communication and is characterized by repetitive behavior. With these difficulties, the routine tasks that other people their age perform normally seem much more difficult. They hence acquire a certain level of anxiety. However, autism may not be reflected in the looks of a child and people very often misunderstand them.

Autism remains as a lifelong disability. But no two autistic minds see the world the same way. They thus need different levels of support too.

OCD

OCD or obsessive compulsive disorder is a neurobiological ailment.  It prevails in both children and adults. When a person is affected by OCD, involuntary intrusive thoughts cross his mind often to consume hours each day. To get over this, the affected individuals devise their own compulsions. This causes repetitive behavior. For instance, a fear of something may lead to repetitive and more frequent checks of doors/locks.

OCD is a chronic condition too and has no established treatment.

ADHD

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a disorder of the brain characterized by inattention and impulsivity. These kids generally make hasty actions and have difficulty sustaining focus. It hinders their development greatly.

Some cases of ADHD are unrecognized. This is because these children are usually categorized as the notorious ones and the rather severe symptoms of ADHD get overlooked.

Can they be treated?

The Behavioral Disorders drug development pipeline aims at introducing medicines that can manage the symptoms of the ailments. These medications are however not expected to cure the disorder completely. They look to improve focus and reduce impulsivity.

Moreover, these disorders do not have physical symptoms. An early diagnosis thus becomes difficult. Sometimes, the person affected by these disorders might take up to substance abuse. That person becomes an easy suspect and shows symptoms like burnt fingertips, body tremors, and bloodshot eyes.