Depression

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Are you hostage to your own thoughts. Out of sight out of mind. I dont think so

OCD, Over Compulsive Disorder,sufferer,ocd symptoms,health and depression,obsessive compulsions,over compulsive,victim disorder,doctors help,

Obsessions are the psychological element of OCD. Repeated thoughts and images linger in our minds where our over compulsive disorder takes control of our actions where we are silenced and forced to obey orders hence hostage to our own thoughts. Thus affecting and interfering with the way we would like to live our lives.

OCD over compulsive disorder can be beaten but what makes it difficult for the sufferer is being up against a regimented invisible force in which we find ourselves in a situation where we find it hard to resist their demands. That is why consulting a doctor is important. There are cases where a referral to a psychologist maybe imminent. Psychologists help ease your think pattern by providing professional understanding as to what is going on inside your head. So if you can not make head nor tail of why you do what you do then at least let someone who wants to help, do so.

People suffering with OCD do not enjoy the experiences brought on by these intrusive thoughts but are compelled to listen instead of eliminating There are so many different obsessions and compulsions carried out by over compulsive disorder victims. We have the hand washing ritual, we have the numbers game, we have the checker, what we dont have is the common sense to seek advice before the OCD takes claim of body and soul.

By not consulting a doctor we add to our problem. Why? We dont know, just like the way we dont know why we do what we do. OCD takes you hostage and holds you ransom to your own thoughts and until you let go then forever a prisoner you will be.

A wish come true for an obsessive compulsive disorder patient is to suffer an attack of amnesia. To live in a world of forgetfulness for a day has to be better than winning the lottery. To forget ever suffering from depression along with the other person who you know longer recognize as yourself is a sense of contentment that no amount of money can buy.

If all OCD symptoms were locked away in the closet does it mean we no longer yearn to carry out our repetitive actions, does it mean our compulsions and obsessions are now in the past, does it mean that it is over and we find peace of mind. I dont think so. Just because the OCD symptoms are behind closed doors does not mean out of sight out of mind.

If your health is giving you reason for concern then please act now and talk with a doctor so that you never yearn to live in the world of forgetfulness.

705

Psychiatric rehabilitation programs can be a hidden trap.

rehabilitation, psychiatric, mental health, rehab

‘Who put the boys in the club house? You did, baby, you did.?

The song ‘Keep a Lid on Things?by the Crash Test Dummies sums it up. Psychiatric rehabilitation organisations are often there to simply keep a lid on things (clients?behaviour) rather than to get them back in the mainstream of society. Their stated aims are often vastly different from the actual outcomes.

Does the ghetto keep you sick? So it seems. Last year an Australian research team interviewed people who had bipolar disorder, and one of the findings was stunning-people who did not use psychiatric rehabilitation services tended to stay well longer than those who did*.

If you’re coming out of a bipolar crisis, perhaps just out of hospital, it’s worth questioning the value of rehabilitation. If the only place you go is the mental health clinic, you surround yourself with others who are sick. It becomes comfortable, you make friends, there’s no challenge, and you will find over time that you become nervous about venturing into mainstream activities, like ringing up about a job, or going back to your sporting club. The longer you are inside the ghetto the harder it is to break out. Your confidence disappears. People share stories of being victimised and discriminated against and this shores up your growing sense that it’s too hard ‘out there? You conclude you should stay in rehab.

The religion editor of my city’s broadsheet wrote this last month:

‘Victimhood is a bad address. It’s a dangerous and delusory place and definitely the wrong side of the tracks. Unfortunately, far too many people live there.

Even if you really are a victim, you have to move out. Victimhood offers an odd but counterfeit comfort, where nothing is your own responsibility, where life is something that is done to you by others, and is beyond your control, yet you can enjoy the moral high ground… It’s a short step from victimhood to paranoia.?*

Zwartz was writing about race riots in Sydney, but these words resonated with my experience of the mental health lobby. Victimhood leads to a sense of futility, a wariness that prevents fair assertion of our wishes. Countless so-called advocacy organizations work in the short term, never daring to jeopardize their funding by pursuing the big picture, the dream.

‘Consumer?organizations fare no better. Consumer organizations are beset with ineptitude not because of illness, nor because of lack of skills and intelligence. The one thing that undoes the political work of consumer organizations is the prevalence of victimhood. These organizations include many people who have been actually victimized, but too many are stuck in the ghetto and exhibit ongoing ‘victim behavior? If you cast yourself as a victim, your requests will never be taken seriously-you’re too easy to say ‘no?to.

I believe this is a reason that mental health funding around the developed world is far lower than funding for the equivalent level of burden of disease in general health. For example, In Australia it is only 8% of the total health budget compared with the OCED average of 12%.

SANE Australia reported last year that stigma was the villain of the piece, and produced startling evidence to support the view.

In Australia there have been eight State or national inquiries in the last twelve years. Each time puny progress is made but the underlying flaw (lack of funding) is perpetuated. As Einstein supposedly said: ‘Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.?We need to do something different. Here is my suggestion:

?Get out of the ghetto and into the mainstream.
?Do stuff that doesn’t involve mental health
?When you have gotten rid of your victim outlook, start demanding fair funding for mental health in your country. Follow up, don’t take no for an answer, and incite all your friends and relations to do the same.
?If your consumer organisation has a victim outlook, you could try to change it, but expect resistance. People can be codependent on their organizations.

*Russell, S J and Browne, J L ‘Staying well with bipolar disorder’ Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 2005; 39:187?93.

**Barney Zwartz, The Age, Melbourne Australia 15 December 2005

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More and more people are looking at the different alternative health therapy options these days. In this article, I write about the health benefits which using tai chi can bring. I hope you enjoy the read.

tai chi, classes, health, benefits, meditation, depressed, stressed, stress, anxiety, life, asthma

More and more people are looking at the different alternative health therapy options these days. In this article, I write about the health benefits which using tai chi can bring. I hope you enjoy the read.

Tai chi is the most popular exercise in the world today. It is relatively new to the western world but is becoming more and more popular. The two thousand year old Chinese martial art is quite simple to do and has many benefits.

I have been attending tai chi classes for around a year now and it has massively helped me to control my anxiety and stress levels. Stress has been a big factor in my life and I have always struggled to think in a positive way. I now try many alternative treatments to manage my stress including meditation and tai chi. Both work very well for me.

I was introduced to tai chi by a friend. I must say that I did not really know much about it before this. He told me that it had helped him no end in controlling his depression. His name is John and he has many issues in his life which not only affect his self-confidence but also makes him very depressed at times. John has been attending tai chi classes for nearly two years and has seemingly become a new man. For whatever reason he did not tell people about what he was doing. On a night out I mentioned to him that he had been a lot happier in the recent months. This is when he talked to me about tai chi. He also asked if I would like to attend the classes with him, which I duly agreed to. I am very glad that we had this conversation as I can also quite easily spiral into a state of depression.

It may be a piece of mind thing as I know that I will be attending a tai chi once a week, but I am now very able to deal with stress and am far less anxious than I ever used to be.

People have also mentioned that I look far healthier and even that I look younger than before. This is supposed to be another benefit of tai chi, it helps to delay the aging process. This is good for somebody like me as people always thought that I was around five years older than I actually was.

Other health benefits of tai chi:

Helps to keep people mobile well into old age

Helps to improve balance

Helps to reduce asthma

Helps people to recover from certain injuries

Helps to boost the immune system

Helps to lower blood pressure

In conclusion, if you are like me and are a person who is always stressed out and often depressed, tai chi could be the answer for you. Give it a go and it could change your life.

It goes without saying that tai chi is not for everybody and I would also recommend meditation, reflexology, aromatherapy, and hypnotherapy.

I am a person who likes to try new things as I am always trying to improve my life. I want to live a long, happy and stress free life. Using these forms of alternative treatments is helping me to achieve this at the moment.

Steve Hill

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Are anxiety disorder and panic attacks mental illnesses? Can they be permanently and quickly cured? Discover the astonishing truth about anxiety and panic disorders now.

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Anxiety and panic disorders are the most common emotional disorder. It is reported that one out of every 76 people worldwide will experience a panic attack in their lives. Each year around 1/3 of American adults have at least one panic attack while most of these adults never develop repeated panic attacks. Only 21% of people who ever suffer from anxiety and panic attacks reach out for professional help.

Do I have Anxiety and Panic Disorder?

The truth is if you experience one or several of the following symptoms, it is very likely that you have it: heart palpitations, sweating, trembling or shaking, sensations of shortness of breath or smothering, feeling of choking, chest pain or discomfort, nausea or abdominal distress, dizziness or light-headedness, derealisation or depersonalisation, fear of losing control or going “crazy”, fear of dying, paresthesia, and chills or hot flushes.

What you don’t know about Anxiety and Panic Disorders

We receive thousands of emails via our web site from anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) suffers every month. What is very apparent from most of these is that people have a lot of misconceptions about anxiety and panic disorders. In order to cure them we need to know some facts about them first.

Firstly, anxiety and panic disorders are NOT mental illnesses. They are just behavioral conditions stored as memory, instinct and habit in the Amygdala, an almond-shaped set of neurons inside the brain. The National Institute of Mental Health has confirmed that conditions such as anxiety, depression, autism, PTSD, OCD, and phobias are caused by abnormal functioning of the Amygdala.

Secondly, anxiety and panic disorders conditions CAN be eliminated 100% permanently, contrary to what most believe. We already know that stress, bereavement and life circumstances are just the triggers for the anxiety and that Amygdala is THE cause. If we can change the way the Amygdala reacts, you’d be anxiety free. The good news is we can change the reaction of Amygdala quickly and permanently with immediate results.

Please visit our Anxiety Panic Away website listed below for more information on how your can permanently cure anxiety and panic attacks so you can make an informed decision as to the best course of treatment that would best fit you.

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Extracts of Hypericum perforatum L. (St John’s wort) are now successfully competing for status as a standard antidepressant therapy. Because of this, great effort has been devoted to identifying the active antidepressant compounds in the extract. From a phytochemical point of view, St John’s wort is one of the best-investigated medicinal plants. Researchers in Europe have studied St John’s Wort for decades.

st john’s wort, st john’s anti-depressant, Hypericum perforatum, st john’s extract

What is St John’s Wort?
Extracts of Hypericum perforatum L. (St John’s wort) are now successfully competing for status as a standard antidepressant therapy. Because of this, great effort has been devoted to identifying the active antidepressant compounds in the extract. From a phytochemical point of view, St John’s wort is one of the best-investigated medicinal plants. Researchers in Europe have studied St John’s Wort for decades. They discovered a combination of elements in the plant, foremost of which is “hypericin”, react with specific chemicals in the brain to temper emotional discomfort, lift depression, and calm the nerves. Working very much like the common synthetic prescription antidepressants (maprotiline hydrochloride and imipramine), natural extracts from St. John’s Wort have shown to relax and soothe the psyche with minimal side effects

St John’s Wort Benefits
St. Johns Wort today has been found to be very beneficial in healing wounds and is especially good for dirty, septic wounds. St. Johns Wort has been used in case of putrid leg ulcers, that noting heals. Like the leach that was used not too many years ago for wound cleansing it does not destroy the healthy tissues and healthy cells but it cleans the dirt out of septic wounds. It helps reduce the inflammation in septic sores, in boils, in cellulite and lymhangitis.

The compound Hypericin was isolated from St. Johns Wort in 1942 and has been used as an anti-depressant for emotionally disturbed people. This tranquilizing quality from small quantities hypericin increase blood flow to stressed tissue. There is a reduced capillary fragility and enhanced uterine tone due to the increased Hypotensive blood flow.

St John’s Wort Side Effects
The use of St. Johns Wort has been shown to demonstrate a side effect producing a photosensitivity. Hypericin is absorbed in the intestines and concentrates near the skin. An allergic reaction takes place when those with light fair skin are exposed sunlight. That exposure causes tissue damage and in some cases death has resulted. While taking St. Johns Wort one should avoid strong sunlight whether the skin is dark or light. There is a photosensitizing substance produced under the skin by this exposure to sunlight that causes the skin to burn.

Benefits
?relieves mild to moderate depression and anxiety.
?promotes restful sleep.
?improves capillary circulation.
?increases cardiac circulation.
?eases gastrointestinal distress.
?relieves discomfort associated with premenstrual syndrome.
?fights retroviruses.

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Christmas can be a nightmare for people with bipolar disorder, but with a little planning and help from a friend you can protect Christmas from an episode.

bipolar disorder, manic depression, christmas, mania, depression

Christmas can be a nightmare for people with bipolar disorder. As the philosopher Posidonius observed in the fourth century, ‘Melancholy occurs in autumn whereas mania in summer.?Here downunder in Australia, Christmas is summer time, party time, spending time, hurry time, family time. This is a potent mix of triggers and seasonal vulnerability and many of us do fall over with mania. Friends and family don’t always recognise Christmas mania, because symptoms such as excessive drinking, lavish spending, staying up late at functions, and being in a hurry are features of the season. The stress involved with ‘having?to buy Christmas presents and ‘having?to get together with family, along with summer-time vulnerability make Christmas a bipolar nightmare in the southern hemisphere.

It’s not much better up north. Since the fourth century we haven’t come much further than Posidonius except to declare there is such a thing as Seasonal Affective Disorder. It seems the number of hours of daylight you experience is related to your likelihood of getting depressed in winter. The closer you are to the poles, the better your chances.

Then there are seasonal triggers, such as figuring out how to buy presents on a tight budget. If you’re depressed, the ubiquitous expectation to be happy (just because it’s Christmas) only makes things worse.

Short of walking around with a sunlight-emitting lamp strapped to your forehead, or cutting up your credit card, what can you do about seasonal episodes of bipolar? Here are some quick tips to rescue Christmas.

1. Maintain your daily sleep/wake routine. Use medicine if you have to;

2. Keep in control of drinking. If you suddenly start a binge, it could be a major alert of an episode;

3. Make a Christmas shopping list and don’t buy anything not on the list!

4. Ask your partner or friend to help you stick to a budget;

5. Keep up medication;

6. Check in with your doctor or mental health worker as soon as you or someone close notices symptoms;

7. Keep away from any ‘toxic?family members (you know who they are).

No plan is failsafe, but then again, having no plan is like going out without an umbrella on a stormy day. You can live well with bipolar, and Christmas doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Plan ahead and have a healthy, happy Christmas.

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Depression may be best treated when it is caught in its early stages. Learn the symptoms of depression and what you can do about it, naturally for a successful treatment of this emotional disorder.

Depression Symptoms

Studies have shown that about 20 million Americans receive some form of depression treatment on an annual basis. Twenty Million Americans! Considering how grave an illness depression is, this is a rather worrisome number. As a result recognizing the symptoms of depression as a step for depression treatment may perhaps be the first move to make.

Like any other illness, depression, characterized by insomnia, mood swings, frustration and loss of appetite amongst other things, is a disorder that starts little but left unattended to can increase in intensity. Thus all efforts should be made to attend to the symptoms of depression and for best results; this should be in its beginning stages.

Now, the symptoms of depression may be caused or aggravated by other diseases (for example, in my case it was years and years of acne and asthma as a teen and adult), stress, use of drugs, Improper diet, Loss of a job or loved ones. The list is endless friends. However, as a famous writer once said, in regards to depression here is one helpful thing to remember: “Life’s problems are like knives, which either serve us or cut us, as we grasp them by the blade or the handle: Grasp a difficulty or problem by the blade and it cuts; grasp it by the handle and you can use it constructively”

In order to not allow depression to take over your present situation and consequently hinder you from overcoming it, below are its symptoms in no specific order.

Symptoms of Depression:

1. Irritability and mood swings.
2. Hopelessness and extreme pessimism (a negative outlook on life)
3. Loss of energy, extreme fatigue and tiredness.
4. Loss of interest in hobbies, having a good appearance and even associates and loved ones.
5. Extreme feelings of helplessness and no self worth.
6. Suicidal thoughts (in extreme cases)
7. Insomnia (lack of) or excessive sleep.
8. Inexplicable weight loss or gain thereof, triggered by eating disorders.

Though not a conclusive list as characteristics vary by patient, these symptoms of depression listed above are the most common ones. If you happen to experience any of these symptoms, the first step, in my opinion and based on research will be to look within and ask why this may be occurring. Thoroughly assess your situation to see what it is that could be triggering these symptoms of depression within you. Could it be a failure at something or the loss of something or someone of importance?

If you go over the problem carefully, you would be able to target the cause and consequently solve it. Remember, the mind is the most powerful force on the earth, He who can control it can control all things my friend.

You will notice that I have made little or no mention of drugs or members of the medical fraternity. That is simply because I believe a drug-free alternative of treating depression and its symptoms will be the safest route to go. What with all the side effects of popular depression medications, why aggravate an already disturbed health with such unwanted side effects as nausea, weight gain and even sexual dysfunctions as reported in some cases.

With a drug-free approach of Positive Thinking, a carefully selected diet (yes, it matters friend) and some form of physical exercise-my personal recommendation being Yoga-you can tackle the symptoms of depression at any stage and empower yourself to lead a healthier and happier life.

Other things you can add to these three limbs are to take time to relax more, enjoy your favorite music (remember David playing for Saul in the Bible, yes music is soothing for depression friend), seek uplifting entertainment, read more self-help books, Heck, if you’re of a Christian background go to Psalms 23 or 91…they help. Seek out the company of those you know make you laugh. Or if need be, let out a good cry (don’t abuse it and you are not weak if you do, it’s part of being human.), clear the mind and empower yourself (if need be with positive affirmations repeated mentally or aloud) and tackle your problems because YOU CAN DO IT!

May Happiness be yours.

Beat the Symptoms of Your depression starting today.

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Due to its obvious health hazards many companies have begun to test their employees for nicotine via nicotine tobacco tests. Nicotine tests help employers and insurance companies alike evaluate a person’s health more accurately, often times resulting in increased costs to the smoker.

smoking,smoke,nicotine,life insurance,cotanine,testing,tests,tobacco,smoker,quit smoking,smokers

Smoking is a health hazard, to both those who smoke and those who are exposed to secondhand fumes. Due to this hazard, many companies have begun to test their employees for nicotine via nicotine drug tests. Nicotine tests help employers and insurance companies alike evaluate a person’s health more accurately, often times resulting in increased costs to the smoker.

Nicotine Testing for Insurance

Nowadays, many insurance companies require a full physical before accepting an individual onto one of their coverage plans. While this certainly holds true for health insurance, it is even more prevalent in the realm of life insurance policies. Life insurance companies require applicants to undergo an insurance company test for smoking. This is typically performed through blood testing for nicotine or a nicotine urine test. Should an individual be found to have nicotine in their system, they will be required to pay a higher insurance premium. Quite simply, smoking puts your health at risk, and insurance companies are not willing to take that risk without first, a tobacco test and second, higher monetary compensation.

Employer Nicotine Testing

While an employer cannot discriminate against employees who smoke, they can certainly screen their workers for nicotine use. These tobacco tests help companies decide how much their employees are required to pay for health insurance coverage. The thought behind this practice is that it would not be fair for a non-smoker and a smoker to pay the same premiums.

Nicotine Tobacco Testing

Nicotine drug testing can be carried out in several ways, the most popular of which are nicotine urine testing and blood testing. A great tobacco test kit can be found at TestCountry. This home nicotine test kit is a urine test that detects both nicotine and cotinine in a sample of urine taken from a donor. Nicotine urine testing can be done at home, in the office or during an insurance mandated physical. Results appear quickly and these nicotine tests are laboratory accurate.

Oftentimes, parents are concerned about whether or not their teenagers are smoking cigarettes. But with a tobacco test kit, the answers to your most pressing question will be answered. Nicotine addiction is very real. The sooner you find out if your teen is smoking, the sooner you can help your child overcome their nicotine addiction.

Insurance companies can potentially save money by enforcing insurance company test for smoking. These nicotine drug tests help insurance companies adjust their premiums to be fairer for non-smokers, as it is not fair for non-smokers and smokers to pay the same rates.

Employers also benefit from tobacco use detection tests and can save money when they buy health insurance for employees. Using nicotine urine testing is easy and effective and helps employers decide on fair insurance payment rates for their workers.

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We never know who it is in our destiny to meet and interact with over a lifetime. All of those ‘plays’ of life will never be able to exist because one of the characters on the stage will not be there to fulfill his role.

suicide, prevention, tragedy, death, violent, confusion, pain,

On December 12th, 1992, my brother committed suicide. The consequences were devestating to everyone involved. Maybe this story will help someone who is contemplating suicide to decide against it.

Suicide is not the solution that some may think it is. Problems and unresolved issues will haunt family and friends for many decades.

My nephew, who was just a baby at the time, would always ask about his uncle. He eventually learned to point up at the sky and say, “Uncle Scott”.

But the reality is that he missed out on having the benefit and support of his uncle as he grew up. And of course, there are countless interactions with family members that will be missed over the decades.

Suicide is permanent. And the effects that it has on loved ones also lasts over a life time.

My brother was only 22 years old at the time he chose to commit suicide. I was only 24.

I remember going to the viewing and seeing his lifeless body. They couldn’t quite erase all of the signs of his violent death. And that image will stick with the living for the rest of their lives.

In the end, the temporary pain someone escapes by committing suicide might be overshadowed by the pain and sadness of family and friends. That pain may continue through the decades whenever they think about it.

The missed opportunities for interaction also impedes the growth of everyone else. Countless interactions that would have occurred are all lost now.

Who knows how destiny was changed by such an event. The family that he may have had will not exist now.

The triumphs and set backs of a life will never be realized. The fulfillment of a lifetime was cut short by a decision that may have been made rashly at a moment of personal confusion or pain.

We never know who it is in our destiny to meet and interact with over a lifetime. All of those ‘plays’ of life will never be able to exist because one of the characters on the stage will not be there to fulfill his role.

So, the total sum of the tragedy is really unknown but it seems likely that over what would have amounted to decades of time, that sum must be quite high. I guess we won’t get the chance to find out.

Though I am revealing this personal family tragedy to the masses through this article, if it saves a single life, it will be worth it. Drop me a line if you ever want to talk, I would be happy to hear from you.

397

Why do ignoramuses inflict more misery on anxiety sufferers This condition can be tamed.

anxiety.depression,anxious symptons,medical,Anxiety bouts,treatment,condition,

At some stage in our lives we all will have suffered a bout of being anxious due to a bad moment. Missing a bus or late for an appointment is enough to trigger uneasiness, which is quite a normal reaction.

Prolonged anxiety which meddles with a person’s everyday life tells us that we are now dealing with a condition called (anxiety disorder).
Coping with excessive anxiety can be a struggle but with the right medical advice and help then this ailment which is associated with other psychiatric conditions such as depression can be tamed.
In the UK 1 in 10 people battle to lead a normal life, the severity of anxiety powers is no doubt a mighty force to contend with where the effects can turn a persons life upside down.

Anxiety that flares up with no identifying reason behind the cause has to be questioned. Strong/severe anxiety that tampers or interferes with daily routines- activities is considered abnormal.

Symptoms to look out for with (Physical Anxiety) is dry mouth/diarrhoea/abdominal discomfort/breathlessness/fast heartbeat/problem swallowing/dizzy spells/ tightening of the chest. These are a result of when the brain sends out signals to other parts of the body while at the same time releasing stress hormones/adrenalin. Organs affected are lungs heart etc that are now geared up to work faster.

The fear of going mad and lack of concentration are two serious symptoms endured as well as insomnia and uncontrollable outbursts of rage- anger if suffering from psychological anxiety.

Medication and treatments like psychotherapy/ counselling and more are available.

Anxiety is treatable so please if you or someone close is having a bad time trying to cope with any of the symptons mentioned earlier then make an appointment to speak with your doctor.

Mad or sad

Some people who suffer from anxiety may appear to look and do things a little differently to which an outsider may find funny, depending on the outsider of course. Because of their lack of understanding on this condition they find it hilarious to poke fun and make nasty remarks towards the person suffering from this condition causing more misery for the sufferer.

Yes I would say sufferers are mad, mad with the ignoramuses who continue to add to their torment.
And saddened furthermore at how their tomentors proudly show their ignorance behind the meaning of the word compassion.