Does your adopted child have a self-image disorder? Perhaps your adopted child is suffering from a body dysmorphic disorder. People with this condition are convinced that they are ugly. Apparently while processing things that they see which includes their own image, they have some sort of glitch in brain processing. Those with body dysmorphic disorder besides having a dramatically distorted self-image, also have obsessive thoughts about minor, or imagined defects in their appearance. While the exact cause of the disorder is unknown, experts agree that genetics as well as... more

Tics are involuntary movements that can only be suppressed for a short time with considerable effort. They are not rhythmic; they are rapid, purposeless, and repetitive, movements that are nearly identical to one another. Tics may be simple such as excessive blinking, grimacing, or head jerking and may have begun from nervous habits. Tics may also be complex, as those in Tourette's syndrome, and may resemble fragments of normal behavior.

Many simple tics begin in childhood and disappear without treatment.... more

When I read these statistics on kleptomania, I wondered if the researchers who wrote this had considered children with fetal alcohol syndrome or children who have been in foster homes or orphanages. The Mayo Clinic article said that they think kleptomania is uncommon; that it begins in adolescence or in a person’s twenties but in rare cases begins in early childhood. They went on to say they believe that, less than five percent of shoplifters have kleptomania. However, they say that it is difficult to pinpoint a number because people who suffer from this disorder... more

This is the best word to describe what it’s like to have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. And if I had to rank the disorders that afflict LuLu and how they negatively impact her life OCD would be at the top of the list.

OCD is a crazy-making disorder. Unlike other psychiatric disorders, a person with OCD realizes that he/she is not processing the world correctly. OCD is classified as an anxiety disorder and is characterized by obsessive, intrusive thoughts and compulsive rituals. OCD is made worse by anxiety and stress.

If you’re not sure what an obsession... more