Mental Health Disorders Identification

A person with this disorder experience persistent and unwelcome thoughts (obsessions), which give rise to ritualistic practices (compulsions) that are intended to control the intruding thoughts.  People may feel compelled to count objects, check things repeatedly, or wash their hands over and over again.  Severe cases take up so much of a person's time and concentration that the actions of normal life are nearly impossible. 

• bipolar disorder

• post traumatic stress disorder

• obsessive compulsive disorder

• anxiety disorder

This is one of the most common mood disorders in teens.  It involves a sense of persistent sadness and/or loss of interest or pleasure in most activities.  It is different from the blues and can't be wished or willed away.  It can impact a person's thoughts, sense of worth, sleep, appetite, energy, and concentration.  It can occur as a single debilitating episode or as recurring episodes. 

• depression

• post traumatic stress disorder

• anxiety disorder

• schizophrenia

Extreme changes in mood, from the lows of depression to the highs of mania, characterizes this debilitating illness.  During manic phase, a person may exhibit risky behaviors, distractibility, feelings of increased self importance, irritability and a reduced need for sleep.  In the depression phase extreme sadness, lack of energy and feelings of hopelessness make it difficult for a person to go about the business of daily life. 

• post traumatic stress disorder

• depression

• bipolar disorder

• schizophrenia

One of the first signs of this illness is often a psychotic episode, in which the person hears voices or believes others are threatening him.  These fragmented, bizarre thoughts are called delusions and they often go hand in hand with hallucinations and disorganized behavior.  These symptoms are frightening to the person and to his or her family or friends. 

• obsessive compulsive disorder

• schizophrenia

• depression

• anxiety disorder

This disorder occurs without warning and can cause frightening physical symptoms that seem almost like a heart attack (heart racing, stomach churning, head spinning).  Left untreated this disorder can cause the person with it to avoid triggering situations or places, which can be extremely disruptive to his or her everyday life.  In about a third of the cases, it can even result in agoraphobia, a condition in which a person becomes isolated or housebound.  Luckily it is highly treatable.

• anxiety disorder

• depression

• attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

• bipolar disorder

A terrifying experience- military combat, a car accident, a natural disaster, can bring about  terrifying conditions.  A person with this condition relives his or her trauma through nightmares or upsetting thoughts, this reliving can make him or her feel detached, numb, irritable, or aggressive.  Ordinary events can trigger a flashback episode or cause a resurgence of the unpleasant thoughts. 

• post traumatic stress disorder

• schizophrenia

• anxiety disorder

• attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

This diagnosis mostly applies to children who consistently display behaviors like inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.  They have a hard time keeping their minds on a task and my get bored after just a few minutes.  They can not sit still and may talk or dash about continually.  It is important to remember that children - or adults with this disorder are not doing it on purpose. 

• bipolar disorder

• depression

• anxiety disorder

• attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

People with this disorder experience a debilitating fear of interacting with others or appearing in public.  Some have problems with public speaking, some with eating in public, and some with just being around others.  They fear that other people are watching or judging them.

• post traumatic stress disorder

• bipolar disorder

• anxiety disorder

• schizophrenia