Mental Health Conditions/Disorders

Anxiety

Anxiety is a general term for several disorders that cause nervousness, fear, apprehension and worrying. These disorders affect how we feel and behave and can cause physical symptoms. It’s probably safe to say we all deal with anxiety, it’s just a matter of degree.

Depression

A mental health disorder characterized by persistently depressed mood or less of interest in activities, causing significant impairment in daily life. Possible causes include a combination of biological, psychological, and social sources of distress. Increasingly, research suggests these factors may cause changes in brain function, including altered activity of certain neural circuits in the brain. In other words your brain is rewiring itself. No reason why it can’t rewire back with the right medication, along with self and professional intervention.

Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that can affect women after childbirth. Mothers with postpartum depression experience feelings of extreme sadness, anxiety and exhaustion that may make it difficult for them to complete daily care activities for themselves or for others.

Postpartum depression does not have a single cause but likely results from a combination of physical and emotional factors. Postpartum depression does not occur because of something a mother does or does not do.

After childbirth, the levels of hormones (estrogen and progesterone) in a woman’s body quickly drop. This leads to chemical changes in her brain that may trigger mood swings. In addition, many mothers are unable to get the rest they need to fully recover from giving birth. Constant sleep deprivation can lead to physical discomfort and exhaustion, which can contribute to the symptoms of postpartum depression.

Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

ADHD affects children and teens and can continue into adulthood. ADHD Is the most commonly diagnosed mental disorder of children. Children with ADHD have a difficult time controlling their impulses and may have trouble paying attention.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

PTSD is a mental condition that develops in some people who have experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event. It could result from a single traumatic event or many events over time. Most commonly recognized with War veterans although, every individual can be vulnerable. Children and teens could have PTSD if they lived through a traumatic event or a series of events over time. Such as emotional, physical, sexual, or violence. Symptoms can be different with each person.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar condition also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, and activity levels. There are four basic types of bipolar disorder; all of them involve changes in mood, energy, and activity levels. These moods range from periods of extremely “up” elated and energized behavior (known as manic episodes) to very sad “down” or hopeless periods (Known as depressive episodes). Less severe manic periods are known as hypomanic episodes.

Bipolar disorder in children is possible. It’s most often diagnosed in older children and teenagers, but bipolar disorder can occur in children of any age. As in adults bipolar disorder in children can cause mood swings from the highs of hyperactivity or euphoria (mania) to the lows of depression.

Emotional upheaval an unruly behaviors are a normal part of childhood and the teen years, and in most cases they aren’t a sign of a mental health problem that requires treatment. All kids have rough periods – it’s normal to feel down, irritable, angry, hyperactive or rebellious at times. However, if your child’s symptoms are severe, ongoing or causing significant problems, it may be more than just a phase.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that interferes with a person’s ability to think clearly, manage emotions, make decisions and relate to others. it is a complex, long-term (medical) illness, affecting about 1% of Americans. Although schizophrenia can occur at any age, the average age of onset tends to be in the late teens to early twenties for men, and the late twenties to early thirties for women. It is uncommon for schizophrenia to be diagnosed in a person younger than 12 or older than 40. It is possible to live well with schizophrenia.

It can be difficult to diagnose schizophrenia in teens. This is because the first signs can include a change of friends, a drop in grades, sleep problems, and irritability – common and non-specific adolescent behavior. Other factors include isolating oneself and withdrawing from others, an increase and unusual thoughts and suspicions, and a family history of psychosis. In young people who develop schizophrenia, this stage of the disorder is called the “prodromal” period.

With any condition, it is essential to get a comprehensive medical evaluation in order to obtain the best diagnosis.

Obsessive – Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

OCD is a common, chronic and long-lasting mental health disorder in which a person has uncontrollable, recurring thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions) that he or she feels the urge to repeat over and over.

OCD affect people of all ages and walks of life. Obsessions are unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images or urges that trigger intensely distressing feelings. Compulsions are behaviors an individual engages in, to attempt to get rid of the obsessions and/or decrease his or her distress.

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are serious medical illnesses marked by severe disturbances to a person’s eating behaviors or habits. Obsessions with food, body weight, and shape may be signs of an eating disorder. These disorders can affect a person’s physical and mental health; in some cases, it can be life-threatening. But eating disorders can be treated. Learning more about them can help you spot the warning signs and seek treatment early.

Remember, eating disorders are not a lifestyle choice. They are biologically- influenced medical illnesses.