Emotional and mental health conditions are more prevalent than you might think. There still remains a societal stigma in talking about mental health, despite the fact that approximately 1-in-5 people are diagnosed with serious mental disorders. This stigma is diminishing as awareness grows, but there are still many who might not be aware their life is being impacted by such a disorder. To help you understand the widespread affects of mental health conditions and disorders, here are the most common kinds.

Mood disorders

This is a term used to describe a range of disorders, including major
depressive disorder, which can lead to experiences of long periods of extreme sadness. This definition also includes bipolar affective disorder, which we will explore more closely next.

Bipolar affective disorder

Also known as manic depression and bipolar disorder, this is often experienced as periods of extreme depression that also alternate with periods of mania or euphoria. Other symptoms can include delusions and hallucinations, as well as trouble communicating, whether it’s due to slowed speech or ideas changing too rapidly to speak them effectively.

Anxiety condition disorders

This term refers to a range of mental illnesses, including panic disorder, social anxiety, and generalised anxiety disorder that can cause debilitating levels of worry and fear. These can impact relationships, the ability to work, and can lead to panic attacks, during which the fight or flight part of the brain activates when it’s not supposed to. This causes a range of unpleasant symptoms, including trouble breathing, shaking, sweating, and a pounding heart.

Eating disorders

These disorders revolve around obsessions and concerns around eating, appearance, and weight. They include bulimia, anorexia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. This can mean that those with eating disorders avoiding eating when they can, or eat food very fast, only to purge it by making themselves sick. Not only can it have a negative impact on self-esteem, but eating disorders also come with a lot of other risks, such as an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and damage to the teeth.

Post-traumatic stress disorder

Commonly abbreviated to PTSD, this is an anxiety disorder that has been caused by stressful or frightening events. It’s common not only in those who have served in the military but also those who have suffered abuse or been in accidents or cases of assault. Besides the symptoms associated with anxiety, nightmares and flashbacks, as well as feelings of guilt over the traumatic event are frequent signs of PTSD.

Addiction disorders

There are a wide range of addictive disorders. Though alcohol and drug addictions are the most common, others include gambling, sex, and stealing. This disorder means that someone becomes mentally or physically dependent on certain substances or behaviors, to the point that it negatively impacts other areas in their life as well.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Also known as OCD, this range of disorders comes in a wide range of different varieties. In general, it is caused by anxiety regarding certain outcomes, such as the threat of endangering loved ones or growing sick. As such, the person develops compulsions that they believe irrationally can avoid the outcomes they obsess over, such as checking multiple times that doors are locked and power sockets turned off or doing everything possible to avoiding public spaces or surfaces touched by other people.
Being more aware of the prevalence of different mental health conditions and disorders can help people become more aware that their own experiences may be affected by them.

If you believe that you or someone you love is impacted by the mental health conditions and disorders mentioned above, don’t hesitate to get in touch with High Desert Psychiatry to find the approach to treatment and management that can result in some much-needed relief and a greatly improved quality of life. View our Psychiatric Services here.