Mental Health Conditions

Mental Health Conditions

A mental illness is a condition that affects a person’s thinking, feeling or mood. Such conditions may affect someone’s ability to relate to others and function each day. Each person will have different experiences, even people with the same diagnosis.

Recovery, including meaningful roles in social life, school and work, is possible, especially when you start treatment early and play a strong role in your own recovery process.

A mental health condition isn’t the result of one event. Research suggests multiple overlapping causes. Genetics, environment and lifestyle influence whether someone develops a mental health condition. A stressful job or home life makes some people more susceptible, as do traumatic life events like being the victim of a crime. Biochemical processes and circuits and basic brain structure may play a role, too.

ADHD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder where there are significant problems with attention, hyperactivity or acting impulsively.

Anxiety Disorders

Everyone experiences anxiety sometimes, but when it becomes overwhelming and repeatedly impacts a person’s life, it may be an anxiety disorder.

Autism

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that makes it difficult to socialize and communicate with others.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder causes dramatic highs and lows in a person’s mood, energy and ability to think clearly.

Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by severe, unstable mood swings, impulsivity and instability, poor self-image and stormy relationships.

Depression

Depression is more than just feeling sad or going through a rough patch; it’s a serious mental health condition that requires understanding and treatment.

Obsessive-compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder causes repetitive, unwanted, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and irrational, excessive urges to do certain actions (compulsions).

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

PTSD is the result of traumatic events, such as military combat, assault, an accident or a natural disaster.

Eating Disorders

When you become so preoccupied with food and weight issues that you find it hard to focus on other aspects of your life, it may be a sign of an eating disorder.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia causes people to lose touch with reality, often in the form of hallucinations, delusions and extremely disordered thinking and behavior.