ADHD

ADHD, or attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, affects approximately 10 million adults worldwide. Individuals who are experiencing ADHD may have trouble with executive function, working memory, and maintaining focus, which can have an impact on academic and career success. 

Adjustment

Whether heading off to college, exiting a relationship, moving to a new city, or entering the workforce, adjusting to a new environment and new circumstances can be difficult. Adjustment disorder can be used to describe a short-term condition which results from difficulty adjusting to sources of stress such as major life changes, loss, or events. Although not always recognized a serious mental health concern by society, adjustment can pose serious obstacles to an individual's ability to settle in and be happy following a stressful event, and thus should be addressed in whatever way works best for the individual, whether it be therapy, confiding in family and friends, or other healthy coping activities. 

​Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder, also known as Manic-Depressive Disorder, is a brain disorder that is characterized by unusual and often severe shifts in an individual's mood, energy, and, at times, their ability to function. The mood episodes that are caused as a result of bipolar disorder span anywhere from days to weeks long, shifting between periods described as "manic," or a high, elevated mood, often accompanied by increased irritability, and periods described by "depressed," which is characterized by depressive symptoms such as prolonged sadness, hopelessness, loss of pleasure in activities, etc. These two mood states represent "highs" and "lows," although individuals experiencing bipolar disorder can also have periods of normal mood between these above mentioned mood episodes. Bipolar disorder is understood to have two different forms: Bipolar I and Bipolar II. Bipolar I is characterized by more intense manic episodes and depressive episodes, while Bipolar II is characterized by less intense hypomanic episodes and more intense and/or longer lasting depressive episodes.       

Depression

Depression can present itself in two very different yet still closely related ways: Major Depressive Disorder and Dysthymia.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
MDD is what often comes to mind when we hear the word "depression." It can be experienced as a result of brain chemistry imbalances, as well as significant life events. Although MDD is experienced differently by anyone who may be experiencing symptoms, MDD generally refers to more intense yet shorter lived depressed periods. Common symptoms include sad, anxious, or irritable moods, loss of interest in activities, trouble sleeping, social withdraw, changes in eating habits, and many more, all of which vary in degree for each individual experiencing depression. 

Dysthymia (colloquially often referred to as High Functioning Depression)
Dysthymia is the less commonly understood form that depression may take. While MDD refers to more intense yet shorter lived depressive episodes, Dysthymia refers to less intense, but still very real, periods of depression that persist for an extended period of time (usually two years or more. It has commonly been called High Functioning Depression in pop culture, as the less intense symptoms of depression generally lend individuals to carry on with their daily tasks and often hide their true mental state from those around them, if they choose to do so, as it is not so externally apparent. Although the overall baseline may be less depressive than those having MDD experience, Dysthymia is nonetheless a very real form of depression, and as such should be taken seriously. Common symptoms include sad, anxious, or irritable moods, loss of interest in activities, trouble sleeping, social withdraw, changes in eating habits, and many more, all of which vary in degree for each individual experiencing depression. ​

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are characterized by irregular eating habits and lots of stress or concern related to an individual's body weight or shape. There are a variety of different forms that eating disorders present themselves in; some of the most common ones are listed below.

Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by weight loss and difficulty maintaining healthy body weight, which can arises as a result of a distorted body image or from fear of gaining weight. Individuals experiencing anorexia nervosa may be seen to limit their caloric intake, monitor the types of foods they eat, excessively exercise, and sometimes also use laxatives or vomiting to purge. 

Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia Nervosa is characterized by cycles of binging and behaviors to counteract this, such as self-induced vomiting. Like anorexia nervosa, it can arise as a result of a distorted body image or fear of gaining weight.

Binge Eating Disorder
Binge Eating Disorder is characterized by episodes of eating large amounts of food, which often occurs very quickly and goes to the point of discomfort. Individuals may feel a loss of control during a binge, and experience shame or guilt afterwards.

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Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by excessive, ongoing anxiety and worry that often interferes with daily activities. Generalized anxiety disorder may arise in childhood or as an adult, and although it has symptoms closely related to panic disorder and OCD, it is still known to be distinct from these other types of anxiety disorders. Although symptoms vary for each individual, some common symptoms include overthinking, perceiving situations and events as threatening, even when they aren't, indecisiveness, restlessness, trouble sleeping, etc.

Grief

Grief is a natural response to loss, such as when you lose something or someone important and special in your life. Pain from loss can be overwhelming and can give rise to difficult and unexpected emotions, such as disbelief, guilt, sadness, etc. The pain experienced by those grieving can also have effects on physical health, such as changes in weight, eating habits, sleep habits, cognitive function, etc. Everyone experiences grief differently and the severity of grief may vary based on the severity of the loss. More information on grief and coping with grief will be included below.

Learning Disabilities

The term "learning disability" encompasses a variety of different conditions which may make learning and academics more challenging for some. Learning disabilities stem for genetic and/or neurobiological factors that have an effect on various cognitive processes, such as reading, writing, and/or math, as well as higher level skills which include organization, reasoning, memory, etc. Some common learning disabilities are listed below. 

Dyscalculia
Dyscalculia is a learning disability that causes trouble with an individual's understanding of numbers and math facts.

Dysgraphia
Dysgraphia is a learning disability that causes trouble with an individual's handwriting ability and fine motor skills. 

Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a learning disability that causes trouble with an individual's reading and language-based processing skills.

Oral/Written Language Disorder and Specific Reading Comprehension Deficit
This refers to learning disabilities that cause trouble with an individual's ability to understand what they read or hear through spoken language, and sometimes also impacts an individual's ability to express themselves through spoken language.

Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities 
This refers to learning disabilities that are often characterized by a difference between higher verbal skills and weaker motor, visual-spatial and social skills, and can also be associated with trouble interpreting non-verbal cues.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, is characterized by individuals experiencing obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are understood to be unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images or urges that may trigger an intensely distressing feeling. Compulsions, on the other hand, are urges to perform some action repeatedly. People experiencing OCD may have both obsessions and compulsions. Individuals may feel powerless to stop their respective obsessions and/or compulsions. Individuals may experience OCD in a variety of different forms, but most cases fall into one of four categories (checking, contamination, symmetry and ordering, and ruminations and intrusive thoughts), which are further discussed in the link below!

Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is generally diagnosed in individuals experiencing spontaneous and often without-clear-reason panic attacks, and who also find themselves very preoccupied with fear of future panic attacks. It can often interferes with daily activities, as it may cause individuals to miss work, public spaces, and other spaces that they feel may bring about a panic attack. Panic disorder usually presents itself in adulthood, but may arise in adolescence as well. About 2%-3% of Americans experience panic disorder, and it is known to be about twice as common in women as it is in men. Symptoms vary between individuals, with some of the most common symptoms being accelerated heart rate, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, nausea, etc. 

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that is triggered by a traumatic event, such as a natural disaster, assault, death of a loved one, etc. PTSD is characterized by intrusive memories and flashbacks, which can be so strong that they cause individuals to feel as if they are re-living the traumatic event itself. The flashbacks and anxiety experienced by those dealing with PTSD can interfere with school, work, and relationships, but can be managed with proper support and treatment that works for the individual.

Self-Harm

Everyone copes with emotions differently; some chose to do so through talking to those close to them, others may distract themselves with things such as social media or other activities, and some individuals may use self-hard behaviors, such as cutting, as a coping mechanism. Self-injury is characterized by deliberate harm to oneself in order to cope with overwhelming emotions such as anger, anxiety, sadness, etc. Often times though, these behaviors do not make individuals feel better, but rather can cause additional guilt or shame, which can make individuals who self-harm feel worse. It is important to note that self-injury is generally not about suicide, but rather a method used by individuals to cope with their feelings. 

Social Anxiety

Social anxiety is commonly understood to be an intense and persistent fear of being watched, negatively evaluated, and/or judged by others. Beyond this fear, individuals with social anxiety may also worry about acting or appearing visibly anxious to others. The fear and worry caused by social anxiety may affect school, work, and other daily activities, as well as meeting new people. Some common signs and symptoms experienced by those dealing with social anxiety include increased heart rate, nausea, fear and/or worry being around others, and avoidance of social situations. 

Substance Use and Abuse

Although it may start as a social or casual endeavor, experimental use of alcohol, marijuana, and other substances can escalate into a substance use disorder. Repeated exposure to substances over a prolonged period of time may cause changes in brain chemistry, altering control and decision making, and may begin to affect responsibilities and relationships. Substance abuse may manifest very differently in each individual.

Suicidal Thoughts

Suicidal thoughts tend to arise when individuals are dealing with more stress, sadness, and hopelessness than they feel they are able to handle. Individuals experiencing depression, anxiety, eating disorders, or substance abuse may be more likely to have suicidal thoughts. Whether you or someone close to you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, it is important to learn the warning signs and healthy ways to cope and seek help. Below are some resources detailing warning signs of suicidal thoughts, why these thoughts may arise, and other resources. 

Sleep Disorders

Sleep is an integral part of daily functioning and mental wellness. While many people have no problem sleeping, some individuals may experience sleep disorders which may negatively affect an individual's sleeping habits; some common sleep disorders are described below.

Insomnia
Insomnia is generally one of the most widely-recognized sleep disorders, and is characterized by difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night. 

Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is characterized by abnormal breathing problems while sleeping. There are several different types of sleep apnea

Restless Leg Syndrome
Restless leg syndrome is a type of sleep movement disorder which causes an uncomfortable sensation and the urge to move ones legs while trying to fall asleep.

Narcolepsy 
Narcolepsy is characterized by excessive sleepiness throughout the day and suddenly falling asleep throughout the day. 

Psychosis

Psychosis is characterized as disruptions to an individual's thoughts and perceptions that make it difficult for them to differentiate between what is real and what isn't, These disruptions generally appear as a result of seeing, hearing, and believing things that may not be real, but can also present themselves as strange and persistent thoughts, behaviors and emotions. Each individual experiences psychosis differently, although most describe psychosis as confusing and frightening. 

Perfectionism

Perfectionism can have both a healthy and not-so-healthy side to itself. On the healthy end, perfectionism can serve as a motivator and a drive to overcome adversity and stress. On the unhealthy end, perfectionism can drive an individual towards constant stress and self-doubt, resulting from a constant desire for self-perfection and approval/affection from others. While perfectionism is primarily driven by internal pressures, it may have a societal component as well, especially in hyper-competitive environments. Perfectionism can cause individuals to feel dissatisfied with themselves and their work, even if their results are consistently above average. For more information about perfectionism and some healthy coping strategies, see the links below. 

Test Anxiety

It is common to experience some anxiety heading into an exam. Some anxiety can even be a good thing and increase performance, but when this anxiety becomes excessive and begins negatively affecting results, it is known as test anxiety. When one experiences test anxiety, symptoms such as completely blanking on material, even if you studied and know it very well, are common. Test anxiety is not limited to quantitative tests, but can also arise in other evaluative situations such as presentations to coworkers, musical performances, etc. 

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder which causes people to interpret reality abnormally. These distortions of reality include hallucinations, delusions, and extremely disordered thinking and behavior. Schizophrenia can cause extreme distress, and at times can be disabling due to impairment of daily functioning referred to as negative symptoms, which include neglect of personal hygiene, lack of emotion, or social withdrawal. Schizophrenia typically onsets around the early-to-late 20s, and can be effectively managed with lifelong treatment and medication.

Schizoaffective Disorder

Schizoaffective disorder is referred to as a combination of schizophrenia symptoms and mood disorder symptoms, such as depression or mania. The schizophrenic symptoms include delusions, hallucinations, and disordered thinking. The manic symptoms include increased energy, decreased need for sleep, and impulsive behaviors, while the depressive symptoms include feelings of worthlessness, loss of interest in daily activities, and suicidal ideations.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD)

Borderline personality disorder causes distortions in the way one perceives themselves and others, including self-image issues and difficulty managing emotions, causing a pattern of unstable relationships. Those with borderline personality disorder have an intense fear of abandonment, and may find it difficult to be alone. This disorder is also characterized by inappropriate anger, impulsiveness, and mood swings that can last from a few hours to a few days. The condition usually onsets in early adulthood, and can be treated through specialized psychotherapy or medication.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)

Seasonal affective disorder is described as an episode of depression usually experienced in the late fall and early winter, and receding during the spring and summer. The symptoms are congruent with the symptoms of major depressive disorder, such as low energy, depressed mood, feelings of hopelessness and guilt, and thoughts of suicide. Those with seasonal affective disorder will experience a depression that coincides with specific seasons for at least 2 years. This disorder can be treated through medication and therapy.

Dissociative identity disorder (DID)

Formerly known as multiple personality disorder, those with dissociative identity disorder switch between alternate identities. They feel the presence of two or more people living inside their head, each with a unique name, characteristics, voices and even genders. Those with DID often experience memory loss and loss of touch with reality, and often experience other mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, and other dissociative disorders.