Illnesses We Treat
The mind is like water. When it’s turbulent, it is difficult to see. When it is calm, everything becomes clear
Illnesses We Treat
Depressive disorders are characterized by persistent feelings of sadness and worthlessness and a lack of desire to engage in formerly pleasurable activities. Depression is not a passing blue mood, which almost everyone experiences from time to time, but a complex mind-body illness that interferes with everyday functioning. It not only darkens one’s outlook, but it is also commonly marked by sleep problems and changes in energy levels and appetite. It alters the structure and function of nerve cells so that it disrupts the way the brain processes information and interprets experience.
Occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. Many people worry about things such as health, money, or family problems. But anxiety disorders involve more than temporary worry or fear. For people with an anxiety disorder, the anxiety does not go away and can get worse over time. The symptoms can interfere with daily activities such as job performance, schoolwork, and relationships. There are several types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and various phobia-related disorders.
When someone experiences or witnesses a traumatic event or has gone through an extensive period of intense stress, they may be unable to resolve the emotional impact in a timely manner. While most individuals will process and heal within a few weeks following a crisis or trauma, those who have developed a trauma disorder experience psychological distress that results in impairment. In 2013 the DSM-V reclassified trauma disorders from the anxiety disorder spectrum to its own mental health disorder category. While anxiety is a common symptom for individuals with a trauma disorder, there are other features, such as anger, aggression, depression, and the inability to experience pleasure, that are more prominent.
Dissociative disorders are mental disorders that involve experiencing a disconnection and lack of continuity between thoughts, memories, surroundings, actions, and identity. People with dissociative disorders escape reality in ways that are involuntary and unhealthy and cause problems with functioning in everyday life. Dissociative disorders usually develop as a reaction to trauma and help keep difficult memories at bay. Symptoms — ranging from amnesia to alternate identities — depend in part on the type of dissociative disorder you have. Times of stress can temporarily worsen symptoms, making them more obvious.
Somatic symptom disorder is characterized by an extreme focus on physical symptoms — such as pain or fatigue — that causes major emotional distress and problems functioning. You may or may not have another diagnosed medical condition associated with these symptoms, but your reaction to the symptoms is not normal. You often think the worst about your symptoms and frequently seek medical care, continuing to search for an explanation even when other serious conditions have been excluded. Health concerns may become such a central focus of your life that it’s hard to function, sometimes leading to disability.
Eating disorders are serious conditions related to persistent eating behaviors that negatively impact your health, your emotions and your ability to function in important areas of life. The most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder. Most eating disorders involve focusing too much on your weight, body shape and food, leading to dangerous eating behaviors. These behaviors can significantly impact your body’s ability to get appropriate nutrition. Eating disorders can harm the heart, digestive system, bones, and teeth and mouth, and lead to other diseases.
Sexual dysfunction is when you’re facing significant challenges related to your ability to experience pleasure or respond sexually.If you’re having difficulty with sexual activity, getting aroused, or experiencing pleasure during sexual activity, you might be experiencing sexual dysfunction. It’s important to note that not everyone who is experiencing changes in their sexual thoughts or behavior has sexual dysfunction. Your sexual feelings and behaviors may change as you age, or your circumstances change. Also, keep in mind that what’s normal to you in terms of sexual activity might be different from what’s normal for someone else. This applies to different sexual preferences and frequency of sexual activity. The four main categories of sexual dysfunctions are desire disorders, arousal disorders, orgasm disorders, and pain disorders.
A personality disorder is a type of mental disorder in which you have a rigid and unhealthy pattern of thinking, functioning, and behaving. A person with a personality disorder has trouble perceiving and relating to situations and people. This causes significant problems and limitations in relationships, social activities, work and school. In some cases, you may not realize that you have a personality disorder because your way of thinking and behaving seems natural to you. And you may blame others for the challenges you face.