Conditions

The Diagnostic Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders states the main characteristics of generalized anxiety disorder are excessive worrying and difficulty controlling the worry.

Schizophrenia interferes directly with a client’s perception of reality and is characterized by hallucinations, most commonly auditory, and fixed delusions. Thinking is confused, speech may be hard to understand, and they may find it difficult to connect with friends and family.

Depression, also known as major depressive disorder, is characterized by a depressed mood, which can be experienced as feeling sad, empty, or hopeless, or a loss of interest or pleasure. In children and adolescents, the mood can largely include irritability.

Social phobia, also called social anxiety disorder, is characterized by a fear of social situations where there’s the possibility of being judged by others, specifically that one will act in a way or show symptoms of anxiety that will be evaluated negatively.

Posttraumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD, is characterized by being exposed to an event that threatens death, serious injury, or sexual violence, and afterwards experiencing intrusive symptoms, avoidance, changes in thoughts or mood, and heightened arousal.

Health anxiety, also known as illness anxiety disorder and hypochondriasis, is characterized by concern about having or developing a serious illness despite not having any symptoms or experiencing only mild physical symptoms.

Irritable bowel syndrome, also known as IBS or a functional gastrointestinal disorder, is characterized by a group of symptoms that may include abdominal discomfort or pain, bloating, changes in bowel movement patterns (i.e., diarrhea and constipation).

Bulimia, also known as bulimia nervosa is a serious eating disorder characterized by cycles of bingeing and compensatory behaviors. Compensatory behaviors include self-induced vomiting and other behaviors designed to undo the effects of binge eating.

Anorexia, also known as anorexia nervosa, is a serious and potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by restriction of food intake leading to significantly low body weight in relation to developmental age and physical health. Intense fear of gaining weight, a pre-occupation with body shape and weight, and disturbance in the way in which one’s body shape and weight is experienced are prominent symptoms of anorexia.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) consists of intrusive thoughts so terrifying that clients become debilitated in their efforts to neutralize them. The obsessions are intrusive and persistent thoughts, images and urges. The thoughts may concern danger, contamination, or reckless activity.

Substance use disorders center around a dependence on drugs and alcohol that compromises a client’s ability to work and form relationships. It is characterized by prolonged use, unsuccessful efforts to quit, excessive time recovering from the effects, and a life that is centered around use.

Personality disorders are stereotyped patterns of cognition and behavior, so ingrained and extreme as to cut across a broad range of activities and experiences. They are pervasive, inflexible, and lead to distress or impairment in a client's personal relationships.

Sexual dysfunctions interfere with a client’s ability to initiate, experience, and enjoy sexual activity. They can include premature ejaculation, painful intercourse, erectile dysfunction, and female orgasmic disorder.

Bipolar disorder is characterized by a manic episode followed by either a depressive or hypomanic episodes.

Panic disorder is characterized by seemingly un-triggered unexpected anxiety. The client experiences a sudden upsurge of sensations, such as palpitations, sweating, trembling, shaking, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, dizziness, chills, and numbness. They may fear that they are in imminent danger of going crazy, losing touch with reality, fainting, losing control of their bowels, having a heart attack or stroke, or dying.

Chronic pain is defined as pain that does not go away as expected after an illness or injury. Whereas acute pain is a normal sensation that alerts us to possible injury, chronic pain is different and may persist for months or longer.

Chronic fatigue syndrome has several signs and symptoms: fatigue, memory and concentration difficulties, unrefreshing sleep, and extreme exhaustion lasting 24 hours or more after physical or mental exercise. As fatigue can be a symptom of many illnesses, such as infections, it is important to be evaluated by a primary care provider for persistent or excessive fatigue, prior to seeking psychological care.

Migraine headaches can begin in childhood, adolescence or early adulthood. When left untreated, duration of migraines is generally four to 72 hours. The frequency with which migraines occur varies from person to person, occurring several times a month or less often.

Colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease. Ulcerative colitis symptoms vary depending on the severity of inflammation and where in the colon it occurs.

Fibromyalgia is a common chronic condition that causes widespread pain, sleep difficulties, fatigue, and often psychological distress.

Obesity is a major public health concern and is defined as a disease of excess body fat, with secondary adverse health effects. The most common way to diagnose overweight or obesity is to calculate body mass index (BMI). BMI is a height and weight ratio, and is considered a good gauge of risk for diseases that occur with excess body fat.