Diagnosing mental illness can be a difficult process because for a lot of people it often develops over a period of time, not all the symptoms show themselves in the first stages. Professionals who diagnose mental illness look for groups of symptoms in a book called ‘The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual’ to help determine what may be going on and how best to help the person.
Click on a condition below to learn more:
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder where there are significant problems with attention, hyperactivity or acting impulsively.
Everyone experiences anxiety sometimes, but when it becomes overwhelming and repeatedly impacts a person’s life, it may be an anxiety disorder.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that makes it difficult to socialize and communicate with others.
Bipolar disorder causes dramatic highs and lows in a person’s mood, energy and ability to think clearly.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by severe, unstable mood swings, impulsivity and instability, poor self-image and stormy relationships.
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.
Dissociative disorders are spectrum of disorders that affect a person’s memory and self-perception.
Psychosis is characterized as disruptions to a person’s thoughts and perceptions that make it difficult for them to recognize what is real and what isn’t.
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.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder causes repetitive, unwanted, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and irrational, excessive urges to do certain actions (compulsions).
PTSD is the result of traumatic events, such as military combat, assault, an accident or a natural disaster.
Schizoaffective disorder is characterized primarily by symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations or delusions, and symptoms of a mood disorder, such as depressive or manic episodes.
Schizophrenia causes people to lose touch with reality, often in the form of hallucinations, delusions and extremely disordered thinking and behavior.