Psychological Disorders

Psychological disorders may also be called:

1. Mental health disorders
2. Mental health conditions
3. Mental health issues
4. Mental illnesses
5. Behavioral disorders
6. Psychiatric disorders
7. Emotional disorders
8. Neuropsychiatric disorders
9. Psychopathology

These disorders are characterized by unusual modes of thinking, emotional responses, or behavior that cause much stress in the life of the affected person. These disorders may be short or long-term and impact the social, family, and working or academic lives of the patient.

Let us get into the details of what psychological disorders are and how they manifest.

Types of Psychological Disorders

As mentioned earlier, psychological disorders are rather numerous and can be divided into several large groups. Some of the most common types include:

1. Anxiety Disorders: It is a group of anxiety disorders involving excessive worry, fear, rapid vigor, sweating, and difficulty in breath. The common subtypes include the generalized anxiety disorder, the social anxiety disorder, and the phobic disorders.
2. Mood Disorders: These disorders are the ones that may mess up a person’s feelings and therefore have an energy influence on them. Major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder are other related examples that can be cited.
3. Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders: These disorders are marked by an individual’s inability to live in reality; the patients experience hallucinations, and their perceptions of events are distorted.
4. Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders: These include obsessions – ideas, thoughts, and impulses that intrude on a person’s mind and primarily compel them to perform compulsions – rituals that a person feels pressured to execute incessantly.
5. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): It is a type of trauma and stressor-related disorder that may occur after exposure to a hall of a frightening event, characterized by re-experiencing the event through memories, nightmares, and avoiding stimuli associated with the trauma.
6. Personality Disorders: These are characterized by well-defined behaviors that are abnormal for the individual’s age and cause serious impairment in their socio-interactional functioning.

Causes of Psychological Disorders

The causes of psychological disorders are not always well understood as they are multiple and may have various roots. However, several factors are believed to contribute, including:

1. Biological factors: These concern such factors as genetic factors, the chemistry of the brain, and the anatomic structure of the brain.
2. Psychological factors: Stress, childhood experiences, adverse learning experiences, or even genetics may be a cause of unsettling thinking patterns.
3. Social factors: Economic disadvantage, loneliness, and having experienced adverse life changes are some of the factors that may lead to a mental disorder diagnosis.

Importance of Seeking Help

Mental illnesses are not a death sentence therefore those who suffer such diseases should not lose hope because they can also be treated so that they can be independent and lead a happy life. In simple terms, if one has any thought that he or she might have a psychological disorder or any of his or her acquaintances, it is very important to seek the services of a professional. The keys to launching a successful treatment process lie in the early detection of the problem and the subsequent commencement of a treatment course.

Resources for Help

Like individuals suffering from diseases, there are various avenues through which people with psychological disorders can get support. Here are a few:

• Mental health professionals: This includes psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, and counselors.
• Support groups: It is always comforting to talk to others who can relate to the struggles and challenges that one is facing in a unique situation.
• Online resources: Numerous informational and support groups are available to individuals with mental health disorders.
• National hotlines: If the helplines are available approach instantly.

Remember, you are not alone! Numerous individuals suffer from some sort of psychological disorder, and there is assistance possible. Although nature has bestowed her own realities upon you through your mental disorder, it does not mean that you cannot do anything to change your condition.