Disorders

This is an eating disorder. It causes you to have episodes where you eat a large amount of food, uncontrollably and all at once. We call this "binging." Then, you vomit or use laxatives to expel the food so you don't gain weight. We call this "purging." Bulimia can be very harmful to your health.

Overcoming bulimia is a long process. It's tough. But it is possible for you to get better and stay better. If you're dedicated and you follow your care plan, you can do it. Here are some things to think about as you work on your recovery.

This is a serious eating disorder. With it, you lose control over your eating. You have an irresistible urge to eat large amounts of food. We call this "binging." It's bad for your health. And it can make you feel embarrassed and ashamed.

This is an eating disorder. With it, you crave things that don't have nutritional value, such as dirt, paper or paint. This can be bad for your health.

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that mainly affects young women. It can threaten your health, your well being, and even your life. Much about anorexia isn't fully understood. But it can be treated.

Most people overeat now and then. Binge eating occurs when you often can't control how much you eat.

Bulimia nervosa is a disorder in which food intake gets out of control. Having this eating disorder is nothing to be ashamed of. Talk to your healthcare provider or another person you trust. You may find it's a relief just to tell someone.

Emotional eating affects most people from time to time. But regularly letting your feelings guide your food intake can affect your health.

This is a serious mental disorder. With it, your mood and your actions aren't stable. You may have problems with anger, depression and anxiety. And, you may have intense mood swings. This can cause serious problems in your life. It can make it hard for you to have healthy relationships.

This is a mental disorder that affects you temporarily. It causes you to have a break from reality. You may act out in strange ways. You may become violent. This can disrupt your life. It can have severe consequences.

This is a condition that involves your mind and your body. With it, you have physical symptoms that a doctor can't explain with a medical exam. You may have blindness, paralysis or some other problem that has no obvious physical cause. But these symptoms are real, and you can't control them.

This is a psychotic disorder. With it, you have trouble recognizing reality. You believe something that isn't true. We call this a "delusion." Even when someone can prove that your belief is false, you continue to firmly believe it.

This is a mental health disorder that makes you emotionally dependent on other people. You may be clingy, needy and submissive. You may not trust yourself or your ability to make decisions. You may be terrified of being alone. This leads to unhealthy relationships.

This is a mental health disorder that makes you feel detached from yourself and from your surroundings. You may feel like you're watching yourself from outside your own body. Even though you know this is not reality, you can't make these feelings go away. This is disturbing and scary. It can interfere with your life.

This is a mental health disorder. With it, your personality is divided into two or more identities. They are often very different from each other. You also have gaps in your memory. This can cause severe problems in your life.

These days, we have access to video games whenever we want them. At home, we can play them on TVs and computers. When we're out, we can play them on our phones and tablets. For many, video games are a fun and harmless diversion from everyday life. But for some people, they can become an addiction.

This is a mental health disorder that causes you to seek attention. You feel uncomfortable when people aren't focused on you. Sometimes, you draw attention to yourself in ways that aren't healthy. This can damage your relationships.

This is mental disorder. With it, you view yourself as more important or accomplished than you really are. You don't have empathy for others, and you expect others to admire you and to give you special treatment. And, you have a hard time handling criticism. This can make it hard for you to have healthy relationships.

This is an anxiety disorder. It can cause unwanted thoughts and behaviors that you can't control. They can be troubling. They can interfere with your life.

If you've been diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder, you may be facing some unexpected challenges. Getting your OCD under control isn't easy, but you can do it. Here are some tips that will help.

A diagnosis of dementia changes your life. It changes the lives of your loved ones, too. You might face some unexpected challenges. But there are healthy ways to deal with dementia. Here are some coping strategies.

This is a mental disorder. It's a problem with the way you perceive others. With it, you don't trust other people. You are suspicious of their motives. This makes it hard for you to work and to have friends.

If you've been diagnosed with paranoid personality disorder, you may have some questions and concerns. What does it mean for you? The truth is, paranoid personality disorder can damage your relationships and hurt your career. But if you learn to manage it, dealing with others gets easier. Here are some tips to help.

This is an anxiety disorder. It's a fear of a specific object, place or situation. If you have a specific phobia, you feel an overwhelming sense of fear of that specific thing, even when you know there is little or no real danger. We call this an "irrational" fear. But even if you know your fear is irrational, you still feel like you can't control it.

This is a mental health condition. It's a fear that other people are watching you and judging you. This fear is intense and constant. It can make it hard for you to interact with others.

This type of depression develops in some mothers after childbirth. This makes it hard for you to care for your baby. And it can severely impact your life.

This condition is an anxiety disorder. It can develop after a traumatic event. A person who has PTSD may feel stressed or frightened long after the event, even when there is no danger. If you have PTSD, this can severely impact your life.

This is a type of depression that is linked to the seasons. For most people with SAD, depression comes in fall and winter and goes away in spring and summer. But others have depression during the summer months.

If you're diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder, you may worry about how it will affect you. But you should know that that it's very manageable. These simple strategies will help you keep it under control.

This is a disorder that involves your self control. With it, you have an irresistible urge to steal things. You may steal things you don't need, or things you can't use. You may steal things that aren't worth much, or things you could easily afford to buy. This can cause serious problems in your life.

This is a mental health disorder. If you have it, you aren't interested in relationships with others. You don't form close bonds with other people, even with members of your own family. This can lead to social isolation.

This is a mental health disorder. If you have it, you have trouble understanding relationships and how you affect others. You also think and act in ways that are not normal. You may dress oddly and behave in unusual ways. This can make it hard for you to get along with others.

This debilitating disorder causes severe exhaustion that doesn't go away after you rest. It makes even the most ordinary daily activities difficult to do.

If you're dealing with the long-lasting exhaustion of chronic fatigue syndrome, you know how frustrating it can be. You're tired all the time. Sleep doesn't give you relief. It can be so hard to find the energy to do the things you want to do. And while there's no cure for CFS, there are things you can do to get some relief.

This is a mental health disorder. It's a type of memory loss that is different from normal forgetfulness. With it, you may forget a specific event or important details about your life. Typically, these memories do come back. And when they do, they may return all at once.

This is a form of amnesia. It's a temporary state of memory loss. A person in this state may not be able to remember who they are. They may have no memories of their family or friends, or where they live or work. If this happens to you, it can seriously disrupt your life.

This is harm directed at someone by a current or a former partner. Women and men can be victims of this type of abuse. It's a serious issue, and one that is often kept secret from friends and from other family members.

You may think it's easy to tell when a relationship is abusive. But it isn't always. Abusers can be good at manipulation and control. They can make you doubt yourself. Here are some signs that a relationship may be dangerous.

When you partner with someone, your lives become intertwined. You may share children and finances. You may share friends and business arrangements. And because relationships are so complicated, you can be in a bad relationship and not even know it. Here are some clues that your relationship is not a healthy one.

As we age, we may need to depend on others to help us with day-to-day care. Unfortunately, some caregivers hurt the older people in their care. Older people can be physically harmed. They may be neglected. And their money may be stolen. We call this "elder abuse." And it can happen to anyone.

Elder abuse is a frightening reality for many older people. It can happen to anyone. It can be done by family members or professional caregivers. And the victim may be unwilling or unable to speak out. But if you know the signs, you can help stop it. Here are some things to watch out for.

This is the act of hurting yourself on purpose. It's a sign of emotional distress. You feel urges that you can't ignore. You may cut or burn yourself. You may pull your hair or pick at wounds so they don't heal. Self-harm may lead to shame and guilt. These feelings can make you want to hurt yourself again and again.

Adjusting to being home after combat and coping with changes that happened while you were away can be stressful.

People with OCPD have a very strong need for order, perfection, and control. They pay an unusual amount of attention to details, lists, organization, and schedules. OCPD is different than obsessive compulsive disorder or OCD.

Partner violence often starts or gets worse during and after pregnancy. This may be from the stress of pregnancy and a new baby.

Anxiety can become a problem when it's hard to control, occurs for months, and interferes with important parts of your life. Here are details about anxiety and when you might need to get help.

"Everyone feels sad or ""blue"" from time to time for a few days or weeks. Depression is when these feelings don't go away and they interfere with daily life. Depression is a real illness."

Depression is much more serious than just feeling down. Depression is a real illness, just like diabetes or heart disease. It may be associated with chemical changes in the brain.

Everyone feels down at times. It's a natural part of life. But an unhappy period that's intense or lasts for more than a few weeks is different. It can be a sign of depression.

Maybe you think gambling is a quick thrill, an adventure. You think it's a way to be a winner. Sure, you may win. But more likely, excessive gambling can cause you to lose all you've worked for.

Perhaps you put in long hours at work to get ahead. Many people do. But if you're working more and more, and taking less time for other activities, it can lead to stress and anxiety and threaten your relationships.

The more you regularly rely on something external to lift you up, relax you, or help you feel better, the closer you move toward addiction. If you decide you are on the path to food addiction, you can take action to keep it under control.

If you are being abused, now is the time to plan and prepare for a new life. With information and support, you can begin the journey.

Abuse tends to get worse and occur more often over time. If you are being abused, plan ahead to get out for good. But don't feel discouraged if it takes more than one try.

Any workplace may be the site of violence or aggression between employees. Violence may be aimed at managers or coworkers. This may include starting rumors, using angry words, or taking physical action. In rare cases, violence may even take the form of armed assault.

Violence in the workplace can have many roots. An employee may feel threatened if his or her job seems at risk. Personal problems can make workplace conflict more likely. Read below to learn the warning signs and find out what to do if violence happens.

You saw, or were involved in, a violent event at work. The event is over. But it may still affect your daily life. Here are common reactions and information on help.

Unwelcome behavior of a sexual nature is known as sexual harassment. This type of harassment may create unpleasant working conditions or make sexual favors the basis for employment.

A specific phobia is a type of anxiety disorder. It causes an intense fear of a certain object or situation. Many people with this disorder fear animals such as dogs or snakes. Other people are afraid of closed spaces (claustrophobia), heights (acrophobia), or flying. Often, there's no reason to be afraid. Yet the fear seems beyond your control.

Social phobia (also called social anxiety disorder) is an intense fear of being humiliated in a social or work setting. To avoid the anxiety, you may stay away from group settings.

If you have an intense fear of being out in public places alone or otherwise, you may have an anxiety disorder called agoraphobia. Here is information about the disorder and available treatment options.

Depression among older adults is often ignored. Even doctors may not detect a problem. Learn the warning signs.

Most people have stress in their lives, and sometimes you may have more than you can handle. You may find it hard to cope with a stressful event. As a result, you may become anxious and depressed. You might even get sick. These can be symptoms of an adjustment disorder.

An anxiety disorder is much more than a case of nerves. In fact, its symptoms may be overwhelming. But treatment can ease many of these symptoms.

Bipolar disorder is a serious disorder of the brain. It may severely disrupt your life. At times, it may cause you and your loved ones great pain. But there is hope. Although there is no cure, treatment can help control your symptoms.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious medical illness. It can make close relationships difficult to maintain, and it may cause the affected person and their loved ones great pain. But BPD can be treated, and the symptoms can be eased. If a loved one has signs of BPD, start by talking to your healthcare provider or a mental health professional. They can offer guidance and support.

When a person has a delusional disorder, they believe things that aren't true. For instance, your loved one may be convinced that others want to harm him or her. Or your loved one might believe that he or she is ill when that is not true.

Dysthymia is a mild form of depression that may persist for years. More women than men have dysthymia. It's not known just what causes this disorder. It's not as severe as other types of depression, but it does affect well-being.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) means having constant, intrusive fears (obsessions) that cause you extreme anxiety. Examples include repeated, relentless thoughts about germs, or constant worry that you left the door unlocked. Certain behaviors (compulsions) help relieve the anxiety.

People with personality disorders have a hard time forming normal relationships. They often have trouble with school or work. And they may often feel depressed, sad, and alone. There are many types of personality disorders. Each has specific symptoms.

Schizoaffective disorder is a serious and puzzling brain disorder. It combines symptoms of 2 other disorders - bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The symptoms are often severe and ongoing.

Schizophrenia is a severe and puzzling brain disorder. It dramatically alters the way a person thinks, acts, and feels. Read on to learn more.

Most people have mood changes now and then. But with a mood disorder, these mood changes aren't so simple. Here's what you need to know.

Depression is a mood disorder that affects the way you think and feel. The most common symptom is a feeling of deep sadness. This feeling does not go away or get better on its own. But most types of depression can be helped with therapy and antidepressant medicines.

Anxiety can fill you with worry and fear. Sometimes anxiety is healthy. But for some people, anxiety gets so bad it causes problems in daily life. If you find yourself in a constant state of anxiety, you may have an anxiety disorder called generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

Physical violence is just one form of domestic abuse. Emotional abuse can affect you in serious ways as well. Read on to learn more.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression. It happens during certain seasons of the year, most often fall or winter. Here's what you need to know.

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a mental health problem. If you have BDD, you may be so upset about how your body looks that it gets in the way of your ability to live normally.

People who have formication report a feeling that insects are crawling on or under the skin when there are none present.

This is a form of care that focuses on your thoughts and emotions. With psychotherapy, you build a relationship with a therapist. The therapist helps you learn about yourself. You learn how you affect others, and how others affect you. Psychotherapy can help you become aware of problems. It can teach you to manage your feelings and control your actions. You should be open and honest during your therapy. You should be prepared to discuss very personal things. This is how your therapist helps guide you to solutions for your issues.

Talk therapy, also called "psychotherapy," is an important part of care for many mental health issues. During talk therapy, you meet with a therapist. You talk about your life and your relationships. Together, you find solutions to your problems.

This therapy targets your brain with electricity. That sounds extreme, but our brains actually generate electricity of their own. It's how brain cells send signals back and forth. And by directing electricity into your brain, we can treat certain mental disorders.

Antipsychotic medicines may help ease the symptoms of psychosis. This sheet will help you as a caregiver to learn more about antipsychotic medicines and how you can support your loved one.

Good mental health is just as important as good physical health. But we all face changes in life that can challenge our emotional well being.

A personality disorder is a label to describe ways of living that cause distress for you, those you relate to, or both.

DBT teaches you skills to take control of your thoughts, emotions, and relationships. It seeks to balance acceptance of yourself and your life with efforts to make meaningful behavior changes.