What type mental illness are there

Examples include major depressive disorder and premenstrual dysphoric disorder PMDD. A group of psychiatric conditions that involve problems with the self-control of emotions and behaviors.

Disorders in this group include:. This group of psychiatric syndromes is characterized by an involuntary disconnection between consciousness, memories, emotions, perceptions, and behaviors—even one's own identity or sense of self. Children with elimination disorders repeatedly void urine or feces at inappropriate times and in inappropriate places, whether the action is involuntary or not.

Eating disturbances are characterized by a persistent disturbance of eating patterns that leads to poor physical and psychological health. Three major eating disorders include:. Formerly known as gender identity disorder, gender dysphoria occurs when a person feels extreme discomfort or distress because their gender identity is at odds with the gender they were assigned at birth. These disorders are characterized by a decrease in a person's previous level of cognitive function.

In addition to Alzheimer's disease, other conditions in this category include:. These disorders typically manifest early in development, often before a child enters grade school. They are characterized by impairments of personal, social, academic, or occupational functioning.

Examples of neurodevelopmental disorders include:. Examples obsessive-compulsive and related disorders include:. Describes intense or persistent sexual interests that cause distress or impairment. These may involve recurrent fantasies, urges, or behaviors involving atypical sexual interests.

These disorders are characterized by an enduring inflexible pattern of experience and behavior that causes distress or impairment. There are currently 10 recognized personality disorders. These disorders are defined by abnormalities in one or more of the following areas:. This heterogeneous group of disorders is characterized by a person's inability to fully engage in or experience sexual pleasure. Some of the most common sexual dysfunctions include:. There are several different types of sleep-wake disorders, and all involve problems falling asleep or staying awake at desired or socially appropriate times.

These disorders are characterized by misalignment of circadian rhythms with the surrounding environment or abnormalities of the circadian system itself. Common sleep-wake disorders include insomnia and narcolepsy. People with these disorders feel extreme, exaggerated anxiety about physical symptoms—such as pain, weakness, or shortness of breath. This preoccupation is so intense that it disrupts the person's daily life.

All substance-related disorders are characterized by a cluster of behavioral and physical symptoms, which can include withdrawal, tolerance, and craving. Substance-related disorders can result from the use of 10 separate classes of drugs. This group includes disorders that were related to exposure to a traumatic or stressful event.

The most common is post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD. Everyone experiences peaks and valleys in their mental health. About one in five American adults experience at least one mental illness each year.

And around one in five young people ages 13 to 18 experience a mental illness at some point in their lives, too. Although mental illnesses are common, they vary in severity. About one in 25 adults experience a serious mental illness SMI each year. A SMI can significantly reduce your ability to carry out daily life. Different groups of people experience SMIs at different rates. Those ages 18 to 25 are most likely to experience an SMI. People with a mixed-race background are also more likely to experience an SMI than people of other ethnicities.

There are many types of mental health disorders. In fact, almost different conditions are listed in DSM Bipolar disorder is a chronic mental illness that affects about 2. It is characterized by episodes of energetic, manic highs and extreme, sometimes depressive lows. Mood swings caused by bipolar disorder are much more severe than the small ups and downs most people experience on a daily basis.

Persistent depressive disorder is a chronic type of depression. It is also known as dysthymia. People with this condition experience symptoms for at least two years. About 1. Generalized anxiety disorder GAD goes beyond regular everyday anxiety, like being nervous before a presentation. Those with GAD may feel very nervous about getting through the day. Sometimes worrying can keep people with GAD from accomplishing everyday tasks and chores.

GAD affects about 3 percent of Americans every year. Major depressive disorder MDD causes feelings of extreme sadness or hopelessness that lasts for at least two weeks.

This condition is also called also called clinical depression. People with MDD may become so upset about their lives that they think about or try to commit suicide. About 7 percent of Americans experience at least one major depressive episode each year. Obsessive-compulsive disorder OCD causes constant and repetitive thoughts, or obsessions. These thoughts happen with unnecessary and unreasonable desires to carry out certain behaviors, or compulsions. Many people with OCD realize that their thoughts and actions are unreasonable, yet they cannot stop them.

More than 2 percent of Americans are diagnosed with OCD at some point in their lifetime. Experiences that can cause PTSD can range from extreme events, like war and national disasters, to verbal or physical abuse.

Symptoms of PTSD may include flashbacks or being easily startled. It interferes with their connection to other people. They might experience hallucinations, have delusions, and hear voices. These can potentially put them in a dangerous situation if left untreated. Social anxiety disorder , sometimes called social phobia, causes an extreme fear of social situations. People with social anxiety may become very nervous about being around other people.

This can make it hard to meet new people and attend social gatherings. Approximately 15 million adults in the United States experience social anxiety each year. Content on this website is provided for information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional.

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Types of mental health issues and illnesses. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. Anxiety disorders Behavioural and emotional disorders in children Bipolar affective disorder Depression Dissociation and dissociative disorders Eating disorders Obsessive compulsive disorder Paranoia Post-traumatic stress disorder Psychosis Schizophrenia Where to get help.

Mental illness can make it difficult for someone to cope with work, relationships and other demands. The relationship between stress and mental illness is complex, but it is known that stress can worsen an episode of mental illness. Most people can manage their mental illness with medication, counselling or both. This page lists some of the more common mental health issues and mental illnesses.

Anxiety disorders Anxiety disorders is a group of mental health disorders that includes generalised anxiety disorders, social phobias, specific phobias for example, agoraphobia and claustrophobia , panic disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder OCD and post-traumatic stress disorder. For more information see: Anxiety disorders Behavioural and emotional disorders in children Common behaviour disorders in children include oppositional defiant disorder ODD , conduct disorder CD and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD.

For more information see: Bipolar disorder Depression Depression is a mood disorder characterised by lowering of mood, loss of interest and enjoyment, and reduced energy. Kleptomania involves an inability to control the impulse to steal.

People who have kleptomania will often steal things that they do not really need or that have no real monetary value. Those with this condition experience escalating tension prior to committing a theft and feel relief and gratification afterwards.

Pyromania involves a fascination with fire that results in acts of fire-starting that endanger the self and others. People who struggle with pyromania purposefully and deliberately have set fires more than one time. They also experience tension and emotional arousal before setting a fire. Intermittent explosive disorder is characterized by brief outbursts of anger and violence that are out of proportion for the situation.

People with this disorder may erupt into angry outbursts or violent actions in response to everyday annoyances or disappointments. Conduct disorder is a condition diagnosed in children and adolescents under the age of 18 who regularly violate social norms and the rights of others. Children with this disorder display aggression toward people and animals, destroy property, steal and deceive, and violate other rules and laws.

These behaviors result in significant problems in a child's academic, work, or social functioning. Oppositional defiant disorder begins prior to the age of 18 and is characterized by defiance, irritability, anger, aggression, and vindictiveness.

While all kids behave defiantly sometimes, kids with oppositional defiant disorder refuse to comply with adult requests almost all the time and engage in behaviors to deliberately annoy others. Depressive disorders are a type of mood disorder that include a number of conditions.

They are all characterized by the presence of sad, empty, or irritable moods accompanied by physical and cognitive symptoms. They differ in terms of duration, timing, or presumed etiology. The depressive disorders are all characterized by feelings of sadness and low mood that are persistent and severe enough to affect how a person functions. Common symptoms shared by these disorders include difficulty feeling interested and motivated, lack of interest in previously enjoyed activities, sleep disturbances, and poor concentration.

The diagnostic criteria vary for each specific condition. For major depressive disorder, diagnosis requires an individual to experience five or more of the following symptoms over the same two-week period.

One of these symptoms must include either depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure in previously enjoyed activities. Symptoms can include:. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. Treatments for depressive disorders often involve a combination of psychotherapy and medications.

Click below to listen now. Substance-related disorders are those that involve the use and abuse of different substances such as cocaine, methamphetamine, opiates, and alcohol. These disorders may include substance-induced conditions that can result in many associated diagnoses including intoxication, withdrawal, the emergence of psychosis, anxiety, and delirium. Examples of substance-related disorders:.

The DSM-5 also includes gambling disorder under this classification. The American Psychiatric Association explains that this change "reflects the increasing and consistent evidence that some behaviors, such as gambling, activate the brain reward system with effects similar to those of drugs of abuse and that gambling disorder symptoms resemble substance use disorders to a certain extent.

Neurocognitive disorders are characterized by acquired deficits in cognitive function. Types of cognitive disorders include:. Delirium is also known as acute confusional state. This disorder develops over a short period of time—usually a few hours or a few days—and is characterized by disturbances in attention and awareness. Major and mild neurocognitive disorders have the primary feature of acquired cognitive decline in one or more areas including memory, attention, language, learning, and perception.

It is a complex, long-term condition that affects about one percent of people in the United States. The DSM-5 diagnostic criteria specify that two or more symptoms of schizophrenia must be present for a period of at least one month. One symptom must be one of the following:. The second symptom may be one of the following:. Diagnosis also requires significant impairments in social or occupational functioning for a period of at least six months.

The onset of schizophrenia is usually in the late teens or early 20s, with men usually showing symptoms earlier than women. Earlier signs of the condition that may occur before diagnosis include poor motivation, difficult relationships, and poor school performance. The National Institute of Mental Health suggests that multiple factors may play a role in causing schizophrenia including genetics, brain chemistry, environmental factors, and substance use.

While there is no cure for schizophrenia, there are treatments available that make it possible to manage the symptoms of the condition. Treatments usually incorporate antipsychotic medications, psychotherapy, self-management, education, and social support. Obsessive-compulsive and related disorders is a category of psychiatric conditions that include:. Each condition in this classification has its own set of diagnostic criteria.

The diagnostic criteria in the DSM-5 specify that in order to be diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder, a person must experience obsessions, compulsions, or both. The obsessions and compulsions must also be time-consuming, taking up an hour or more per day, or cause significant distress or functional impairment, must not be attributable to another medical condition or substance use, and must not be better explained by another psychiatric condition such as generalized anxiety disorder.

Treatments for OCD usually focus on a combination of therapy and medications. Antidepressants such as clomipramine or fluoxetine may also be prescribed to manage symptoms. Personality disorders are characterized by an enduring pattern of maladaptive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that can cause serious detriments to relationships and other life areas.

Antisocial personality disorder is characterized by a long-standing disregard for rules, social norms, and the rights of others. People with this disorder typically begin displaying symptoms during childhood, have difficulty feeling empathy for others, and lack remorse for their destructive behaviors. Avoidant personality disorder involves severe social inhibition and sensitivity to rejection. Such feelings of insecurity lead to significant problems with the individual's daily life and functioning.

Borderline personality disorder is associated with symptoms including emotional instability, unstable and intense interpersonal relationships, unstable self-image, and impulsive behaviors.

Dependent personality disorder involves a chronic pattern of fearing separation and an excessive need to be taken care of. People with this disorder will often engage in behaviors that are designed to produce care-giving actions in others. Histrionic personality disorder is associated with patterns of extreme emotionality and attention-seeking behaviors.

People with this condition feel uncomfortable in settings where they are not the center of attention, have rapidly changing emotions, and may engage in socially inappropriate behaviors designed to attract attention from others.

Narcissistic personality disorder is associated with a lasting pattern of exaggerated self-image, self-centeredness, and low empathy. People with this condition tend to be more interested in themselves than with others. Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder is a pervasive pattern of preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, inflexibility, and mental and interpersonal control.

This is a different condition than obsessive compulsive disorder OCD. Paranoid personality disorder is characterized by a distrust of others, even family, friends, and romantic partners.

People with this disorder perceive others intentions as malevolent, even without any evidence or justification.