A number of conditions and issues may be resolved by a trained psychotherapist. Among mental health problems, depression is the most frequent issue (43%). Individual psychological problems (35%) are the second leading issue, following by marital problems (30%) and anxiety (21%).
Whatever the issue, however, effective psychotherapy must be tailored to an individual’s specific needs to help them overcome obstacles for fulfilling, happy lives.
Depressive disorders encompass major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder and bipolar disorder.
Symptoms in adults include feelings of overwhelming sadness or fear or the seeming inability to feel emotion (emptiness); a decrease in the amount of interest or pleasure in daily activities; changing appetite and marked weight gain or loss; disturbed sleep patterns (such as insomnia, loss of REM sleep or excessive sleep; mental or physical fatigue; loss of energy; feelings of guilt, helplessness, hopelessness, anxiety or fear; trouble concentrating or making decisions or a generalized slowing and obtunding of cognition, including memory; recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide.
Symptoms in children include loss of appetite, irritability, sleep problems (such as recurrent nightmares); learning or memory problems; and significant behavioral changes (such as withdrawal, social isolation and aggression).
Approximately 18.8 million American adults have a depressive disorder. Nearly twice as many women as men are affected by a depressive disorder each year. Depressive disorders often co-occur with anxiety disorders and substance abuse.
Major depressive disorder is the leading cause of disability in the
Symptoms of dysthymic disorder include many of the same symptoms as chronic or mild depression, such as decreased or increased appetite, decreased or increased sleep, fatigue or low energy, poor self image, reduced concentration or indecisiveness, and feelings of hopelessness. This condition affects approximately 5% of the
Most people who have bipolar disorder experience “high” periods of mania and “low” periods of depression.
Symptoms of the “highs” include increased physical and mental activity and energy; heightened mood, exaggerated optimism and self-confidence; excessive irritability and aggressive behavior; decreased need for sleep without experiencing fatigue; grandiose delusions and inflated sense of self-importance; impulsiveness and reckless behavior, and delusions and hallucinations.
Some symptoms of the “lows” include prolonged sadness or unexplained crying spells; changes in appetite and sleep patterns; irritability, anger, worry, agitation and anxiety; pessimism and indifference; loss of energy and persistent lethargy; feelings of guilt and worthlessness; inability to concentrate and indecisiveness; inability to take pleasure in former interests; unexplained aches and pains; and recurring thoughts of death or suicide.
Bipolar disorder affects approximately 2.3 million American adults in a given year. Men and women are equally likely to develop bipolar disorder.
Anxiety disorders include panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and phobias (social phobia, agoraphobia and specific phobia). Approximately 19.1 million American adults ages 18 to 54 have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders frequently co-occur with depressive disorders, eating disorders or substance abuse.
A panic attack typically lasts from 2 to 8 minutes. Symptoms include racing or pounding heartbeat or palpitations; sweating; chest pain; dizziness or nausea; difficulty breathing; tingling or numbness in the hands, face, feet or mouth; a sudden feeling that everything around the person represents a threat; loss of the ability to react logically to oncoming stimuli, flushed face and chest; chills; dissociation; terror, vomiting; tunnel vision; fear of losing control and doing something embarrassing or going crazy; fear of impending death or impending doom; trembling; crying; heightened senses; exhaustion; and vertigo.
Approximately 2.4 million American adults ages 18 to 54 have panic disorder. Panic disorders typically develop in late adolescence or early adulthood. About one in three people with panic disorder develop agoraphobia, a condition in which they become afraid of being in any place or situation where escape might be difficult or help unavailable in the event of a panic attack.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
OCD is most commonly characterized by repetitive thoughts and related compulsions such as tasks or rituals. Approximately 3.3 million American adults in a given year have OCD. The first symptoms of OCD often begin during childhood or adolescence.
Approximately 5 million American adults in a given year, have PTSD. Symptoms may include nightmares, flashbacks, emotional detachment or numbing of feelings (emotional self-mortification or dissociation), insomnia, avoidance of reminders and extreme distress when exposed to the reminders ("triggers"), irritability, hypervigilance, memory loss, and excessive startle response, clinical depression and anxiety, and loss of appetite.
PTSD can develop at any age, including childhood. The disorder also frequently occurs after violent personal assaults such as rape, mugging or domestic violence; terrorism; natural or human-caused disasters; and accidents.
GAD is an anxiety disorder characterized by excessive and uncontrollable worry about everyday things. Approximately 4 million American adults in a given year have GAD. GAD can begin across the life cycle, though the risk is highest between childhood and middle age.
Approximately 5.3 million American adults in a given year have social phobia. Symptoms include fear, apprehension or worry regarding social situations and being evaluated by others. Anxiety about public speaking, performance, or interviews is common. Physical symptoms include blushing, profuse sweating, trembling, nausea, and stammering. Panic attacks may also occur under intense fear and discomfort.Social phobia typically begins in childhood or adolescence.
Agoraphobia involves intense fear and avoidance of any place or situation where escape might be difficult or help unavailable in the event of developing sudden panic-like symptoms. Approximately 3.2 million American adults in a given year have agoraphobia. Specific phobia involves marked and persistent fear and avoidance of a specific object or situation. Approximately 6.3 million American adults in a given year have some type of specific phobia.
The three main types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder.
Anorexia is characterized by deliberate weight loss. This disorder is associated with a dread of body fatness. Symptoms include restricted dietary choice, excessive exercise, induced vomiting and purgation, and use of appetite suppressants and diuretics.
Bulimia is characterized by repeated bouts of overeating and an excessive preoccupation with the control of body weight, leading to a pattern of overeating followed by vomiting or use of purgatives. This disorder shares many psychological features with anorexia nervosa, including an overconcern with body shape and weight.
Binge eating consists of episodes of uncontrollable overeating. Most people who have eating binges try to hide this behaviour from others, and often feel ashamed or depressed about their overeating.
Females are much more likely than males to develop an eating disorder. In their lifetime, up to 3.7% of females suffer from anorexia and up to 4.2% suffer from bulimia. Community surveys have estimated that between 2% and 5% of Americans experience binge-eating disorder in a six-month period.
ADHD, one of the most common mental disorders in children and adolescents, affects an estimated 4% of children ages nine to 17 in a six-month period. Symptoms include either inattention – such as failing to pay close attention to details, making careless mistakes or forgetfulness – or hyperactivity-impulsive disorder, which includes fidgeting, mood swings, excessive speech and interrupting others. About two to three times more boys than girls are affected. ADHD usually becomes evident in preschool or early elementary years. The disorder frequently persists into adolescence and occasionally into adulthood.
Autism involves the impairment in social interaction. There are many symptoms, but some of them include impairment of nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction; failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level; and a lack of sharing enjoyment, interests or achievements with other people as well as a lack of social or emotional well-being.
Autism affects an estimated one to two per 1,000 people. Autism and related disorders (also called autism spectrum disorders or pervasive developmental disorders) develop in childhood and generally are apparent by age three. Autism is about four times more common in boys than girls. Girls with the disorder, however, tend to have more severe symptoms and greater cognitive impairment.
