Mental Health Disorders

What are mental health disorders?

The term mental health disorders, also referred to as mental illness or mental health conditions, covers a wide range of mental states that affect behavior, mood, and thought patterns. Some people feel the effects of these disorders more than others and certain disorders can have a larger impact on a person’s life than others. 

Some disorders are more common than others, and we may all experience some symptoms of them in our life. These conditions include anxiety disorders, depression, and addictive disorders. While common, these conditions range in severity, and someone experiencing more intense symptoms may require a higher level of treatment.

Less common conditions such as borderline personality disorder or schizophrenia often require specialized treatment that will involve ongoing monitoring from a team of psychiatric care providers, such as psychiatrists, social workers, and counsellors. Treatment for almost all mental health conditions will involve a combination of medication and talk therapy (psychotherapy).

What types of mental health disorders are there?

Mental health disorders can affect anyone at any point in their life, from children to senior citizens. Some disorders can affect mood, making the person susceptible to dramatic highs and lows, some affect personality and behavior, and others alter the person’s perception of reality. All disorders have their own levels of severity and are all treatable with dedicated psychiatric care.

Examples of mental health disorder types include

• Anxiety disorders - generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), phobias, separation anxiety disorder
• Childhood disorders - attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct disorder, Tourette’s 
• Mood disorders - Bipolar disorder, Major depressive disorder
• Personality disorders - borderline personality disorder, histrionic personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, etc.
• Psychotic disorders - schizophrenia, delusional disorder, brief psychotic disorder

How are mental health disorders diagnosed?

If you feel your mental health is not good, then visit your doctor for an assessment. They will ask specific questions and evaluate your circumstances in order to determine whether you have a mental health disorder or not. They will look at:

• How long you have been feeling symptoms
• The impact they are having on your life
• What you have experienced
• Whether symptoms meet diagnostic criteria for a mental health disorder

A doctor will often evaluate your mood, behavior, and thoughts, as well as other symptoms in order to see what criteria you meet for certain mental health conditions. For instance, experiencing low mood, avoidant behavior, and negative thoughts may suggest depression, while panic attacks and high levels of stress could suggest anxiety. 

Mental health disorder diagnoses can change if symptoms become more severe and you may be referred to a psychiatrist or another mental health professional for further tests.