Comprehensive Guide to Mental Illnesses: An Alphabetical List

Mental illnesses encompass a wide range of mental health conditions that affect mood, thinking, and behavior. Understanding these conditions is crucial for recognizing symptoms, seeking appropriate treatment, and reducing stigma. This article provides an alphabetical list of common mental illnesses, offering definitions and insights into each condition.

A to Z: Mental Illnesses

A

Anxiety Disorders Anxiety disorders are characterized by excessive fear or anxiety. They include generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and specific phobias.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) ADHD is marked by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that interfere with functioning or development.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) ASD is a developmental disorder that affects communication, behavior, and social interactions. Symptoms range from mild to severe.

B

Bipolar Disorder Bipolar disorder involves mood swings that include emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression). Types include Bipolar I, Bipolar II, and Cyclothymic Disorder.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) BDD involves obsessive focus on perceived flaws in physical appearance, which are often minor or not observable to others.

C

Conduct Disorder Conduct disorder is characterized by a persistent pattern of behavior that violates the rights of others or societal norms, such as aggression, destruction of property, deceitfulness, and theft.

Conversion Disorder Conversion disorder involves neurological symptoms, such as paralysis or blindness, that cannot be explained by medical conditions and are linked to psychological factors.

D

Depressive Disorders Depressive disorders include major depressive disorder (MDD), persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia), and disruptive mood dysregulation disorder. They are characterized by persistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest in activities.

Dissociative Disorders Dissociative disorders, such as dissociative identity disorder (DID) and dissociative amnesia, involve disruptions in memory, identity, or perception.

E

Eating Disorders Eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. They involve preoccupation with food, body weight, and shape, leading to dangerous eating behaviors.

Excoriation Disorder (Skin-Picking) Excoriation disorder is characterized by repetitive skin-picking that results in lesions and significant distress or impairment.

F

Factitious Disorder Factitious disorder involves falsifying medical or psychological symptoms to assume the sick role, without obvious external incentives.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) FASD are a group of conditions resulting from prenatal alcohol exposure, leading to physical, behavioral, and learning problems.

G

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) GAD is characterized by chronic, excessive worry about various aspects of life, often accompanied by physical symptoms like restlessness and fatigue.

Gender Dysphoria Gender dysphoria involves a conflict between an individual’s assigned gender at birth and their experienced or expressed gender, causing significant distress.

H

Hoarding Disorder Hoarding disorder is characterized by persistent difficulty discarding possessions, regardless of their value, leading to cluttered living spaces and significant distress.

Hypochondriasis (Illness Anxiety Disorder) Hypochondriasis involves excessive worry about having a serious illness, despite medical reassurance and lack of significant symptoms.

I

Insomnia Disorder Insomnia disorder involves difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early, leading to daytime impairment or distress.

Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) IED is characterized by sudden, unwarranted outbursts of anger or violence that are disproportionate to the triggering situation.

M

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) MDD is characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest in activities, affecting daily functioning.

Mood Disorders Mood disorders include conditions like depression and bipolar disorder that primarily affect a person’s emotional state.

N

Narcolepsy Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness, sudden loss of muscle control (cataplexy), and hallucinations.

Neurodevelopmental Disorders Neurodevelopmental disorders include ADHD, ASD, and learning disorders, affecting brain development and function.

O

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) OCD involves unwanted, persistent thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions) performed to reduce anxiety.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) ODD is characterized by a pattern of angry, defiant, and vindictive behavior toward authority figures.

P

Panic Disorder Panic disorder involves recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and ongoing concern about having more attacks or their consequences.

Paranoid Personality Disorder Paranoid personality disorder is marked by pervasive distrust and suspicion of others without sufficient basis.

P (cont.)

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) PTSD develops after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event, leading to flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety.

Psychotic Disorders Psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia, involve distorted thinking and perceptions, including hallucinations and delusions.

S

Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a chronic mental health disorder characterized by hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking, and impaired functioning.

Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia) Social anxiety disorder involves intense fear of social situations where one might be judged, leading to avoidance and significant distress.

T

Tourette Syndrome Tourette syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by repetitive, involuntary movements and vocalizations called tics.

Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling Disorder) Trichotillomania involves recurrent, irresistible urges to pull out hair from the scalp, eyebrows, or other areas of the body.