Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental illness that causes people to lose touch with reality (called psychosis). People with schizophrenia may have hallucinations (like hearing voices) and delusions (fixed beliefs that aren’t true). They may have trouble keeping their thoughts straight, feel a lack of motivation, and not express much emotion. These symptoms greatly impact work and relationships.
Schizophrenia affects roughly 1% of the population. It occurs equally in men and women but tends to appear earlier—usually in the teen years—in men. It is often diagnosed between teen years and early 30s.
Schizophrenia is a lifelong illness that requires medication. Symptoms come and go over time. Early diagnosis and treatment can lead to greater improvements in symptoms.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that develops as a reaction of trauma. One can get PTSD after living through or seeing a traumatic event, such as war, a hurricane, sexual assault, physical abuse, or a bad accident. PTSD causes stress and fear after the danger is over.
PTSD should be managed by a psychiatrist. If you have not been seen for your symptoms, go to your PCP for a referral immediately. Diagnosis is clinical while treatment involves different medications (possibly) and psychotherapy.
Rarity: Common
Top Symptoms: psychological or physiological distress
Urgency: Primary care doctor
Post-concussion syndrome
Concussion symptoms tend to last for a few days to weeks. Sometimes, symptoms are long term, lingering for several months or even years. This is known as post-concussion syndrome (PCS). Some of the most common PCS symptoms include headaches and confusion. Memory problems and difficulty concentrating may also occur.
You should consider visiting a medical professional in the next two weeks to discuss your symptoms. A doctor can evaluate PCS with a review of your symptoms and an MRI. Once diagnosed, treatment depends on your specific symptoms but often focuses on letting the brain rest and recuperate. You may be asked to temporarily stop sports and exercise until you are cleared to return.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a type of anxiety disorder. As the name suggests, it involves both obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are intrusive upsetting thoughts often relating to specific themes like cleanliness, symmetry, or sometimes even taboo thoughts that might be sexual or violent in nature. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors that the individual feels driven to perform, and are often related thematically to the obsessions.
Patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder should see a psychiatrist or therapist in order to confirm the diagnosis. If confirmed, it can be treated with medications such as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), as well as a kind of therapy called cognitive behavioral therapy.
Rarity: Rare
Top Symptoms: impaired social or occupational functioning, anxiety, aggression, anxiety resembling obsessive-compulsive disorder, repetitive patterns of behavior
Symptoms that always occur with obsessive-compulsive disorder (ocd): anxiety resembling obsessive-compulsive disorder, impaired social or occupational functioning
Urgency: Primary care doctor
Mild bipolar disorder i
Bipolar disorder is a common, lifelong mental health condition of variable severity that can run in families, characterized by episodes depression and mania that last for weeks or months.
Symptoms often start in adolescence or young adulthood. Mania is a state of elevated or irritable mood, with changes in behavior, such as decreased need for sleep, increased goal-directed and risky activities, and increased talkativeness. Depressive episodes in bipolar disorder are like major depression, characterized by low mood, loss of pleasure, and low energy. Mood episodes are separated by periods of remission with stable mood and minimal difficulties with daily function.
Treatment for bipolar disorder varies from person to person, depending on symptoms and other individual factors. It often consists of medications such as mood stabilizers and antipsychotics that help reduce extreme symptoms. Hospitalization may be recommended in acute episodes. Psychotherapy can also be helpful.
Rarity: Rare
Top Symptoms: fatigue, irritability, depressed mood, difficulty concentrating, trouble sleeping
Symptoms that always occur with mild bipolar disorder i: periods of feeling very energetic and needing little sleep
Urgency: Primary care doctor
Depression
Moderate depression, also called dysthymia or dysthymic disorder, is one of the three general forms of : mild, moderate, or severe. About half of all people suffering from have the moderate form.
The causes of any depression are not known for sure. Some may be situational, such as grief or other difficult life events. Others may be due to physiological causes such as chemical or hormonal imbalances.
Symptoms include loss of interest in normal activities; neglect of activities of daily living; and loss of productivity, though the person will continue going through the motions of attending work or school.
If not treated, moderate depression can worsen into major depression.
Diagnosis begins with physical examination and blood tests to rule out any physical causes. A mental health professional will talk to the patient to learn about any difficult situational factors.
Treatment may or may not involve antidepressant medication, since antidepressants generally work best for severe depression. Psychotherapy, exercise, relaxation techniques, and lifestyle improvements are usually tried first for moderate depression, and are often very effective.
Rarity: Common
Top Symptoms: fatigue, depressed mood, headache, anxiety, irritability
Symptoms that always occur with depression: depressed mood
Urgency: Primary care doctor
Conduct disorder
Conduct disorder refers to a group of behavioral and emotional problems in young people. Children and adolescents with this disorder have difficulty following rules and behaving in a socially acceptable way. May factors may contribute to this disorder, including brain damage, child abuse, genetic vulnerability, school failure, and traumatic life experiences.
You should visit your primary care physician who will coordinate care with a child psychiatrist. Treatment usually involves behavior therapy and psychotherapy to help you learn to appropriately express and control anger.
Rarity: Rare
Top Symptoms: tendency to often break rules, deception, aggression and serious threats of harm
Urgency: Primary care doctor
Borderline personality disorder
Borderline personality disorder is a personality disorder, or a persistent abnormal behavior pattern manifesting during childhood or adolescence, involving unstable mood and relationships, unstable self-image, and recurrent self-harm or suicidal behavior. Factors contributing to the development of borderline personality disorder include genetic factors, environmental factors, changes in brain circuitry, and hormonal imbalances.
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurological disorder that slowly destroys memory and the ability to think clearly. As symptoms worsen, patients are often unable to perform basic tasks.
You should visit your physician to discuss these symptoms. It is likely tests will be ordered to better diagnose you.
Rarity: Common
Top Symptoms: trouble sleeping, forgetfulness, anxiety, aggression or confusion, anxiety, irritability, depressed mood
Symptoms that always occur with alzheimer's disease:forgetfulness, anxiety, aggression or confusion
Urgency: Primary care doctor
Professional aggression treatments
If aggressive episodes have gotten progressively worse or are persisting, it is time for professional help.
- Therapy: Various types of therapy services are quite effective at managing aggression and other negative personality traits, or the illnesses by which they are caused. Therapy sessions are often individual but may occur in groups as well.
- Medication: Some medications can be used to treat psychiatric illness, or other causes of new-onset aggression.
When aggression is an emergency
You should seek help without delay if you or someone you know is experiencing:
- Violent behavior
- Loss of control
- Difficulty thinking or poor cognition
- Recent drug or alcohol use
- Recent traumatic injury
- Feversorchills
Questions your doctor may ask about aggression
- Are you having difficulty concentrating or thinking through daily activities?
- Have you been feeling more tired than usual, lethargic or fatigued despite sleeping a normal amount?
- Are your symptoms causing difficulty at work, socializing, or spending time with friends & family?
- Do you have trouble sleeping?
Self-diagnose with our free Buoy Assistant if you answer yes on any of these questions.
