mental health

Facts you should know about narcissistic personality disorder Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a mental disorder that is characterized by an established pattern of being fixated on oneself, permeating the thoughts, feelings, and actions of the sufferer, and their relationships with other people. People with NPD tend to alternate between feeling omnipotent and devalued. Narcissistic …

Stress facts Excess stress can manifest itself in a variety of emotional, behavioral, and even physical symptoms, and the symptoms of stress vary enormously among different individuals. Stress is a normal part of life that can either help us learn and grow or can cause us significant problems. Stress releases powerful neurochemicals and hormones that prepare us for action (to …

What is Morgellons disease? Readers Comments 100 Share Your Story People with Morgellons disease often complain of skin itching, burning, feeling like there is something crawling under their skin. Morgellons disease is a delusional disorder that leads to the belief that one has parasites or foreign material moving in, or coming out of, the skin. Morgellons disease is a little-known …

Phobia facts The three types of phobias are social phobia (fear of public speaking, meeting new people, or other social situations), agoraphobia (fear of being outside), and specific phobias (fear of particular items or situations). The definition of a phobia is the persistent fear of a situation, activity, or thing that causes one to want to avoid it. The three …

What is a phobia? Phobias are common treatable mental health disorders. A phobia is a strong, irrational fear of something that poses little or no actual danger. It is a type of  anxiety disorder. A phobia is a persistent, excessive, unrealistic fear of an object, person, animal, activity, or situation. Phobias are diagnosable mental disorders. People with phobias try to …

What is schizophrenia? There are several different kinds of schizophrenia each with slightly differing symptoms. Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe mental disorder which is one of the most disabling mental conditions. Schizophrenia affects the person’s perception of reality, thoughts, emotions, actions and their interaction with others. Patients often have difficulty maintaining relationships and performing at work or school. This is …

Anorexia is an eating disorder in which a person's distorted body image leads them to starve themselves to stay thin. Anorexia is an eating disorder that leads to markedly reduced appetite or a complete aversion to food. People with anorexia constantly try to keep their weight as low as they can by not eating enough food.  The condition, dubbed anorexia …

What does anxiety mean? Anxiety disorders are characterized by irrational worry, fear and panic in response to mundane situations. Six types include panic disorder, social phobia, generalized anxiety and others. We all get worried or scared in response to certain situations in our lives. On a clinical level, anxiety refers to the state of extreme worry, fear and panic the …

What can trigger schizophrenia? A person with disorganized-type schizophrenia will exhibit behaviors that are disorganized or speech that may be bizarre or difficult to understand. Schizophrenia usually shows its first signs in men in their late teens or early 20s and women in their early 20s and 30s. It’s rare before adolescence. Men and women are equally affected. The period between …

Facts you should know about mental illness in children Share Your Story ADHD, anxiety, and depression are the most common mental illnesses in children. Mental disorders in children are quite common, occurring in about one-quarter of this age group in any given year. The most common childhood mental disorders are anxiety disorders, depression, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Although …