Mental health conditions

Find our more about the more common mental health conditions

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U W X Y Z

Addiction

Addiction is defined as not having control over doing, taking or using something, to the point where it could be harmful to you. Addiction is most commonly associated with gambling, drugs, alcohol and nicotine, but it's possible to be addicted to anything.

 

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is defined by two broad groups of behavioural problems: inattentiveness, and a combination of hyperactivity and impulsiveness. Common symptoms within these groups include a short attention span, restlessness, being easily distracted, and constant fidgeting. ADHD is the most common behavioural disorder in the UK. It is estimated that the condition affects between 3-9% of school-aged children and young people. ADHD can be a life-long condition, and many children who have it continue to have symptoms in adolescence and adulthood.

Alcohol misuse

Alcohol misuse is when a person drinks levels of alcohol that can cause them physical, psychological, and social problems - both in the short-term and the long-term. Alcohol misuse is widespread in England. 33% of men and 16% of women drink alcohol at levels that are hazardous to their health. The outlook for people who seek help for alcohol dependency is good. An estimated 60% of people who seek treatment for their condition will either achieve a substantial reduction in their alcohol consumption or achieve total abstinence.

Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, which describes the loss of mental abilities, such as memory and reasoning. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive condition, meaning it will continue to get worse as it develops. Unfortunately, there is no cure for the condition, although there is treatment that can slow down the development. Early stages of the condition may begin with minor memory problems and difficulty saying the right words. These symptoms can then lead to frustration and mood swings. Symptoms change as the condition develops, and it may lead to confusion, personality changes and a total change in behaviour.

Anorexia

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder and a mental health condition. People who have anorexia have problems with eating. They are very anxious about their weight. They keep it as low as possible, by strictly controlling and limiting what they eat. Even if they are already very thin and underweight, they continue to want to lose weight. Anorexia can affect anyone. It is much more common in developed countries such as the UK than developing countries. Anorexia usually develops over time. It most commonly starts in the mid-teens. In teenagers and young adults, the condition affects about 1 in 250 females and 1 in 2000 males.

Anxiety

Everyone experiences feelings of anxiety during their lifetime. For example, you may feel worried and anxious about sitting an examination or having a medical test or job interview. Feeling anxious sometimes is perfectly normal. However, for people with generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), feelings of anxiety are much more constant and tend to affect their day-to-day life. There are several conditions for which anxiety is the main symptom. Panic disorder, phobias, and post-traumatic syndrome can all cause severe anxiety.

 

Depression

Depression is a serious illness. Health professionals use the words depression, depressive illness or clinical depression to refer to it. It is very different from the common experience of feeling miserable or fed up for a short period of time. When you're depressed, you may have feelings of extreme sadness that can last for a long time. These feelings are severe enough to interfere with your daily life, and can last for weeks or months, rather than days. Depression is quite common, and about 15% of people will have a bout of severe depression at some point in their lives. However, the exact number of people with depression is hard to estimate because many people do not get help, or are not formally diagnosed with the condition.

 

Dual Diagnosis

Dual diagnosis refers to a person who has been diagnosed with both a mental health condition and a substance misuse problem.

Insomnia

Insomnia is difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep for long enough to feel refreshed the next morning. This happens despite having enough opportunity to sleep. Nearly everyone has problems sleeping at some point in their life and it is thought that a third of people in the UK have bouts of insomnia. Insomnia appears to be more common in women and more likely to occur with age.

Learning Disabilities

If someone has a learning disability, it means that they may find it more difficult to learn, understand and communicate. Learning disabilities are not a "mental illness", but can be caused by many illness or problems before or during birth, or that develop during childhood or as the result of an illness. People with learning disabilities may also need more help with everyday tasks but with the right kinds of help and support, they are often able to go to school, college and live and work completely independently.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic mental health condition that is usually associated with both obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviour. OCD is one of the most common mental health conditions. It is estimated that about 1-3% of adults and 2% of children and teenagers have OCD. In men, OCD symptoms usually begin during adolescence. In women they generally start later, usually in the early 20s. OCD symptoms can begin at any time, including childhood. The symptoms of OCD can range from mild to severe. For example, some people with OCD will spend around one hour a day engaged in obsessive compulsive thinking and behaviour, while for others, the symptoms completely dominate their life.

Personality disorder

Personality disorders are a range of conditions that affect a person's thoughts, emotions and behaviour. Most people with personality disorders find it difficult to deal with other people.

Phobia

A phobia is an extreme or irrational fear, for example a fear of heights or animals. Phobias are estimated to affect 1 in 40 adults a year.

Post Natal Depression

Pregnancy and the first year after the birth are periods that many parents find quite stressful. The birth of a baby is an emotional experience and, for many new mothers, feeling tearful and depressed is also common. However, sometimes longer periods of depression, known as postnatal depression (PND), can occur during the first few weeks and months of the baby's life. PND can have a variety of physical and emotional symptoms, but it can be treated.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

If you have experienced a traumatic event, you may develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the days, weeks or months after the incident. Although such events can be very difficult to come to terms with, confronting your feelings and seeking professional help is often the only way of effectively treating PTSD. PTSD can be treated for many years after the traumatic event occurred, so it is never too late to seek help.

Psychosis

Psychosis is a term that is used to describe a mental condition where somebody is unable to distinguish between reality and their imagination. People who are experiencing psychosis are referred to as psychotic. People with psychosis often experience hallucinations (where you hear or see things that are not there) and delusions (where you believe things that are untrue). Psychosis is not a condition in itself. It is a symptom of other conditions. The most common cause of psychosis is a mental health condition such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (manic depression). Psychosis can also be triggered by physical conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, or as a result of drug or alcohol abuse.

We have created a website for family members anf friends of people who have psychosis called Mental Health Care. This is run in partnership with the mental health charity Rethink and the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, with support from the Wellcome Trust.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a chronic mental health condition that causes a range of different psychological symptoms including hallucinations (hearing or seeing things that do not exist) and delusions (believing in things that are untrue). Schizophrenia is one of the most common serious mental health conditions. One in 100 people will experience at least one episode of acute schizophrenia during their lifetime. Men and women are equally affected by the condition.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that has a seasonal pattern. It is characterised by recurrent episodes of depression at the same time each year. SAD is sometimes known as 'winter depression' because the symptoms are usually more apparent during the winter. As with other kinds of depression, two of the main symptoms of SAD are a low mood and a loss of interest in ordinary things.

Self harm

Self harm is when somebody damages or injures their body on purpose. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) describes it as 'self-poisoning, or injury, irrespective of the apparent purpose of the act'. Self harm is not usually an attempt at committing suicide, but a way of expressing deep emotional feelings, such as low self-esteem. It is also a way to cope with traumatic events, or situations, such as the death of a loved one, or an abusive relationship. Self harm is not an illness, it is an expression of personal distress.

Smoking

Approximately 10 million UK adults (about a quarter of the population) smoke cigarettes. Smoking is one of the biggest causes of death and illness in the UK. Every year, around 114,000 smokers die from smoking-related diseases, such as heart disease and lung cancer. About 70% of smokers say they want to stop smoking, but most believe they are unable to. However, around half of all smokers eventually manage to give up.

Social Anxiety Disorder

Social Anxiety Disorder (also know as Social Phobia). If you have a social phobia, the thought of being seen in public or appearing at social events can make you feel very anxious and frightened. This is because these situations can make you feel vulnerable. Intentionally avoiding meeting people in social situations, such as at a dinner party, is a sign of social phobia. In extreme cases of social phobia, some people are too afraid to leave their home.

Stress

Stress is the way that you feel when pressure is placed on you. A little bit of pressure can be productive, give you motivation, and help you to perform better at something. However, too much pressure or prolonged pressure can lead to stress, which is unhealthy for the mind and body. Everyone reacts differently to stress, and some people may have a higher threshold than others. Too much stress often leads to physical, mental and emotional problems. In the UK, anxiety and depression are the most common mental health problems, and the majority of cases are caused by stress.