Behavioral Health

ADHD stands for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. It is one of the most common mental disorders affecting children, but it also occurs in many adults. Symptoms of ADHD include the inability to remain focused, hyperactivity inappropriate to the environment, and impulsive acts that occur spontaneously and without planning or thought.

Anxiety is characterized by a state of excessive uneasiness and apprehension, typically with compulsive behavior or panic attacks. Occasional anxiety is a normal, healthy part of life. But with anxiety disorders people suffer with anxiety that does not go away and can get worse over time. The symptoms can interfere with daily activities such as job performance, school work, and relationships. There are several types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and a large variety of phobia-related disorders.

Autism refers to a wide-ranging list of conditions involving challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. We know that there is not one autism but many subtypes, most influenced by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Because autism is a spectrum disorder, each person with autism has a distinct set of strengths and challenges. Those with autism fall into a range of learning, thinking and problem-solving that can range from highly skilled to profoundly challenged. Signs of autism usually appear by age 2 or 3. Research demonstrates early intervention leads to best possible outcomes later in life for those challenged with autism.

Depression is different from sadness or grief. It’s a common and serious, but very treatable condition negatively impacting the way a person feels, thinks and acts. Depression causes feelings of sadness and loss of interest in activities previously found enjoyable. To be diagnosed with depression symptoms must last for two or more weeks. They may range from minor to profound and include trouble sleeping or over sleeping, lethargy or fatigue, changes in appetite, feeling of guilt or worthlessness, and thoughts of death or suicide.

An eating disorder is marked by an unhealthy relationship with food. There are three main conditions: anorexia nervosa, which is marked by extreme weight loss due to excessive dieting and exercise; avoidant / restrictive food intake disorder, a condition in which a person eats very little and avoids certain foods, often because of odor, color or texture; and bulimia nervosa, involving binge eating and purging.

Obsessive compulsive disorder is a mental health problem that is indiscriminate regarding age or gender. It occurs when a person gets trapped in a cycle of obsessions and compulsions involving unwanted, invasive thoughts, images, or urges that cause intensely distressing feelings. Compulsions are behaviors someone engages in an effort to become rid of the obsessions or minimize their distress. Obsessions are unwanted thoughts, images or impulses that occur repeatedly and feel outside of the person’s control. Obsessions generally are accompanied by intense, disturbing and uncomfortable feelings such as fear, doubt, or an overwhelming impulse that something has to be done “precisely right.”

Personality disorders are deep-seated, rigid ways of thinking and behaving that result in impaired relationships with others, behaviors abnormal to societal mores, and distress for the person with the condition. There are many types and their signs and symptoms often overlap.

PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) is a mental health problem that can develop at any age. Often it develops after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or an assault. Typically, people feel edgy and find it hard to participate in regular activities, like going to work or school, or spending time with friends or family; however, most recover after only a few weeks or months. If the symptoms persist more than several months, it may be PTSD. For those with the condition, the world feels unsafe and often leads to avoidance behaviors of anything that triggers a reminder of the trauma, even if it was an activity that was previously enjoyable.

Substance abuse is also known as drug abuse. It involves chronic use of a drug in amounts or by methods harmful to the individual or others. “Drugs” most often associated with substance abuse include: alcohol, amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cannabis, cocaine, hallucinogens, methaqualone, and opioids.