Disorders

Everyone has a disturbing dream from time to time. However, when these dreams become persistent, they can interfere with one’s everyday life. And when this happens, it could be a sign of nightmare disorder.

Even though relationship OCD is not recognized in the DSM-5 as a formal subtype, this form of OCD causes obsessive thoughts around controlling and/or perfecting one’s partner and/or the relationship. Relationship OCD can occur both when someone is actively in a relationship or even when they are single. Learn more…

Personality disorders are a group of mental illnesses characterized by unhealthy thoughts and behaviors, which can seriously hinder someone’s everyday functioning. Some of these disorders have familiar names, like borderline personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or schizoid personality disorder. However, you might not be familiar with their distinguishing clusters. Each personality…

Schizoid personality disorder is a condition that causes a pervasive pattern of detachment from social relationships and a restricted range of emotions in interpersonal settings. Someone with schizoid personality disorder typically will avoid social interaction and others may perceive the person with schizoid personality disorder as odd or cold or…

Avoidant personality disorder (AVPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a high sensitivity to perceived judgment from others and extreme discomfort with social contact and relationships. This distress is so great that a person will likely avoid any situation that may require a lot of socializing or closeness to others…

How many of us have felt suddenly unwell for a time, and out of concern, googled our symptoms? Later on, when we’re better, we might feel a little bit embarrassed that we were so concerned—maybe our mysterious symptoms were all in our heads.  Experiencing this fear of illness or disease…

Individuals who suffer from obsessive-compulsive personality disorder seek to uphold a feeling of control through their meticulous attention to rules, details, procedures, instructions, schedules, or lists—to an extent where the behavior can interfere with everyday functioning, relationships, or quality of life.  They are very careful in all of their actions…

Humans subscribe to patterns of behavior that are influenced by their thoughts, and their thoughts are influenced by their patterns of behavior. For instance, we might wash our hands (an action) because we want to cleanse them of germs (a desire). Or we might start thinking of ourselves negatively (a…

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) will affect nearly seven million adults in the U.S. each year. Individuals with generalized anxiety disorder often have difficulties controlling even the most mundane of daily worries. They may worry more than is realistically necessary about actual events or expect the worst outcome when there seems…

Antisocial personality disorder can be a problematic mental health condition, both in its presenting symptoms and in how it’s discussed. In regard to matters of right and wrong, those with antisocial personality disorder may often choose to serve their best interests first, and the manipulative and antagonistic behavior they display…

Fear is built into our biology. In fact, it keeps us safe — alerting us to danger and saying, “Hey, you need to be careful.” A phobia, on the other hand, is an excessive or irrational fear.  If you experience intense fear and anxiety in public, open, or enclosed spaces—such…

As toddlers and young children, we quickly and naturally form strong emotional bonds with our parents or caretakers. As a result, being apart from them at an early age is often accompanied by a level of anxiety. These feelings of distress are a normal stage of childhood development—but sometimes, our…