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…
Cyclothymic disorder is a mild form of bipolar disorder II, characterized by emotional ups and downs. With cyclothymic disorder, an individual might feel great one week, and then low or down the next. Without treatment, the time in between these mood swings might feel fine—but when their symptoms flare, they…
Imagine that you’re going about your morning as usual – making coffee, feeding the cat, tidying the bedroom – when your chest starts to hurt. The pain quickly mounts. Within minutes you’re drenched in sweat and you feel as if you’re suffocating. You close your eyes and try to take…
Autism, officially known autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a somewhat common neurodevelopmental disorder but isn’t well-understood by the general public. And despite increasing understanding and awareness in regards to autism, misconceptions still persist. For example, it’s common for many people to confuse autism with learning disabilities but under closer scrutiny,…
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by differences in the brain that affect behavior, communication, and other developmental skills. It can be treated to help lessen the effect of symptoms, but it will remain present throughout one’s lifetime. Though autism isn’t something that can be “cured,” with…
