Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health disorder caused by a traumatic situation, whether you have experienced or witnessed it. Symptoms tend to include flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.

Symptoms:

The symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder can appear within a month of a traumatic event, but they can sometimes take years to manifest. These symptoms cause significant problems in social and occupational situations, as well as in relationships. They can also interfere with your ability to do your daily tasks.

When should you see a doctor?

If you’ve been having troubling thoughts and feelings about a traumatic situation for more than a month, if they’re serious, or if you’re having trouble regaining control of your life, speak with a health-care professional. To reduce the chances of the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder worsening, seek treatment as soon as possible.

Source:

Mayo Clinic Organized

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental illness characterised by recurrent unpleasant thoughts or feelings (obsessions) or a strong need to repeat a behaviour (compulsions). Obsessions and compulsions can coexist in some persons.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder isn’t about bad behaviours like chewing your nails or obsessing over negative ideas. An obsessive idea may be that specific numbers or colours are “good” or “bad.” After touching something potentially dirty, a compulsive practice can be to wash your hands seven times. You feel powerless to stop thinking or doing these things, even if you don’t want to.
Everyone has habits or thoughts that repeat sometimes. People with OCD have thoughts or actions that:

• Take up at least an hour a day
• They are beyond your control
• Aren’t enjoyable
• Interfere with work, your social life, or another part of life

OCD Types and Symptoms

OCD comes in many forms, but most cases fall into at least one of four general categories:

• Checking, such as locks, alarm systems, ovens, or light switches, or thinking you have a medical condition like pregnancy or schizophrenia
• Contamination, a fear of things that might be dirty or a compulsion to clean. Mental contamination involves feeling like you’ve been treated like dirt.
• Symmetry and ordering, the need to have things lined up in a certain way
• Ruminations and intrusive thoughts, an obsession with a line of thought. Some of these thoughts might be violent or disturbing.

Source:
WebMD

Dyslexia is a reading-related learning problem. Dyslexics have difficulty reading at a fast rate without making mistakes. They may struggle with reading comprehension, spelling, and writing as well. These difficulties, however, are not due to a lack of intelligence.

People with dyslexia often have difficulty reading fluently. They frequently read slowly and make errors. This may have an impact on how well they understand what they’re reading. When other people read to them, though, they frequently understand the text without difficulty.
Dyslexia can also make it difficult to learn new skills. These are some of them:

• Reading comprehension
• Spelling
• Writing
• Math

Dyslexia signs and symptoms

Dyslexia affects people in a variety of ways. As a result, symptoms may differ from one person to the next.
Trouble decoding words is a common symptom of dyslexia. The capacity to connect letters to sounds is referred to as phonological awareness. Phonemic awareness is a more basic skill that children often struggle with.

How dyslexia is diagnosed

People with dyslexia can be assessed by a variety of professions. School psychologists, clinical psychologists, and neuropsychologists are among them. An evaluator will administer a battery of dyslexia tests. They’ll also test in other areas to identify where their flaws and talents are.

What Is Dyscalculia?

Dyscalculia is a mathematical learning issue. People with dyscalculia struggle with math on a variety of levels. They frequently struggle with fundamental ideas such as greater vs. smaller. They may also struggle with simple math tasks as well as more sophisticated concepts.

How Dyscalculia Is Diagnosed

An evaluation is the only method to receive a diagnosis. This can be given to anyone at any time. Adults and children are assessed using different tests.

Source:
Understood: dyslexia
Understood: dyscalculia

Eating disorders are behavioural problems marked by significant and persistent changes in eating habits, as well as disturbing thoughts and emotions. They can be life-threatening illnesses that disrupt physical, psychological, and social functioning. Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, other specified feeding and eating disorder, pica, and rumination disorder are examples of eating disorders.

Eating disorders frequently co-occur with other psychiatric diseases, the most prevalent of which are mood and anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and issues with alcohol and drugs. Evidence suggests that genes and heredity play a role in why some people are more likely to develop an eating disorder, but eating disorders can affect people who have no family history of the problem.

Those with eating disorders, on the other hand, can re-establish appropriate eating patterns and regain emotional and psychological health with adequate medical care.

Source:
American Psychiatric Association

Depression (major depressive disorder) is a widespread and significant medical condition that has a negative impact on how you feel, think, and behave. It is also, thankfully, treatable. Depression produces unhappiness and/or a loss of interest in previously appreciated activities. It can cause a slew of mental and physical issues, as well as a reduction in your capacity to operate at work and at home.
Depression symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include:

• Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
• Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting
• Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
• Loss of energy or increased fatigue
• Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., inability to sit still, pacing, handwringing) or slowed movements or speech (these actions must be severe enough to be observable by others)
• Feeling worthless or guilty
• Difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions
  Thoughts of death or suicide

For a diagnosis of depression, symptoms must endure at least two weeks and show a change in your previous level of functioning. Also, medical diseases (e.g., thyroid difficulties, a brain tumour, or a vitamin deficiency) can resemble depressive symptoms, so it’s crucial to screen out any underlying medical issues.

How Is Depression Treated?

Psychotherapy, often known as “talk therapy,” is sometimes used alone to treat minor depression; however, it is frequently used in conjunction with antidepressant drugs to treat moderate to severe depression. In the treatment of depression, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has been demonstrated to be beneficial. CBT is a type of therapy that focuses on fixing problems in the present. CBT teaches a person to notice distorted/negative thinking and to change their ideas and behaviours so that they can respond to situations in a more positive way.

Medication: An individual’s brain chemistry could play a role in their depression and treatment. Antidepressants may be provided as a result to aid in the modification of one’s brain chemistry. These aren’t sedatives, “uppers,” or tranquillizers. They don’t become a habit. Antidepressants have little effect on those who aren’t depressed.

Source:
American Psychiatric Association

You are not alone if you are having problems with your sexual function, your physical or mental health regarding sex, or your sexual identity. When it comes to intimacy, many of us have problematic connections with our own sexuality or with our partners. Concerns like this develop for a variety of reasons, and we’ve treated a wide range of people with histories and experiences much like yours.

The psychosexual therapy program assists people in understanding and overcoming sexuality and sexual health difficulties. People in the couples therapy program are treated along with their partners, leading them through issues relating to their sexual lives and relationships.

What is Psychosexual Therapy and How Does it Work?

You may have assumed, like many others seeking help with some element of sex, that your problems are mostly physical. While biology has a part in sexual health, many relationship and sexual problems are psychological in nature. Although physical conditions or experiences might sometimes create them, psychosexual therapy is still suggested for addressing and mending your emotional and mental health. In its most basic form, psychosexual therapy aids people in overcoming sexual issues. This service is for individuals; however, if you need help with your relationship, there is a separate specialist couples counselling service. Psychosexual therapy can help with the physical difficulties that come with sex, which we would work through and recommend for additional help if necessary. These are some of them:

1. Lack of sexual desire
2. Difficulties with orgasms
3. Pain during sex
4. Erectile dysfunction
5. Ejaculation problems

Psychosexual therapy can also address non-physical issues, such as:

1. Sexual and gender identity
2. Sexual orientation
3. Sexual preferences
4. Sexual behaviours
5. Sexual trauma

We’ll start by discussing your concerns, what drove you to seek treatment, and what you aim to achieve at the end. We’ll talk about how psychosexual counseling might help you work through problems that are harming your life and mental health.
At each session, you can go over everything that worries you in greater detail, possibly looking back at previous situations that may have contributed to your current position.
At every point of your psychosexual treatment, we will take each session at a pace that you are comfortable with, with all of our specialists trained in taking a compassionate and supportive approach. We want you to feel entirely at ease throughout the process, asking questions as needed and providing thorough input.

Source:
The Priory Group

Cognition is defined as the state or processes of being able to properly comprehend and judge reality. Cognitive tests are used to evaluate if you have any cognitive difficulties, commonly known as cognitive impairment. These tests aren’t used to diagnose cognitive issues. Instead, they assist your doctor in determining whether you need more tests or whether you have any cognitive issues.

Why Would I Need Cognitive Testing?

Because older adults are more at risk for illnesses that cause cognitive deficits, cognitive testing will be routinely administered at wellness exams. Many of the causative disorders can be treated or slowed down if detected early, thus older persons should be examined regularly. This is especially true for persons suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. However, cognitive testing is available to people of all ages, and not all symptoms and diseases that contribute to cognitive impairment are caused by age.

If you have any of the following symptoms, you should seek cognitive testing:

• Not being able to recall appointments or social gatherings
• Frequently misplacing items in your home and asking the same questions
• Understanding or remembering movies or TV shows is difficult
• Making lists because you’re having trouble digesting information that’s been given to you
• Forgetting important details from your past
• Getting misplaced

Cognitive tests determine whether you have a cognitive impairment. Many factors can contribute to cognitive impairment, including:

• Medication’s unwelcome side effects
• Diseases of the blood vessels
• Depression
• Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia
• Thyroid illness is a condition that affects the thyroid gland
• Deficiencies in vitamins
• Sleep disturbances

Source:
WebMD

Brief treatment (BT) is a strength-based approach to psychotherapy that emphasises problem-solving over solution-building. BT is different from other types of psychotherapy in that it focuses on how your current circumstances and future hopes affect you.

What Can BT Help with?

When a customer is seeking to achieve a goal or solve an issue, BT works best. It can be used alone as a therapeutic intervention or in conjunction with other types of therapy. It’s used to address a wide range of disorders in people of all ages, including addiction, child behavioural concerns, and relationship challenges.

Typically, this type of therapy isn’t employed when treating major psychiatric conditions such as psychosis and schizophrenia.

Advantages of BT

The shortness of BT is its main advantage. BT is a type of “short therapy” that usually lasts 5–8 sessions. As a result, it is frequently less expensive than other types of therapy.

BT is ideal for people who have a specific goal in mind and just need a little help achieving it. Instead of digging into previous wounds, more time is spent focusing on solutions, making it ideal for those who have a specific goal in mind and just need a little assistance achieving it.

Source:
Verywell Mind

The death of a loved one can be one of the most stressful occurrences in life, and it can lead to a serious emotional breakdown. One suffers grief, which literally means “to be deprived by death”, after the death of someone one cares about.

Even if the death is foreseeable, one may experience a wide range of emotions when it occurs. After learning of a death, many people describe experiencing a period of numbness.

1. Denial/Disbelief
2. Confusion
3. Shock
4. Sadness/Yearning
5. Anger/Humiliation
6. Despair
7. Guilt

These are frequent and natural reactions to loss. One may be surprised by the intensity and endurance of one’s emotions, as well as how quickly one’s moods might shift. One may even begin to doubt one’s mental health’s stability. But rest assured that these emotions are normal and healthy, and that they will assist one in coming to grips with one’s loss.
It takes time for the effects of a great loss to sink in completely.

Living with Grief

• Your mental health must cope with death. When a loved one passes away, it’s only normal to feel sorrow. Allowing yourself to mourn is the finest thing you can do. There are a variety of approaches to dealing with pain properly.
• Look for folks who are concerned about your well-being. Locate family and friends who can empathise with your grief. Join a support group to meet people who are going through the same thing.
  Let your feelings be known.
• Feel free to express yourself. Telling others how you’re feeling will assist you in working through your grief.
• Take good care of yourself. Keep in touch with your family physician regularly, and make sure you eat well and get plenty of rest. Be mindful of the risk of becoming reliant on medication or alcohol to cope with your loss.
• Accept the fact that life is meant to be lived. It takes work to get back into the habit of living in the present and not in the past.
• Major life changes should be postponed. Make any substantial changes, such as moving, remarrying, changing careers, or having another kid, as late as possible. Allow yourself some time to adjust to your loss.
• Patience is required. It might take months, if not years, to recover after a severe loss and adjust to your new life.
• When required, seek outside assistance. If your grief appears to be too much to handle, get professional counselling to help you work through it. Seeking aid is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Remember, with support, patience and effort, you will survive grief. Some day the pain will lessen, leaving you with cherished memories of your loved one

Source:
Mental Health America

ASD (autism spectrum disorder) is a developmental impairment caused by brain differences. Some ASD sufferers have a known abnormality, such as a hereditary disease. Other factors have yet to be discovered. Scientists believe that ASD is caused by a combination of factors that work together to alter how people develop in the most frequent ways. We still have a lot to learn about these issues and how they affect people living with disabilities.

There is typically nothing about people with ASD that distinguishes them from others. They may act, talk, engage, and learn differently from most individuals. People with ASD might have a wide range of abilities. Some people with ASD, for example, may have strong communication skills, while others are nonverbal. Some people with ASD require a lot of assistance in their daily life, while others can work and live independently.

ASD usually begins at the age of three and lasts for the rest of a person’s life; however, symptoms may improve over time. Within the first 12 months of life, some children develop ASD symptoms. Symptoms may not appear for another 24 months or longer in some people. Some children with ASD learn new abilities and achieve developmental milestones until they reach the age of 18 to 24 months, at which point they cease learning new skills or lose the ones they already have.

A diagnosis of ASD now encompasses autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), and Asperger syndrome, which were previously diagnosed individually. All of these diseases are now referred to as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Problems with social communication and engagement, as well as confined or repetitive activities or interests, are now included in the updated criteria for diagnosing ASD. It’s crucial to remember that some of these symptoms may also be present in persons who don’t have ASD. However, these features can make life difficult for those with ASD.

Signs and Symptoms of Autism

1. Avoids or fails to maintain eye contact
2. By 9 months of age, he/she hasn’t responded to his/her name.
3. By 9 months of age, he/she does not show facial expressions such as happiness, sadness, anger, or surprise.
4. By the age of 12 months, he/she is not playing simple interactive games like pat-a-cake.
5. By the age of 12 months, he/she makes little or no gestures (e.g., does not wave goodbye)
6. He/she has no common interests with others (e.g., shows you an object that he/she likes by 15 months of age)
7. By the age of 18 months, he/she does not point or look at what you point to.
8. By the age of 24 months, he/she does not notice when others are upset or sad.
9. By 30 months of age, he/she does not pretend in play (e.g., does not pretend to “feed” a doll).
10. He/she is uninterested in his/her peers.
11. At 36 months or older, he/she has difficulty comprehending or communicating about other people’s feelings.
12. By the age of 60 months, he/she does not play games in which he/she takes turns.

Source:
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention