Depression / Anxiety / OCD

Depression

Depression is not just "the blues." Depression is one of the most serious and common of all mental disorders. It is also one of the most treatable--provided the victim seeks treatment. At any time, more than nine million Americans may be suffering from depression. More than 15 percent of Americans are attacked by depression at some time in their lives

Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders are illnesses that cause people to feel frightened and apprehensive for no apparent reason. These conditions are often related to the biological and psychological makeup of the individual and may be familial in nature. If untreated, these illnesses can significantly reduce productivity and inhibit a person's ability to function in daily life. There are five types of anxiety disorders. Many individuals may have more than one type, making then especially difficult to treat.

Stress

Stress is a psychological and physical response to the dema-nds of daily life that exceed a person's ability to cope succes-sfully. Stress is often characterized by fatigue, sleep disorders, irritability, and constant worrying. Depression often accompanies stress. The accumulated effects of stress may lead to more serious medical problems. Stress may be work-related or may stem from personal problems, such as divorce, family conflicts, or financial concerns. Often stress results from a combination of these.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is characterized by anxious thoughts and uncontrollable ritualistic behavior: obsessions are the anxious thoughts and compulsions are the rituals used to dispel those thoughts. An example of an obsession would be cleanliness and fear of germs. The compulsion associated with this obsession would be excessive hand washing. No pleasure is derived from performing the rituals; rather, the rituals provide only temporary relief. OCD appears to afflict men and women equally, and approximately one in fifty people may experience some sort of obsessive-compulsive behavior. Onset is typically in early adulthood, although it may occur in childhood or adolescence.

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is characterized by repeated episodes of intense fear that appear suddenly, often without warning and with varying frequency. Symptoms of panic disorder include chest pains, heart palpitations, sweating palms, dizziness, shortness of breath, a sense of unreality, or an uncontrollable fear of death. Panic disorder affects between three and six million Americans and is twice as likely to occur in women. Onset may occur at any age but generally begins in early adulthood.