Disorders

Hyperfixation is a unique state of mind that goes far beyond a simple hobby or interest. Unlike casual interests, hyperfixations are intense, obsessive, and persistent—often taking precedence over everyday tasks and responsibilities. While commonly linked to conditions like ADHD, hyperfixation can happen to both neurodivergent and neurotypical people, shaping how…

We all want to feel like we belong, whether it’s with friends, family, or coworkers. But since everyone’s brain, personality, and quirks are unique, there’s no single “right” way to fit in. But sometimes we find ourselves toning down or hiding parts of who we are to blend in more…

Grief is a normal human response to the pain of losing someone. It can be brutal, anguished, disorienting, maddening, enraging, and lonely.  But ultimately, most people will emerge from grief. They may feel forever changed; however, many find meaning in their lives again. Those difficult feelings eventually make way for…

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is the current diagnosis for what may also be called chronic alcoholism, alcohol addiction, alcohol abuse, dipsomania, and alcohol dependence. This comprehensive look at alcohol use disorder will provide an in-depth explanation of the disorder, its causes, diagnostic criteria, symptoms, and treatments. 

Why is there a bipolar 2 and a bipolar 1? There’s no depression 2 or depression 1. There’s no anxiety 3.0. What makes bipolar disorder (formerly known as manic depression) different? The quick answer is that people with bipolar 2 have enough variation in their symptoms from type 1 bipolar…

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a condition that can make trusting other people and establishing lasting relationships extremely difficult. This can make coping with BPD in relationships frustrating for the person carrying the diagnosis, as well as for a loved one trying to understand and be supportive.  While navigating borderline…

Many mental health conditions and disorders can influence emotions and emotional stability, including histrionic personality disorder. Histrionic personality disorder involves a pattern of excessive sensitivity and attention-seeking behavior, sometimes causing people with the disorder to go to extreme lengths to garner attention for themselves. There are a few ways to…

Depression is one of the most well-known and studied mental health conditions. It’s characterized by feelings of sadness or emptiness, low energy, lack of concentration, and sleep and appetite changes, among a myriad of other symptoms, with episodes recurring over months or years. The different forms of depression are complex…

An “affect” is a nonverbal method of communication that expresses emotion on an individual’s face. Though people’s feelings can appear on their faces without conscious effort or even notice, one’s affect doesn’t have to match their feelings. Different from someone’s affect, mood is specifically what someone is feeling, something that…

When it comes to diagnosing autism, several distinctions are made by clinicians, which separate the disorder into the three levels of autism. This condition is recognized as a spectrum disorder. The purpose of delineating these levels is to provide clinicians with insight into the severity of symptoms and the level…

Despite being different disorders, bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder have so many symptomatic similarities that they can often be mistaken for one another. That being said, the functioning and root causes, and therefore the treatment, of each disorder are quite different, which makes it very important to discern one…

It’s the little things about our appearance that often get to us—some crooked teeth, a few extra pounds, or maybe more gray in our hair than we’d like to see. The idea of perfect, the one our imagination creates, is unrealistic. However, recognizing when our self-judgment transforms into an unhealthy…