Conditions
Mental health conditions
Plain-language, medically-reviewed guides. Start with a condition hub, or browse the disorder library below.
Anxiety
- Anxiety Symptoms: Physical, Emotional & Behavioral Signs The physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms of anxiety — what they feel like, when persistent worry signals a disorder, and when to seek help.
- Anxiety: Types The main types of anxiety disorders — from generalized anxiety to panic, social anxiety, phobias, and agoraphobia — and how they differ.
- Anxiety: Causes & Risk Factors What contributes to anxiety disorders — genetics, brain chemistry, stress, trauma, and health factors — explained in plain language.
- Anxiety: Diagnosis How anxiety disorders are diagnosed — clinical interviews, screening tools, and ruling out medical causes — and how to prepare for a visit.
- Anxiety Treatment: Options, What Works & How to Start Anxiety treatment options that actually work — therapy, medication, and levels of care — what to expect, what it costs, and how to take the next step today.
- Anxiety: Therapy Evidence-based therapies for anxiety — CBT, exposure therapy, and acceptance-based approaches — what to expect and how to start.
- Anxiety: Medication Medications used for anxiety — SSRIs, SNRIs, and others — how they fit into treatment, and how to start the conversation with a prescriber.
- Anxiety: Recovery What recovery from anxiety really looks like, plus relapse prevention and everyday strategies that help it last.
- Panic Disorder What panic disorder is, the symptoms of a panic attack, why it develops, and how it is treated.
- Social Anxiety Disorder Social anxiety disorder explained — symptoms, how it differs from shyness, causes, and effective treatment.
- Health Anxiety Health anxiety (illness anxiety disorder) — when worry about your health becomes overwhelming — and the treatments that help.
- Agoraphobia Agoraphobia — intense fear of situations that feel hard to escape — its symptoms, causes, and the treatments that work.
- Anxiety and Sleep How anxiety and sleep affect each other, why worry peaks at night, and practical, evidence-based steps to break the cycle.
- Waking Up With Anxiety Why you might wake up with anxiety or a racing heart, what drives morning anxiety, and practical steps that help.
- Anxiety vs Panic Attack How anxiety and panic attacks differ — onset, intensity, duration, and what each one means for getting help.
- Anxiety vs PTSD How anxiety disorders differ from PTSD — triggers, core symptoms, classification, and treatment — explained side by side.
- Anxiety vs OCD How anxiety disorders differ from OCD — intrusive thoughts, compulsions, classification, and treatment — explained side by side.
Bipolar Disorder
- Bipolar 1 vs Bipolar 2 Bipolar 1 vs bipolar 2 — the real difference between mania and hypomania, how the depressive episodes compare, and why the distinction guides treatment.
- Bipolar I Bipolar I disorder explained — what a manic episode is, the depressive side, common signs, and how bipolar I is treated.
- Bipolar II Bipolar II disorder explained — hypomania versus mania, the depressive episodes, common signs, and how bipolar II is treated.
- Types of Bipolar Disorder The main types of bipolar disorder — bipolar I, bipolar II, and cyclothymia — how they differ in mood episodes, and why the type guides treatment.
- How Bipolar Affects Thinking How bipolar disorder affects thinking — racing thoughts in mania, slowed thinking in depression, concentration and memory, and how treatment helps.
- Bipolar Treatment Options Bipolar disorder treatment options that work — medication, therapy, and combination care — what to expect when you reach out, costs, and how to start today.
Borderline Personality Disorder
- Borderline Personality Disorder: Symptoms The signs of BPD — intense emotions, fear of abandonment, unstable relationships and self-image, impulsivity — what they feel like and when to seek help.
- Borderline Personality Disorder: Types Is BPD one condition or several? How clinicians think about BPD presentations and informal 'types' like quiet and discouraged BPD — and why a diagnosis matters.
- Borderline Personality Disorder: Causes & Risk Factors What causes BPD? A plain-language look at the genetic, brain, and life-experience factors that contribute — and why no one chooses to have it.
- Borderline Personality Disorder: Diagnosis How BPD is diagnosed — there is no lab test. What a clinical evaluation involves, what clinicians look for, and how to prepare for an assessment.
- Borderline Personality Disorder: Treatment Options BPD treatment options that work — DBT and other therapies, the role of medication, what to expect when you reach out, and how to take the next step today.
- Borderline Personality Disorder: Therapy Therapy is the first-line treatment for BPD. How DBT and other evidence-based approaches work, what to expect, and how to take the next step today.
- Borderline Personality Disorder: Medication How medication fits into BPD care — a supporting role alongside therapy, what it can and cannot do, and how to take the next step. Therapy comes first.
- Borderline Personality Disorder: Recovery Recovery from BPD is realistic. What recovery actually means, what research shows about improvement over time, and what helps it last.
- Quiet BPD Quiet BPD — an informal term for BPD turned inward. What it means, the signs that are easy to miss, and why this pattern responds to the same treatment that works for BPD.
- BPD in Men BPD in men — why it is often missed or misdiagnosed, how symptoms can show up differently, and why the same evidence-based treatment helps.
- Discouraged BPD Discouraged BPD — an informal term for an inward-facing, dependent presentation of BPD. What it describes, common signs, and why it responds to the same treatment.
- The BPD Relationship Cycle The BPD relationship cycle — why relationships can swing between closeness and conflict, what drives the push-pull pattern, and how treatment helps it heal.
- Supporting a Loved One With BPD How to support someone with BPD — practical, compassionate ways to help, how to set healthy boundaries, and how to care for yourself while you do.
Depression
- Depression: Symptoms The emotional, physical, and cognitive symptoms of depression, and when to seek help.
- Depression: Types The main types of depression, from major depressive disorder to persistent and seasonal forms.
- Depression: Causes & Risk Factors What contributes to depression — biology, genetics, life stress, and health factors.
- Depression: Diagnosis How depression is diagnosed — clinical evaluation, screening tools, and ruling out other causes.
- Depression: Treatment Options Evidence-based treatment options for depression — therapy, medication, and emerging treatments — and how to find help.
- Depression: Therapy Evidence-based talk therapies for depression, including CBT and interpersonal therapy.
- Depression: Medication Antidepressant medications for depression and how they fit into a treatment plan.
- Depression: Recovery What recovery from depression looks like, plus relapse prevention and daily strategies.
- High-Functioning Depression High-functioning depression — when you keep up appearances while struggling inside — and how to get help.
- Treatment-Resistant Depression When depression does not respond to standard treatment — and what options come next.
- Persistent Depressive Disorder Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia) — long-lasting, lower-grade depression — explained.
- Double Depression Double depression — major depression layered on persistent depressive disorder.
- Morning Depression Why depression can feel worse in the morning, and strategies that help.
- Getting Through a Depressive Episode Practical ways to get through a depressive episode and when to reach out for help.
- Depression vs Bipolar How major depression differs from bipolar disorder — and why the distinction matters for treatment.
- Depression vs Burnout How depression differs from burnout, where they overlap, and when to seek help.
OCD
- Types of OCD Common types of OCD — contamination, checking, symmetry, and taboo intrusive thoughts — how the obsession-compulsion cycle works, and how each is treated.
- False Memory OCD False memory OCD explained — when OCD makes you doubt whether something really happened, why reviewing and reassurance backfire, and how ERP helps.
- Checking OCD Checking OCD explained — the doubt-and-check cycle, common examples, why checking makes anxiety worse, and how ERP therapy helps break the loop.
- Intrusive Thoughts Intrusive thoughts in OCD — what they are, why disturbing thoughts don't reflect who you are, the difference from acting, and how treatment helps.
- OCD Triggers OCD triggers explained — the situations, feelings, and stressors that set off obsessions, why avoidance backfires, and how treatment builds tolerance.
- ERP Therapy for OCD ERP therapy for OCD — how exposure and response prevention breaks the obsession-compulsion cycle, what sessions look like, costs, and how to start today.
Personality & Attachment
- Attachment Issues Attachment issues explained — what attachment styles are, how early relationships shape the way we bond, the difference between insecure attachment and a diagnosable condition, and how therapy helps.
- Detachment Emotional detachment explained — what it feels like, the difference between healthy distance and numbing that signals something deeper, its links to stress, trauma, and depression, and when to seek help.
- Narcissistic Personality Disorder Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) explained without stigma — what it actually is, its signs, how it differs from everyday self-centeredness, the vulnerability often underneath, and how therapy can help.
- Codependency & Enabling Codependency and enabling explained — what these relationship patterns are, how they differ, why they often show up around a loved one's addiction or illness, and how to set healthier boundaries with support.
PTSD & Trauma
- PTSD & Trauma: Symptoms PTSD symptoms explained — the four symptom groups (intrusion, avoidance, mood and thinking changes, and hyperarousal), what they feel like, and when to seek help.
- PTSD & Trauma: Types Types of PTSD and trauma responses — from acute stress disorder to complex PTSD and dissociative presentations — and why naming the form guides treatment.
- PTSD & Trauma: Causes & Risk Factors What causes PTSD — the traumatic events that can trigger it and the risk and protective factors that influence who develops it. Plain-language, sourced.
- PTSD & Trauma: Diagnosis How PTSD is diagnosed — the clinical interview, screening tools, the one-month symptom criterion, and how to prepare for an evaluation. Plain-language, sourced.
- PTSD & Trauma: Treatment Options PTSD treatment options that work — trauma-focused therapy, EMDR, medication, and levels of care — what to expect, what it costs, and how to take the next step.
- PTSD & Trauma: Therapy Therapy for PTSD — the trauma-focused approaches that work, including CPT, prolonged exposure, EMDR, and CBT, plus what to expect and how to start.
- PTSD & Trauma: Medication Medication for PTSD — how antidepressants like sertraline and paroxetine help, what to expect, side effects, and how medication fits with therapy.
- PTSD & Trauma: Recovery What recovery from PTSD really looks like — realistic expectations, what helps healing last, and how to keep progress going after treatment. Plain-language, sourced.
- Complex PTSD Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) explained — how prolonged or repeated trauma differs from classic PTSD, the added symptoms it brings, and the treatments that help.
- CPTSD Symptoms Complex PTSD symptoms — the core PTSD signs plus the three added areas of emotional regulation, self-worth, and relationships, and when to seek help.
- PTSD Flashbacks PTSD flashbacks explained — what they are, what triggers them, how they differ from ordinary memories, grounding techniques, and the treatments that reduce them.
- Healing From PTSD Healing from PTSD — what the journey realistically involves, the role of professional treatment, daily habits that support recovery, and how to start.
- Acute Stress Disorder vs PTSD Acute stress disorder vs PTSD — how they differ in timing and duration, how they overlap, when one becomes the other, and what treatment helps. Plain-language, sourced.
- Shell Shock: History & Meaning What shell shock means — the World War I term, how understanding evolved into the modern diagnosis of PTSD, and where to find help today. Plain-language, sourced.
- Veterans and PTSD PTSD in veterans — why service-related trauma raises the risk, the treatments the VA supports, the Veterans Crisis Line, and how to start care.
- First Responder PTSD PTSD in first responders — why repeated trauma exposure raises the risk for police, firefighters, EMS, and dispatchers, the treatments that work, and how to start.
Schizophrenia & Psychosis
- Schizophrenia Symptoms Schizophrenia symptoms explained without stigma — positive, negative, and cognitive signs, early warning signs of psychosis, and why early treatment helps people manage well.
- Types of Psychosis Types of psychosis explained in plain language — what psychosis is, the conditions and causes it can stem from (including schizophrenia, mood disorders, substances, and medical causes), and why a careful evaluation matters.
- Schizoaffective Disorder Schizoaffective disorder explained without stigma — how it combines features of psychosis and a mood disorder, the two types, how it differs from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and the treatment that helps.
- Treatment Options Schizophrenia and psychosis treatment options that work — antipsychotic medication, therapy, coordinated specialty care for first-episode psychosis, what to expect when you call, and how to find help in your state.
Disorder library
- Adjustment Disorder Adjustment disorder explained: how an out-of-proportion reaction to a major life stressor differs from ordinary stress, its symptoms, and how it is treated.
- Antisocial Personality Disorder Antisocial Personality Disorder — what it is, common signs, and how it is treated.
- Avoidant Personality Disorder Avoidant Personality Disorder — what it is, common signs, and how it is treated.
- Body Dysmorphic Disorder Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) explained: preoccupation with perceived flaws in appearance, common signs, and the evidence-based treatments that help.
- Brief Psychotic Disorder Brief psychotic disorder explained: a short-lived episode of psychosis that resolves within a month, its symptoms, common triggers, and how it is treated.
- Conversion Disorder (Functional Neurological Disorder) Conversion disorder, now called functional neurological disorder (FND): real neurological symptoms without structural disease, plus how it is diagnosed and treated.
- Delusional Disorder Delusional disorder explained: persistent, fixed false beliefs in someone who otherwise functions well, the main types, and how it is treated.
- Dependent Personality Disorder Dependent Personality Disorder — what it is, common signs, and how it is treated.
- Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder Depersonalization-derealization disorder explained: persistent feelings of being detached from yourself or your surroundings, what causes them, and how it is treated.
- Dissociative Amnesia Dissociative amnesia explained: an inability to recall important personal information that goes beyond ordinary forgetting, its causes, and how it is treated.
- Dissociative Identity Disorder Dissociative identity disorder (DID) explained without the myths: distinct identity states, memory gaps, its roots in trauma, and how it is treated.
- Excoriation (Skin-Picking) Disorder Excoriation (skin-picking) disorder explained: a body-focused repetitive behavior involving recurrent picking that causes skin damage, plus how it is treated.
- Factitious Disorder Factitious disorder explained: deliberately producing or faking illness without external reward, why it happens, and the compassionate, treatment-focused response.
- Histrionic Personality Disorder Histrionic Personality Disorder — what it is, common signs, and how it is treated.
- Hoarding Disorder Hoarding disorder explained: persistent difficulty discarding possessions and the distress it causes, why it happens, and the treatments that help.
- Illness Anxiety Disorder Illness anxiety disorder (health anxiety) explained: persistent worry about having a serious illness despite few or no symptoms, and how it is treated.
- OCPD OCPD — what it is, common signs, and how it is treated.
- Paranoid Personality Disorder Paranoid Personality Disorder — what it is, common signs, and how it is treated.
- Schizoid Personality Disorder Schizoid Personality Disorder — what it is, common signs, and how it is treated.
- Schizotypal Personality Disorder Schizotypal Personality Disorder — what it is, common signs, and how it is treated.
- Selective Mutism Selective mutism explained: a childhood anxiety condition in which a child consistently cannot speak in certain settings despite speaking normally in others.
- Separation Anxiety Disorder Separation anxiety disorder explained: excessive fear about being apart from loved ones in children and adults, its signs, and how it is treated.
- Somatic Symptom Disorder Somatic symptom disorder explained: real, distressing physical symptoms paired with excessive thoughts and anxiety about them, and how it is treated.
- Specific Phobia Specific phobia explained: an intense, persistent fear of a particular object or situation, how it differs from everyday fear, and the treatment that works best.
- Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling Disorder) Trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder) explained: a body-focused repetitive behavior involving recurrent hair-pulling, why it happens, and how it is treated.