Conditions We Treat

What is Stress?

Stress is the body's natural response to perceived threats or challenges, triggering physical, mental, and emotional reactions. It is a common experience that can motivate individuals to take action and perform better, but excessive stress can have negative impacts on health and well-being.

Types of Stress

There are several types of stress, including acute stress, which is short-term and arises from specific events or situations; episodic acute stress, which occurs frequently and can lead to persistent worry and tension; and chronic stress, which is ongoing and can result from long-term issues such as work pressures or personal relationships.

Causes of Stress

Stress can be caused by a wide range of factors, including external pressures such as work demands, financial difficulties, and relationship problems, as well as internal factors like unrealistic expectations, negative self-talk, and personal insecurities. Major life changes and traumatic events can also trigger significant stress.

Signs and Symptoms

Common signs and symptoms of stress include physical symptoms like headaches, muscle tension, fatigue, and sleep disturbances; emotional symptoms such as anxiety, irritability, and depression; cognitive symptoms like difficulty concentrating and memory problems; and behavioral changes such as overeating, substance abuse, and withdrawal from social activities. Recognizing these symptoms early can help in managing and reducing stress effectively.

What is Depression?

Depression is a common and serious mental health disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed. It affects how a person feels, thinks, and handles daily activities, significantly impacting their quality of life.

Types of Depression

There are several types of depression, including Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), which involves severe depressive episodes; Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD), also known as dysthymia, which is a chronic form of depression lasting for at least two years; Bipolar Disorder, where depressive episodes alternate with periods of mania; and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which occurs typically during the winter months.

Causes of Depression

Depression can be caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors. It often results from a complex interplay of these factors, including family history of depression, brain chemistry imbalances, stressful life events, trauma, chronic medical conditions, and certain medications.

Signs and Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of depression include persistent feelings of sadness, emptiness, or hopelessness; loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed; changes in appetite and weight; sleep disturbances; fatigue or loss of energy; difficulty concentrating or making decisions; feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt; and thoughts of death or suicide. Recognizing these symptoms is crucial for seeking timely and effective treatment.

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a mental health condition characterized by excessive and persistent worry, fear, or nervousness about everyday situations. It can significantly impact daily life and functioning, leading to a range of physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms.

Types of Anxiety

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Characterized by chronic anxiety, exaggerated worry, and tension, even when there is little or nothing to provoke it.

Panic Disorder: Involves recurrent, unexpected panic attacks—sudden periods of intense fear that may include palpitations, sweating, shaking, shortness of breath, numbness, or a feeling of impending doom.

Social Anxiety Disorder: Extreme fear of social interactions or performance situations, leading to avoidance and distress.

Specific Phobias: Intense fear of specific objects or situations, such as heights, animals, or flying.

What causes anxiety?

Anxiety can be caused by a combination of genetic, environmental, psychological, and developmental factors. Stressful life events, trauma, chronic medical conditions, and certain medications can also trigger or exacerbate anxiety.

Signs and symptoms:

Emotional: Excessive worry, fear, or panic; feelings of dread or apprehension.

Physical: Rapid heartbeat, sweating, trembling, dizziness, shortness of breath, headaches, muscle tension, fatigue.

Cognitive: Difficulty concentrating, racing thoughts, mind going blank.

Behavioral: Avoidance of anxiety-provoking situations, restlessness, irritability, sleep disturbances.

What is it:

Sleep disorders are conditions that disrupt normal sleep patterns, leading to difficulties in falling asleep, staying asleep, or experiencing restful sleep, significantly affecting overall health and quality of life.

Types of Sleep Disorders:

Insomnia: Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, or waking up too early and not being able to get back to sleep.

Sleep Apnea: Repeated interruptions in breathing during sleep due to airway obstruction or brain's failure to send proper signals to muscles that control breathing.

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS): Unpleasant sensations in the legs and an uncontrollable urge to move them, often disrupting sleep.

Narcolepsy: Chronic sleep disorder characterized by overwhelming daytime drowsiness and sudden attacks of sleep.

What causes Sleep Disorders:

Causes of sleep disorders vary but can include stress, medical conditions (such as asthma, arthritis, or heart disease), mental health disorders (like depression and anxiety), lifestyle factors (such as irregular sleep schedules, poor sleep hygiene, and excessive caffeine or alcohol use), and genetic predispositions.

Signs and symptoms:

Insomnia: Trouble falling asleep, waking up frequently during the night, waking up too early, feeling tired upon waking.

Sleep Apnea: Loud snoring, choking or gasping during sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, morning headaches.

Restless Legs Syndrome: Uncomfortable sensations in the legs, urge to move legs, difficulty falling or staying asleep.

Narcolepsy: Sudden sleep attacks, excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy (sudden loss of muscle control), sleep paralysis, hallucinations.

What is it:

Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions characterized by abnormal eating behaviors and preoccupations with food, weight, and body shape, severely impacting physical health and psychological wellbeing.

Types of Eating Disorders:

Anorexia Nervosa: Characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight, leading to severe restriction of food intake and significant weight loss.

Bulimia Nervosa: Involves recurrent episodes of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors such as purging, fasting, or excessive exercise.

BingeEating Disorder: Marked by repeated episodes of consuming large quantities of food, often quickly and to the point of discomfort, without subsequent purging behaviors.

What causes Eating Disorders:

Eating disorders can be caused by a combination of genetic, psychological, sociocultural, and environmental factors. Factors such as body image issues, trauma, societal pressure, and family history of eating disorders can contribute to the development of these conditions.

Signs and symptoms:

Anorexia Nervosa: Extreme weight loss, distorted body image, fear of gaining weight, denial of hunger, excessive exercise, brittle nails, hair loss, fatigue.

Bulimia Nervosa: Binge eating, purging behaviors (vomiting, laxative use), frequent weight fluctuations, swollen salivary glands, dehydration, gastrointestinal problems.

Binge Eating Disorder: Eating unusually large amounts of food in a specific period, eating even when not hungry, feeling distressed or ashamed about eating, eating alone to hide the behavior.

What is it

Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition characterized by extreme mood swings, including emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression), affecting energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out daily tasks.

Types of Bipolar Disorder:

Bipolar I Disorder: Defined by manic episodes that last at least seven days or are so severe that immediate hospital care is needed, often followed by depressive episodes.

Bipolar II Disorder: Defined by a pattern of depressive episodes and hypomanic episodes, but not the fullblown manic episodes that are typical of Bipolar I.

Cyclothymic Disorder: Periods of hypomanic symptoms and periods of depressive symptoms lasting for at least two years, but the symptoms do not meet the diagnostic requirements for a hypomanic episode and a depressive episode.

What causes it:

Bipolar disorder can be caused by genetic factors, brain structure and function abnormalities, and environmental factors such as significant stress, trauma, or life changes.

Signs and symptoms:

Mania/Hypomania: Increased energy or activity, euphoria, irritability, rapid speech, racing thoughts, decreased need for sleep, impulsivity, grandiosity.

Depression: Persistent sadness, fatigue, feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness, loss of interest in activities, changes in appetite or weight, difficulty concentrating, thoughts of death or suicide.

What is it:

Schizophrenia is a severe mental health disorder that affects a person's ability to think clearly, manage emotions, make decisions, and relate to others. It is characterized by episodes of psychosis.

Types of Schizophrenia:

Paranoid Schizophrenia: Dominated by delusions and auditory hallucinations but relatively intact cognitive functioning.

Disorganized Schizophrenia: Disorganized speech and behavior, flat or inappropriate affect.

Catatonic Schizophrenia: Marked by disturbances in movement, which can range from extreme agitation to complete immobility.

Undifferentiated Schizophrenia: Symptoms that do not clearly fit into the other subtypes but include general criteria for schizophrenia.

What causes it:

Schizophrenia is believed to be caused by a combination of genetic, brain chemistry, and environmental factors. Complications during pregnancy and birth, and exposure to viruses or malnutrition before birth can also increase the risk.

Signs and symptoms:

Positive Symptoms: Hallucinations, delusions, thought disorders, movement disorders.
Negative Symptoms: Reduced expression of emotions, reduced feelings of pleasure, difficulty beginning and sustaining activities, reduced speaking.
Cognitive Symptoms: Poor executive functioning, trouble focusing or paying attention, problems with working memory.

What is it:

Addiction is a chronic condition characterized by the compulsive use of a substance or engagement in a behavior despite harmful consequences, leading to significant impairment or distress.

Types of Addiction:

Substance Addiction: Dependence on drugs or alcohol.
Behavioral Addiction: Dependence on activities such as gambling, internet use, shopping, or gaming.

What causes Addiction:

Addiction can be caused by genetic predisposition, psychological factors, environmental influences, exposure to addictive substances or behaviors, and social factors such as peer pressure.

Signs and symptoms:

Physical: Changes in appetite, weight loss or gain, insomnia or excessive sleep, physical health issues.
Behavioral: Neglecting responsibilities, engaging in risky behaviors, legal problems, social isolation.
Psychological: Increased tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, strong cravings, using substances or engaging in behaviors to relieve stress or emotional pain.

What is Substance Use Disorder?

Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is a condition in which the use of one or more substances leads to a clinically significant impairment or distress, including health problems and failure to meet major responsibilities at work, school, or home.

Types of Substance Use Disorder:

Substance Use Disorder includes disorders related to the use of alcohol, drugs, and prescription medications.

What causes Substance Use Disorder:

Causes include genetic, environmental, and psychological factors, as well as social influences and peer pressure. Early use of substances and exposure to highrisk environments can increase the likelihood of developing SUD.

Signs and symptoms:

Behavioral: Using larger amounts of the substance over time, inability to cut down or control use, spending a lot of time obtaining, using, or recovering from the substance.
Physical: Tolerance (needing more of the substance to achieve the same effect), withdrawal symptoms when not using, physical health problems.
Psychological: Continued use despite knowing the risks, neglecting responsibilities, strained relationships, engaging in risky behaviors.

PTSD (PostTraumatic Stress Disorder): is a mental health condition triggered by experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event, causing severe and persistent emotional and psychological distress.

Types of PTSD:

There are no specific types of PTSD, but it can vary in intensity and duration, with some individuals experiencing acute PTSD (symptoms lasting less than three months) and others experiencing chronic PTSD (symptoms lasting three months or longer).

What causes PTSD:

PTSD can be caused by traumatic events such as combat, natural disasters, serious accidents, personal assaults, or prolonged exposure to lifethreatening situations. Genetic and environmental factors can also play a role in the development of PTSD.

Signs and symptoms:

Reexperiencing Symptoms: Flashbacks, intrusive memories, nightmares, severe anxiety, emotional distress when reminded of the trauma.
Avoidance Symptoms: Avoiding places, activities, or people that remind you of the traumatic event, feeling emotionally numb, losing interest in activities once enjoyed.
Arousal and Reactivity Symptoms: Being easily startled, feeling tense or "on edge," difficulty sleeping, angry outbursts.
Cognitive and Mood Symptoms: Negative thoughts about oneself or the world, distorted feelings of guilt or blame, difficulty remembering key aspects of the traumatic event.

ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)

What is ADHD:

ADHD is a neuro-developmental disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, affecting daily functioning and development.

Types of ADHD:

Predominantly Inattentive Presentation: Difficulty sustaining attention, following instructions, and organizing tasks.

Predominantly HyperactiveImpulsive Presentation: Excessive fidgeting, talking, interrupting, and difficulty waiting turns.

Combined Presentation: Symptoms of both inattentive and hyperactiveimpulsive presentations are equally present.

What causes ADHD:

ADHD is caused by genetic factors, brain structure and function differences, and environmental influences. It often runs in families and can be influenced by prenatal exposures such as tobacco smoke, alcohol, and drugs.

Signs and symptoms:

Inattention: Difficulty sustaining attention, frequent forgetfulness, disorganization, losing things needed for tasks, avoiding tasks requiring sustained mental effort.
Hyperactivity: Excessive fidgeting or tapping, inability to stay seated, running or climbing in inappropriate situations, talking excessively.
Impulsivity: Interrupting or intruding on others, difficulty waiting for turns, making hasty decisions without considering the consequences.

We utilize evidence-based treatments to help individuals manage their symptoms and improve their overall well-being. Here are the primary conditions we treat: