Generalized Anxiety Disorder
 Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by persistent, excessive, and unrealistic worry about everyday
things.

People with the disorder, which is also referred to as GAD, experience exaggerated worry and tension, often
expecting the worst, even when there is no apparent reason for concern.

GAD affects 6.8 million adults, or 3.1% of the U.S. population, in any given year.
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Women are twice as likely to be affected.
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Cognitive-behavioral therapy is effective for many people, helping them to identify, understand, and modify
faulty thinking and behavior patterns.

Relaxation techniques, meditation, yoga, exercise, and other alternative treatments may also become part of a
treatment plan.

Doctors may also prescribe anti-anxiety medications to compliment talk and/or behavioral therapies.

Some anti-anxiety medications include:
o
Zoloft
o
Prozac
o
Lexapro
o
Paxil
o
Celexa
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a serious potentially debilitating condition that can occur in people who have
experienced or witnessed a natural disaster, serious accident, terrorist incident, sudden death of a loved one, war,
violent personal assault such as rape, or other life-threatening events.

67 percent of people exposed to mass violence have been shown to develop PTSD, a higher rate than those
exposed to natural disasters or other types of traumatic events.
Exposure therapy. This therapy helps people face and control their fear by exposing them to the trauma they
experienced in a safe way. It uses mental imagery, writing, or visits to the place where the event happened. The
therapist uses these tools to help people with PTSD cope with their feelings.
Cognitive restructuring. This therapy helps people make sense of the bad memories. Sometimes people remember the
event differently than how it happened. They may feel guilt or shame about what is not their fault. The therapist helps
people with PTSD look at what happened in a realistic way.
Stress inoculation training. This therapy tries to reduce PTSD symptoms by teaching a person how to reduce anxiety.
Like cognitive restructuring, this treatment helps people look at their memories in a healthy way.
Virtual reality treatment consists of custom virtual environments that have been carefully designed to support exposure
therapy of anxiety disorders. The treatment involves exposing the person with PTSD to a virtual environment that
contains the feared situation, instead of taking the patient into the actual environment or having the patient imagine the
traumatic situation.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Obsessions — unwanted intrusive thoughts
Compulsions — ritualistic behaviors and routines to ease anxiety or distress
Successful treatment often includes a combination of behavior therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or
exposure therapy, and medication. Learn more about treating OCD and other anxiety disorders.
Hoarding vs. Collecting
Hoarding is not the same as collecting. In general, collectors have a sense of pride about their possessions and they
experience joy in displaying and talking about them. Those who hoard usually experience embarrassment about their
possessions and feel uncomfortable when others see them.
Social Anxiety Disorder:
Overview:
It’s the extreme fear of being scrutinized and judged by others in social or performance situations.
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
About 15 million American adults have social anxiety disorder
Typical age of onset: 13 years old
What Is Depression?
When a person has a depressive disorder, it interferes with daily life, normal functioning, and causes pain for both the
person with the disorder and those who care about him or her.
- 4-5 symptoms of depression for 2 weeks or longer (every day)
-
The younger the person experiences, more severe and more often they will experience it.
Different forms of depression
1. Major depressive disorder – “major depression;” combination of symptoms that interfere with a person's ability to
work, sleep, study, eat, and enjoy once–pleasurable activities. Major depression is disabling and prevents a person from
functioning normally. It may occur only once in a person's lifetime, but more often, it recurs throughout a person's life.
2. Dysthymic disorder - “dysthymia;” long–term (two years or longer) but less severe symptoms; that may not disable a
person but can prevent one from functioning normally or feeling well.
3. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) - onset of a depressive illness during the winter months, when there is less natural
sunlight; generally lifts during spring and summer. SAD may be effectively treated with light therapy and or meds.
4. Psychotic depression - which occurs when a severe depressive illness is accompanied by some form of psychosis,
such as a break with reality, hallucinations, and delusions. Schizophrenia is an example of this.
5. Postpartum Depression – occurs in about 15% of women after child birth; change in hormones; increased amount of
stress due to the baby; feel overwhelmed.
6. Adjustment Disorder – depression triggered by a change or an event (loss of a job, death of loved one, divorce, etc).
Have a difficult time adjusting
What causes depression?
There is no single known cause of depression. Rather, it likely results from a combination of genetic, biochemical,
environmental, and psychological factors.
Treatments:
Medication
Antidepressants work to normalize naturally occurring brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, notably serotonin and
norepinephrine. The newest and most popular types of antidepressant medications are (Prozac), (Celexa), (Zoloft) and
(Cymbalta).
Psychotherapy
Several types of psychotherapy–or "talk therapy"–can help people with depression.
Some regimens are short–term (10 to 20 weeks) and other regimens are longer–term, depending on the needs of the
individual. Two main types of psychotherapies–cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT)-have
been shown to be effective in treating depression
Bipolar Disoder – extreme mood swings between highs and lows
Manic episode = high state; happy, energized, anxious, irritable
Depressive episode = low state; sad, hopeless, worthless, guilty, possibly suicidal

Treatments:
Medication
o Antidepressants; Mood Stabilizers
o Therapy
o Alternative settings for children in school
Eating Disorders
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that causes people to obsess about their weight and the food they eat. To
prevent weight gain or to continue losing weight, people with anorexia nervosa may starve themselves or exercise
excessively.
Bulimia is an illness in which a person binges on food or has regular episodes of overeating and feels a loss of control.
The affected person then uses various methods -- such as vomiting or laxative abuse -- to prevent weight gain.
Only 1 in 10 men and women with eating disorders receive treatment.
An estimated 10% of people with anorexia or bulimia are male.
20% of people suffering from anorexia will prematurely die from complications related to their eating disorder, including
suicide and heart problems
Common Warning Signs of Anorexia Nervosa
Avoiding to eat with the friends and family (“I’m not hungry,” “I already ate,” “I have an upset stomach,” or “I’ll eat at
friend’s house later”)
Has lost a significant amount of weight in a short period of time
Eating the same few foods (lettuce, yogurt, dry cereal) at all meals
MUST exercise
Becomes very defensive when questioned about eating habits or exercise
Eats small amounts with others, hides food, and then binges privately
Develops fine facial and body hair
Perfectionist attitudes
Low blood pressure
Stating “feeling fat” even when thin
Complaints of being cold or dressing in many layers
Shifting the food around on the plate to look eaten and cutting food into tiny pieces
Pairing condiments with inappropriate foods (i.e. ketchup & mustard on salad).
Overuse of salt and spices
Dry salads (without dressing)
Common Warning Signs of Bulimia
Finding food hidden in their room or unusual places
Has significant weight fluctuation
Use of laxatives or use of diuretics
Callous on knuckles
Chronic sore throat
Showering several times a day
Must exercise
Tooth enamel eroded on front teeth
Increased cavities and gum disease
Going to the bathroom during or following meals
Has swollen glands at jaw and cheeks
Has broken blood vessels in the eye, and/or blood shot eyes
Moodier and more irritable than usual
Use of breath fresheners and chewing gum