General Disorders

Acute Stress Disorders
A transient disorder of significant severity which develops in an individual without any other apparent mental disorder in response to exceptional physical and/or mental stress and which usually subsides within hours or days. The stressor may be an overwhelming traumatic experience involving serious ... Read more

Adjustment Disorders
States of subjective distress and emotional disturbance, usually interfering with social functioning and performance, and arising in the period of adaptation to a significant life change or to the consequences of a stressful life event (including the presence or possibility of serious physical illne ... Read more

Agoraphobia
The term "agoraphobia" is used here with a wider meaning than it has when originally introduced and as it is still used in some countries. It is now taken to include fears not only of open spaces but also of related aspects such as the presence of crowds and the difficulty of immediate easy escape t ... Read more

Alcohol Dependence
A cluster of physiological, behavioural, and cognitive phenomena in which the use of alcohol takes on a much higher priority for a given individual than other behaviours that once had greater value. A central descriptive characteristic of the dependence syndrome is the desire (often strong, sometime ... Read more

Amphetamine Dependence
A cluster of physiological, behavioural, and cognitive phenomena in which the use of other stimulants including caffeine takes on a much higher priority for a given individual than other behaviours that once had greater value. A central descriptive characteristic of the dependence syndrome is the de ... Read more

Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is a disorder characterized by deliberate weight loss, induced and/or sustained by the patient. The disorder occurs most commonly in adolescent girls and young women, but adolescent boys and young men may be affected more rarely, as may children approaching puberty and older women u ... Read more

Antisocial Personality
Personality disorder, usually coming to attention because of a gross disparity between behaviour and the prevailing social norms, and characterized by at least 3 of the following: (a) callous unconcern for the feelings of others; (b) gross and persistent attitude of irresponsibility and disregar ... Read more

Asperger's Disorder
A disorder of uncertain nosological validity, characterized by the same kind of qualitative abnormalities of reciprocal social interaction that typify autism, together with a restricted, stereotyped, repetitive repertoire of interests and activities. The disorder differs from autism primarily in tha ... Read more

Attention-Deficit Disorder
This group of disorders is characterized by: early onset; a combination of overactive, poorly modulated behaviour with marked inattention and lack of persistent task involvement; and pervasiveness over situations and persistence over time of these behavioural characteristics. It is widely ... Read more

Atypical Depression
Atypical is another word for unusual or abnormal. So in this condition
instead of feeling gloomy and lethargic the person might seem deeply
depressed for a few days and then fine for a while, or anxious and
irritable. There is often no event which triggers this sort of depression.

Autistic Disorder
Personality disorder characterized by at least 3 of the following: (a) persistent and pervasive feelings of tension and apprehension; (b) belief that one is socially inept, personally unappealing, or inferior to others; (c) excessive preoccupation with being criticized or rejected in social si ... Read more

Avoidant Personality
Personality disorder characterized by at least 3 of the following: (a) persistent and pervasive feelings of tension and apprehension; (b) belief that one is socially inept, personally unappealing, or inferior to others; (c) excessive preoccupation with being criticized or rejected in social si ... Read more

Bipolar Disorder
This disorder is characterized by repeated (i.e. at least two) episodes in which the patient's mood and activity levels are significantly disturbed, this disturbance consisting on some occasions of an elevation of mood and increased energy and activity (mania or hypomania), and on others of a loweri ... Read more

Borderline Personality
A personality disorder in which there is a marked tendency to act impulsively without consideration of the consequences, together with affective instability. The ability to plan ahead may be minimal, and outbursts of intense anger may often lead to violence or "behavioural explosions"; these are eas ... Read more

Brief Psychotic Disorder
Systematic clinical information that would provide definitive guidance on the classification of acute psychotic disorders is not yet available, and the limited data and clinical tradition that must therefore be used instead do not give rise to concepts that can be clearly defined and separated from ... Read more

Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia nervosa is a syndrome characterized by repeated bouts of overeating and an excessive preoccupation with the control of body weight, leading the patient to adopt extreme measures so as to mitigate the 'fattening" effects of ingested food. The term should be restricted to the form of the disor ... Read more

Buspar
BuSpar is used in the treatment of anxiety disorders and for short-term relief of the symptoms of anxiety.

Cannabis Dependence
A cluster of physiological, behavioural, and cognitive phenomena in which the use of cannabinoid takes on a much higher priority for a given individual than other behaviours that once had greater value. A central descriptive characteristic of the dependence syndrome is the desire (often strong, some ... Read more

Cocaine Dependence
A cluster of physiological, behavioural, and cognitive phenomena in which the use of cocaine takes on a much higher priority for a given individual than other behaviours that once had greater value. A central descriptive characteristic of the dependence syndrome is the desire (often strong, sometime ... Read more

Conduct Disorders
Conduct disorders are characterized by a repetitive and persistent pattern of dissocial, aggressive, or defiant conduct. Such behaviour, when at its most extreme for the individual, should amount to major violations of age-appropriate social expectations, and is therefore more severe than ordinary c ... Read more

Cyclothymic Disorder
A persistent instability of mood, involving numerous periods of mild depression and mild elation. This instability usually develops early in adult life and pursues a chronic course, although at times the mood may be normal and stable for months at a time. The mood swings are usually perceived by the ... Read more

Delirium
An etiologically nonspecific syndrome characterized by concurrent disturbances of consciousness and attention, perception, thinking, memory, psychomotor behaviour, emotion, and the sleep-wake cycle. It may occur at any age but is most common after the age of 60 years. The delirious state is transien ... Read more

Delusional Disorder
This group of disorders is characterized by the development either of a single delusion or of a set of related delusions which are usually persistent and sometimes lifelong. The delusions are highly variable in content. Often they are persecutory, hypochondriacal, or grandiose, but they may be conce ... Read more

Dementia
This group of disorders is characterized by the development either of a single delusion or of a set of related delusions which are usually persistent and sometimes lifelong. The delusions are highly variable in content. Often they are persecutory, hypochondriacal, or grandiose, but they may be conce ... Read more

Dementia (Alcoholic)
A disorder in which alcohol- or psychoactive substance-induced changes of cognition, affect, personality, or behaviour persist beyond the period during which a direct psychoactive substance-related effect might reasonably be assumed to be operating. Diagnostic guidelines > Onset of the di ... Read more

Depression
Typical symptoms of these conditions are lethargy and sadness. In more serious cases despair, anger, insomnia, poor appetite or weight gain, obssesive thoughts and guilt are involved as well. Normal depressed mood and grief are caused by a natural reaction to a loss. The loss could be anything ... Read more

Dysthymia
A chronic depression of mood which does not currently fulfil the criteria for recurrent depressive disorder, mild or moderate severity, in terms of either severity or duration of individual episodes, although the criteria for mild depressive episode may have been fulfilled in the past, particularly ... Read more

Generalized Anxiety Disorder
The essential feature is anxiety, which is generalized and persistent but not restricted to, or even strongly predominating in, any particular environmental circumstances (i.e. it is "free-floating"). As in other anxiety disorders the dominant symptoms are highly variable, but complaints of continuo ... Read more

Hallucinogen Dependence
A cluster of physiological, behavioural, and cognitive phenomena in which the use of hallucinogen takes on a much higher priority for a given individual than other behaviours that once had greater value. A central descriptive characteristic of the dependence syndrome is the desire (often strong, som ... Read more

Histrionic Personality
Personality disorder characterized by at least 3 of the following: (a) self-dramatization, theatricality, exaggerated expression of emotions; (b) suggestibility, easily influenced by others or by circumstances; (c) shallow and labile affectivity; (d) continual seeking for excitement, appreci ... Read more

Inhalant Dependence
A cluster of physiological, behavioural, and cognitive phenomena in which the use of volatile solvents takes on a much higher priority for a given individual than other behaviours that once had greater value. A central descriptive characteristic of the dependence syndrome is the desire (often strong ... Read more

Major Depression
The disorder is characterized by repeated episodes of depression as specified in depressive episode (mild, moderate, or severe), without any history of independent episodes of mood elevation and overactivity that fulfill the criteria of mania. However, the category should still be used if there is e ... Read more

Multi-Infarct Dementia
Vascular (formerly arteriosclerotic) dementia, which includes multi-infarct dementia, is distinguished from dementia in Alzheimer's disease by its history of onset, clinical features, and subsequent course. Typically, there is a history of transient ischaemic attacks with brief impairment of conscio ... Read more

Narcissistic Personality
THe ICD-10 does not specifically define the characteristics of this personality disorder. Instead, this disorder is classified in the category "Other Specific Personality Disorders". ICD-10 states that Narcissistic Personality Disorder is "a personality disorder that fits none of the specific rubr ... Read more

Nicotine Dependence
A cluster of physiological, behavioural, and cognitive phenomena in which the use of tobacco takes on a much higher priority for a given individual than other behaviours that once had greater value. A central descriptive characteristic of the dependence syndrome is the desire (often strong, sometime ... Read more

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
The essential feature of this disorder is recurrent obsessional thoughts or compulsive acts. (For brevity, "obsessional" will be used subsequently in place of "obsessive-compulsive" when referring to symptoms.) Obsessional thoughts are ideas, images or impulses that enter the individual's mind again ... Read more

Obsessive Compulsive Personality
The essential feature of this disorder is recurrent obsessional thoughts or compulsive acts. (For brevity, "obsessional" will be used subsequently in place of "obsessive-compulsive" when referring to symptoms.) Obsessional thoughts are ideas, images or impulses that enter the individual's mind again ... Read more

Opioid Dependence
A cluster of physiological, behavioural, and cognitive phenomena in which the use of opioid takes on a much higher priority for a given individual than other behaviours that once had greater value. A central descriptive characteristic of the dependence syndrome is the desire (often strong, sometimes ... Read more

Oppositional Defiant Disorder
This type of conduct disorder is characteristically seen in children below the age of 9 or 10 years. It is defined by the presence of markedly defiant, disobedient, provocative behaviour and by the absence of more severe dissocial or aggressive acts that violate the law or the rights of others. The ... Read more

Panic Disorder
The essential features are recurrent attacks of severe anxiety (panic) which are not restricted to any particular situation or set of circumstances, and which are therefore unpredictable. As in other anxiety disorders, the dominant symptoms vary from person to person, but sudden onset of palpitation ... Read more

Paranoid Personality
Personality disorder characterized by at least 3 of the following: (a) excessive sensitiveness to setbacks and rebuffs; (b) tendency to bear grudges persistently, i.e. refusal to forgive insults and injuries or slights; (c) suspiciousness and a pervasive tendency to distort experience by misco ... Read more

Phencyclidine Dependence
A cluster of physiological, behavioural, and cognitive phenomena in which the use of phencyclidine (PCP) takes on a much higher priority for a given individual than other behaviours that once had greater value. A central descriptive characteristic of the dependence syndrome is the desire (often stro ... Read more

Postpartum Depression
After giving birth there are huge hormonal changes and also the challenges of dealing with an infant. Almost 2 thirds of women feel sad because of these changes. Out of these new mothers between 10 and 15% become clinically depressed and about 1 in 1000 become so seriously depressed that they ... Read more

Schizoaffective Disorder
These are episodic disorders in which both affective and schizophrenic symptoms are prominent within the same episode of illness, preferably simultaneously, but at least within a few days of each other. Their relationship to typical mood (affective) disorders and to schizophrenic disorders is uncert ... Read more

Schizoid Personality
Personality disorder characterized by at least 3 of the following: (a) few, if any, activities, provide pleasure; (b) emotional coldness, detachment or flattened affectivity; (c) limited capacity to express either warm, tender feelings or anger towards others; (d) apparent indifference to ei ... Read more

Schizophreniform Disorder
An acute psychotic disorder in which the psychotic symptoms are comparatively stable and fulfill the criteria for schizophrenia but have lasted for less than 1 month. Some degree of emotional variability or instability may be present, but not to the extent described in acute polymorphic psychotic di ... Read more

Schizotypal Disorder
A disorder characterized by eccentric behaviour and anomalies of thinking and affect which resemble those seen in schizophrenia, thought no definite and characteristic schizophrenic anomalies have occurred at any stage. There is no dominant or typical disturbance, but any of the following may be pre ... Read more

Seasonal Affective Disorder
You may have heard the tern "SAD", which stands for Seasonal Affective Disorder. It's a kind of depression that occurs only during fall and winter, when the days get shorter and it gets dark earlier. If you have SAD, you may feel sluggish, irritable and anxious. You might also binge eat (espec ... Read more

Sedative Dependence
A cluster of physiological, behavioural, and cognitive phenomena in which the use of sedatives or hypnotics takes on a much higher priority for a given individual than other behaviours that once had greater value. A central descriptive characteristic of the dependence syndrome is the desire (often s ... Read more

Self injury
Many teens now use self mutilation as a way of dealing with their problems. It involves inflicted harm upon oneself. It can take the forms of cutting, burning, pulling hair out, hitting one's head against hard objects, and cutting off one's body parts (e.g. ears). It is an ironic way that people use ... Read more

Separation Anxiety Disorder
It is normal for toddlers and preschool children to show a degree of anxiety over real or threatened separation from people to whom they are attached. Separation anxiety disorder should be diagnosed only when fear over separation constitutes the focus of the anxiety and when such anxiety arises duri ... Read more

Shared Psychotic Disorder
A rare delusional disorder shared by two or occasionally more people with close emotional links. Only one person suffers from a genuine psychotic disorder; the delusions are induced in the other(s) and usually disappear when the people are separated. The psychotic illness of the dominant person is m ... Read more

Social Phobia
Social phobias often start in adolescence and are centred around a fear of scrutiny by other people in comparatively small groups (as opposed to crowds), leading to avoidance of social situations. Unlike most other phobias, social phobias are equally common in men and women. They may be discrete (i. ... Read more

Specific Phobia
These are phobias restricted to highly specific situations such as proximity to particular animals, heights, thunder, darkness, flying, closed spaces, urinating or defecating in public toilets, eating certain foods, dentistry, the sight of blood or injury, and the fear of exposure to specific diseas ... Read more

Tourette's Disorder
The predominant manifestation in these syndromes is some form of tic. A tic is an involuntary, rapid, recurrent, non-rhythmic motor movement (usually involving circumscribed muscle groups), or vocal production, that is of sudden onset and serves no apparent purpose. Tics tend to be experienced as ir ... Read more