Symptoms and Diagnosis of Mental Health Concerns
By Apply Now, About.com Guide to Mental Health
Diagnosing a mental health condition can only be done by a qualified health professional. But there are some symptoms that may raise awareness that there's a concern brewing. Knowing more about the symptoms of various mental health conditions, and how they are diagnosed, can help you better understand if you or a loved one is in need of help.
Defining the Problem A-B
On each page below, you’ll find extensive explanations of various recognized mental health problems written by experts and reviewed by About.com’s Medical Review Board. Though mental disorders are difficult to define and differentiate, these resources will serve as introductions.
- ADD and ADHD
- Addiction
- Nicotine Addiction
- Alcoholism
- Alcohol Abuse
- Substance Abuse
- Alzheimer's Disease
- Vascular Dementia
- Lewy Body Dementia
- Autism
- High-Functioning Autism
- Mild Cognitive Impairment
- PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified)
- Bipolar I Disorder
- Bipolar II Disorder
- Cyclothymia or Cyclothymic Disorder
- Schizoaffective Disorder
- Borderline Personality Disorder
Defining the Problem C-Z
A continuation of the list of links above to help you begin looking for a solution to the problem.
- Depression
- Types of Depression
- Eating Disorders
- Anorexia Nervosa
- Bulimia
- Binge Eating
- Other Eating Disorders
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- OCD Subtypes
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Panic Disorder
- Panic Attack
- Phobias
- Types of Phobias
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Social Anxiety Disorder
Symptoms
Use these links to get a sense of telltale signs of specific mental disorders and see if the symptoms described are similar to what you are experiencing.
- ADHD
- Addiction
- Alcoholism
- Alzheimer's Disease
- Asperger Syndrome
- Autism
- Bipolar Disorder
- Borderline Personality Disorder
- Depression
- Postpartum Depression
- Seasonal Affective Disorder
- Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
- Eating Disorders
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Panic Disorder
- Phobias
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Social Anxiety Disorder
Symptom Checker and Screening Quizzes
Though not representative of a diagnosis from a healthcare professional, About.com's Symptom Checker tool and the screening quizzes included below can help you see if what you're feeling can potentially be attributed to a certain mental health disorder.
- Symptom Checker: Anxiety
- Symptom Checker: Depression
- Does Your Child Have ADHD?
- Are You An Alcoholic?
- Is Your Drug Use Abusive?
- Do You Have Anxiety?
- Are You Depressed?
- Have You Experienced A Manic Episode?
- Do You Have an Eating Disorder?
- Do You Have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?
- Do You Have Social Anxiety Disorder?
- Is Your Level of Stress Unhealthy?
Diagnosis A-D
Here you’ll find detailed descriptions of how mental health disorders and diseases are diagnosed by doctors as well as the diagnostic criteria established by the DSM-IV. Remember: this information is not a replacement for a professional diagnosis by a doctor.
- What Is the DSM-IV?
- Adult ADD
- Addiction
- Addiction Diagnostic Criteria
- Alcoholism
- Alcohol Abuse and Dependence Diagnostic Criteria
- Alzheimer's Disease
- Alzheimer's Disease Diagnostic Criteria
- Autism
- Asperger Syndrome
- Bipolar Disorder
- Borderline Personality Disorder
- Depression
- Major Depressive Disorder
- Dysthymic Disorder
- Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
Diagnosis E-Z
A continuation of the links above to help you better understand the diagnosis process and requirements.
- Eating Disorders
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Panic Disorder
- Panic Disorder Diagnostic Criteria
- Phobias
- Specific Phobias
- Agoraphobia
- Social Phobias
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- Social Anxiety Disorder Diagnostic Criteria
Children
Some mental disorders manifest themselves differently in children and young adults. All require special considerations as kids grow and development. The links below serve as a starting place for your exploration.
