Diagnoses

Anxiety
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 18.1% of adults, age 18 years or older and 25.1% of children ages 13 to 18 years suffer some sort of anxiety disorder. (see anxiety statistics at NIMH for more detailed information on the prevalence of anxiety disorders).

From specific phobias, like claustrophobia, to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), there are many types of anxiety, but generally, anxiety is the debilitating fear of something, someone or some situation which causes you great harm or suffering. The following are typical symptoms of anxiety:

There are many treatments that can alleviate symptoms of anxiety. Desensitizing therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) are only two such treatments. Other treatments could include exercise, meditation, and psychiatric medication. Together, we can discover which treatments will help you the most and begin to get your anxiety under control. Click this link for more information about anxiety.

Bipolar Disorders

Bipolar I Disorder is a diagnosis which encompasses the symptoms of depression, but also includes a period of mania. The Diagnostic Statistical Manual IV defines a period of mania as lasting 5 days or more with little of no sleep and the feeling of not needing sleep, with euphoria and possibly engaging in reckless or dangerous activity. Examples of reckless activity are spending all of your money, gambling, having unprotected and promiscuous sex and the like. If one is hospitalized due to a manic episode, then the length of time is inconsequential. Bipolar II Disorder includes periods of hypomania, in other words, periods of mania lasting 3 days or more, and that happen more frequently than full-blown mania. Rapid cycling is also a feature of Bipolar II Disorder, however, contrary to popular opinion, the cycling of moods happens over the course of weeks and is not an instantaneous, hourly progression of emotions. Click this link for more information about Bipolar Disorder.

Depression
Mental health counseling is effective in treating many psychological disorders. Depression and anxiety, both mood disorders, are two such conditions. 

Depression is a mood disorder. According to the National Institute of Mental Health about 6.7% of adults age 18 and older and 11.2% of children ages 13 to 18 years suffer Major Depressive Disorder or Dysthymia (see depression stats at NIMH for more detailed statistics).

A person suffering from depression feels sad or “blue” most of the time for no apparent reason, regardless of the circumstances, or environment. A great feeling of loss may be felt, that your life will never be good again, that your life will never be like it once was. You may feel life is meaningless or that you are useless, powerless, or stuck. You may feel that you will never feel good again. You may even feel that it is not worth it to continue living at all. Common symptoms of depression include the following: 

If you are feeling suicidal, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency room. 

Mental health counseling has been clinically proven to help alleviate these and other symptoms of depression. Specifically, therapy techniques using Cognitive, Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Psychoanalytic approaches are two such approaches that can be quite effective. Additional treatment could include exercise, vitamins, meditation and psychiatric medications. Together, we can find treatments that will lift your depression and your life can have new meaning and purpose. More information on depression can be found at Wikipedia or many other websites on the internet. Click this link for more information about depression.

Personality Disorders

These maladies are characterized by a pervasive, maladaptive patterns of daily living and communication with others. Disorders in this category, qualitatively different from Axis I or Mood and Psychotic Disorders, are listed below. Mental health counseling is effective in alleviating the devastating effects of these disorders, however, results are not usually apparent for a least a year of an intense course of therapy, usually 2-3 times sessions weekly. For detailed descriptions of some of these disorders, click on the appropriate links below.

• Antisocial Personality Disorder

• Avoidant Personality Disorder

• Borderline Personality Disorder

• Dependent Personality Disorder

• Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder

• Schizoid Personality Disorder