Types of Long-Term Psychological Conditions

Types of Long-Term Psychological Conditions

Depressive Disorders

• Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): Characterised by a persistent low mood and loss of interest or enjoyment in daily activities, often accompanied by changes in appetite, sleep patterns, and decreased energy levels.
• Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia): Less severe than MDD, it involves long-term (over two years), chronic feelings of depression, which may not be as disabling but can prevent normal functioning or feeling well.
• Postpartum Depression: A complex mix of physical, emotional, and behavioural changes that occur in a woman after giving birth. It is characterised by severe despair and sadness experienced during the first six months after childbirth.

Anxiety Disorders

• Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Characterised by excessive, uncontrollable worry about many areas of life, including work, health, family, and everyday responsibilities.
• Panic Disorder: Involves recurrent and unexpected panic attacks. The person may live in fear of another attack and may avoid places where previous attacks occurred.
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Characterised by recurring unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviours (compulsions) such as hand washing, counting, or cleaning.
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Can develop following a traumatic event, such as a serious accident, natural disaster, or physical assault.

Bipolar and Related Disorders

• Bipolar I Disorder: Characterised by at least one manic episode, which may be followed by a hypomanic or major depressive episode.
• Bipolar II Disorder: Involves a pattern of depressive episodes shifting back and forth with hypomanic episodes, but no full-blown manic episodes.

Psychotic Disorders

• Schizophrenia: An ongoing, severe, and disabling brain disorder, characterised by delusions, hallucinations, disorganised speech and behaviour, and other symptoms that cause social or occupational dysfunction.
• Schizoaffective Disorder: A mental health disorder that is marked by a combination of schizophrenia symptoms, such as hallucinations or delusions, and mood disorder symptoms, such as mania or depression.

Eating Disorders

• Anorexia Nervosa: Characterised by a distorted body image, with an unwarranted fear of being overweight, which leads to self-starvation and excessive weight loss.
• Bulimia Nervosa: Involves periods of eating large amounts of food (binge-eating) followed by behaviors to prevent weight gain like self-induced vomiting (purging), use of laxatives, or excessive exercise.
• Binge Eating Disorder: Marked by recurrent episodes of eating large quantities of food, a feeling of loss of control during the binge, experiencing shame or guilt afterwards, and not regularly using unhealthy compensatory measures to counter the binge eating.

Remember to try to understand these conditions at a deeper level and think about their impact on individuals and their daily lives. This will help you in contextualising the understanding and application of health and social care skills.