Types of Mental Health Disorders We Treat
Bipolar Disorder
A mood disorder characterized by wide fluctuations between happiness and sadness. Clients commonly report feeling ‘up’ contrasted by quickly changing feelings of depression and sadness. The ‘up’ phase of the illness is called mania and can last from hours to days. Bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition which can be managed by effective treatment and medication.
Depression
Most people experience periods of feeling down or blue from time to time. A Major Depressive disorder occurs when symptoms of depression last for at least two weeks and interfere with a person’s ability to carry out normal activities. People who are depressed often have difficulty sleeping or experience changes in appetite or a loss of interest in things that used to provide pleasure. Thoughts of suicide are often present.
Psychosis
People who experience psychosis have perceptual disturbances during which they may experience seeing or hearing things that others do not; they may experience delusions which are fixed beliefs that are not based in reality. These delusional beliefs often involve thoughts that people are talking about the person when they are not or that they receive special messages from TV or billboards.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a serious psychiatric condition that negatively impacts a person’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Approximately 1% of the U.S. population has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, which is characterized by severe symptoms such as psychosis and emotional detachment. While there is no cure, with proper treatment, people with schizophrenia can live healthy, rewarding lives.
PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a kind of mental health disorder that happens in some people who have either seen or been through a highly traumatic event in the past. Different triggers during everyday living can result in a person who has PTSD having harrowing flashbacks of the source event.
In addition to some of the primary disorders we treat, patients may also have secondary diagnoses such as…
Borderline Personality
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a condition characterized by difficulties regulating emotion. This means that people who experience BPD feel emotions intensely and for extended periods of time, and it is harder for them to return to a stable baseline after an emotionally triggering event. This difficulty can lead to impulsivity, poor self-image, stormy relationships and intense emotional responses to stressors. Struggling with self-regulation can also result in dangerous behaviors such as self-harm (e.g. cutting).
Dissociative Disorder
Dissociative disorders are characterized by an involuntary escape from reality characterized by a disconnection between thoughts, identity, consciousness and memory. People from all age groups and racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds can experience a dissociative disorder. The symptoms of a dissociative disorder usually first develop as a response to a traumatic event, such as abuse or military combat, to keep those memories under control. Stressful situations can worsen symptoms and cause problems with functioning in everyday activities. However, the symptoms a person experiences will depend on the type of dissociative disorder that a person has.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment
Many individuals who struggle with mental illness are also dealing with an addictive disorder. Substance abuse can exacerbate the symptoms of an existing mental health condition and is often used as a method of self-medication. Clients who have received a dual diagnosis of mental illness with a co-occurring substance abuse disorder require specific treatments to simultaneously address both conditions. Alvarado Parkway Institute has extensive experience treating patients with dual diagnosis and can tailor both inpatient and outpatient services to a patient’s unique requirements.
Anxiety
Most people experience everyday worries or are anxious from time to time. An Anxiety Disorder is a debilitating condition which interferes in all aspects of a person’s life. There are a variety of anxiety disorders which include generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social phobia, panic disorder, and post- traumatic stress disorder. Anxiety disorders are treatable conditions.
