The 15 most frequent psychiatric disorders
The human psyche is really complex, its normative functioning being an essential element in order to be able to develop and adapt to the environment successfully. However, sometimes it is possible to find that for some reason there is some type of alteration that makes said adaptation, causing deep discomfort to those who suffer from it and greatly altering their lives and/or the lives of those around them. surround. This is what happens in psychiatric disorders..
There is a wide variety of these disorders, which greatly alter and make life difficult for those who suffer from them. However, some are more common than others. In this article we present fifteen of the most common.
- Related article: "The 15 most frequent neurological disorders"
What are the most frequent psychiatric disorders?
Below we reflect which are the 15 psychiatric disorders that can be found most frequently in clinical practice.
1. Major depression and other depressive disorders
Major depression is one of the most prevalent disorders in the world, being characterized by
the presence of a sad mood and the presence of apathy and anhedonia along with other symptoms such as sleep disturbances, eating disorders, feelings of hopelessness, loss of ability to concentrate, mental and physical slowdown, frustration and passivity. Suicidal ideation may occur.In addition to major depression, dysthymia is also very frequent, in which depressive symptoms of less severe than in major depression but continued over time (almost daily for at least two years).
- Related article: "Major Depression: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment"
2. Panic disorder with agoraphobia
Anxiety disorders as a whole are the most frequent type of disorder in the clinical population, although each of them separately may not be as frequent. One of the most common is panic disorder, in which anxiety attacks occur frequently in which tachycardia appear, sweating, respiratory acceleration, feeling of loss of control of one's own behavior and fears such as dying or to get mad. The idea of them happening again generates anticipatory anxiety, favoring the behavioral avoidance of situations in which it could appear.
In the cases in which agoraphobia appears, anxiety occurs in situations in which the subject cannot escape or may not receive help. if you have a crisis, such as in crowded places or very open places, so you tend to avoid them (which is very limiting).
- You may be interested in: "Agoraphobia: the fear of losing control (causes, symptoms and treatment)"
3. alcohol dependence
Alcoholism is a very common problem, due among other aspects to the relatively good view that alcohol consumption is held by society. dependence on this substance can lead to serious health problems, such as liver problems, ethyl comas and can even lead to the death of those who suffer from it.
4. anorexia nervosa
It is one of the most prevalent disorders in today's society, derived from the cult of the body and the high value of aesthetics and current beauty standards. Anorexia nervosa is characterized by a refusal to eat food, the refusal or refusal to maintain a minimum body weight, the distortion of one's own body image and other symptoms such as amenorrhea or absence of menstruation.
It is common for them to make themselves vomit after eating, hide food, or exercise excessively to avoid gaining weight. It is one of the few psychiatric disorders that is capable of killing itself, due to the consequences of lack of nutrients.
- You may be interested in: "Types of anorexia (symptoms, causes and characteristics)"
5. bulimia nervosa
Along with the previous one, it is part of the most frequent eating disorders. Bulimia nervosa is similar to anorexia in that it there is an obsessive fear of gaining weight and there is some distortion of the body image, but it is characterized by the presence of massive binges in which he loses control.
After them, guilt and shame appear, and the individual who suffers from it begins to use compensatory methods to avoid gaining weight, such as vomiting.
6. Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is undoubtedly the best known psychotic disorder. It is characterized by the presence of hallucinations, delusions, disorganized behavior and/or language, catatonia and/or negative symptoms such as alogia or poverty of thought for at least six months and these producing a significant alteration in one or several vital domains.
- Related article: "Hallucinations: Definition, Causes, and Symptoms"
7. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
ADHD is one of the most well-known and diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorders worldwide, to the point of its high overdiagnosis. It is characterized by the presence of inattention symptoms such as distractibility, loss of objects, forgetfulness of activities or inability to finish. tasks among others along with symptoms of hyperactivity such as motor restlessness, inability to keep turns or interruption in activities foreign
Despite the above, it is possible that there is only attention deficit, in which case we would only be facing an ADD.
- Related article: "Attention deficit or selective attention in ADHD"
8. Autism Spectrum Disorder
Another of the best-known neurodevelopmental disorders, autism is characterized by the presence of difficulties in communication and socialization, with difficulties managing, expressing and capturing emotions, difficulties in the pragmatic use of language, lack of understanding and use of non-verbal language, isolation and lack of social reciprocity.
Restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests also appear, coping poorly with changes or requiring stable routines. Sometimes hyper or hyposensitivity to sensory stimulation also appears.
It must be taken into account that the concept of autism encompasses a series of phenomena that may or may not be present in each person diagnosed with ASD. Besides, there are many degrees of autism, which are expressed both through people with intellectual disabilities and unable to speak, to cases of individuals capable of speaking and with high intelligence.
9. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
OCD is a disorder characterized by the continuous presence of persistent intrusive thoughts recognized as their own, which the subject himself considers irrational and that arouse high anxiety in the subject because they consider them inadmissible and that they will try to actively block, which causes a focus and overvaluation of these. This will end up generating his reappearance, generating the obsession.
The patient usually uses a series of ritual acts that momentarily relieve anxiety but that in the long term facilitate its reappearance, called compulsions. A vicious circle is established between obsession and compulsion that will cause deep suffering in the subject and an increasingly higher level of anxiety, dedicating a large part of his life to the realization of the compulsions and the active avoidance of the obsession.
- Related article: "Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): what is it and how does it manifest itself?"
10. Bipolar disorder
Along with depression, it is part of the mood disorders. This disorder is characterized by the presence of episodes of mania or hypomania that may or may not alternate with depressive episodes. The former are characterized by the presence of expansiveness, grandiosity, euphoria and disinhibition. They often become irritable and take more risks than usual, often doing things they wouldn't normally do.
There are two types of bipolarity, type 1, which corresponds to suffering from at least one manic or mixed episode, and may or may not alternate with one or more depressive episodes and type 2 in which there has been at least one hypomanic episode followed or preceded in time by at least one episode depressant. In this type of disorder, the mood can fluctuate rapidly, and can become very disabling. In fact, It is the type of disorder that poses the highest risk of suicideabove major depression.
- Related article: "Bipolar Disorder: 10 characteristics and curiosities that you did not know"
11. Dependence on other substances
Substance dependence is a very frequent and relevant disorder in the current population. In this list we have previously separated alcohol dependence because it is one of the most prevalent, plus cocaine and heroin dependence are also frequent.
The fact that these disorders are very widespread cannot be understood without taking into account the influence of culture and political and economic dynamics.
12. post traumatic stress disorder
It is a disorder derived from the experience of a deep trauma in which the subject has seen his life or integrity threatened or has witnessed a situation that has caused him a heightened sense of vulnerability, helplessness, or fear.
After said experience, the subject manifested continuous re-experiencing, avoidance of stimuli associated with said situation and a high level of hyperactivity as physiological for more than a month. It is typical in situations of gender violence, rape or in situations of war conflict.
13. Dependent Personality Disorder
It is one of the most frequent personality disorders, characterized by the excessive need to take care of the subject. Relationships of submission and obedience are established with respect to the environment in order to be loved and not be abandoned. It usually occurs in people with low self-esteem and mood disorders are common
14. Borderline personality disorder
Borderline personality disorder is one of the most serious personality disorders, characterized by the presence of a high emotional instability, the presence of impulsivity and a fluctuating state of mind with the presence of fear of abandonment, feelings of empty and alterations in self-consumption and personal relationships. In many cases they self-injure and can become autolytic.
15. antisocial personality disorder
Antisocial personality disorder is characterized by the existence of a pattern of behavior in which disobedience to social norms, lack of respect for the rights and opinions of others, cruelty, irritability and low tolerance for the frustration.
