The 10 most common psychological disorders in adults

At one point or another in life, practically everyone has to deal with some psychological problem.. This type of affectation generally supposes a certain type of dysfunction at the time of carrying out our life. In some cases they do not go any further, but in others it may be the beginning of a psychological disorder.

Fortunately, psychological therapy professionals can provide very good solutions. They help these cases not to encyst and degenerate into some of the most common psychological disorders in adults. Over time they are increasingly difficult for the affected person to handle.

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The 10 most common mental problems and psychological disorders in adulthood

We are talking about psychological disorders when certain psychological problems trigger dysfunctions that condition our day to day. Our mind is highly demanded in the society in which we live, and it is not surprising that some people are in trouble when it comes to their mind to resolve and carry out certain situations.

People are becoming more aware of this and the stigma of suffering from a psychological disorder as an adult is beginning to disappear. After all, one in three people will have to face this problem at some point in their lives according to scientific studies.

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1. Depressive disorder

People who develop a depressive disorder feel a lot of despair. Feelings of unhappiness, frustration and disappointment are felt day after day, having a great impact on the thoughts and behavior of the person. The discouragement they feel leads them to inhibit their usual activity, impacting their family, social and even professional life on some occasions. It can cause insomnia, fatigue, malaise and other types of somatizations.

2. Specific phobia disorder

Adults who suffer from this type of psychological disorder have great irrational fears. For example, someone may be afraid of spiders or tigers. It is believed that having these types of fears could be an evolutionary advantage for our ancestors. The same goes for vertigo. Those who were not exposed to high altitudes were more likely to survive, and this condition would have been passed down through generations.

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3. Generalized anxiety disorder

We all have worries that appear in our daily lives, but there are people who worry and feel anxiety in an unusual way. Generalized anxiety disorder makes it impossible to live without constant restlessness. There is always something to worry about, be it academic, work, family, etc. It produces insomnia, tension and muscle problems, fatigue, concentration problems, etc.

4. Bipolar disorder

Who suffers from bipolar disorder manifests highly exaggerated moods. In addition, you can go from a great depression to a great exaltation in a very short time. Everyone has mood swings, but we are talking about a real emotional instability that can have great consequences in the life of the person. It is a psychological disorder much more common than we think in adults.

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5. Obsessive-compulsive disorder

People with obsessive-compulsive disorder experience a lot of anxiety because of their obsessive thoughts.. These degenerate into terrifying ideas that cause anguish and fear, generating stress in an individual who little by little develops a series of dysfunctional behaviors called rituals. These allow you to mitigate stress, but they greatly condition your quality of life. An example would be the fear of being infected or contaminated by contact with people or objects.

6. Anorexia nervosa

The profile of those suffering from anorexia nervosa may have points in common with obsessive-compulsive disorder. In anorexia nervosa there is a psychological problem in which the body's self-image is greatly altered. In order to lose weight, they are able to eat less (hiding food, restricting certain foods, etc.) and exercising a lot to try to lose weight. This disorder generates a lot of psychological discomfort, and obviously has serious repercussions on a physical level or even fatal.

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7. Delusional disorder

In delusional disorder the person has false beliefs in some aspect of his life. For example, extreme jealousy towards other members of your family. A disorder with an affective load of this type may not have many consequences for other areas of life initially. Unfortunately, the normal thing is that it ends up producing a "snowball" effect, and personal, social and professional life become more and more complicated.

8. Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is commonly known as the fear of open spaces, although this is not an entirely accurate image. The agoraphobic is a person who at some point has suffered a panic attack in a public place and is afraid of having it again. You can suffer from this anxiety even in closed spaces, and it worries you to be around people and find yourself unattended in a place from which you cannot easily get out.

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9. Borderline personality disorder

People with borderline personality disorder have many doubts and lack of personality. Anxiety or despair can seize them suddenly, and their affective relationships are very difficult because of the intensity with which they live them. They have an inability to control their extreme emotions and their social relationships and self-image are often damaged by it.

10. Antisocial disorder

People with antisocial disorder have great difficulty following pre-established norms. They may be more or less aware of them, but their impulsiveness prevents them from leading a life like others. It is common that they end up committing crimes, because their behavior is difficult to correct despite knowing that they are acting badly. They end up being very afraid of being rejected.

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Bibliographic references

• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Fifth edition. DSM-V. Barcelona: Masson.

• Butcher, J.N, Mineka, S. and Hooley, J.M. (2007). Clinical Psychology (12th Ed.). Madrid: Pearson.

• Simpson, J.R. (2014). DSM-5 and neurocognitive disorders. J. Am. Acad. Psychiatry Law, 42 (2), 159–164.