In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR), the term mental disorder is defined as "a clinically significant behavioral or psychological syndrome or pattern that occurs in an individual and that is associated with present distress or disability or with a significantly increased risk of suffering death, pain, disability or an important loss of freedom." Types of mental disorders include personality disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, somatoform disorders and sleep disorders.
Personality Disorders
Personality disorders are maladaptive patterns of behavior that begin in adolescence or early adulthood and become relatively stable over time. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), approximately 9.1% of Americans aged 18 and over have a personality disorder. Examples of personality disorders include narcissistic and borderline. A narcissistic personality includes a feeling of superiority or entitlement that demands constant attention and admiration. Highly impulsive behaviors, self-harm and unstable personal relationships prove indicative of a borderline personality.
Mood Disorders
Significant disturbances in mood that interfere with an individual's functioning are symptomatic of mood disorders. Major depressive disorder proves a common mood disorder that includes one or more major depressive episodes during which a depressed mood and loss of interest in life become prominent. Bipolar disorder, or manic depression, represents another mood type of mood disorder that involves depressive episodes as well as manic episodes. During the manic phase, individuals have an overly elevated or irritated mood. They experience racing thoughts and a decreased need for sleep.
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders include uncontrollable feelings of nervousness and worry. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and phobias provide examples of anxiety disorders. Individuals with PTSD experience increased arousal when something triggers their mind to recall a traumatic event. Phobias are fears about objects or situations that become so anxiety provoking that they lead to avoidance behavior. Common phobias include fear of spiders, snakes, heights, closed spaces and public speaking.
Somatoform Disorders
The presence of physical symptoms for which there no underlying medical condition exists are defined as somatoform disorders. Hypochondriasis proves a popular somatoform disorder. Individuals with hypochondriasis prove highly conscious of germs and fearful of contracting an illness or disease. They tend to exaggerate mild symptoms and convince themselves that their condition provesmuch worse than it actually is. A rare type of somatoform disorder is conversion disorder. Sufferers claim to have deficits in motor functioning, such as paralysis or sensory functioning, such as blindness or deafness, despite the absence of a neurological condition. This disorder typically results because of a stressful event according to the Mayo Clinic.
Sleep Disorders
Sleep disorders include abnormal patterns of falling asleep or staying asleep. Two types of sleep disorders include narcolepsy and nightmare disorder. Unintended periods of sleep that occur suddenly and during inappropriate times are the distinguishing feature of narcolepsy. Nightmare disorder consists of frightening dreams, called nightmares, during which an individual feels threatened and awakens in a state of fear. Dr. J. F. Pagel, who is board certified in sleep disorders, has found that the occurrence of nightmares significantly reduces in 70% of patients who engage in behavioral therapy sessions with a psychologist.
References
- "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR)"; American Psychiatric Association; 2000
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): The Numbers Count: Mental Disorders in America
- MayoClinic.com: Conversion Disorder Causes
- American Family Physician: Nightmares and Disorders of Dreaming by J. F. Pagel, M.D.
