Schizoaffective Disorder Schizoaffective disorder is a mental illness characterized by a person having both a thought disorder and a mood disorder. The thought disorder has symptoms characteristic of schizophrenia , such as delusions and hallucinations. The mood disorder can be either bipolar or depression . According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, the psychotic symptoms must be present for at least two weeks without the presence of mood symptoms. Onset usually occurs in late teens or early adulthood. This disorder is a debilitating illness that can affect a person’s ability to work, his or her social interactions, and the overall quality of that person’s life. It can significantly decrease a person’s ability to function in the world at the level that he or she functioned prior to getting sick. Schizoaffective disorder is a life-long illness (for most people) with no known cure and therefore the prognosis is not great, though it is slightly better than that of schizophreni

Anxiety Disorders Anxiety is a good thing when we are in a threatening or dangerous situation because it helps us respond appropriately. Other times anxiety can be a problem when it happens for no reason and is caused by irrational fears that just won't go away. People who have these irrational fears and a lot of anxiety for no reason have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are triggered or caused by many different things depending on the person. The causes of an anxiety disorder need to be discovered so the right treatment can be recommended. Anxiety disorder is a general term that describes fears that are irrational or not based on fact. There are many types of anxiety disorders, including panic attacks , obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety , and different phobias . Some people experience these feelings so severely that it interferes with their ability to cope with daily life. It's not uncommon for people to suffer from more than one type of anxiety diso

Generalized Anxiety Disorder General anxiety disorder (GAD) is described as a repeated unrealistic fear that is much more intense than what is considered normal daily anxiety. Generalized anxiety disorder is a relatively common problem, affecting nearly 1 in 20 people. Typically people who experience generalized anxiety disorder will be awash in all the “what ifs” in life that can hold them back from experiencing the good things in life. For people with generalized anxiety disorder it can feel like an endless cycle of worry and fear that only compounds itself by inaction which can cause more worry and fear. This anxiety and fear can lead to depression ultimately when people lose hope that their anxiety will ever be cured. As opposed to a regular  panic attack , generalized anxiety won’t necessarily cause people to skip out on their favorite things in life. In fact, people with generalized anxiety don’t typically suffer from regular panic attacks that can be so debilitating for so m

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder , more commonly known as  OCD , is an anxiety disorder and is characterized by way of persistent, undesired thought processes (obsessions) and/or repeating actions (compulsions). Recurring actions such as hand washing, counting numbers, checking things over, or cleaning are frequently carried out with the anticipation of avoiding compulsive thoughts or making them disappear altogether. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ,  OCD for short, is a mental condition that is linked with obsessive thoughts and behavior. Obsession, in this case, is highly unpleasant as the individual is compelled to repeat certain behavior again and again (such as washing their hands to avoid catching germs). This is to avoid their obsession turning into reality. The condition is anxiety-related and the thoughts are unwanted and intrusive . Sufferers often understand that these thoughts are irrational, but by performing compulsive behavior, the

Panic Attack and Panic Disorder Panic Attack A panic attack is a sudden or intense anxiety or fear. Panic attacks usually come with the following symptoms: dizziness, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, light headedness. Panic attacks are unpredictable and happen in a range of situations.     See also: Anxiety Attack Some people have only one or two in their lifetime, others will have a group of them which center around increasing stress in their life and for others it could be a daily event in which case it is caused a panic disorder. People who suffer on going panic attacks will generally develop a fear of having panic attacks and go on to avoid situations in which escape would be difficult. Some people who have social anxiety disorder often have panic attacks as part of their symptoms. These attacks are also called anxiety attacks and are usually resolved by removing the problem or trigger situation. What does panic attack feel like If you do have panic attacks y