We’re living in a world that’s slowly waking up to the reality that mental health is just as important as physical health. And yet, for many people, the term “psychiatric disorder” can still feel overwhelming or even frightening. But understanding these conditions doesn’t have to be confusing. The more we know, the better we can support ourselves and others.

What Are Psychiatric Disorders?

Psychiatric disorders—also called mental illnesses—are health conditions that involve changes in emotion, thinking, or behaviour, and they often cause distress or problems in functioning. These conditions vary in severity, duration, and how they impact daily life. Some are temporary and treatable with proper care, while others may be long-term but manageable with ongoing support.

1. Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety is something we all feel from time to time, especially during stressful situations. But when it becomes chronic, intense, and begins interfering with daily life, it may be a sign of an anxiety disorder.

Common Types:

• Panic Disorder: Sudden episodes of intense fear, accompanied by physical symptoms like heart palpitations, dizziness, and shortness of breath.

• Phobias: Irrational fear of specific objects or situations (like heights, spiders, or flying).

Key Signs: Restlessness, fatigue, irritability, sleep problems, racing thoughts.

2. Mood Disorders

These disorders primarily affect a person's emotional state. Everyone has emotional ups and downs, but mood disorders involve long-lasting disturbances in mood that affect how people function.

Common Types:

• Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): Persistent sadness, loss of interest in activities, fatigue, and sometimes suicidal thoughts.

• Bipolar Disorder: Alternating periods of depression and elevated mood (mania or hypomania), where one might feel extremely energetic or irritable.

Key Signs: Feelings of hopelessness, low energy, excessive guilt, changes in appetite or sleep, extreme highs and lows.

3. Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders

Common Types:

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Obsessions (e.g., fear of contamination) and compulsions (e.g., repeated handwashing) that interfere with daily life.

• Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD): Obsessive focus on perceived flaws in physical appearance, often minor or imagined.

Key Signs: Ritualistic behaviour, intrusive thoughts, distress when routines are interrupted.

4. Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders

These disorders develop after experiencing a traumatic or highly stressful event, such as abuse, war, or loss.

Common Types:

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Re-experiencing trauma through flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety.

• Adjustment Disorder: Difficulty coping with a major life change, such as divorce or job loss.

5. Psychotic Disorders

These involve distorted thinking and awareness, often including hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there) and delusions (false beliefs).

Common Types:

• Schizophrenia: A severe disorder involving hallucinations, delusions, disorganised speech and behaviour, and social withdrawal.

Key Signs: Disconnection from reality, paranoia, incoherent speech, lack of motivation.

6. Eating Disorders

These are complex conditions where people experience disturbed eating behaviours and unhealthy preoccupations with body image and weight.

Common Types:

• Anorexia Nervosa: Intense fear of gaining weight, leading to extreme food restriction and dangerously low body weight.
• Bulimia Nervosa: Episodes of binge eating followed by purging through vomiting, fasting, or excessive exercise.
• Binge Eating Disorder: Regular episodes of eating large amounts of food without purging, often leading to guilt and shame.

Key Signs: Preoccupation with food, distorted body image, drastic weight changes, secrecy around eating.

7. Personality Disorders

These involve enduring patterns of behaviour, cognition, and inner experience that deviate from cultural expectations and cause dysfunction.

Common Types:

• Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD): Instability in relationships, self-image, and emotions, often with intense fear of abandonment.

• Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD): Disregard for others' rights, impulsivity, and manipulative behaviour.

Key Signs: Relationship issues, emotional extremes, difficulty handling criticism, lack of accountability.

8. Neurodevelopmental Disorders

These typically emerge in childhood and affect learning, behaviour, and functioning.

Common Types:

• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Trouble focusing, impulsiveness, and hyperactivity.

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Challenges in communication, social skills, and repetitive behaviours.

Key Signs: Difficulty with routines, social interaction issues, learning delays, inattention.

Why Awareness Matters

Understanding psychiatric disorders isn’t just for psychologists or psychiatrists. It’s for students who feel overwhelmed, parents noticing changes in their children, friends trying to help, or anyone navigating their mental health.

Moving Toward Healing

The good news? Psychiatric disorders are treatable. Treatment might include:

• Therapy (like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy)
• Medication
• Lifestyle changes (sleep, diet, exercise)
• Support groups and self-help strategies

The first step is recognising when something feels "off" and having the courage to talk to someone—a therapist, doctor, or even a trusted friend.

Conclusion

Mental health isn’t black and white. It’s a spectrum, and psychiatric disorders are just one part of it. The brain, like any other organ, can experience challenges, and just like with physical health, the earlier we seek support, the better the outcome.

Let’s continue to normalize these conversations and make mental wellness a priority in our homes, schools, and communities.

Contributed By: Contributed by Dr. (Prof.) R. K. Suri, Clinical Psychologist and Life Coach, &. Ms. Riya Rathi, Counselling Psychologist.

References

• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
• Anxiety and Depression Association of America. (n.d.). Understanding the facts of anxiety disorders. https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety
• Mayo Clinic. (2023). Mental illness. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mental-illness/symptoms-causes/syc-20374968
• National Institute of Mental Health. (2022). Mental health information. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics
• National Eating Disorders Association. (n.d.). Types of eating disorders. https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/by-eating-disorder