Categories of mental illness

The main categories of mental illness are:

Neurodevelopmental disorders

 This category covers a wide range of problems that usually begin at the age of breastfeeding or childhood, often before a child starts elementary school. Examples include autism spectrum 

disorder, attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity (ADHD), and learning disorders.

Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders

 Mental disorders cause a break with reality - such as delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking and speech. The most prominent example is schizophrenia, although there are other classes of disorders that can sometimes be associated with separation from reality.

Bipolar disorder and associated disorders

This category includes disorders with alternating episodes of mania - periods of hyperactivity, energy and excitement - and depression.

Depressive disorders

 It includes these disturbances that affect your emotional feelings, such as the level of sadness and happiness, and can impair your ability to work. Examples include severe depression disorder and premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

Anxiety disorders

Anxiety is an emotion characterized by anticipation of danger or distress in the future, along with excessive anxiety. It can include behavior intended to avoid anxiety-causing situations. This category includes generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and phobias.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder and associated disorders 

These disturbances involve preoccupation or obsessions, repetitive thoughts and actions. Examples include obsessive-compulsive disorder, compactness disorder, and trichotillomania.

Shocks and stress related disorders

These are the adaptive disorders that a person has trouble coping with during or after stressful life events. Examples include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and acute stress disorder.

Schizophrenic disorders

These are disorders in which your sense of self is impaired, such as dissociative identity disorder and schizophrenic amnesia.

Physical symptoms and associated disorders

A person with one of these disorders may have physical symptoms that cause major emotional disorders and work problems. There may or may not be another diagnostic medical condition associated with these symptoms, but the reaction to the symptoms is abnormal. Disorders include physical symptoms disorder, pathological anxiety disorder and fabricated disorder.

Nutritional disorder and appetite disorder 

It includes eating-related disorders that affect nutrition and health, such as anorexia nervosa and an eating disorder.

Disposal disorders 

These disorders relate to improper disposal of urine or stools by accident or on purpose. Bed wetness (enuresis) is an example.

Sleep and wake disorders

 These sleep disorders are severe enough to require clinical care, such as insomnia, sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome.

Sexual dysfunctions

 It includes sexual response disorders, such as premature ejaculation and female orgasmic disorder.

Behavioral, impulsive, and obstructive disorders

 These disorders include emotional and behavioral control problems, such as theft mania or intermittent explosive disorder.

Addiction disorders and substance abuse

 Problems associated with excessive use of alcohol, caffeine, tobacco and drugs. This category also includes gambling disorder.

Cognitive disorders

 Cognitive disturbances affect your ability to think and perceive. These include cognitive problems (not developmental) delirium, as well as neurocognitive disorders due to conditions or diseases such as traumatic brain injury or Alzheimer's disease.

Personality disorders

 Personality disorder implies a persistent pattern of emotional instability and unhealthy behavior that causes problems in your life and relationships. Examples include borderline, anti-social, and narcissistic personality disorders.