Typical psychiatric disorders
Depression
Depression is characterised by significant sadness, loss of interest and joylessness, and increased fatigability. In addition, there is often listlessness, lack of concentration, anxiety, tearfulness, loss of sleep and appetite, hopelessness and even suicidal thoughts.
Frequently, there are a variety of physical complaints or pain without organic cause.
Depression in all its subtypes and degrees of severity is one of the most common disorders of all.
Manifest and significant depressive symptoms require psychiatric treatment, which primarily includes medication and psychotherapeutic treatment strategies. In addition, light therapy can be effective.
Anxiety disorders / phobias / panic disorder
Anxiety disorders are a group of medical conditions with anxiety as the leading symptom. In panic disorder, the focus is on recurrent anxiety attacks that occur for no apparent reason. Generalised anxiety disorder is characterised by a persistent fear; in phobias, there is an irrational fear or dread of certain situations, objects, or specific triggers.
Anxiety is also an accompanying symptom in almost all mental illnesses. A common complication of anxiety disorders is the development of dependence on benzodiazepines following inappropriate therapy. Treatment of an anxiety disorder should be medication and/or psychotherapy.
Psychoses
A psychosis is a serious psychiatric clinical picture with disturbance of thinking, perception, mood, etc., as well as a significantly altered relation to reality.
Different types of psychosis are distinguished such as schizophrenic, affective and organic psychosis. Treatment is primarily medication over an extended period of time. The cause is assumed to be genetic factors and disturbances in the dopamine metabolism of the brain.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder can occur with obsessive thoughts on the one hand, and with compulsive actions on the other.
Obsessive thoughts are ideas, conceptions or impulses that impose themselves on the affected person against his will and occupy him stereotypically. They are almost always experienced as pointless or torturous.
The person concerned tries unsuccessfully to defend himself against this. Examples include obsessive thoughts concerning pollution, contamination, or excretion, or aggressive obsessive thoughts. Compulsions are usually control and washing compulsions.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common disorder that is often concealed and therefore recognised late and often becomes chronic. Therapeutically, medications and psychotherapy, primarily behavioural therapy, are used.
Sleep disorders
Sleep disorders can have various causes (stress, depression, restless legs syndrome). The first step should be to determine the cause. Following this, a decision is made as to whether a change in sleep-disturbing living conditions should be implemented or whether medication is advisable. After your clarification of the cause, in most cases, a good medication adjustment is successful.