Mental Health Conditions
Learn about various mental health conditions, their symptoms, causes, and treatment options within the African context.
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is an eating disorder in which individuals limit the amount or type of food they eat, but unlike ano...
Depression
Depression is a mood disorder involving several symptoms. Its main characteristic is a deep, overwhelming feeling of sadness that does not easily reso...
Opioid Use Disorder
Opioid Use Disorder is a chronic medical condition characterized by the problematic use of opioids, including prescription painkillers, heroin, or syn...
Avoidant Personality Disorder
Avoidant Personality Disorder is characterized by extreme social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation. Peop...
Panic Disorder (Panic Attack)
As its name suggests, panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder that is characterized by sudden, unexpected panic attacks. These panic attacks can ...
Tourette Syndrome
Tourette Syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by repetitive, involuntary movements and vocalizations called tics. Tics typically be...
Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders
These disorders involve repetitive thoughts, urges, or behaviors that cause significant distress and interfere with daily functioning. People with the...
Complex PTSD
Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) results from prolonged, repeated trauma, often occurring in childhood, such as ongoing abuse, neglect,...
Sleepwalking Disorder
Sleepwalking Disorder, also known as somnambulism, involves episodes of walking or performing complex behaviors while in a state of incomplete awakeni...
Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a mental health condition in which a person becomes excessively preoccupied with perceived flaws in their physical a...
Antisocial Personality Disorder
Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) is a complex mental health condition. People with ASPD have a significant disregard for the well-being of other...
Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that affects the brain's ability to regulate sleep-wake cycles. People with narcolepsy experience excess...
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) occurs when an external force causes brain dysfunction, such as from a fall, vehicle accident, or violent blow to the hea...
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that follows a seasonal pattern, most commonly occurring during the autumn and winter months...
Conversion Disorder (Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder)
Conversion Disorder, now referred to as Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder, involves neurological symptoms such as weakness, paralysis, tremors,...
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by differences in social communication and interaction, along with rest...
Somatic Symptom Disorder
Somatic Symptom Disorder involves one or more physical symptoms that are accompanied by excessive thoughts, feelings, or behaviors related to the symp...
Histrionic Personality Disorder
Histrionic Personality Disorder is characterized by a pattern of excessive attention-seeking behavior, emotional overreaction, and a strong desire to ...
Cannabis Use Disorder
Cannabis Use Disorder occurs when the use of marijuana leads to significant impairment or distress. Symptoms include using more than intended, unsucce...
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that develops after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Not everyone will...
Major Depressive Disorder
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a serious mood disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a loss of interest or pl...
Schizoid Personality Disorder
Schizoid Personality Disorder is characterized by a pattern of detachment from social relationships and a limited range of emotional expression. Peopl...
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a complex mental health condition characterized by patterns of grandiosity and a strong need for admiration...
Specific Phobias
Specific phobias involve an intense, irrational fear of a particular object, situation, or activity that poses little or no actual danger. Common exam...
Pica
Pica is an eating disorder characterized by the persistent consumption of non-food substances such as dirt, clay, paper, chalk, or ice over a period o...
Dissociative Identity Disorder
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), previously known as multiple personality disorder, is characterized by the presence of two or more distinct pers...
Alcohol Use Disorder
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a chronic condition characterized by an inability to control alcohol consumption despite negative consequences to health...
Psychotic Disorders
Psychotic disorders involve a break from reality where people experience distorted thoughts, perceptions, and awareness of their surroundings. These c...
Schizotypal Personality Disorder
Schizotypal Personality Disorder is characterized by eccentric behavior, unusual thinking patterns, and difficulty forming close relationships. People...
Separation Anxiety Disorder
Separation Anxiety Disorder involves excessive fear or anxiety about being separated from attachment figures. While commonly associated with children,...
Internet and Gaming Disorder
Internet Gaming Disorder involves a pattern of persistent and recurrent engagement with online or offline video games leading to significant impairmen...
Insomnia Disorder
Insomnia Disorder is a sleep condition characterized by persistent difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early and being unable ...
Delirium
Delirium is an acute, often fluctuating disturbance in attention, awareness, and cognition that develops over a short period, usually hours to days. I...
Kleptomania
Kleptomania is an impulse control disorder characterized by a recurrent failure to resist urges to steal items that are not needed for personal use or...
Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia Nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors to prevent weight gain, s...
Impulse Control Disorders
These disorders involve difficulty resisting urges to perform actions that are harmful to oneself or others. People with these conditions experience m...
Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) is characterized by a preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and control at the expense of fl...
Sleep-Wake Disorders
These disorders involve problems with the quality, timing, and amount of sleep, resulting in daytime distress and impairment in functioning. Good slee...
Paranoid Personality Disorder
Paranoid Personality Disorder is characterized by a pervasive pattern of distrust and suspiciousness of others, interpreting their motives as malevole...
Cyclothymic Disorder
Cyclothymic Disorder (cyclothymia) is a mild mood disorder characterized by chronic fluctuating moods involving periods of hypomanic symptoms and peri...
Reactive Attachment Disorder
Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) is a condition in which a child does not form healthy emotional bonds with caregivers, typically due to severe negl...
Gambling Disorder
Gambling Disorder is a behavioral addiction characterized by persistent and recurrent problematic gambling behavior that leads to significant distress...
Restless Legs Syndrome
Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a neurological sleep disorder characterized by an irresistible urge to move the legs, often accompanied by uncomfortab...
Nicotine Dependence
Nicotine Dependence, or tobacco use disorder, is an addiction to tobacco products caused by the drug nicotine. It is one of the most common substance ...
Brief Psychotic Disorder
Brief Psychotic Disorder involves a sudden onset of psychotic symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, or grossly disorganized...
Borderline Personality Disorder
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a mental health condition where an individual struggles significantly with emotional regulation, unstable rel...
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is a behavioral condition in children and adolescents characterized by a persistent pattern of angry, irritable mo...
Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders
These disorders involve the problematic use of substances or behaviors that activate the brain's reward system. They are characterized by loss of cont...
Conduct Disorder
Conduct Disorder is a serious behavioral condition diagnosed in children and adolescents characterized by a repetitive and persistent pattern of viola...
Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)
Social Anxiety Disorder, also known as social phobia, involves an intense, persistent fear of being watched, judged, or embarrassed in social situatio...
Delusional Disorder
Delusional Disorder is characterized by the presence of one or more firmly held false beliefs (delusions) that persist for at least one month, without...
Sexual Disorders
Sexual disorders involve problems with sexual response, desire, or behavior that cause personal distress or relationship difficulties. These condition...
Acute Stress Disorder
Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) occurs in the first month following exposure to a traumatic event. Symptoms are similar to PTSD and include intrusive memo...
Substance-Induced Psychotic Disorder
Substance-Induced Psychotic Disorder occurs when psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations or delusions develop during or shortly after substance into...
Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by fear and avoidance of places or situations where escape might be difficult or help might not be av...
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa is a serious eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight, a distorted body image, and severe restriction of fo...
Dissociative Disorders
Dissociative disorders involve disruptions in consciousness, memory, identity, or perception. These conditions typically develop as a response to trau...
Specific Learning Disorder
Specific Learning Disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects the ability to learn and use specific academic skills such as reading (dysle...
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is characterized by persistent and excessive worry about a variety of everyday matters such as health, finances, wo...
Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression is a serious mood disorder that affects some women after childbirth. It goes beyond the typical "baby blues" and involves intens...
Communication Disorders
Communication Disorders are a group of neurodevelopmental conditions that affect the ability to receive, process, and produce language or speech. They...
Binge Eating Disorder
Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is the most common eating disorder, characterized by recurrent episodes of eating large quantities of food in a short peri...
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety is a normal human emotion that helps us respond to danger. When anxiety becomes excessive, persistent, and interferes with daily life, it beco...
Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia)
Persistent Depressive Disorder, formerly known as dysthymia, is a chronic form of depression where a person experiences a depressed mood for most of t...
Nightmare Disorder
Nightmare Disorder involves recurrent, disturbing dreams that cause significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other areas of func...
Encopresis
Encopresis is the repeated passage of feces in inappropriate places by a child who is at least 4 years old, whether involuntary or intentional. It mos...
Prolonged Grief Disorder
Prolonged Grief Disorder, newly recognized in the DSM-5-TR and ICD-11, is characterized by an intense and persistent grief response that lasts well be...
Intellectual Disability
Intellectual Disability is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by significant limitations in both intellectual functioning and adaptive behavi...
Excoriation (Skin-Picking Disorder)
Excoriation Disorder, also known as dermatillomania or skin-picking disorder, involves recurrent picking at one's own skin, resulting in skin lesions ...
Dependent Personality Disorder
Dependent Personality Disorder is characterized by a pervasive and excessive need to be taken care of, leading to submissive and clinging behavior and...
Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI)
Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) involves the deliberate, self-inflicted destruction of body tissue without suicidal intent, such as cutting, burning, ...
Enuresis (Bedwetting)
Enuresis is the repeated involuntary or intentional voiding of urine during the day or at night, in a child who is old enough to be expected to have b...
Schizoaffective Disorder
Schizoaffective Disorder is a chronic mental health condition that combines features of both schizophrenia (psychosis) and a mood disorder (either dep...
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD) is a condition diagnosed in children and adolescents characterized by chronic, severe irritability and f...
Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling Disorder)
Trichotillomania is a body-focused repetitive behavior disorder involving recurrent, compulsive urges to pull out one's hair, resulting in noticeable ...
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. It is characterized by episodes of psychosis, includin...
Adjustment Disorders
Adjustment Disorders develop in response to an identifiable stressor such as divorce, job loss, illness, or a major life change. The emotional or beha...
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) (not to be confused with Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)) is a mental health condition characteri...
Intermittent Explosive Disorder
Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) is characterized by recurrent episodes of impulsive, aggressive, violent behavior or angry verbal outbursts that...
Personality Disorders
Personality disorders involve enduring patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that differ significantly from cultural expectations. These pattern...
Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions characterized by persistent disturbances in eating behaviors, thoughts about food, and body imag...
Substance Abuse and Addictive Disorders
Addiction in its different forms is formally referred to as substance abuse and addictive disorders. Previously, we believed that addiction was only r...
Vascular Dementia
Vascular Dementia is the second most common form of dementia, caused by reduced blood flow to the brain, often due to stroke or other vascular conditi...
Trauma and Stress-Related Disorders
These disorders develop following exposure to traumatic or stressful events. The person's response to these events creates lasting psychological sympt...
Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder
Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder involves persistent or recurrent experiences of feeling detached from one's own mind, body, or actions (deper...
Pyromania
Pyromania is a rare impulse control disorder characterized by a deliberate and purposeful pattern of fire-setting. Individuals experience tension or a...
Schizophrenia Spectrum & other Psychotic Disorders
Schizophrenia is a word of Greek origin and translates to splitting of the mind. The first part, “schiz,” means to split, and “phren” means mind. This...
Suicidal Behavior Disorder
Suicidal Behavior Disorder is identified when an individual has made a suicide attempt within the past two years. It is a condition for further study ...
Burnout
Burnout is a state of chronic physical and emotional exhaustion resulting from prolonged and excessive stress, particularly in the workplace. Recogniz...
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome that causes significant emotional and physical symptoms in the week o...
Illness Anxiety Disorder (Hypochondria)
Illness Anxiety Disorder, previously known as hypochondriasis, is characterized by excessive worry about having or developing a serious medical illnes...
Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders
These disorders involve physical symptoms that cause significant distress or impairment but cannot be fully explained by a medical condition. The focu...
Mood Disorders
Mood disorders involve persistent changes in emotional state that significantly impact daily functioning. They go beyond normal ups and downs that eve...
Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's Disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60–80% of cases. It is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that graduall...
Selective Mutism
Selective Mutism is an anxiety disorder in which a person who is otherwise capable of speech becomes unable to speak in specific social situations, su...
Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Neurodevelopmental disorders are conditions that affect how the brain develops and functions. These disorders typically appear in early childhood and ...
Hoarding Disorder
Hoarding Disorder is characterized by persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value. This difficulty ...
ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a brain function developmental disorder that affects a person’s ability to control attention, impul...
Rumination Disorder
Rumination Disorder involves the repeated regurgitation of food after eating, which may be re-chewed, re-swallowed, or spit out. This behavior is not ...
Gender Dysphoria
Gender Dysphoria refers to the significant distress that can occur when a person's gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. I...
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is a complex mental health condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It is characterized by often extremely high and low s...