Condition Lookup
Category:
Anxiety Disorders
Number of Conditions: 3
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Specialty: Mental Health and Psychology
Category: Anxiety Disorders
Symptoms:
recurrent intrusive thoughts; compulsive behaviors; fear of contamination; excessive doubt and checking; time-consuming rituals
Root Cause:
Dysregulation of serotonin pathways and hyperactivity in brain circuits involved in error detection and response.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical evaluation using DSM-5 criteria; often involves structured interviews and standardized assessments like the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale.
Treatment:
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with exposure and response prevention (ERP) and pharmacotherapy.
Medications:
SSRIs such as fluoxetine , sertraline , or fluvoxamine are first-line treatments. Clomipramine , a tricyclic antidepressant, may also be used.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects approximately 1%-2% of the population worldwide.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Family history, stressful life events, or co-occurring mental health conditions.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Symptoms can significantly improve with treatment, but full remission is rare; ongoing management is often needed.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Social and occupational impairment, depression, and heightened risk of other anxiety disorders.
Panic Disorder
Specialty: Mental Health and Psychology
Category: Anxiety Disorders
Symptoms:
sudden and intense episodes of fear; racing heart; shortness of breath; dizziness; sweating; fear of losing control or dying
Root Cause:
Dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system, heightened sensitivity to bodily sensations, and cognitive misinterpretations of threat.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical evaluation based on DSM-5 criteria, including recurrent panic attacks and fear of future attacks or their consequences.
Treatment:
Psychotherapy, particularly cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and pharmacotherapy.
Medications:
SSRIs (e.g., sertraline , paroxetine ) or SNRIs (e.g., venlafaxine ) are first-line treatments. Benzodiazepines (e.g., lorazepam , clonazepam ) may be used for short-term relief but are not recommended for long-term management.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects approximately 2%-3% of the population annually, more common in women than men.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Family history, chronic stress, history of trauma, and co-existing anxiety disorders.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good with treatment; many achieve significant symptom reduction, but some may experience recurrence or require ongoing therapy.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Agoraphobia, avoidance behaviors, depression, and substance use disorders.
Phobic Disorders
Specialty: Mental Health and Psychology
Category: Anxiety Disorders
Sub-category: Specific or Social Phobia
Symptoms:
intense fear of a specific object or situation; avoidance behavior; panic-like symptoms when exposed to the phobic stimulus
Root Cause:
Dysfunctional fear processing in the amygdala and prefrontal cortex, often influenced by genetics and learning.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical evaluation using DSM-5 criteria, including persistent fear that is out of proportion to the actual threat.
Treatment:
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), particularly exposure therapy.
Medications:
SSRIs (e.g., escitalopram , sertraline ) or benzodiazepines for short-term relief in specific situations. Beta-blockers (e.g., propranolol ) may be used for performance-related anxiety.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Approximately 7%-10% of the population annually, depending on the specific phobia.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Family history, traumatic experiences, and temperamental predispositions (e.g., behavioral inhibition).
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good with therapy, especially with early intervention. Untreated, it can lead to significant impairment.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Social isolation, depression, and difficulty maintaining daily activities or relationships.