Common Mental Health Disorders

Understanding mental health conditions is the first step toward healing.

Detailed information is blurred until after your consultation with Dr. Kotla.

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Major Depressive Disorder

Mood Disorders

A persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest that interferes with daily functioning.

Common Symptoms

  • Persistent sad or empty mood
  • Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
  • Changes in appetite or weight
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Fatigue or loss of energy
  • Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Thoughts of death or suicide

Treatment Approaches

CBTMedication (SSRIs, SNRIs)PsychotherapyLifestyle changes

When to Seek Help

If symptoms persist for more than two weeks and interfere with daily life.

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Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Anxiety Disorders

Excessive, uncontrollable worry about everyday matters that is disproportionate to the actual situation.

Common Symptoms

  • Excessive worry and anxiety
  • Restlessness or feeling on edge
  • Easily fatigued
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Irritability
  • Muscle tension
  • Sleep problems

Treatment Approaches

CBTMedication (SSRIs, Buspirone)Relaxation techniquesMindfulness

When to Seek Help

When worry is persistent, hard to control, and affects your daily functioning.

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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Trauma-Related Disorders

A condition triggered by experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event, causing flashbacks and severe anxiety.

Common Symptoms

  • Intrusive memories or flashbacks
  • Nightmares about the traumatic event
  • Severe emotional distress
  • Avoidance of reminders
  • Negative changes in thinking and mood
  • Hypervigilance and being easily startled
  • Difficulty sleeping

Treatment Approaches

EMDRTrauma-focused CBTMedicationExposure therapy

When to Seek Help

If symptoms last more than a month and significantly impair your daily life.

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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Anxiety Disorders

Characterized by unreasonable thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead to repetitive behaviors (compulsions).

Common Symptoms

  • Unwanted, intrusive thoughts
  • Repetitive behaviors or mental acts
  • Fear of contamination
  • Need for symmetry or order
  • Aggressive or disturbing thoughts
  • Excessive checking or counting
  • Significant distress when rituals are interrupted

Treatment Approaches

ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention)CBTMedication (SSRIs)Deep brain stimulation (severe cases)

When to Seek Help

When obsessions and compulsions consume significant time and cause distress.

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Bipolar Disorder

Mood Disorders

A condition that causes extreme mood swings including emotional highs (mania) and lows (depression).

Common Symptoms

  • Manic episodes: elevated mood, energy, reduced sleep need
  • Depressive episodes: sadness, hopelessness, fatigue
  • Impulsive or risky behavior during mania
  • Racing thoughts and rapid speech
  • Difficulty maintaining relationships
  • Changes in activity levels
  • Possible psychotic features

Treatment Approaches

Mood stabilizers (Lithium)Atypical antipsychoticsPsychotherapyLifestyle management

When to Seek Help

If you experience extreme mood swings that affect your relationships and daily functioning.

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Schizophrenia

Psychotic Disorders

A serious mental disorder affecting how a person thinks, feels, and behaves, often involving psychosis.

Common Symptoms

  • Hallucinations (hearing or seeing things)
  • Delusions (false beliefs)
  • Disorganized thinking and speech
  • Extremely disorganized behavior
  • Reduced emotional expression
  • Social withdrawal
  • Difficulty with memory and attention

Treatment Approaches

Antipsychotic medicationsPsychosocial therapyCoordinated specialty careFamily support

When to Seek Help

Immediately if experiencing hallucinations, delusions, or disorganized thinking.

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ADHD

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

A neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that persists into adulthood.

Common Symptoms

  • Difficulty sustaining attention
  • Easily distracted
  • Forgetfulness in daily activities
  • Fidgeting or restlessness
  • Difficulty waiting or taking turns
  • Talking excessively
  • Difficulty organizing tasks

Treatment Approaches

Stimulant medicationsBehavioral therapyCBTOrganizational skills training

When to Seek Help

When attention and behavior difficulties significantly impact school, work, or relationships.

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Eating Disorders

Eating Disorders

Serious conditions related to persistent eating behaviors that negatively impact health and daily functioning.

Common Symptoms

  • Extreme restriction of food intake
  • Binge eating episodes
  • Purging behaviors
  • Obsession with body weight or shape
  • Distorted body image
  • Withdrawal from social activities
  • Physical signs: fatigue, dizziness, hair loss

Treatment Approaches

Nutritional counselingCBTFamily-based therapyMedication for co-occurring conditions

When to Seek Help

If eating behaviors are causing physical health problems or emotional distress.

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Substance Use Disorder

Addiction Disorders

A condition in which the use of substances leads to clinically significant impairment or distress.

Common Symptoms

  • Inability to control substance use
  • Continued use despite harmful consequences
  • Tolerance (needing more for same effect)
  • Withdrawal symptoms when stopping
  • Neglecting responsibilities
  • Social and relationship problems
  • Risky behavior while using

Treatment Approaches

DetoxificationMAT (Medication-Assisted Treatment)CBT12-Step programsGroup therapy

When to Seek Help

When substance use interferes with your health, work, or relationships.

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Content available after consultation

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Panic Disorder

Anxiety Disorders

Characterized by sudden, repeated episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms.

Common Symptoms

  • Sudden intense fear or discomfort
  • Heart palpitations or racing heart
  • Sweating and trembling
  • Shortness of breath
  • Feeling of choking
  • Chest pain
  • Fear of losing control or dying

Treatment Approaches

CBTMedication (SSRIs, Benzodiazepines short-term)Breathing techniquesExposure therapy

When to Seek Help

If panic attacks are frequent and you develop fear of having another attack.

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Insomnia Disorder

Sleep Disorders

Persistent difficulty with sleep initiation, maintenance, or quality despite adequate opportunity for sleep.

Common Symptoms

  • Difficulty falling asleep
  • Waking up frequently during the night
  • Waking up too early
  • Daytime fatigue and sleepiness
  • Irritability and mood disturbances
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Worry about sleep

Treatment Approaches

CBT-I (CBT for Insomnia)Sleep hygiene educationRelaxation techniquesMedication (short-term)

When to Seek Help

If sleep problems persist for more than three months and affect daytime functioning.

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Personality Disorders

Personality Disorders

Enduring patterns of inner experience and behavior that deviate from cultural expectations and cause distress.

Common Symptoms

  • Persistent patterns of thinking and behavior
  • Difficulty maintaining relationships
  • Intense or unstable emotions
  • Impulsive behavior
  • Identity disturbance
  • Fear of abandonment
  • Chronic feelings of emptiness

Treatment Approaches

DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy)Schema therapyMentalization-based therapyGroup therapy

When to Seek Help

When behavior patterns consistently cause problems in relationships and daily life.

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Content available after consultation

This information is for educational purposes only and does not replace professional diagnosis.

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