Educational resource

Understanding mental health disorders

Learning about a condition is often the first step toward healing. This library covers common disorders with symptoms, treatments, and guidance on when to seek help.

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

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.

🔒

Available after consultation

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.

🔒

Available after consultation

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.

🔒

Available after consultation

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.

🔒

Available after consultation

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.

🔒

Available after consultation

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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Available after consultation

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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Available after consultation

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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Available after consultation

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.

🔒

Available after consultation

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.

🔒

Available after consultation

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.

🔒

Available after consultation

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.

🔒

Available after consultation

Major Depressive Disorder

Common symptoms

Treatment approaches

When to seek help

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Common symptoms

Treatment approaches

When to seek help

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Common symptoms

Treatment approaches

When to seek help

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Common symptoms

Treatment approaches

When to seek help

Bipolar Disorder

Common symptoms

Treatment approaches

When to seek help

Schizophrenia

Common symptoms

Treatment approaches

When to seek help

ADHD

Common symptoms

Treatment approaches

When to seek help

Eating Disorders

Common symptoms

Treatment approaches

When to seek help

Substance Use Disorder

Common symptoms

Treatment approaches

When to seek help

Panic Disorder

Common symptoms

Treatment approaches

When to seek help

Insomnia Disorder

Common symptoms

Treatment approaches

When to seek help

Personality Disorders

Common symptoms

Treatment approaches

When to seek help