Common Conditions

Attention Deficit Disorder in Adults
ADD can have a significant social impact on a person's life, affecting relationships in the family and on the job.

ADHD Drugs Safe, Experts Say
Parents of kids with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) face a tough choice: whether to medicate their children or not.

Medications to Treat ADHD in Children
Children who have ADHD are often given medication as part of their treatment plan. The type of medication most often chosen is a psychostimulant.

Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Children
ADHD is a behavior disorder marked by inattention, impulsivity, and, in some cases, hyperactivity.

Autism Spectrum Disorder
A child with autism appears to live in his or her own world, showing little interest in others and a lack of social awareness.

Pervasive Developmental Disorders
Children with PDD have difficulty with language, communication, socialization, and motor behaviors. Autism is an example of a PDD.

Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorders
Autism spectrum disorders, which include autistic disorder, affect children in different ways. Some children have mild symptoms, others have severe limitations.

Interacting with a Child Who Has Autism or Asperger
If you are a parent or grandparent of a child with an ASD, it can be heartbreaking if you feel like you just can't connect with him or her. But learning more about these disorders and what has helped others should help you and your relationship.

Manic Depression/Bipolar Disorder
Manic depression, also known as bipolar disorder, is a type of affective disorder that goes beyond the day's ordinary ups and downs. It is becoming an important health concern in this country.

Are You a Compulsive Shopper?
Compulsive shoppers generally are people prone toward low self-esteem, anxiety and depression, as well as fantasizing, perfectionism and lack of sufficient social contacts, one expert says.

Overview of Mood Disorders
Mood disorders refer to a category of mental health problems that include all types of depression and bipolar disorder. Mood disorders are sometimes called affective disorders.

Major Depression
You may have depression if you have a persistent sad or "empty" mood, or if you find it difficult to concentrate or make decisions.

When and How to Stop Antidepressant Medication
Deciding when and how to stop taking several popular antidepressants is something you should always discuss with your health care provider.

SAD: Let the Light In
During the dark days of winter, many people develop signs of depression that are tied to the changing amount of daylight.

The Metabolic Syndrome: At Risk for Depression
People with more visceral fat or an apple-shaped body—two factors associated with the metabolic syndrome—are more likely to have depression.

Keeping Active May Keep Depression at Bay
In addition to helping your physical health, getting active can boost your mental health, too.

Binge Eating Disorder
Binge eating disorder is an illness that resembles bulimia nervosa and is characterized by episodes of uncontrolled eating or bingeing. It differs from bulimia because its sufferers do not purge their bodies of the excess food.

Understanding Compulsive Overeating
The disorder may develop when others make repeated negative comments about a person's weight.

Eating Disorders in Men
Boys and men have eating disorders, too. Males make up 5 to 15 percent of patients with anorexia or bulimia and 35 percent of those with binge-eating disorder.

Beating an Eating Disorder
Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia have risen steadily to affect nearly 10 million women (and 1 million men).

Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa (or simply anorexia) is an eating disorder that causes people to obsess about their weight and food.

Bulimia Nervosa in Adolescents
Bulimia nervosa is defined as uncontrolled episodes of overeating (bingeing) usually followed by self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives, enemas, or medications in an attempt to control weight.

Understanding Eating Disorders
At least 8 million people in the U.S. are living with an eating disorder. The overwhelming majority – about 90 percent – are female.

Eating Disorders and Young Athletes
Playing competitive sports can boost self-esteem and teach teamwork and leadership lessons. But sometimes being on a team that focuses too heavily on performance—or appearance—may trigger an eating disorder.

Grief and Loss
Grief moves in and out of stages from disbelief and denial, to anger and guilt, to finding a source of comfort, to eventually adjusting to the loss.

When a Family Grieves
Learning about grief and how it affects your family can help you get through the difficult times together. It may even help your family grow stronger.

Helping Your Children Cope With Death
Children deal with death in many different ways, and not necessarily in the same manner as adults.

Life After Loss: Walking the Path to Wholeness
Whatever the nature of your loss, active grieving can help you get through the following months and years.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
OCD is an anxiety disorder in which a person has an unreasonable thought, fear, or worry that he or she tries to manage through a ritualized activity to reduce the anxiety.

Q and A: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Rituals such as hand washing, counting, checking or cleaning are often performed in hope of preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away. Performing these rituals, however, provides only temporary relief, and not performing them markedly increases anxiety. Left untreated, obsessions and the need to perform rituals can take over a person's life. OCD is often a chronic, relapsing illness.

Breaking the Habit: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
The symptoms of OCD vary widely from person to person. Without treatment, OCD can last for a lifetime.

Are You a Compulsive Shopper?
Compulsive shoppers generally are people prone toward low self-esteem, anxiety and depression, as well as fantasizing, perfectionism and lack of sufficient social contacts, one expert says.