Other conditions
- Grief, Loss and Complicated Grief
Grief is a normal response to loss and usually does not require treatment. Prolonged grief disorder, where intense yearning and impairment persist beyond a year, affects about 7 to 10 percent of bereaved people and responds to grief-focused therapy. Grief that brings major depression, suicidal thoughts or PTSD symptoms warrants psychiatric evaluation, and antidepressants help when depression is present. - Adjustment Disorder and Life Stress
Adjustment disorder is distress or impairment in response to a specific life stressor that begins within three months of the event and exceeds the expected reaction. It is treated primarily with brief psychotherapy focused on coping and problem-solving, with short-term medication for sleep or anxiety when needed. Most people recover within six months once the stressor resolves or they adapt. - Impulse Control Disorders: IED, Kleptomania, Pyromania
Impulse control disorders, including intermittent explosive disorder, kleptomania and pyromania, involve repeated failure to resist a harmful urge, with tension beforehand and relief afterward. Treatment combines cognitive behavioral therapy targeting the urge cycle with medication, such as SSRIs for anger and kleptomania and naltrexone for compulsive urges. Co-occurring ADHD, mood and substance disorders are treated alongside. Most people reduce episodes substantially within three to six months. - Intermittent Explosive Disorder
Intermittent explosive disorder is recurrent, impulsive anger outbursts grossly out of proportion to the trigger, followed by remorse. It is treated with cognitive behavioral therapy focused on anger, typically 12 sessions, and with medication such as fluoxetine or other SSRIs, which reduce impulsive aggression over one to two months. Treating co-occurring ADHD, mood disorders or substance use often reduces outbursts further. - Somatic Symptom Disorder
Somatic symptom disorder is real, distressing physical symptoms combined with excessive worry, anxiety or preoccupation about them that disrupts daily life, with or without a medical explanation. It is treated with cognitive behavioral therapy, a coordinated plan with primary care, and antidepressants when depression, anxiety or pain are prominent. Treatment reduces symptom burden and restores function. - Burnout and Work Stress
Burnout is exhaustion, cynicism and reduced effectiveness caused by chronic work stress. It is not a mental illness and has no medication, but it often progresses to depression, anxiety and insomnia, which do have effective treatments. Evaluation sorts burnout from those conditions; treatment combines cognitive behavioral therapy, sleep repair, workload changes and medication only for a comorbid disorder. - Anger and Irritability
Anger and irritability that damage relationships, work or safety are usually symptoms of a treatable condition such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, bipolar disorder or intermittent explosive disorder. Evaluation identifies the cause; treatment combines cognitive behavioral therapy for anger, which shows moderate to large effects in trials, with SSRIs or other medication when indicated. Most people improve within three months.
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