A person with Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) has severe stress symptoms during the first month after a traumatic event. Often, this involves feeling afraid or on edge, flashbacks or nightmares, difficulty sleeping, or other symptoms.
However, if these symptoms last longer than a month, and make it hard to go about daily routines, he or she could have PTSD (Sawchuk, C., Mayo Clinic, June 2020).
DSM-V-TR Link:
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National Resource:
Learn more at the PTSD Association of Canada.
Adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a mental health disorder that includes a combination of persistent problems, such as difficulty paying attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior. Though it’s called adult ADHD, symptoms can start in early childhood and continue into adulthood. When a person reaches adulthood, hyperactivity symptoms may decrease, but struggles with impulsiveness, restlessness and difficulty paying attention may continue. (Mayo Clinic, January 2023).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at the Canadian ADHD Resource Alliance.
“Adjustment disorders are excessive reactions to stress that involve negative thoughts, strong emotions and changes in behavior. The reaction to a stressful change or event is much more intense than would typically be expected. This can cause a lot of problems in getting along with others, as well as at work or school.
Work problems, going away to school, an illness or any number of life changes can cause stress. Most of the time, people get used to such changes within a few months. But if you have an adjustment disorder, you continue to have emotional or behavioral responses that can make you feel more anxious or depressed” (Mayo Clinic, July 2023).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at My Health Alberta, Canada.
“Agoraphobia (ag-uh-ruh-FOE-be-uh) is a type of anxiety disorder. Agoraphobia involves fearing and avoiding places or situations that might cause panic and feelings of being trapped, helpless or embarrassed. You may fear an actual or upcoming situation. For example, you may fear using public transportation, being in open or enclosed spaces, standing in line, or being in a crowd” (Mayo Clinic, January 2023).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at Anxiety Canada.
“Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that gets worse over time. It’s characterized by changes in the brain that lead to deposits of certain proteins. Alzheimer’s disease causes the brain to shrink and brain cells to eventually die. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia — a gradual decline in memory, thinking, behavior and social skills. These changes affect a person’s ability to function” (Mayo Clinic, August 2023).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at the Alzheimer Society of Canada.
“Amputation is surgery to remove all or part of a limb or extremity. You may need an amputation if you’ve undergone a severe injury or infection or have a health condition like peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Many people live a healthy, active lifestyle after an amputation, but it may take time to get used to life without a limb” (Cleveland Clinic, June 2021).
National Resource:
Learn More at the Amputee Coalition of Canada.
“Anorexia Nervosa — often simply called anorexia — is an eating disorder characterized by an abnormally low body weight, an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted perception of weight. People with anorexia place a high value on controlling their weight and shape, using extreme efforts that tend to significantly interfere with their lives.
To prevent weight gain or to continue losing weight, people with anorexia usually severely restrict the amount of food they eat. They may control calorie intake by vomiting after eating or by misusing laxatives, diet aids, diuretics or enemas. They may also try to lose weight by exercising excessively. No matter how much weight is lost, the person continues to fear weight gain” (Mayo Clinic, February 2018).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Link more at the National Eating Disorder Information Centre.
Antisocial Personality Disorder, (APD), which is sometimes called “sociopathy”, is a mental health condition in which a person consistently shows no regard for right and wrong and ignores the rights and feelings of others. People with APD tend to purposely make others angry or upset and manipulate or treat others harshly or with cruel indifference. They lack remorse or do not regret their behavior.
People with APD often violate the law, becoming criminals. They may lie, behave violently or impulsively, and have problems with drug and alcohol use. They have difficulty consistently meeting responsibilities related to family, work or school (Mayo Clinic, February 2023).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at eMentalHealth Canada.
“Arthritis is the swelling and tenderness of one or more joints. The main symptoms of arthritis are joint pain and stiffness, which typically worsen with age. The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Osteoarthritis causes cartilage — the hard, slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones where they form a joint — to break down. Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease in which the immune system attacks the joints, beginning with the lining of joints” (Mayo Clinic, August 2023).
National Resource:
Learn More at the Arthritis Society of Canada.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a condition related to brain development that impacts how a person perceives and socializes with others, causing problems in social interaction and communication. The disorder also includes limited and repetitive patterns of behavior. The term “spectrum” in ASD refers to the wide range of symptoms and severity.
ASD includes conditions that were previously considered separate such as: Autism, Asperger’s syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder and an unspecified form of pervasive developmental disorder. Some people still use the term “Asperger’s syndrome,” which is generally thought to be at the mild end of autism spectrum disorder (Mayo Clinic, January 2018).
DSM-V-TR Link:
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National Resource:
Learn more at Autism Canada.
“Binge-Eating disorder is a serious eating disorder in which you frequently consume unusually large amounts of food and feel unable to stop eating.
Almost everyone overeats on occasion, such as having seconds or thirds of a holiday meal. But for some people, excessive overeating that feels out of control and becomes a regular occurrence crosses the line to binge-eating disorder” (Mayo Clinic, May 2018).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at the National Eating Disorder Information Centre.
Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings that include emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression).
When you become depressed, you may feel sad or hopeless and lose interest or pleasure in most activities. When your mood shifts to mania or hypomania (less extreme than mania), you may feel euphoric, full of energy or unusually irritable. These mood swings can affect sleep, energy, activity, judgment, behavior and the ability to think clearly.
Episodes of mood swings may occur rarely or multiple times a year, and while most people will experience some emotional symptoms between episodes, some may not experience any (Mayo Clinic, December 2022).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Canada.
“Blindness can result from infections, accidents, genetic conditions and other diseases. Types of blindness can range from no vision at all to seeing shapes. Some types can be prevented or cured, but other types can’t be treated.
Blindness is the inability to see or a lack of vision. In the most severe cases, there’s an inability to see even light. It also means you can’t correct your vision with eyeglasses, contact lenses, eye drops or other medical therapy, or surgery. Sudden vision loss is an emergency. It’s important to seek immediate medical help.
Types of blindness
- Partial blindness: You still have some vision. People often call this “low vision.”
- Complete blindness: You can’t see or detect light. This condition is very rare.
- Congenital blindness: This refers to poor vision that you are born with. The causes include inherited eye and retinal conditions and non-inherited birth defects.
- Legal blindness: This is when the central vision is 20/200 in your best-seeing eye even when corrected with glass or contact lenses. Having 20/200 vision means that you have to be 10x closer or an object has to be 10x larger in order to see compared to a person with 20/20 vision. In addition, you can be legally blind if your field of vision or peripheral vision is severely reduced (less than 20 degrees).
- Nutritional blindness: This term describes vision loss from vitamin A deficiency. If the vitamin A deficiency continues, damage to the front surface of the eye (xerophthalmia) This type of blindness can also make it more difficult to see at night or in dim light due to retinal cells not functioning as well”
(Cleveland Clinic, November 2022).
National Resource:
Learn More at the Canadian National Institute for the Blind.
“Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental health condition in which you can’t stop thinking about one or more perceived defects or flaws in your appearance — a flaw that appears minor or can’t be seen by others. But you may feel so embarrassed, ashamed and anxious that you may avoid many social situations.
When you have body dysmorphic disorder, you intensely focus on your appearance and body image, repeatedly checking the mirror, grooming or seeking reassurance, sometimes for many hours each day. Your perceived flaw and the repetitive behaviors cause you significant distress and impact your ability to function in your daily life” (Mayo Clinic, December 2022).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at MyHealth Alberta, Canada.
“Bulimia Nervosa, commonly called bulimia, is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder. People with bulimia may secretly binge — eating large amounts of food with a loss of control over the eating — and then purge, trying to get rid of the extra calories in an unhealthy way.
To get rid of calories and prevent weight gain, people with bulimia may use different methods. For example, you may regularly self-induce vomiting or misuse laxatives, weight-loss supplements, diuretics or enemas after bingeing. Or you may use other ways to rid yourself of calories and prevent weight gain, such as fasting, strict dieting or excessive exercise” (Mayo Clinic, May 2018).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at the National Eating Disorder Information Centre.
“Cerebral palsy is a group of conditions that affect movement and posture. It’s caused by damage that occurs to the developing brain, most often before birth.
Symptoms appear during infancy or preschool years and vary from very mild to serious Children with cerebral palsy may have exaggerated reflexes. The arms, legs and trunk may appear floppy. Or they may have stiff muscles, known as spasticity. Symptoms also can include irregular posture, movements that can’t be controlled, a walk that’s not steady or some combination of these.
Cerebral palsy may make it hard to swallow. It also can cause eye muscle imbalance, in which the eyes don’t focus on the same object. People with the condition might have reduced range of motion in their joints due to muscle stiffness” (Mayo Clinic, September 2023).
National Resource:
Learn More at Cerebral Palsy Canada Network
Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called Major Depressive Disorder or Clinical Depression; it affects how you feel, think and behave, and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. For example, you may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn’t worth living.
More than just a bout of the blues, depression isn’t a weakness and you can’t simply “snap out” of it. Depression may require long-term treatment, but don’t get discouraged! Most people with depression feel better with medication, psychotherapy or both (Mayo Clinic, October 2022).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at HealthLinkBC, Canada.
“A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that affects brain function. Effects are often short term and can include headaches and trouble with concentration, memory, balance, mood and sleep.
Concussions usually are caused by an impact to the head or body that is associated with a change in brain function. Not everyone who experiences a blow to the body or head has a concussion.
Some concussions cause the person to lose consciousness, but most do not” (Mayo Clinic, January 2024).
National Resource:
Learn More at Brain Injury Canada.
Losing a loved one is one of the most distressing and, unfortunately, common experiences people face. Most people experiencing normal grief and bereavement have a period of sorrow, numbness, and even guilt and anger. Gradually these feelings ease, but for some people, the feelings of loss are debilitating and don’t improve even after time passes.
This is known as complicated grief, sometimes called persistent complex bereavement disorder. In complicated grief, painful emotions are so long lasting and severe that you have trouble recovering from the loss and resuming your own life (Mayo Clinic, December 2022).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at the Canadian Grief Alliance.
“Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that causes obstructed airflow from the lungs. Symptoms include breathing difficulty, cough, mucus (sputum) production and wheezing. It’s typically caused by long-term exposure to irritating gases or particulate matter, most often from cigarette smoke. People with COPD are at increased risk of developing heart disease, lung cancer and a variety of other conditions” (Mayo Clinic, April 2020).
DSM-V-TR Link:
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National Resource:
Learn more at COPD Canada.
“Color blindness — or more accurately, poor or deficient color vision — is an inability to see the difference between certain colors. Though many people commonly use the term “color blind” for this condition, true color blindness — in which everything is seen in shades of black and white — is rare.
Color blindness is usually inherited. Men are more likely to be born with color blindness. Most people with color blindness can’t distinguish between certain shades of red and green. Less commonly, people with color blindness can’t distinguish between shades of blue and yellow” (Mayo Clinic, December 2019).
National Resource:
Learn More at the Canadian Association of Optometrists.
Cyclothymia, (also called cyclothymic disorder), is a rare mood disorder. Cyclothymia causes emotional ups and downs, but they’re not as extreme as those in Bipolar I or II disorder.
With Cyclothymia, you experience periods when your mood noticeably shifts up and down from your baseline. You may feel on top of the world for a time, followed by a low period when you feel somewhat down, and between these cyclothymic highs and lows, you might feel stable and fine (Mayo Clinic, December 2022).
DSM-V-TR Link:
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National Resource:
Learn more at HeretoHelpBC, Canada.
“Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disorder that causes severe damage to the lungs, digestive system and other organs in the body.
Cystic fibrosis affects the cells that produce mucus, sweat and digestive juices. These secreted fluids are normally thin and slippery. But in people with CF, a defective gene causes the secretions to become sticky and thick. Instead of acting as lubricants, the secretions plug up tubes, ducts and passageways, especially in the lungs and pancreas” (Mayo Clinic, November 2021).
National Resource:
Learn More at Cystic Fibrosis Canada.
“Delayed Sleep Phase is a sleep disorder that affects the internal clock, known as circadian rhythm. People with this sleep disorder have sleep patterns that are delayed two hours or more from usual sleep patterns. They go to sleep later and wake later. This makes it hard to wake in time for work or school. Delayed sleep phase also is known as delayed sleep-wake phase disorder” (Mayo Clinic, September 2023).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at eMentalHealth, Canada.
“Dissociative disorders are mental health conditions that involve experiencing a loss of connection between thoughts, memories, feelings, surroundings, behavior and identity. These conditions include escape from reality in ways that are not wanted and not healthy. This causes problems in managing everyday life.
Dissociative disorders usually arise as a reaction to shocking, distressing or painful events and help push away difficult memories. Symptoms depend in part on the type of dissociative disorder and can range from memory loss to disconnected identities. Times of stress can worsen symptoms for a while, making them easier to see” (Mayo Clinic, August 2023).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at Canada Disability Benefits.
“Dwarfism is short stature that results from a genetic or medical condition. Dwarfism is generally defined as an adult height of 4 feet 10 inches (147 centimeters) or less. The average adult height among people with dwarfism is 4 feet (122 cm).
Many different medical conditions cause dwarfism. In general, the disorders are divided into two broad categories:
- Disproportionate dwarfism. If body size is disproportionate, some parts of the body are small, and others are of average size or above-average size. Disorders causing disproportionate dwarfism inhibit the development of bones.
- Proportionate dwarfism. A body is proportionately small if all parts of the body are small to the same degree and appear to be proportioned like a body of average stature. Medical conditions present at birth or appearing in early childhood limit overall growth and development.
Some people prefer the term “short stature” or “little people” rather than “dwarf” or “dwarfism.” So it’s important to be sensitive to the preference of someone who has this disorder. Short stature disorders do not include familial short stature — short height that’s considered a normal variation with normal bone development” (Mayo Clinic, August 2018).
National Resource:
Learn More at Little People of Canada.
“Dysarthria occurs when the muscles you use for speech are weak or you have difficulty controlling them. Dysarthria often causes slurred or slow speech that can be difficult to understand.
Common causes of dysarthria include nervous system disorders and conditions that cause facial paralysis or tongue or throat muscle weakness. Certain medications also can cause dysarthria” (Mayo Clinic, May 2022).
National Resource:
Learn more at Speech-Language & Audiology Canada.
“Dyscalculia is a learning disorder that affects a person’s ability to understand number-based information and math. People who have dyscalculia struggle with numbers and math because their brains don’t process math-related concepts like the brains of people without this disorder. However, their struggles don’t mean they’re less intelligent or less capable than people who don’t have dyscalculia.
The symptoms of this disorder usually appear in childhood, especially when children learn how to do basic math. However, many adults have dyscalculia and don’t know it. People who have dyscalculia often face mental health issues when they have to do math, such as anxiety, depression and other difficult feelings” (Cleveland Clinic, August 2022).
National Resource:
Learn more at Venture Academy in Canada.
“Dyslexia is a learning disorder that involves difficulty reading due to problems identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words (decoding). Also called a reading disability, dyslexia is a result of individual differences in areas of the brain that process language.
Dyslexia is not due to problems with intelligence, hearing or vision. Most children with dyslexia can succeed in school with tutoring or a specialized education program. Emotional support also plays an important role” (Mayo Clinic, August 2022).
National Resource:
Learn more at Dyslexia Canada.
Epilepsy — also known as a seizure disorder — is a brain condition that causes recurring seizures. There are many types of epilepsy. In some people, the cause can be identified. In others, the cause is not known.
Seizure symptoms can vary widely. Some people may lose awareness during a seizure while others don’t. Some people stare blankly for a few seconds during a seizure. Others may repeatedly twitch their arms or legs, movements known as convulsions.
Having a single seizure doesn’t mean you have epilepsy. Epilepsy is diagnosed if you’ve had at least two unprovoked seizures at least 24 hours apart. Unprovoked seizures don’t have a clear cause. (Mayo Clinic, October 2023).
National Resource:
Learn More at Epilepsy Canada.
Factitious Disorder is a serious mental disorder in which someone deceives others by appearing sick, by purposely getting sick or by self-injury. Factitious Disorder also can happen when family members or caregivers falsely present others, (such as children), as being ill, injured, or impaired.
Factitious Disorder symptoms can range from mild (slight exaggeration of symptoms) to severe (previously called “Munchausen syndrome”). The person may make up symptoms or even tamper with medical tests to convince others that treatment, such as high-risk surgery, is needed (Mayo Clinic, December 2019).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more about support options at the Mayo Clinic.
Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) is an umbrella term for a group of brain diseases that mainly affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. These areas of the brain are associated with personality, behavior and language.
In FTD, parts of these lobes shrink, known as atrophy. Symptoms depend on which part of the brain is affected. Some people with FTD have changes in their personalities. They become socially inappropriate and may be impulsive or emotionally indifferent. Others lose the ability to properly use language.
FTD can be misdiagnosed as a mental health condition or as Alzheimer’s disease. But FTD tends to occur at a younger age than does Alzheimer’s disease (Mayo Clinic, November 2023).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at the Alzheimer Society of Canada.
Frozen shoulder, also called adhesive capsulitis, involves stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint. Signs and symptoms typically begin slowly, then get worse. Over time, symptoms get better, usually within 1 to 3 years.
Having to keep a shoulder still for a long period increases the risk of developing frozen shoulder. This might happen after having surgery or breaking an arm.
It’s unusual for frozen shoulder to recur in the same shoulder. But some people can develop it in the other shoulder, usually within 5 years (Mayo Clinic, August 2022).
National Resource:
Learn More at HealthLinkBC.
“Functional neurologic disorder — a newer and broader term that includes what some people call conversion disorder — features nervous system (neurological) symptoms that can’t be explained by a neurological disease or other medical condition. However, the symptoms are real and cause significant distress or problems functioning.
Signs and symptoms vary, depending on the type of functional neurologic disorder, and may include specific patterns. Typically, this disorder affects your movement or your senses, such as the ability to walk, swallow, see or hear. Symptoms can vary in severity and may come and go or be persistent. However, you can’t intentionally produce or control your symptoms” (Mayo Clinic, January 2022).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at the Functional Neurological Disorders Program Society, in Canada.
Gender dysphoria is the feeling of discomfort or distress that might occur in people whose gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth or sex-related physical characteristics.
A diagnosis for gender dysphoria is included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), a manual published by the American Psychiatric Association. The diagnosis was created to help people with gender dysphoria get access to necessary health care and effective treatment (Mayo Clinic, January 2024).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Canada.
It’s normal to feel anxious from time to time, especially if your life is stressful. However, excessive, ongoing anxiety and worry that are difficult to control and interfere with day-to-day activities may be a sign of generalized anxiety disorder.
Generalized anxiety disorder has symptoms that are similar to panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and other types of anxiety, but they’re all different conditions (Mayo Clinic, October 2017).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at Anxiety Canada.
Hearing loss can affect everyone from babies to people in their 60s and 70s. Many things may cause hearing loss, but exposure to loud noise is the most common reason people have the condition. Hearing loss can’t be reversed, but surgery to treat some issues can improve hearing. Devices like hearing aids can reduce hearing loss.
The difference between hearing loss and deafness is that someone with hearing loss still hears sounds well enough to take part in conversations. They can improve their hearing ability through hearing aids or other treatments. Someone who’s deaf can hear very little or nothing at all, and hearing aids and devices don’t help. A person who’s deaf may use sign language to communicate. (Cleveland Clinic, August 2023).
National Resource:
Learn More at the Canadian Association of the Deaf.
“Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). By damaging your immune system, HIV interferes with your body’s ability to fight infection and disease.
HIV is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). It can also be spread by contact with infected blood and from illicit injection drug use or sharing needles. It can also be spread from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding. Without medication, it may take years before HIV weakens your immune system to the point that you have AIDS.
There’s no cure for HIV/AIDS, but medications can control the infection and prevent progression of the disease” (Mayo Clinic, July 2022).
DSM-V-TR Link:
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National Resource:
Learn more about the symptoms and treatment at Canada.ca.
Hoarding Disorder is an ongoing difficulty throwing away or parting with possessions because you believe that you need to save them. You may experience distress at the thought of getting rid of the items. You gradually keep or gather a huge number of items, regardless of their actual value.
Hoarding often creates extremely cramped living conditions with only narrow pathways winding through stacks of clutter. Countertops, sinks, stoves, desks, stairways and all other surfaces are usually piled with stuff. You may not be able to use some areas for their intended purpose. For example, you may not be able to cook in the kitchen, and when there’s no more room inside your home, the clutter may spread to the garage, vehicles, yard and other storage areas.
Hoarding ranges from mild to severe. In some cases, hoarding may not have much impact on your life, while in other cases it seriously affects your daily functioning (Mayo Clinic, January 2023).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at the Hoarding Disorder Foundation of Alberta, Canada.
“Huntington’s disease is a rare, inherited disease that causes the progressive breakdown (degeneration) of nerve cells in the brain. Huntington’s disease has a wide impact on a person’s functional abilities and usually results in movement, thinking (cognitive) and psychiatric disorders.
Huntington’s disease symptoms can develop at any time, but they often first appear when people are in their 30s or 40s. If the condition develops before age 20, it’s called juvenile Huntington’s disease. When Huntington’s develops early, symptoms are somewhat different and the disease may progress faster” (Mayo Clinic, May 2022).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at the Huntington Society of Canada.
“Idiopathic hypersomnia is an uncommon sleep disorder that causes you to be very sleepy during the day even after a full night of good sleep. Its cause is unknown. It also often causes difficulty waking up after you’ve been asleep. If you take a nap, you generally don’t feel refreshed and you may wake up confused and disoriented.
The need to sleep can strike at any time, including when you’re driving a car or working, which makes idiopathic hypersomnia potentially dangerous” (Mayo Clinic, October 2022).
DSM-V-TR Link:
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National Resource:
Learn more at Sleep On It Canada.
Illness anxiety disorder, (sometimes called hypochondriasis or health anxiety), is where you worry excessively that you are or may become seriously ill. You may have no physical symptoms at all, or you may believe that normal body sensations/minor symptoms are signs of severe illness, even though a thorough medical exam doesn’t reveal a serious medical condition.
You may experience extreme anxiety that body sensations, such as muscle twitching or fatigue, are associated with a specific, serious illness. This excessive anxiety — rather than the physical symptom itself — results in severe distress that can disrupt your life (Mayo Clinic, April, 2021).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at eMentalHealth, Canada.
“Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that can make it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep. It also can cause you to wake up too early and not be able to get back to sleep. You may still feel tired when you wake up. Insomnia can drain your energy level and affect your mood. It also can affect your health, work performance and quality of life.
How much sleep is enough varies from person to person. But most adults need 7 to 9 hours a night.
At some point, many adults have short-term insomnia. This can last for days or weeks. Short-term insomnia is usually due to stress or a distressing event. But some people have long-term insomnia, also called chronic insomnia. This lasts for three months or more. Insomnia may be the main problem, or it may be related to other medical conditions or medicines” (Mayo Clinic, January 2024).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at the Canadian Sleep Society.
“Intermittent explosive disorder involves repeated, sudden bouts of impulsive, aggressive, violent behavior or angry verbal outbursts. The reactions are too extreme for the situation. Road rage, domestic abuse, throwing or breaking objects, or other temper tantrums may be symptoms of intermittent explosive disorder.
These explosive outbursts, which occur off and on, cause major distress. They can harm relationships and cause problems at work or school. They also can result in problems with the law” (Mayo Clinic, January 2024).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at Well Beings Counselling, Canada.
“Kleptomania is a mental health disorder that involves repeatedly being unable to resist urges to steal items that you generally don’t really need. Often the items stolen have little value and you could afford to buy them. Kleptomania is rare but can be a serious condition. It can cause much emotional pain to you and your loved ones — and even legal problems — if not treated.
Kleptomania is a type of impulse control disorder — a disorder that involves problems with emotional or behavioral self-control. If you have an impulse control disorder, you have difficulty resisting the temptation or powerful urge to perform an act that’s excessive or harmful to you or someone else” (Mayo Clinic, September 2022).
DSM-V-TR Link:
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National Resource:
Learn more at Psychology Today, Canada.
“Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the stage between the expected decline in memory and thinking that happens with age and the more serious decline of dementia. MCI may include problems with memory, language or judgment.
People with MCI may be aware that their memory or mental function has “slipped.” Family and close friends also may notice changes. But these changes aren’t bad enough to impact daily life or affect usual activities.
MCI may increase the risk of dementia caused by Alzheimer’s disease or other brain disorders. But some people with mild cognitive impairment might never get worse. And some eventually get better” (Mayo Clinic, January 2023).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at the Alzheimer Society of Canada.
“If you have a mood disorder, your general emotional state or mood is distorted or inconsistent with your circumstances and interferes with your ability to function. You may be extremely sad, empty or irritable (depressed), or you may have periods of depression alternating with being excessively happy (mania)” (Mayo Clinic, October 2021).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at the Mood Disorders Society of Canada.
“Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system).
In MS, the immune system attacks the protective sheath (myelin) that covers nerve fibers and causes communication problems between your brain and the rest of your body. Eventually, the disease can cause permanent damage or deterioration of the nerve fibers” (Mayo Clinic, December 2022).
National Resource:
Learn More at MS Canada.
“Muscular dystrophy is a group of diseases that cause progressive weakness and loss of muscle mass. In muscular dystrophy, abnormal genes (mutations) interfere with the production of proteins needed to form healthy muscle.
There are many kinds of muscular dystrophy. Symptoms of the most common variety begin in childhood, mostly in boys. Other types don’t surface until adulthood” (Mayo Clinic, February 2022).
National Resource:
Learn More at Muscular Dystrophy Canada.
“Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that makes people very drowsy during the day. People with narcolepsy find it hard to stay awake for long periods of time. They fall asleep suddenly. This can cause serious problems in their daily routine.
Sometimes narcolepsy also causes a sudden loss of muscle tone, known as cataplexy (KAT-uh-plek-see). This can be triggered by strong emotion, especially laughter. Narcolepsy is divided into two types. Most people with type 1 narcolepsy have cataplexy. Most people who don’t have cataplexy have type 2 narcolepsy” (Mayo Clinic, January 2023).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at Sleep On It Canada.
“A nightmare is a disturbing dream associated with negative feelings, such as anxiety or fear that awakens you. Nightmares are common in children but can happen at any age, and occasional nightmares usually are nothing to worry about.
Nightmares may begin in children between 3 and 6 years old and tend to decrease after the age of 10. During the teen and young adult years, girls appear to have nightmares more often than boys do. Some people have them as adults or throughout their lives.
Although nightmares are common, nightmare disorder is relatively rare” (Mayo Clinic, June 2021).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at the Mindfulness Clinic, Canada.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, often called NAFLD, is a liver problem that affects people who drink little to no alcohol. In NAFLD, too much fat builds up in the liver. It is seen most often in people who are overweight or obese.
Some people with NAFLD can get nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, also called NASH. NASH is a serious form of fatty liver disease that causes the liver to swell and become damaged due to the fat deposits in the liver. NASH may get worse and may lead to serious liver scarring, called cirrhosis, and even liver cancer. This damage is like the damage caused by heavy alcohol use (Mayo Clinic, October 2023).
National Resource:
Learn More at the Canada Liver Foundation.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) features a pattern of unwanted thoughts and fears known as “obsessions”. These obsessions lead you to do repetitive behaviors, (also called compulsions). These obsessions and compulsions get in the way of daily activities and cause a lot of distress.
Ultimately, you feel driven to do compulsive acts to ease your stress. Even if you try to ignore or get rid of bothersome thoughts or urges, they keep coming back; this leads you to act based on ritual and is the vicious cycle of OCD (Mayo Clinic, December 2023).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at OCD Canada.
“Obstructive Sleep Apnea is the most common sleep-related breathing disorder. People with obstructive sleep apnea repeatedly stop and start breathing while they sleep.
There are several types of sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the throat muscles relax and block the airway. This happens off and on many times during sleep. A sign of obstructive sleep apnea is snoring” (Mayo Clinic, July 2023).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more about Sleep Apnea on the Government of Canada’s site.
A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause. Panic attacks can be very frightening; you might think you’re losing control, having a heart attack or even dying.
Many people have just one or two panic attacks in their lifetimes, and the problem goes away, perhaps when a stressful situation ends. But if you’ve had recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and spent long periods in constant fear of another attack, you may have a condition called panic disorder (Mayo Clinic, May 2018).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at Anxiety Canada.
“Paraphilic disorders include sexual interest that causes personal distress or impairment or causes potential or actual harm to another person. Examples are sexual sadism disorder, voyeuristic disorder and pedophilic disorder” (Mayo Clinic, December 2022).
“These disorders have traditionally been selected for specific listing and assignment of explicit diagnostic criteria in DSM for two main reasons: they are relatively common, in relation to other paraphilic disorders, and some of them entail actions for their satisfaction that, because of their noxiousness or potential harm to others, are classed as criminal offenses” (DSM-V-TR, 2022).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Canada.
“Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder that affects the nervous system and the parts of the body controlled by the nerves. Symptoms start slowly. The first symptom may be a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. Tremors are common, but the disorder may also cause stiffness or slowing of movement.
In the early stages of Parkinson’s disease, your face may show little or no expression. Your arms may not swing when you walk. Your speech may become soft or slurred. Parkinson’s disease symptoms worsen as your condition progresses over time” (Mayo Clinic, May 2023).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at Parkinson Canada.
Everyone experiences ‘demand avoidance’ (resistance to doing something that is requested or expected of you) sometimes. However, here we use “Pathological Demand Avoidance” (PDA) to mean the characteristic of a persistent and marked resistance to ‘the demands of everyday life’, which may include essential demands such as eating and sleeping as well as expected demands such as going to school or work.
Although demand avoidance is widely acknowledged as a characteristic experienced by and observed in some autistic people (and potentially other neurodivergent, but not autistic, people), there is very little research into it and the research that does exist is generally of a low quality. (National Autistic Society, January 2024).
National Resource:
Learn More at the National Autistic Society.
Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD) is a continuous, long-term form of depression. You may feel sad and empty, lose interest in daily activities and have trouble getting things done. You may also have low self-esteem, feel like a failure and feel hopeless. These feelings last for years and may interfere with your relationships, school, work and daily activities.
If you have PDD, you may find it hard to be upbeat even on happy occasions. You may be described as having a gloomy personality, constantly complaining or not able to have fun. PDD is not as severe as major depression, but your current depressed mood may be mild, moderate or severe (Mayo Clinic, December 2022).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance.
“People have unique personalities made up of a complex combination of different traits. Personality traits affect how people understand and relate to the world around them, as well as how they see themselves.
Ideally, people’s personality traits allow them to flexibly adapt to their changing environment in ways that lead to more healthy relationships with others and better coping strategies. When people have personality traits that are less adaptive, this leads to inflexibility and unhealthy coping. For example, they may manage stress by drinking or misusing drugs, have a hard time managing their anger, and find it hard to trust and connect with others.
Personality forms early in life. It is shaped through a blend of your:
- Genes — Your parents may pass down some personality traits to you. Sometimes these traits are called your temperament.
- Environment — This includes your surroundings, events that have happened to you and around you, and relationships and patterns of interactions with family members and others.
A personality disorder is a mental health condition where people have a lifelong pattern of seeing themselves and reacting to others in ways that cause problems. People with personality disorders often have a hard time understanding emotions and tolerating distress. And they act impulsively. This makes it hard for them to relate to others, causing serious issues, and affecting their family life, social activities, work and school performance, and overall quality of life” (Mayo Clinic, July 2023).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at HereToHelp BC, Canada.
“Pica is an eating disorder where a person compulsively eats things that aren’t food and don’t have any nutritional value or purpose. Depending on when and why a person does this, pica can be normal, expected and harmless. However, it can cause major problems if a person with this condition eats something toxic or dangerous” (Cleveland Clinic, May 2022).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at the National Eating Disorder Information Centre.
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) has a wide variety of signs and symptoms, including:
- mood swings,
- tender breasts,
- food cravings,
- fatigue,
- irritability and
- depression.
It’s estimated that as many as 3 out of every 4 menstruating women have experienced some form of PMS.
Symptoms tend to recur in a predictable pattern, but the physical and emotional changes you experience with premenstrual syndrome may vary from just slightly noticeable all the way to intense (Mayo Clinic, February 2022).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at HealthLinkBC, Canada.
“Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a severe, sometimes disabling extension of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Although PMS and PMDD both have physical and emotional symptoms, PMDD causes extreme mood shifts that can disrupt daily life and damage relationships.
Both PMDD and PMS may cause bloating, breast tenderness, fatigue, and changes in sleep and eating habits. In PMDD, however, at least one of these emotional and behavioral symptoms stands out:
- Sadness or hopelessness
- Anxiety or tension
- Extreme moodiness
- Marked irritability or anger
The cause of PMDD isn’t clear. Underlying depression and anxiety are common in both PMS and PMDD, so it’s possible that the hormonal changes that trigger a menstrual period worsen the symptoms of mood disorders” (Burnett, T., Mayo Clinic, January 2024).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at the BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre, Canada.
“Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that’s triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event” (Mayo Clinic, December 2022).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at the PTSD Association of Canada.
“Pyromania is a chronic mental disorder that manifests as irresistible urges (compulsions) to set fires. The impulses are recurrent and span a long time. A person with pyromania also has an intense fascination with fire-starting paraphernalia. The person may want to stop stealing, but they cannot resist. The behaviors and their consequences cause significant distress and may lead to dangerous or criminal behavior” (United Brain Association, January 2024).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at Psychology Today, Canada.
“Reactive attachment disorder is a rare but serious condition in which an infant or young child doesn’t establish healthy attachments with parents or caregivers. Reactive attachment disorder may develop if the child’s basic needs for comfort, affection and nurturing aren’t met and loving, caring, stable attachments with others are not established” (Mayo Clinic, May 2022).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at Psychology Today, Canada.
“Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder is a sleep disorder in which you physically act out vivid, often unpleasant dreams with vocal sounds and sudden, often violent arm and leg movements during REM sleep — sometimes called dream-enacting behavior.
You normally don’t move during REM sleep, a normal stage of sleep that occurs many times during the night. About 20 percent of your sleep is spent in REM sleep, the usual time for dreaming, which occurs primarily during the second half of the night.
The onset of REM sleep behavior disorder is often gradual and it can get worse with time” (Mayo Clinic, January 2018).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at Sleep On It, Canada.
Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a condition that causes a very strong urge to move the legs. The urge to move usually is caused by an uncomfortable feeling in the legs. It typically happens in the evening or at night when sitting or lying down, and moving eases the discomfort for a short time.
RLS can begin at any age and tends to get worse with age. It can disrupt sleep, which interferes with daily activities. RLS also is known as “Willis-Ekbom disease”. (Mayo Clinic, January 2024).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at HealthLinkBC, Canada.
“Rumination syndrome is a condition in which someone repeatedly regurgitates undigested or partially digested food from the stomach. The regurgitated food is then chewed again and swallowed or spit out. People with rumination syndrome don’t try to regurgitate food. It happens without any effort.
Because the food hasn’t yet been digested, it reportedly tastes like regular food and isn’t acidic like vomit. Rumination typically happens at every meal, soon after eating” (Mayo Clinic, October 2023).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at the Centre for Psychology & Emotion Regulation, Canada.
Schizoaffective disorder is a mental health disorder that is marked by a combination of schizophrenia symptoms, (such as hallucinations or delusions), and mood disorder symptoms, such as depression or mania.
The two types of schizoaffective disorder — both of which include some symptoms of schizophrenia — are:
- Bipolar type, which includes episodes of mania and sometimes major depression
- Depressive type, which includes only major depressive episodes
Schizoaffective disorder may run a unique course in each affected person (Mayo Clinic, November 2019).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at HereToHelp BC, Canada.
“Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder in which people interpret reality abnormally. Schizophrenia may result in some combination of hallucinations, delusions, and extremely disordered thinking and behavior that impairs daily functioning, and can be disabling” (Mayo Clinic, January 2020).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at the Schizophrenia Society of Canada.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that’s related to changes in seasons — SAD begins and ends at about the same times every year. If you’re like most people with SAD, your symptoms start in the fall and continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody. These symptoms often resolve during the spring and summer months. Less often, SAD causes depression in the spring or early summer and resolves during the fall or winter months (Mayo Clinic, December 2021).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at the Canadian Mental Health Association.
“Sleepwalking — also known as somnambulism — involves getting up and walking around while in a state of sleep. More common in children than adults, sleepwalking is usually outgrown by the teen years. Isolated incidents of sleepwalking often don’t signal any serious problems or require treatment. However, recurrent sleepwalking may suggest an underlying sleep disorder.
Sleepwalking in adults has a higher chance of being confused with or coexisting with other sleep disorders as well as medical conditions” (Mayo Clinic, July 2017).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at Sleep On It, Canada.
It’s normal to feel nervous in some social situations. For example, going on a date or giving a presentation may cause that feeling of butterflies in your stomach. But in social anxiety disorder, (also called social phobia), everyday interactions cause significant anxiety, self-consciousness and embarrassment because you fear being scrutinized or judged negatively by others (Mayo Clinic, June 2021).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at Anxiety Canada.
A spinal cord injury involves damage to any part of the spinal cord. It also can include damage to nerves at the end of the spinal cord, known as the cauda equina. The spinal cord sends and receives signals between the brain and the rest of the body. A spinal cord injury often causes permanent changes in strength, feeling and other body functions below the site of the injury.
People who have had a spinal cord injury also may experience mental, emotional and social side effects” (Mayo Clinic, October 2023).
National Resource:
Learn More at Spinal Cord Injury Canada.
Spina bifida is a condition that occurs when the spine and spinal cord don’t form properly. It’s a type of neural tube defect. The neural tube is the structure in a developing embryo that later becomes the baby’s brain and spinal cord and the tissues that enclose them.
Typically, the neural tube forms early in pregnancy but in babies with spina bifida, a portion of the neural tube doesn’t close all the way. This affects the spinal cord and bones of the spine.
Spina bifida can range from being mild to causing serious disabilities. Symptoms depend on where on the spine the opening is located and how big it is (Mayo Clinic, December 2023).
National Resource:
Learn More at HealthLinkBC.
“An ischemic stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is blocked or reduced. This prevents brain tissue from getting oxygen and nutrients. Brain cells begin to die in minutes. Another type of stroke is a hemorrhagic stroke. It occurs when a blood vessel in the brain leaks or bursts and causes bleeding in the brain. The blood increases pressure on brain cells and damages them.
A stroke is a medical emergency. It’s crucial to get medical treatment right away. Getting emergency medical help quickly can reduce brain damage and other stroke complications” (Mayo Clinic, December 2023).
National Resource:
Learn More at Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.
“Stuttering — also called stammering or childhood-onset fluency disorder — is a speech disorder that involves frequent and significant problems with normal fluency and flow of speech. People who stutter know what they want to say, but have difficulty saying it. For example, they may repeat or prolong a word, a syllable, or a consonant or vowel sound. Or they may pause during speech because they’ve reached a problematic word or sound.
Stuttering is common among young children as a normal part of learning to speak. Young children may stutter when their speech and language abilities aren’t developed enough to keep up with what they want to say. Most children outgrow this developmental stuttering.
Sometimes, however, stuttering is a chronic condition that persists into adulthood. This type of stuttering can have an impact on self-esteem and interactions with other people” (Mayo Clinic, June 2021).
National Resource:
Learn More at the Canadian Stuttering Association.
“Drug addiction, also called Substance Use Disorder, is a disease that affects a person’s brain and behavior and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medicine. Substances such as alcohol, marijuana and nicotine also are considered drugs. When you’re addicted, you may continue using the drug despite the harm it causes.
Drug addiction can start with experimental use of a recreational drug in social situations, and, for some people, the drug use becomes more frequent. For others, particularly with opioids, drug addiction begins when they take prescribed medicines or receive them from others who have prescriptions.
The risk of addiction and how fast you become addicted varies by drug. Some drugs, such as opioid painkillers, have a higher risk and cause addiction more quickly than others” (Mayo Clinic, October 2022).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at the Canadian Centre for Substance Use and Addiction.
“Thalassemia (thal-uh-SEE-me-uh) is an inherited blood disorder that causes your body to have less hemoglobin than normal. Hemoglobin enables red blood cells to carry oxygen. Thalassemia can cause anemia, leaving you fatigued” (Mayo Clinic, November 2021).
National Resource:
Learn More at the Thalassemia Foundation of Canada.
“Traumatic brain injury usually results from a violent blow or jolt to the head or body. An object that goes through brain tissue, such as a bullet or shattered piece of skull, also can cause traumatic brain injury.
Mild traumatic brain injury may affect your brain cells temporarily. More-serious traumatic brain injury can result in bruising, torn tissues, bleeding and other physical damage to the brain. These injuries can result in long-term complications or death” (Mayo Clinic, February 2021).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at Brain Injury Canada.
“Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a condition of the nervous system. TS causes people to have “tics”.
Tics are sudden twitches, movements, or sounds that people do repeatedly. People who have tics cannot stop their body from doing these things. For example, a person might keep blinking over and over. Or, a person might make a grunting sound unwillingly.
There are two types of tics—motor and vocal:
- Motor tics are movements of the body. Examples of motor tics include blinking, shrugging the shoulders, or jerking an arm.
- Vocal tics are sounds that a person makes with his or her voice. Examples of vocal tics include humming, clearing the throat, or yelling out a word or phrase.
These tics can be either simple, or complex. Simple tics involve just a few parts of the body, while complex tics involve several different parts of the body and can have a pattern” (CDC, May 2023).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at Tourette Canada.
Trichotillomania (trik-o-til-o-MAY-nee-uh), also called “hair-pulling disorder”, is a mental health condition. It involves frequent, repeated and irresistible urges to pull out hair from your scalp, eyebrows or other areas of your body. You may try to resist the urges, but you can’t stop. Trichotillomania is part of a group of conditions known as body-focused repetitive behaviors.
Pulling out hair from the scalp often leaves patchy bald spots. This can cause a lot of distress and can affect your work, school and social life. (Mayo Clinic, November, 2023).
DSM-V-TR Link:
Learn More
National Resource:
Learn more at the Freedom Clinic in Toronto, Canada.