Disorders/Conditions Treated by
Dr. Monica Vermani Psychological Services
Mood
Bipolar Disorder
Mood disorders are conditions that cause an individual to feel intense, prolonged emotions that negatively affect his/her mental well-being, physical health, relationships and behaviour. In addition to feelings of depression, someone with bipolar disorder also has episodes of mania. Symptoms of mania may include extreme optimism, euphoria and feelings of grandeur; rapid, racing thoughts and hyperactivity; a decreased need for sleep; increased irritability; impulsiveness and possibly reckless behaviour.
Depression/Dysthymia
Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depression, 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.
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Weather often affects one’s moods. Sunlight breaking through clouds can lift our spirits, while a dull, rainy day may make us feel a little gloomy. While noticeable, these shifts in mood generally do not affect our ability to cope with daily life. Some people, however, are vulnerable to a type of depression that follows a seasonal pattern. For them, the shortening days of late autumn are the beginning of a type of clinical depression that can last until spring. This condition is called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Anxiety
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by excessive anxiety and worry about a number of events or activities. Those with this disorder have difficulty controlling the worry.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive compulsive disorder includes both obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are intrusive or unwanted thoughts, images or impulses. Whereas, compulsions are behaviours or thoughts that one feels compelled to do in response to an obsession.
Panic Disorder
Those with panic disorder experience reoccurring panic attacks. A panic attack is a sudden surge of overwhelming fear that comes without warning, without any obvious reason and has a distinct beginning and end point. The fear is accompanied by physical symptoms such as a pounding heart, sweating and difficulty breathing.
Social Anxiety Disorder
A marked and persistent fear of one or more social or performance situations in which a person is exposed to unfamiliar people or to possible scrutiny by others. The individual fears the he or she will act in a way that will be humiliating or embarrassing.
Specific Phobia
Specific phobia is a generic term for any kind of anxiety disorder that amounts to an unreasonable or irrational fear triggered by the exposure to or the anticipation of specific objects or situations. In some cases, the phobia can result in a panic attack. In most adults, he or she may logically know the fear is unreasonable but still find it difficult to control the anxiety. As a result, the affected person tends to actively avoid direct contact with the objects or situations and, in severe cases, any mention or depiction of them. The fear can, in fact, be disabling to daily life and may even impair physical health.
Trauma
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
People with this disorder have experienced a serious traumatic event and have ensuing symptoms including reliving the trauma in dreams, numbness and lack of involvement with reality, or recurrent thoughts and images.
Specific Disorders/Conditions
Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are a group of serious conditions in which one is so preoccupied with food and weight that he or she can often focus on little else. The main types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder. Eating disorders can cause serious physical problems and, at their most severe, can even be life threatening.
Sleep Disorders
Sleep disorders are chronic disturbances in the quantity or quality of sleep that interfere with a person’s ability to function normally.
Substance Use & Gambling Addictions
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, is a patterned use of a substance (drug) in which the user consumes the substance in amounts or with methods that are harmful to themselves or others.
Gambling addiction is an urge to continuously gamble despite harmful negative consequences or a desire to stop. Problem gambling often is defined by whether harm is experienced by the gambler or others, rather than by the gambler’s behaviour.