9 Common Mental Health Problems and Where to Find Support

Tens of millions of American adults seek help from mental health practitioners annually. Mental health problems interfere with physical, emotional, and mental health. Symptoms can range from mild to severe, but all are manageable with treatment.

Common Mental Health Problems

Mental health problems can take their toll on your health. There are several reasons for seeking counseling during this time.

• Chemical imbalance
• Increased risk due to genetics
• Family history of mental health problems
• Trauma
• Abuse
• Abandonment or neglect
• After effects of natural disasters
• Family issues
• Relationship problems

In some cases, people may experience more than one mental health problem. For example, someone may develop anxiety and depression and turn to substance abuse for temporary relief. All of these can cause deterioration in health.

The following are several common mental health problems treated at a counseling center.

Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders can include Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social anxiety, phobias, and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). These conditions typically cause feelings of anxiety, excessive worry, or fear. Anxiety interferes with sleep and appetite, and the worry can keep you from being able to focus at work. Relationships can also fracture due to fear.

Anxiety often responds to grounding techniques and controlled exposure therapy. You learn to ground yourself in the present, taking note of your surroundings. Controlled exposure is led by a counselor to help you learn to tolerate your triggers a little at a time until they lose their hold over you.

Depression

Depression and depressive disorders can wreak havoc on every area of your life. The hallmark symptom is persistent sadness that can last weeks or months. Depression, if left untreated, can lead to self-harm or suicide. It is not a matter of “keeping your chin up.” Depression can be caused by chemical imbalances in the brain, trauma, or a major life event.

Depression is often treated using various techniques, such as talk therapy, group therapy, medication, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). For people with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), light therapy can also be beneficial until the seasons change.

Trauma

Trauma can come in many forms for various reasons. Abuse, abandonment, and neglect as a child can result in trauma that informs an adult’s decisions many years later. Everything from career choice to relationship issues can hinge on childhood or young adult trauma.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a common mental health condition that can result from trauma, including natural disasters, sudden loss, or witnessing a violent act. Your counselor can work with you to determine the best course of action for treatment.

Chronic Stress

Chronic stress triggers inflammation, which can make you sick physically and mentally. Chronic stress can push your bloodwork out of range, leading to physical conditions. Chronic stress can also exacerbate anxiety and raise your risk of developing panic attacks.

Stress management and relaxation techniques can help calm your nervous system by activating the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). When the PNS is activated, stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, are reduced, helping to lower heart rate and blood pressure and regulate breathing.

Substance Abuse

Substance abuse and addiction can tear apart families, relationships, careers, and physical and mental health. Substances alter neural pathways, making it hard to stop the addiction. If left untreated, the person may find themselves needing inpatient medical care, medication, or suicidal intervention.

Christian counseling can help you through the painful process of breaking addiction. Psychotherapy techniques combined with supervised withdrawal aim to start the healing process, both physically and mentally. Many people also lean toward the spiritual aspect of Christian counseling to draw closer to God during recovery.

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Neurodevelopmental disorders can affect people of any age. One of the most common neurodivergent disorders is Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Typically, diagnosed during childhood. ADHD (even without hyperactivity) affects millions of Americans. It can make learning challenging, and as adults with ADHD, the disorder can create problems at work and at home.

Learning how to combat impulsiveness and procrastination is a goal during ADHD treatment. Managing symptoms to keep them from interfering with daily responsibilities is doable through therapy.

Mood Disorders

Mood disorders catch close friends and family off guard. These disorders and their rapidly changing moods can cause distress in relationships and at work. Bipolar disorder is one common mental health condition. Rapid cycling between manic episodes of high-highs, followed by depressive episodes of low-lows, can create too much tension for others and keep the person from fulfilling their responsibilities.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), talk therapy, and group therapy are effective in treating mood disorders. Learning to recognize the shift and to ground yourself can help you stay focused on tasks.

Eating Disorders

Anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and binge eating disorder are common types of eating disorders. Anorexia involves starving oneself or over-exercising to control weight. This eating disorder can be fatal if left untreated. Bulimia involves cycles of starving, bingeing, and purging. Purging methods could include diuretics, forced vomiting, laxatives, enemas, or over-exercise to control weight and appearance.

Binge eating disorder is the ability to eat large volumes of food within two hours, whether the person is hungry or not. They may consume thousands of calories in one sitting and repeat the cycle two or more days per week. Eating disorders respond well to CBT and talk therapy. Counseling sessions provide an opportunity to discuss the reasons behind the eating disorder and determine if the person also suffers from body dysmorphia.

Marriage and Family Issues

Family and marriage issues can create tension in the home, causing family members to develop anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions. However, if family members are not equipped to handle minor problems, they can balloon into full-blown issues, fracturing families.

Christian counseling teaches communication skills, anger management techniques, problem-solving, and conflict-resolution skills. These are skills and techniques the family can use to prepare the next generation and break any generational cycles.

For example, if you get angry easily and take it out on your family, you can learn anger management and conflict-resolution skills to manage your anger while teaching your children and grandchildren the same skills.

Why choose Christian counseling?

Christian counseling addresses the entire person as we were created to be. A Christian counselor cares about your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health, knowing that if you are lacking in one area, you will not feel at your best.

Christian counseling combines evidence-based psychological methods with faith-based principles to address whole health. You draw closer in your walk with Christ as you lean into learning new skills and mastering symptom management. Specific mental health problems require longer treatments than others, and having faith as your foundation can help you through the challenging parts and persevere.

That is why we are proud to offer clients this whole aspect of healing. You are worthy. You were created by the God of the universe, who calls you by name to be His hands and feet in a fallen world.

We would love to help you realize this by working through mental conditions that may keep you in bondage. You can break free. It will take time and effort on your part, but we do not doubt that you can overcome every issue with proper guidance.

If Christian counseling sounds like a good fit for you or you’re curious, contact our local center today for a risk-free assessment. Try Christian counseling and see if it’s a good fit for you and your situation. Family counseling is also available.

Local and Virtual Christian Counseling Available

You are not alone. Our center would love to connect you with a Christian counselor specializing in the area where you need help. Your counselor can meet with you in person at the center or through virtual sessions for treatment of a variety of mental health problems. Contact our center today to get started.