What is it?

Depression

According to the latest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ( DSM- 5), depression occurs when you have at least five of several symptoms lasting for two weeks.

These include feeling sad or depressed most of the day, experiencing fatigue almost every day, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, insomnia or hypersomnia ( excessive sleeping), impaired concentration and a marked loss of interest in almost all activities nearly every day.

Anxiety disorder

This is a medical condition characterised by persistent and excessive worry that causes you such distress that it interferes with your ability to lead a normal life.

Anxiety disorders can come in the form of a panic disorder, social anxiety or specific phobias.

Bipolar disorder

As the name suggests, this disorder is marked by severely contrasting moods – a period of elation and a period of depression.

This disorder involves clear changes in mood, energy and activity levels. When you are “up” you will exhibit energised behaviour ( known as manic episodes) and when you are “down” you will experience feelings of deep sadness with the signs of depression.

Eating disorders

These are classified as mental disorders because though they have a biological basis, they affect the brain structure and neurochemistry in ways that make it difficult for individuals to stop the behaviour and are associated with impairment of emotional and cognitive functions.

Eating disorders include anorexia nervosa ( extreme weight loss due to excessive dieting and exercise), bulimia nervosa ( cycles of extreme overeating and purging) and binge eating disorder ( regular episodes of extreme overeating coupled with feelings of loss of control about eating).