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What is Querulous Paranoia? Querulous paranoia, also known as litigious paranoia, is a subtype of paranoid personality disorder marked by persistent and irrational suspicions or accusations, especially about grievances or perceived injustices. Individuals suffering from querulous paranoia frequently believe they...
Pyromania is a rare but severe impulse control disorder characterized by an insatiable desire to start fires. Individuals with pyromania have a strong fascination with fire and derive pleasure or relief from starting fires, watching them burn, or witnessing...
What are psychotic disorders? Psychotic disorders are a category of severe mental health conditions distinguished by distortions in thinking, perception, and awareness. Individuals with psychotic disorders may have hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking, making it difficult to tell what is...
What is psychotic depression? Psychotic depression, also known as major depressive disorder with psychotic features, is a severe mental health condition characterized by symptoms of major depression and psychosis. Psychosis, a mental state in which people lose touch with reality,...
What are psychosomatic disorders? Psychosomatic disorders are those in which psychological factors, such as stress, anxiety, or unresolved emotional conflict, manifest physically. Unlike purely psychological issues, physical symptoms in psychosomatic disorders are real and can range from mild to severe,...
Psychosis is a serious mental illness marked by a distorted perception of reality. People suffering from psychosis may experience hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there), delusions (false beliefs that are not based in reality), and disorganized...
What are Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures? **Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES), also known as functional seizures or dissociative seizures, are episodes that look like epileptic seizures but are not caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Instead, PNES is a psychological...
What is the Pseudobulbar Affect? Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA) is a neurological condition characterized by uncontrollable bursts of laughter or crying that are out of proportion to the person's true emotions. These emotional outbursts occur in the absence of appropriate triggers...
What is Prion disease? Prion diseases, also known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), are a collection of rare, fatal, and neurodegenerative disorders caused by abnormal prion protein folding in the brain. These misfolded proteins cause progressive degeneration of brain tissue,...
What is premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a severe and debilitating form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) that affects approximately 3-8% of individuals born female and of reproductive age. While PMS is characterized by mild to moderate emotional...
What is Premature Ejaculation? Premature Ejaculation (PE) is a common sexual dysfunction that affects men. It is defined as ejaculation occurring sooner than desired, usually within one to two minutes of sexual activity. It can cause distress, frustration, and strain...
What is postpartum depression? Postpartum Depression (PPD) is a severe mental health condition that occurs after giving birth. More than just the "baby blues," which are common feelings of sadness, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm in the first few weeks after...
What is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that occurs after a person experiences or witnesses a traumatic event. These events can range from military conflict, natural disasters, serious accidents, or assaults to...
What is a phobia? A phobia is an anxiety disorder marked by a strong, irrational fear of a specific object, situation, or activity. This overwhelming fear typically leads to avoidance behavior, as people with phobias actively avoid whatever causes them...
Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDDs) are a class of neurodevelopmental disorders that affect a person's ability to communicate, socialize, and develop cognitive and behavioral skills. PDDs include Autism, Asperger's Syndrome, Rett Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD), and Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not...
Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD), also known as dysthymia, is a chronic form of depression that impairs an individual's mood and emotional well-being over an extended period of time. Unlike major depressive disorder, which can manifest in intense, brief episodes,...
Pedophilic Disorder is a psychiatric condition characterized by recurring, intense sexual fantasies, urges, or behaviors that involve sexual activity with prepubescent children. According to the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition), for a person to...
What is Parkinson's disease-related psychosis? Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder best known for its effects on motor functions such as tremors, stiffness, and difficulty moving. However, as the disease progresses, a significant number of patients experience non-motor symptoms,...
What is Paraphilia Disorder? Paraphilic Disorders are a group of mental health conditions marked by recurring, intense sexually stimulating fantasies, urges, or behaviors involving unusual objects, situations, or people. To meet the clinical definition of a disorder, these fantasies or...
Paranoid Personality Disorder (PPD) is a chronic mental health condition marked by widespread distrust and suspicion of others, often for no apparent reason. Individuals with PPD believe that others are constantly attempting to deceive, exploit, or harm them. This...
What is Panic Disorder? Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent panic attacks, which are intense episodes of fear or discomfort that last only a few minutes. Physical symptoms commonly associated with these attacks include heart...
What are Overvalued Ideas? Overvalued ideas are deeply held beliefs or convictions that lack a solid evidence base. These ideas may dominate a person's thoughts, causing them to overestimate the significance or validity of their beliefs. Unlike delusions, overvalued ideas...
What is Overeating Disorder? Overeating Disorder, also known as Binge Eating Disorder (BED), is a psychological condition characterized by recurring episodes of eating large amounts of food, often in a short period of time, and accompanied by a sense of...
Overanxious Disorder of Childhood (OAD), also known as Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) in children, is a mental health condition marked by excessive and persistent worry that is difficult for the child to manage. Children with OAD have constant fears...
What is Oppositional Defiance Disorder? Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is a behavioral condition that is usually diagnosed in childhood. It is characterized by persistent patterns of angry, irritable moods, defiant behavior, and vindictiveness toward authority figures. Children and adolescents with...
What is Olfactory Reference Syndrome? Olfactory Reference Syndrome (ORS) is a psychiatric condition defined by the persistent belief that one emits a foul or offensive odor that others can detect. Although rare, this disorder causes intense emotional distress and can...
What is Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)? Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) is a mental health condition marked by a persistent preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and control, frequently at the expense of flexibility and openness. Unlike obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which is...
What is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder? Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a chronic mental health condition defined by recurring, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) used to relieve the distress caused by these obsessions. These compulsions are often...
What is Nymphomania (or Hypersexuality)? Nymphomania, also known as hypersexuality in clinical settings, is defined by an uncontrollable or excessive preoccupation with sexual thoughts, urges, or behaviors. While the term "nymphomania" has traditionally referred to hypersexuality in women, the condition...
What is nosophobia? Nosophobia is an anxiety disorder defined by an excessive and irrational fear of contracting a serious illness. Individuals with nosophobia, also known as "disease phobia," are fixated on the belief that they are at risk of contracting...

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