Here are some examples of the symptoms we can support with

DEPRESSION

Depression is a common mental health disorder that affects how a person feels, thinks, and behaves. It goes beyond normal sadness and can interfere with daily life, relationships, and work.

Symptoms of Depression

• Emotional: Persistent sadness, hopelessness, or emptiness. Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed.

• Cognitive: Difficulty concentrating, making decisions, or remembering things. Negative thoughts about oneself, the future, or the world.

• Physical: Fatigue, changes in appetite or weight, sleep disturbances (insomnia or oversleeping), unexplained aches and pains.

• Behavioral: Withdrawing from social activities, neglecting responsibilities, or engaging in self-destructive behaviors.

Types of Depression

• Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) – Persistent and severe depressive symptoms.

• Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD) – Long-term, low-grade depression lasting 2 or more years.

• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) – Depression that occurs in certain seasons, often winter.

• Postnatal Depression – Depression following childbirth.

GENERALISED ANXIETY DISORDER (GAD)

Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a mental health condition characterised by excessive, persistent worry about various aspects of daily life, even when there is little or no reason to worry. Unlike typical anxiety, which is often linked to specific situations, GAD involves ongoing and uncontrollable worry about multiple issues, such as health, work, relationships, or finances.

Symptoms of GAD

• Emotional: Constant worry, feeling on edge, difficulty controlling anxious thoughts.

• Physical: Restlessness, muscle tension, fatigue, headaches, nausea, trouble sleeping.

• Cognitive: Difficulty concentrating, overthinking worst-case scenarios.

• Behavioral: Avoiding situations due to anxiety, seeking excessive reassurance.

Causes & Triggers

GAD can develop due to a combination of genetic, environmental, and psychological factors. Stressful life events, personality traits (such as perfectionism), and imbalances in brain chemistry may contribute.

POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD)

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. This could include events such as serious accidents, natural disasters, violence, or different forms of abuse. PTSD can affect anyone, regardless of age or background.

Symptoms of PTSD

PTSD symptoms are generally grouped into four categories:

• Intrusive Thoughts – Flashbacks, nightmares, or distressing memories of the traumatic event.

• Avoidance – Avoiding reminders of the trauma, including places, people, or conversations related to the event.

• Negative Changes in Thinking and Mood – Feelings of guilt, shame, detachment, or loss of interest in activities once enjoyed.

• Changes in Arousal and Reactivity – Being easily startled, feeling on edge, difficulty sleeping, or experiencing angry outbursts.

SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER (SAD)

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), also known as social phobia, is an intense fear of social situations where a person worries about being judged, embarrassed, or humiliated. It goes beyond shyness and can significantly interfere with daily life, relationships, and work.

Common Symptoms

• Emotional: Intense fear of social interactions, fear of being scrutinized, or feeling self-conscious.

• Physical: Blushing, sweating, trembling, nausea, rapid heartbeat, or feeling dizzy.

• Behavioral: Avoiding social situations, struggling to make eye contact, rehearsing conversations in advance, or overanalyzing interactions afterward.

Triggers

• Public speaking

• Meeting new people

• Eating or drinking in front of others

• Using public restrooms

• Being the center of attention

PANIC DISORDER

Panic Disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent, unexpected panic attacks—intense episodes of fear and physical symptoms that peak within minutes. People with panic disorder often worry about having more attacks and may change their behavior to avoid situations that could trigger them.

Symptoms of a Panic Attack

• Physical: Rapid heartbeat, chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, sweating, trembling, nausea, chills or hot flashes.

• Emotional: Intense fear of losing control, going crazy, or dying.

• Cognitive: Feeling detached from reality (derealisation) or from oneself (depersonalisation).

Causes & Triggers

• High stress or major life changes.

• A history of trauma or anxiety disorders.

• Sensitivity to physical sensations (e.g., noticing a faster heartbeat and interpreting it as a sign of danger).

• Family history of panic disorder.

BODY DYSMORPHIC DISORDER (BDD)

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a mental health condition where a person becomes intensely preoccupied with one or more perceived flaws in their appearance—flaws that are often unnoticeable or appear very minor to others. This preoccupation causes significant distress and can interfere with daily life, relationships, and self-esteem.

Key Features of BDD:
1. Obsessive focus on appearance – This might involve a specific body part (e.g., skin, nose, hair, stomach, etc.), or a more general sense of “looking wrong” or “ugly.”
2. Compulsive behaviours – To manage anxiety or discomfort, individuals might:
• Spend excessive time looking in mirrors (or avoid them entirely)
• Pick at skin
• Seek constant reassurance
• Compare themselves to others
• Try to hide or “fix” perceived flaws with makeup, clothing, or cosmetic procedures
3. Impairment in functioning – The distress around appearance can lead to avoiding social situations, work, or school. It may also lead to depression, anxiety, or even suicidal thoughts in severe cases.

OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER (OCD)

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition characterized by recurring, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) that a person feels driven to perform. These obsessions and compulsions can be distressing, time-consuming, and interfere with daily life.

Obsessions

These are intrusive, distressing thoughts, images, or urges that cause anxiety. Common obsessions include:

• Fear of contamination (germs, dirt, illness)

• Fear of harm coming to oneself or others

• Unwanted taboo thoughts (violent, religious, or sexual in nature)

• A need for symmetry, order, or exactness

Compulsions

These are repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed to reduce the anxiety caused by obsessions. Common compulsions include:

• Excessive cleaning or handwashing

• Checking things repeatedly (doors, locks, appliances)

• Counting, repeating words, or praying in a specific way

• Arranging objects in a precise order

HEALTH ANXIETY

Health Anxiety (previously known as hypochondria) is an excessive and persistent fear of having a serious medical condition, despite reassurance from doctors and little or no medical evidence. It is a type of anxiety disorder that can significantly impact daily life.

Symptoms of Health Anxiety

• Excessive Worry: Constantly thinking about health, fearing serious illnesses like cancer, heart disease, or neurological conditions.

• Body Checking: Frequently scanning the body for lumps, pain, or other symptoms.

• Reassurance Seeking: Repeatedly visiting doctors, researching symptoms online (“cyberchondria”), or asking others for reassurance.

• Avoidance: Avoiding medical appointments out of fear of a diagnosis or avoiding media that discusses illnesses.

• Physical Symptoms: Anxiety itself can cause physical sensations (like headaches, dizziness, or stomach pain), which then increase health worries.

Causes & Triggers

• A history of serious illness (personal or family).

• Past trauma related to health (e.g., witnessing a loved one’s illness).

• Perfectionism or a need for control.

• Overexposure to medical information online or in the media.

SPECIFIC PHOBIAS

A specific phobia is an intense, irrational fear of a particular object, situation, or activity that is out of proportion to the actual danger. This fear leads to avoidance behaviors and significant distress, even though the person often recognizes that their reaction is excessive.

Common Types of Specific Phobias

• Animal Phobias – Fear of spiders (arachnophobia), snakes, dogs, or insects.

• Natural Environment Phobias – Fear of heights (acrophobia), storms, water, or darkness.

• Situational Phobias – Fear of flying, driving, enclosed spaces (claustrophobia), or tunnels.

• Blood-Injection-Injury Phobias – Fear of needles, blood, or medical procedures (can cause fainting).

Symptoms

• Physical: Rapid heartbeat, sweating, dizziness, shortness of breath, nausea, shaking.

• Emotional: Intense anxiety or panic when exposed to the feared object/situation.

• Behavioral: Avoidance of the feared object or situation, which can interfere with daily life.

BINGE EATING DISORDER

Binge Eating Disorder involves distressing thoughts, feelings and behaviours related to food, eating, body shape and weight. The main symptoms include the following:

Eating, in a discrete period of time (e.g., within any 2-hour period), an amount of food that is definitely larger than most people would eat in a similar period of time under similar circumstances
The sense of lack of control overeating during the episode (e.g., a feeling that one cannot stop eating or control what or how much one is eating

Binge-eating episodes are associated with 3 (or more) of the following:

Eating much more rapidly than normal
Eating until feeling uncomfortably full
Eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry
Eating alone because of being embarrassed by how much one is eating
Feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed, or very guilty after overeating.

We also may be able to work with people experiencing Bulimia and ARFID (Avoidant / Restrictive Food Intake Disorder), and this would be taken on a case by case basis. If we are not able to support you with the problem with your eating, we will help you find the appropriate support service. We wouldn’t be able to support with Anorexia Nervosa or Atypical Anorexia.