The psychiatric conditions most observed in people are usually classified into two categories: common and complex conditions. Common psychiatric conditions are those that plague almost everyone at some point of time. However, they are treatable and do not often take their sufferers to a negative behavioral extreme. These conditions include anxiety disorders, depression, obsessive compulsive disorders, phobias and panic disorders.

Complex psychiatric conditions, on the other hand, are not that common, but they can have a much more significant impact on a person’s life. In terms of treatment, these conditions can prove to be extremely challenging and often they cannot be treated at all due to the deep impact they have already had on someone’s mental condition.

Complex psychiatric conditions that are usually reported include:

1. Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a long-term psychiatric condition where the person suffering from it starts experiencing a range of different symptoms. This can include having delusional thoughts and seeing hallucinations, both of which result in muddled thoughts. Behavioral changes are also common in this condition as people have difficulty in differentiating between reality and their own thoughts.

2. Bipolar Disorder

Also known as manic depression, bipolar disorder is basically a mood disorder where a person can go from one extreme mood to another within minutes. These extreme periods are best defined as mania (where they feel overactive and highly excited) and depression (where you feel lethargic and low). This is different from normal mood swings because such condition can last for weeks and the person might not experience a normal mood very often.

3. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a stress and anxiety disorder that is caused after a person goes through a distressing, frightening or extremely stressful episode. The events that are often regarded as the trigger for PTSD include violent personal physical, verbal or sexual assault for a small or elongated period, being held hostage, witnessing road accidents and violent deaths, or being present at a site of military combat, terrorist attacks or natural disasters. PTSD can occur days, weeks or years after the disturbing event takes place in one out of every three people who go through a traumatic experience.

4. Anorexia

Anorexia nervosa is a severe eating disorder where people try to keep their weight as low as possible. This is a serious health condition because people suffering from it can go to dangerous extremes to reduce their weight, causing self-harm. They eat as little food as possible, exercise obsessively and make themselves vomit after they eat. They suffer from this condition due to their anxiety and concerns about their body shape and because of an unnatural desire to be thin.

5. Personality Disorder

People suffering from personality disorders are significantly different from others in their behaviors. Their way of thinking, perceiving and relating to things, people or incidents is different from normal people. They often avoid any company, feel emotionally disconnected, get overwhelmed by negative feelings, have difficulty maintaining their close relationships, show odd behavior when in company of others and lose touch with reality at times.

If someone is suffering from these, it is essential that they or a close relative or friend seek professional help right away.