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Mental and Behavioral Health
Learn about mental and behavioral health problems
Many people are affected by mental health problems such as depression or panic disorders. These problems can make it harder to think clearly, manage how you feel, and work with other people. Sometimes you may feel helpless and hopeless. But you're not alone. Talking with others who suffer from these problems may help. And treatment can help you get back in control. Or maybe you're worried about someone else and want to help. Our information can answer your questions.
Get the information you need in topics such as:
Health Topics
- Abuse: Risk Factors for Being Abused
- Active Listening
- ADHD and Hyperactivity
- ADHD in Adults: Behavioral Strategies
- ADHD Medicines: Suicide Warning for Strattera
- ADHD Myths and Facts
- ADHD: Impulsivity and Inattention
- ADHD: Other Conditions With Similar Symptoms
- ADHD: Social Skills Training
- ADHD: Symptoms in Adults
- ADHD: Tests for Other Disorders
- Agitation and Dementia
- Al-Anon
- Alcohol Abuse and Dependence
- Alcohol Abuse: Other Health Problems That May Occur
- Alcohol and Drug Problems
- Alcohol and Drugs: When to Get Help for an Intoxicated Person
- Alcohol and Substance Abuse in PTSD
- Alcohol Effects on a Fetus
- Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
- Alzheimer's and Other Dementias: Maintaining Good Nutrition
- Alzheimer's and Other Dementias: Making the Most of Remaining Abilities
- Alzheimer's and Other Dementias: Making Your Home Safe
- Alzheimer's Disease
- Anger, Hostility, and Violent Behavior
- Anorexia Complications
- Anorexia Nervosa
- Anorexia: Help for Family Members
- Anorexia: Learning New Eating Behaviors
- Anorexia: Learning to Trust Others
- Anorexia: Other Health Problems That May Occur
- Antianxiety Medicines for Alcohol Withdrawal
- Anxiety
- Apolipoprotein E-4 Genetic (DNA) Test
- Asperger's Syndrome
- Assessing PTSD
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Autism
- Autism and Vaccines
- Autism: Behavioral Training and Management
- Autism: Support and Training for the Family
- Avoiding Temper Tantrums
- Barriers to Psychological Care
- Behavior Rating Scales for ADHD
- Behavior Therapy for ADHD
- Benefits of Quitting Alcohol or Drugs
- Binge Eating Disorder
- Bipolar Disorder
- Bipolar Disorder in Children and Teens
- Bipolar Disorder in Children: Other Health Problems That May Occur
- Bipolar Disorder in Children: School Issues
- Bipolar Disorder: Helping Someone During a Manic Episode
- Bipolar Disorder: Hypomanic Episodes
- Bipolar Disorder: Manic Episodes
- Biting
- Biting as a Behavior Problem
- Blackouts Caused by Alcohol or Drugs
- Borderline Personality Disorder
- Building Resilience
- Building Self-Esteem
- Bulimia Nervosa
- Bulimia: Misuse of Ipecac Syrup
- Bulimia: Overuse of Laxatives
- Bullying
- Bullying: Building a Child's Self-Esteem
- Bullying: How to Help Your Child Who Bullies
- Bullying: Signs a Child Is Bullied
- CAGE Questionnaire for Alcohol Problems
- Cancer Support: Managing Stress
- Caring for Adults With Autism
- Case Management for Schizophrenia
- Cathy's Story: Dealing With Stress
- Cerebral Palsy
- Cerebral Palsy: Bathing and Grooming Tips
- Cerebral Palsy: Controversial Treatments
- Cerebral Palsy: Help for Speech Problems
- Cerebral Palsy: Safety Tips
- Change a Habit by Setting Goals
- Cheryl's Story: Dealing With Depression
- Child Abuse and Neglect
- Childhood Schizophrenia
- Chronic Fatigue: Antidepressants
- Chronic Fatigue: Changing Your Schedule
- Chronic Fatigue: Getting Support
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Eating Disorders
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Pain Management
- Common Coping Responses for Stress
- Communication Styles
- Comparing Symptoms of Normal Moodiness With Depression in Children
- Complications of Grief
- Conditions Related to Dyslexia
- Conditions With Symptoms Similar to Depression in Children and Teens
- Confusion, Memory Loss, and Altered Alertness
- Counseling for HIV Infection
- Counseling for PTSD
- Dealing With Anxiety After a Loss
- Dealing With Childhood Fears
- Dealing With Guilt After a Loss
- Dealing With Negative Thoughts
- Debbie's Story: People Can and Do Recover
- Deciding to Get Treatment for PTSD
- Dementia
- Dementia: Bladder and Bowel Problems
- Dementia: Helping a Person Avoid Confusion
- Dementia: Legal Issues
- Dementia: Medicines to Treat Behavior Changes
- Dementia: Support for Caregivers
- Dementia: Testing How Well a Person Functions
- Dementia: Tips for Communicating
- Dementia: Understanding Behavior Changes
- Dental Anxiety
- Depression
- Depression and Coronary Artery Disease
- Depression and Suicide
- Depression and the Holidays
- Depression During Pregnancy
- Depression in Children and Teens
- Depression in Older Adults
- Depression Screening
- Depression, Anxiety, and Physical Health Problems
- Differences Between ADHD and Bipolar Disorder in Children
- Do I Have Depression?
- Domestic Abuse
- Domestic Violence
- Domestic Violence: Checklist of Things to Take When You Leave
- Domestic Violence: Getting a Protective Order
- Drug Abuse and Dependence
- Drug Problems: Helping Someone Get Treatment
- Dyslexia
- Eat a Balanced Diet for Mental Health
- Eating Disorders and Self-Esteem
- Eating Disorders: Avoiding Guilt and Self-Blame
- Eating Disorders: Cultural and Social Factors
- Eating Disorders: Feeling Better About Yourself
- Eating Disorders: Malnutrition Tests
- Eating Disorders: Personality Traits That Put You at Risk
- Eating Disorders: Stopping Negative Thoughts
- Ecstasy (MDMA)
- Effective Parenting and Disciplining Children
- Elder Abuse
- Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
- Emotional Development, Ages 2 to 5 Years
- Emotional Eating
- Emotional Reactions to a Diagnosis of Cancer
- Examining Your Beliefs to Manage Stress
- Exposure Therapy
- Family Meetings
- Family Therapy
- Family Therapy for Depression in Children
- FDA Advisories for Antidepressants
- Fear and Anger in PTSD
- Feeling Depressed
- Fetal Alcohol Effects: How to Help Your Child
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Caring For Your Baby
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Signs That Your Child Needs to Be Evaluated
- Fran's Story: Finding Support When You Have COPD
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- Get Regular Exercise for Mental Health
- Grief and Grieving
- Grief and PTSD
- Grief and Your View Of Death
- Grief Counseling
- Grief: Crying Can Help
- Grief: Dealing With Feelings of Insecurity
- Grief: Helping Children Understand
- Grief: How Storytelling Helps Children
- Grief: Losing a Loved One
- Grief: When Major Loss Challenges Your Beliefs
- Grieving a Chronic Illness
- Guided Imagery
- Handling Sadness and Yearning After a Major Loss
- Healing Through Humor
- Health Tracking Forms and Checklists
- Healthy Eating to Decrease Stress
- Healthy Eating: Influences on Eating Behavior
- Help for Anger Problems
- Helping a Family Member Who Has PTSD
- Helping Kids Handle Peer Pressure
- Helping Someone During a Panic Attack
- Helping Your Child Build Inner Strength
- How ADHD Affects Your Child
- How Can CBT Help?
- Hysterectomy: Emotional Reactions
- Ideas to Help You Cut Back On or Stop Using Alcohol
- Illness Patterns in Schizophrenia
- Importance of Personal Relationships for Lowering Stress
- Infertility: Emotional and Social Concerns
- Inhalant Abuse
- Inpatient and Outpatient Treatment for Substance Abuse
- Interactive Tool: Are You Depressed?
- Interactive Tool: Do You Have a Drinking Problem?
- Interactive Tool: How Well Do You Bounce Back?
- Interactive Tool: What Is Your Stress Level?
- Interactive Tools
- Learning Disabilities
- Life Transitions and PTSD
- Light Therapy
- Living With More Than One Health Problem
- Managing Job Stress
- Marijuana
- Martha's Story: A Voice for Recovery
- Marvin's Story: Coping After Hurricane Katrina
- Medical History for Alcohol Problems
- Medical History for Eating Disorders
- Medications and Other Substances That Can Cause Symptoms of Depression
- Medicine for Tourette's Disorder
- Medicines That Interact With Alcohol
- Memory Problems: Issues With Driving
- Memory Problems: Tips for Helping the Person With Daily Tasks
- Memory Problems: Wandering
- Meningitis: Long-Term Problems
- Mental Health Problems and Stigma
- Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia
- Mind-Body Wellness
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
- Multiple Sclerosis: Medicines for Depression
- Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy
- Myths About Tourette's Disorder
- Myths and Facts About Depression
- Nervous System Problems
- Neurosyphilis
- Night Eating Syndrome
- Nonepileptic Seizures (NES)
- Nonprescription Sleep Medicines
- Nonverbal Learning Disorder
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Obstacles to Grieving
- OCD Medicines Other Than SSRIs
- OCD: Exposure and Prevention Therapy
- OCD: How Family Members Can Cope
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Bipolar Disorder
- Other Types of Counseling for PTSD
- Overcoming Frustration and Anger
- Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder
- Panic Disorder: Other Conditions That May Occur
- Parkinson's Disease and Depression
- Patty’s Story: Using Positive Thinking to Help Back Pain
- Pervasive Developmental Disorders
- Phobias
- Physical Abuse
- Physical Exam for Eating Disorders
- Physical Signs of Alcohol Dependence
- Planning for Alcohol or Drug Relapse
- Postpartum Depression
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Practicing Gratitude
- Pregnancy: Relationship Changes
- Problem Solving to Manage Stress
- Psychotherapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- PTSD and Depression
- PTSD and Negative Coping
- PTSD and Panic Attacks
- PTSD and Physical Health Problems
- PTSD and Suicide
- PTSD and Your Family
- PTSD Myths
- Questions About Substance Abuse Treatment Programs
- Questions Your Doctor May Ask Before Prescribing Medicine for Depression in Children and Teens
- Quick Tips: Reducing Holiday Stress
- Quick Tips: Reducing the Stress of Caregiving
- Ravi’s Story: Coping With Back Pain and Depression
- Reducing Anxiety
- Relapse of Schizophrenia
- Relaxation Exercises
- Residential Treatment for Substance Abuse
- Ron's Story: Therapy Helps
- Safety Plan: Preparing to Leave a Violent Relationship
- Sarah's Story: Dealing With the Emotions From COPD
- Saying No to Alcohol and Drugs
- Schizophrenia
- Schizophrenia and Pregnancy
- Schizophrenia and the Caregiver
- Schizophrenia: Encouraging Social Skills
- Schizophrenia: Encouraging Someone to Take the Medicines
- Schizophrenia: Helping Someone Who Is Hallucinating
- Schizophrenia: Helping Someone Who Is Paranoid
- Schizophrenia: Related Disorders
- Schizophrenia: Social Skills Training
- Schizophrenia: Warning Signs of Violence
- Schizophrenia: When Hospital Care is Needed
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Seizure Medicines for Alcohol Withdrawal
- Seizures
- Self-Care for AIDS Caregivers
- Self-Hypnosis
- Self-Hypnosis for Stress
- Sexual Abuse or Assault (Rape)
- Sharing Memories With Older Adults
- Sherri's Story: Medicines Do Work
- Shoulder and Neck Massage
- Signs of Drug Abuse
- Signs of Stress
- Signs of Substance Use
- Sleep Problems, Age 12 and Older
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- Social Connections
- Specific Phobias
- Sponsor's Role in Alcohol or Drug Recovery
- Stan's Story: Getting There Hasn't Been Easy
- Staying Safe: After You Leave a Violent Relationship
- Staying Safe: If You Are in a Violent Relationship
- Stop Negative Thoughts: Choosing a Healthier Way of Thinking
- Stress and Diabetes
- Stress in Children and Teens
- Stress Journal
- Stress Management
- Stress Management When You Have Cancer
- Stress Management: Breathing Exercises
- Stress Management: Imagery Exercises
- Stress Relief and Relaxation
- Stroke: Behavior Changes
- Stroke: Changes in Emotions
- Stroke: Dealing With Depression
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Problems
- Substance Abuse in Older Adults
- Substance Abuse Support Groups: Being an Active Member
- Substance Abuse: Staying Alcohol- or Drug-Free After Treatment
- Suicidal Thoughts or Threats
- Suicide Assessment
- Suicide Threats: What to Do
- Support Groups and Social Support
- Supporting Someone Who Has an Eating Disorder
- Susan's Story: A Friend Really Helps
- Symptoms of Depression
- Symptoms of Depression in Children
- Symptoms of Severe Anxiety and Panic
- Taking Care of Yourself When You Have a Child With Physical, Emotional, or Behavioral Problems
- Taking Care of Yourself When Your Baby Is Fussy
- Taking Care of Yourself When Your Child Is Sick
- Talk to Others About Depression
- Tapping the Power of Optimism
- Teen Relationship Abuse
- Teen Substance Abuse: Signs at Home
- Teen Substance Abuse: Signs at School
- Teen Substance Abuse: Signs in Your Teen's Friendships
- Teen Substance Use: Making a Contract With Your Teen
- Temper Tantrums
- Temper Tantrums: Keeping a Record
- Temporary Confusion or Decreased Alertness
- Thumb-Sucking
- Thumb-Sucking Versus Pacifier Use
- Time-Out
- Tim's Story: Dealing With Trauma And Grief
- Tips for Finding a Counselor or Therapist
- Tips for Getting More Sleep
- Topiramate for Binge Eating Disorder
- Tourette's Disorder
- Tourette's Disorder: Habit Reversal Training
- Tourette's Disorder: Making Home and School Life Easier
- Tourette's Disorder: Tic Triggers
- Types of Domestic Abuse
- Types of Schizophrenia
- Unproven Treatments for Autism
- Unresolved Grief
- Violent Behavior
- Violent Behavior in Children and Teens
- Virtual Reality Treatment
- Warning Signs of Dementia
- Warning Signs of Suicide
- Warning Signs of Suicide in Adults
- Warning Signs of Suicide in Children and Teens
- Warning Signs of Suicide in Older Adults
- Ways To Reduce Stress
- Weakness and Fatigue
- What Increases Your Risk of Becoming a Victim of Domestic Abuse or Violence?
Medications
- Acamprosate for Alcohol Abuse and Dependence
- Alprazolam for PMS-Related Anxiety
- Antidepressant Medicines Used to Treat OCD
- Antihypertensives for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Antipsychotics for Child and Teen Bipolar Disorder
- Antipsychotics for the Treatment of Bipolar Disorder
- Antipsychotics for Treating Schizophrenia
- Atomoxetine (Strattera) for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Benzodiazepines for Panic Disorder
- Benzodiazepines for Social Anxiety Disorder
- Cholinesterase Inhibitors for Alzheimer's Disease
- Danazol for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)
- Disulfiram
- Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Agonist (GnRH-a) for Severe PMS
- Memantine for Alzheimer's Disease
- Methadone for Drug Abuse
- Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) for Depression
- Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) for Panic Disorder
- Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) for Social Anxiety Disorder
- Mood Stabilizers for Child and Teen Bipolar Disorder
- Mood-Stabilizing Medicines for Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia
- Other Antidepressants for Depression
- Prazosin for PTSD
- Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) for Depression
- Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) for Depression in Children and Teens
- Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) for PMS and PMDD
- Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) for Postpartum Depression
- Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) for PTSD
- Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors for Depression and Pain After a Stroke
- Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors for Panic Disorder
- Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors for Social Anxiety Disorder
- Stimulants for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Tricyclic and Tetracyclic Antidepressants for Depression
- Tricyclic Antidepressants for Panic Disorder
- Tricyclic Antidepressants for Postpartum Depression
- Tricyclic Antidepressants for Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
Make a Wise Decision
- ADHD: Should My Child Take Medicine for ADHD?
- Alzheimer's Disease: Should I Take Medicines?
- Alzheimer's or Other Dementia: Should I Move My Relative Into Long-Term Care?
- Depression: Should I Stop Taking My Antidepressant?
- Depression: Should I Take an Antidepressant?
- Depression: Should I Take Antidepressants While I'm Pregnant?
- Depression: Should My Child Take Medicine to Treat Depression?
- Healthy Aging: Is It Time to Stop Driving?
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Should I Take Medicine for OCD?
- Panic Disorder: Should I Take Medicine?
Take Action
- ADHD: Helping Your Child Get the Most From School
- ADHD: Helping Your Child Get Things Done
- Alcohol Problems: Helping Someone Get Treatment
- Alcohol Problems: How to Stop Drinking
- Anxiety: Stop Negative Thoughts
- Bipolar Disorder in Children: Helping Your Child Prevent Manic Episodes
- Bipolar Disorder: Preventing Manic Episodes
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Using Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
- Depression: Dealing With Medicine Side Effects
- Depression: Helping Someone Get Treatment
- Depression: Managing Postpartum Depression
- Depression: Stop Negative Thoughts
- Depression: Supporting Someone Who Is Depressed
- Depression: Taking Antidepressants Safely
- Grief: Coping With Grief
- Grief: Helping Children With Grief
- Grief: Helping Older Adults With Grief
- Grief: Helping Teens With Grief
- Growth and Development: Helping Your Child Build Self-Esteem
- Seasonal Affective Disorder: Using Light Therapy
- Stop Negative Thoughts: Getting Started
- Stress Management: Breathing Exercises for Relaxation
- Stress Management: Doing Guided Imagery to Relax
- Stress Management: Doing Meditation
- Stress Management: Doing Progressive Muscle Relaxation
- Stress Management: Helping Your Child With Stress
- Stress Management: Managing Your Time
- Stress Management: Practicing Yoga to Relax
- Stress Management: Reducing Stress by Being Assertive
- Stress Management: Relaxing Your Mind and Body
- Thumb-Sucking: Helping Your Child Stop
- Weight Management: Stop Negative Thoughts
Last Revised: June 10, 2011
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review: Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
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