It can be difficult to understand what is going on when experiencing mental illness. Many disorders have symptoms which overlap with others, and some disorders are difficult to diagnose with accuracy for a multitude of reasons. The more familiar a patient is with what they are experiencing, the easier it is for the patient and clinician to reach consensus on an accurate diagnosis, increasing the chances that treatment will be appropriately tailored and effective. Additionally, recovery and improvement is facilitated by increased insight. For these reasons, this page contains detailed descriptions of disorders and variations in the way they present.

This page and its links are meant to be a guide and a resource for you. Each page was written by your Connections Nursing Psychiatry clinician, who has experience in treating these disorders. Here you will find detailed information regarding the symptoms of each disorder, as well as important treatment considerations.  

Keep in mind that it is inadvisable that you try to diagnose yourself. Educate yourself and take your questions to your clinician for clarification.  If you feel like you identify strongly with the symptoms of a particular disorder, discuss these feelings with your clinician. It is possible to meet some criteria for a diagnosis, but not others, and many disorders have overlapping symptoms. This page contains a number of common psychiatric disorders, but is not nearly an exhaustive list. It is meant to help you to identify particular symptoms and diagnoses, increase insight, and provide you with helpful tools, but it is not intended for self-diagnosis and treatment. We look forward to working with you on your mental health journey!