{
  "id": 6396118,
  "title": "Types of Mental Illness",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/types-of-mental-illness",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-09T07:35:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Chronicle Ghana",
    "slug": "the-chronicle-ghana",
    "url": "https://thechronicle.com.gh/types-of-mental-illness/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mental illnesses encompass a wide range of conditions. Anxiety disorders are among the most frequently observed, with individuals experiencing fear and dread about specific objects or situations. They may also exhibit physical symptoms of anxiety, such as a rapid heartbeat and sweating. Panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and specific phobias are other types of anxiety disorders.\n\nMood disorders involve persistent feelings of sadness or periods of extreme happiness or sadness. The most common mood disorders are depression, bipolar disorder, and cyclothymic disorder. Psychotic disorders, marked by distorted awareness and thinking, include hallucinations (experiencing images or sounds that are not real, like hearing voices) and delusions (false fixed beliefs that the afflicted person believes to be true despite conflicting evidence). Schizophrenia is an example of a psychotic disorder.\n\nEating disorders involve extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors related to weight and food. The most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. Impulse control and addiction disorders involve an inability to resist urges that could be harmful to oneself or others. Examples include pyromania (starting fires), kleptomania (stealing), and compulsive gambling. Alcohol and drug addictions are also prevalent.\n\nPersonality disorders are characterized by extreme and inflexible personality traits that are distressing to the individual and can cause problems in various aspects of life. These personality traits significantly differ from societal expectations and interfere with normal functioning. Some examples include antisocial personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, histrionic personality disorder, schizoid personality disorder, and paranoid personality disorder.\n\nObsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is marked by constant, unwanted thoughts or fears leading to specific rituals or routines. The distressing thoughts are called obsessions, while the rituals are known as compulsions. For instance, someone with an unreasonable fear of germs might constantly wash their hands. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop following a traumatic or terrifying event, such as sexual or physical assault, unexpected death of a loved one, or a natural disaster. Individuals with PTSD often experience lasting and frightening thoughts and memories related to the event and may feel emotionally numb.\n\nOther less common mental illnesses include stress response syndromes, dissociative disorders, factitious disorders, sexual and gender disorders, somatic symptom disorders, tic disorders, and various sleep-related problems as well as forms of dementia like Alzheimer’s disease.",
  "summary": "There are many different conditions that are recognised as mental illnesses. The more common types include: Anxiety disorders: People with anxiety disorders respond to certain objects or situations with fear and dread, as well as with physical signs of anxiety or panic, such as a rapid heartbeat and sweating. An anxiety disorder is diagnosed if the […] The post Types of Mental Illness appeared…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}