What group of disorders is associated with emotional disturbances that affect ones physical perceptual social and thought processes?

Medically Reviewed by Jennifer Casarella, MD on April 21, 2021

There are many different conditions that are recognized 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 person's response is not appropriate for the situation, if the person cannot control the response, or if the anxiety interferes with normal functioning. Anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and specific phobias.
Mood disorders: These disorders, also called affective disorders, involve persistent feelings of sadness or periods of feeling overly happy, or fluctuations from extreme happiness to extreme sadness. The most common mood disorders are depression, bipolar disorder, and cyclothymic disorder.
Psychotic disorders: Psychotic disorders involve distorted awareness and thinking. Two of the most common symptoms of psychotic disorders are hallucinations -- the experience of images or sounds that are not real, such as hearing voices -- and delusions, which are false fixed beliefs that the ill person accepts as true, despite evidence to the contrary. Schizophrenia is an example of a psychotic disorder.
Eating disorders:Eating disorders involve extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors involving weight and food. Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder are the most common eating disorders.
Impulse control and addiction disorders: People with impulse control disorders are unable to resist urges, or impulses, to perform acts that could be harmful to themselves or others. Pyromania (starting fires), kleptomania (stealing), and compulsive gambling are examples of impulse control disorders. Alcohol and drugs are common objects of addictions. Often, people with these disorders become so involved with the objects of their addiction that they begin to ignore responsibilities and relationships.
Personality disorders: People with personality disorders have extreme and inflexible personality traits that are distressing to the person and/or cause problems in work, school, or social relationships. In addition, the person's patterns of thinking and behavior significantly differ from the expectations of society and are so rigid that they interfere with the person's normal functioning. Examples include antisocial personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, histrionic personality disorder, schizoid personality disorder, and paranoid personality disorder.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): People with OCD are plagued by constant thoughts or fears that cause them to perform certain rituals or routines. The disturbing thoughts are called obsessions, and the rituals are called compulsions. An example is a person with an unreasonable fear of germs who constantly washes their hands.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): PTSD is a condition that can develop following a traumatic and/or terrifying event, such as a sexual or physical assault, the unexpected death of a loved one, or a natural disaster. People with PTSD often have lasting and frightening thoughts and memories of the event, and tend to be emotionally numb.

Other, less common types of mental illnesses include:

Stress response syndromes (formerly called adjustment disorders): Stress response syndromes occur when a person develops emotional or behavioral symptoms in response to a stressful event or situation. The stressors may include natural disasters, such as an earthquake or tornado; events or crises, such as a car accident or the diagnosis of a major illness; or interpersonal problems, such as a divorce, death of a loved one, loss of a job, or a problem with substance abuse. Stress response syndromes usually begin within three months of the event or situation and ends within six months after the stressor stops or is eliminated.
Dissociative disorders: People with these disorders suffer severe disturbances or changes in memory, consciousness, identity, and general awareness of themselves and their surroundings. These disorders usually are associated with overwhelming stress, which may be the result of traumatic events, accidents, or disasters that may be experienced or witnessed by the individual. Dissociative identity disorder, formerly called multiple personality disorder, or "split personality," and depersonalization disorder are examples of dissociative disorders.
Factitious disorders: Factitious disorders are conditions in which a person knowingly and intentionally creates or complains of physical and/or emotional symptoms in order to place the individual in the role of a patient or a person in need of help.
Sexual and gender disorders: These include disorders that affect sexual desire, performance, and behavior. Sexual dysfunction, gender identity disorder, and the paraphilias are examples of sexual and gender disorders.
Somatic symptom disorders: A person with a somatic symptom disorder, formerly known as a psychosomatic disorder or somatoform disorder, experiences physical symptoms of an illness or of pain with an excessive and disproportionate level of distress, regardless of whether or not a doctor can find a medical cause for the symptoms.
Tic disorders: People with tic disorders make sounds or display nonpurposeful body movements that are repeated, quick, sudden, and/or uncontrollable. (Sounds that are made involuntarily are called vocal tics.) Tourette's syndrome is an example of a tic disorder.

Other diseases or conditions, including various sleep-related problems and many forms of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, are sometimes classified as mental illnesses, because they involve the brain.

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Personality disorders are characterized by an enduring pattern of maladaptive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that can cause serious detriments to relationships and other life areas. Types of personality disorders include:

Antisocial personality disorder is characterized by a long-standing disregard for rules, social norms, and the rights of others. People with this disorder typically begin displaying symptoms during childhood, have difficulty feeling empathy for others, and lack remorse for their destructive behaviors.

Avoidant personality disorder involves severe social inhibition and sensitivity to rejection. Such feelings of insecurity lead to significant problems with the individual's daily life and functioning.

Borderline personality disorder is associated with symptoms including emotional instability, unstable and intense interpersonal relationships, unstable self-image, and impulsive behaviors.

Dependent personality disorder involves a chronic pattern of fearing separation and an excessive need to be taken care of. People with this disorder will often engage in behaviors that are designed to produce care-giving actions in others.

Histrionic personality disorder is associated with patterns of extreme emotionality and attention-seeking behaviors. People with this condition feel uncomfortable in settings where they are not the center of attention, have rapidly changing emotions, and may engage in socially inappropriate behaviors designed to attract attention from others.

Narcissistic personality disorder is associated with a lasting pattern of exaggerated self-image, self-centeredness, and low empathy. People with this condition tend to be more interested in themselves than in others.

Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder is a pervasive pattern of preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, inflexibility, and mental and interpersonal control. This is a different condition than obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

Paranoid personality disorder is characterized by a distrust of others, even family, friends, and romantic partners. People with this disorder perceive others' intentions as malevolent, even without any evidence or justification.

Schizoid personality disorder involves symptoms that include being detached from social relationships. People with this disorder are directed toward their inner lives and are often indifferent to relationships. They generally display a lack of emotional expression and can appear cold and aloof.

Schizotypal personality disorder features eccentricities in speech, behaviors, appearance, and thought. People with this condition may experience odd beliefs or magical thinking as well as difficulty forming relationships.

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When you first quit cigarettes, it may feel as if every waking moment is consumed with one thought and one thought alone: the urge to smoke. If you pay close attention though, you'll notice that most cravings last only around three to five minutes. They tend to come on strongly and decrease gradually until they're finally gone.

The best rule of thumb is to deal with cravings as they come, one by one. This approach requires that you interrupt your thought pattern the moment the craving hits. Simply shift gears and do something entirely different for a few minutes.

By changing your focus, you can redirect your focus from the physical or psychological craving as opposed to allowing it to consume your thoughts.

There are two types of cravings people experience in the early days of smoking cessation:

Physical cravings: Your body's reaction to nicotine withdrawal can be felt physically. Physical cravings are usually experienced as a tightness in the throat or belly, accompanied by feelings of tension or anxiety.
Psychological cravings: These are triggered by everyday events. People who smoke develop a number of cues that signal the need for a cigarette. Perhaps you light up whenever facing stress or smoke while driving, eating, drinking, or socializing. When you quit, those subconscious cues trigger profound urges.

Here are 12 simple ways to manage physical and psychological cravings and gain more control over your ability to quit.

Sitting still only allows you to stew in your emotions. Get up and move about. If you can, go outside and take a five-minute walk around the block, breathing deeply as you go.

A simple trick is to breathe with your diaphragm rather than your chest (a technique known as "belly breathing"). You'll be able to get more air in and out of the lungs if you do, and it may even help ease the physical symptoms of craving.

Close your eyes. Now, create a place or situation in your mind that is calming and can divert your thoughts from the discomfort you may be feeling. This is a practice better known as guided imagery.

It is a stress-reduction technique best done in a room that is quiet and not overly bright. The aim of the practice is to learn how to control your emotions rather than letting your emotions control you.

Breathing is one of those unconscious functions we take for granted. But, if you take a few minutes to control the rate and method of your breathing, inhaling and exhaling with mindfulness, it can become a powerful tool to help you overcome cravings.

This is a form of mind-body therapy in yoga known as pranayama in which you focus on the sensation of breathing as you control the pace of your inhalations and exhalations. Doing this for five minutes not only has a meditative effect but can leave you feeling calmer and fully refreshed.

It can be easy not to realize how dehydrated you can get during the course of a day. When this happens, it can trigger feelings of anxiety which, in turn, can trigger the urge to smoke. If a craving suddenly strikes, try drinking a tall glass of water.

Listing your reasons can become a simple affirmation that allows you to overcome your ill emotions with hard intellect. By weighing the pros and cons, you remind yourself that there are benefits and consequences to every action. Writing it down helps reaffirm why you began this journey and what you need to do to succeed.

Moreover, putting it on paper will not only clarify your thoughts but prevent you from rationalizing any slips you may experience (such as "it was only one cigarette.")

If you make a habit of penning the list in a journal or diary every time an urge hits, you may even be able to see how much progress you are making.

This strategy is all about distraction. Find something you enjoy doing that's easy to pick up and put down at a moment's notice. You could work a crossword puzzle or read a few pages from a novel. If you knit or crochet, you carry around a simple project to keep your hands busy and away from cigarettes.

Avoid action-packed video games or any activity that is more likely to raise your blood pressure than lower it. Anxiety or excitement can be a prime trigger for smoking that you need to avoid rather than incite.

When blood sugar levels drop, the urge to smoke can seem stronger than ever. It can even be hard sometimes to distinguish between the craving for sugar and the craving for tobacco.

If faced with the urge to smoke, grab a nutritious snack like a piece of fruit, a cup of yogurt, or a tablespoon of peanut butter on a couple of saltines.

On the other hand, avoid baked goods, chips, and candy bars that are often packed with saturated fats, high-fructose corn syrup, or refined carbohydrates. These snacks can send your blood sugar on a rollercoaster ride and make cravings worse.

Being around others when they're smoking can trigger your own cigarette cravings. If you find that someone lights up a cigarette near you, change locations. If you're standing outside and someone is smoking near you, put some distance between you and that person by stepping into the closest store or shop to browse the aisles instead.

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is an option to help reduce cravings. NRT administers small amounts of nicotine without the other toxins in cigarettes. NRT comes in gum, patches for your skin, lozenges, mouth spray, and other forms. Talk to a doctor about whether NRT is the right choice for you.

If you are in distress, why go it alone? Instead, take a few minutes to connect with someone you care about. Not only will your spirits be lifted, but your mind will also be distracted from any thoughts of smoking.

Moreover, if you share your feelings with a friend or loved one, you allow them to be part of the solution. Doing so may also lift their spirits, as well.

If you can't get away from your desk but are near a computer, you can access a number of smoking cessation forums and read how others have dealt with and survived nicotine withdrawal in the early days of quitting. You can even post a message if there is something specific you want to discuss. You'll be surprised at how willing people are to offer support if you ask.

Knowing that someone has experienced the same things as you—and has succeeded in kicking the habit—may be just the affirmation you need to push past the craving.

Take a few minutes to reflect on all of the things in your life that you're grateful for. It's a simple yet powerful way to pull yourself out of a slump and renew your motivation.

In the end, it is important to remind yourself that a craving is a call, not a command. By focusing on what really matters—your family, your friends, and your future—you can reframe a short-term craving as a means to a better end. The important thing is to keep positive. You will get there.