Psychiatrists in Nashville

Anxiety

Anxiety involves ongoing feelings of worry, fear, or nervousness that can interfere with everyday life. Symptoms may include panic, restlessness, insomnia, trouble breathing, muscle tension, and difficulty concentrating. While mild anxiety is common, anxiety disorders cause excessive and uncontrollable worry, sometimes leading to panic attacks. These conditions can develop in childhood or adolescence and persist into adulthood. Common types include generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, specific phobias, and separation anxiety.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

ADHD in adults presents as chronic difficulty with attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. This can impact relationships, job performance, and self-esteem. Though symptoms often begin in childhood, they may go undiagnosed until adulthood, where hyperactivity may lessen but issues like restlessness, poor time management, and trouble focusing remain. Treatment typically involves medication and therapy. Common symptoms include:

• Difficulty concentrating
• Impulsive behavior
• Disorganization
• Poor planning and time management
• Low frustration tolerance
• Mood swings
• Underperformance at school or work

ADHD is diagnosed when symptoms cause long-term challenges in multiple areas of life. Its causes are thought to involve both genetics and environment.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic depression, causes dramatic shifts in mood and energy. Individuals experience highs (mania or hypomania) with increased energy, euphoria, or irritability, followed by depressive episodes marked by sadness, loss of interest, and fatigue. These mood changes can disrupt sleep, behavior, judgment, and daily functioning.

Depression

Depression is a mental health condition marked by a persistent low mood, lack of interest in daily activities, fatigue, guilt, and changes in appetite or sleep. Episodes often recur and affect most aspects of life, including work, relationships, and self-esteem. Common symptoms include:

• Persistent sadness or emptiness
• Irritability or frustration
• Loss of interest in usual activities
• Fatigue or low energy
• Sleep or appetite changes
• Difficulty concentrating
• Feelings of guilt or worthlessness
• Thoughts of death or suicide

Some individuals may not recognize they are depressed but feel unwell without an obvious cause.

Insomnia

Insomnia is a condition where falling or staying asleep is consistently difficult, leading to poor rest and fatigue during the day. It can be acute—triggered by stress or change—or chronic, lasting over a month. Symptoms include waking up too early, not feeling rested, and poor concentration. Insomnia can negatively affect work, health, and mood.

Mood Disorders

Mood disorders involve disturbances in emotional state that are disproportionate to one’s circumstances. These conditions can manifest as persistent sadness, irritability, or extreme mood swings between highs and lows. Examples include:

• Major depressive disorder
• Bipolar disorder
• Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
• Cyclothymic disorder
• Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
• Substance-induced mood disorder

Treatment typically includes therapy and medication. If emotional challenges are impacting your daily life, it’s important to seek professional support.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

OCD involves recurring, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions) that a person feels driven to perform. These rituals temporarily reduce anxiety but ultimately disrupt daily life. Common themes include cleanliness, order, or checking. Even when individuals recognize their thoughts or actions are excessive, they often feel powerless to stop.

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is characterized by sudden and intense episodes of fear that trigger physical symptoms like rapid heartbeat, dizziness, shortness of breath, or chest pain—often without any clear danger. These panic attacks can feel overwhelming and cause people to fear their recurrence, sometimes leading them to avoid situations that might trigger them. Common symptoms include:

• Sudden fear or sense of danger
• Racing heart or chest discomfort
• Trembling, sweating, or chills
• Nausea or abdominal pain
• Feeling detached from reality
• Fear of losing control or dying

Frequent attacks and constant fear of another episode may indicate panic disorder.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

PTSD develops after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event and may include flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, and emotional numbness. While many people recover naturally from trauma over time, persistent and severe symptoms that interfere with life may signal PTSD. Symptoms may include:

• Recurrent distressing memories
• Avoidance of reminders
• Negative changes in thoughts or mood
• Heightened reactivity or hypervigilance

These symptoms can appear shortly after a trauma or emerge years later, impacting relationships, work, and daily life.