What is a Symptom? 

Helping patients to understand what we do as mental health clinicians is one of the most important tools we have to help them take a more proactive role in wellness. Treatment is more than a purely supportive ear over a cup of joe, or a random “pick a drug, any drug” treatment strategy as it has a definite methodology and structure.  This treatment comes in the form of different types of psychotherapy, which can be tailored to the needs of the patient, and possible use of psychopharmacology to help with symptoms. 

Let’s use the example of an athlete runner.  Sometimes the athlete develops pain and swelling (symptoms) as a result of a deeper wound or injury.  The pain is the body’s way of saying there is a problem that needs to be healed and fixed with physical therapy and medication.  Similarly, a mental health symptom is often a manifestation of a particular type of mental health problem or emotional injury.  Examples are depressed or anxious mood, elevated mood, sleep or appetite disturbances, guilt or hopelessness, tearfulness, excessive worry, a change in energy, agitation, irritability, or suspiciousness. Other symptoms can be feelings of ennui or emotional torpor. Clusters of symptoms are the bedrock of broader diagnoses such major depression, generalized anxiety, panic disorder, alcohol dependence, and schizophrenia. A “nervous breakdown” is not a recognized diagnosis as it can derive from or be part and parcel of several conditions.

The majority of patients we treat at The Flatiron Group present with mood disorders  (depression, bipolar disorder), anxiety disorders (generalized anxiety, panic disorder, PTSD, OCD) and personality-related difficulties.  Other categories include substance use disorders and psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.  While many of these difficulties can be treated with medication, personality-related issues may not respond to medication as readily.