ADHD is not just a childhood disorder; it is estimated that between 30-70 percent of children diagnosed with ADHD continue to exhibit symptoms in the adult years. Typically, adults with ADHD are unaware that they have this disorder – they often just feel that it’s impossible to get organized, to stick to a job, or keep an appointment. Everyday tasks of getting up, getting dressed and ready for work, and getting to work on time can be major challenges for an ADHD adult.

Anxiety Disorders affect an estimated 40 million adults each year, causing them to be filled with fearfulness and uncertainty. Unlike the relatively mild, brief anxiety caused by a stressful event, anxiety disorders last at least 6 months and can worsen if not treated. Anxiety often co-exists with substance use, other mental illnesses, or physical illnesses.

About 5.7 million adults age 18 and older in any given year, have Bipolar Disorder. Bipolar Disorder, formerly referred to as Manic Depression, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person’s mood, energy, and ability to function. Different from normal ups and down that everyone goes through, the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder are more severe. The impulsiveness or depression that occurs with Bipolar can often result in damaged relationships, poor job or school performance, or suicidal thoughts.

Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe brain disorder that affects about 1 percent of Americans. Schizophrenia is often accompanied by hearing voices that others don’t hear, false beliefs or thoughts that others are out to harm them, or seeing things that others don’t see. These symptoms can be terrifying and can cause fearfulness, withdrawal, or extreme agitation.

Developmental Disability is a term used to describe, life-long disabilities attributed to mental and/or physical impairments that developed prior to the age of 22. Difficulties in being able to independently care for oneself, learning, mobility, and language are common. Development disabilities affect between 1 and 2% of the population.

Substance use dependence is a chronic and progressive disease that results from a chemical brain change following overindulgence in drugs or alcohol. Persons addicted to a substance crave that substance, often as strongly as others crave food or water. This is what leads people to continue to drink or use drugs despite serious family, health, or legal problems.