Whatever Brought You Here
We work with adults across a wide range of mental health conditions. Below is what each one commonly looks like and what treatment here usually involves.
Please read this as general information. The descriptions below are not a diagnosis and not a substitute for an evaluation. Several of these conditions look alike from the outside, and more than one can be present at the same time, which is exactly why the first appointment is a full evaluation rather than a questionnaire.
Worry that has stopped being useful and started running the day.
Generalized anxiety can feel like persistent worry that is difficult to control, often accompanied by restlessness, muscle tension, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and disrupted sleep. Social anxiety may involve intense fear of being judged, embarrassed, or negatively evaluated by others. When anxiety begins interfering with work, relationships, sleep, or everyday life, treatment can help.
Treatment usually involves- A full evaluation, including thyroid and other physical causes worth ruling out
- Medication where appropriate, discussed with its side effects up front
- Supportive psychotherapy and practical strategies for the situations that trigger it
Not only sadness. Often it is flatness, exhaustion and things quietly stopping.
Depression can present as low mood, but just as often as loss of interest, heavy fatigue, changed appetite or sleep, difficulty concentrating, and a harsh internal commentary. It responds well to treatment, and it responds better the earlier it is addressed.
Treatment usually involves- Assessment of severity, safety and any physical contributors
- Antidepressant treatment where indicated, with a realistic timeline for review
- Supportive psychotherapy, sleep and activity work alongside medication
Frequently missed in adulthood, and equally often assumed where something else fits better.
Adult ADHD tends to look like difficulty starting and finishing tasks, losing track of time, restlessness, impulsive decisions and a long history of underperforming relative to effort. Many adults reach a diagnosis only after their own child is assessed.
Treatment usually involves- Structured assessment covering childhood history and current functioning
- Deliberate consideration of anxiety, depression, sleep problems and substance use
- Medication where appropriate, prescribed within state and federal rules, plus practical strategies
Episodes of elevated or irritable mood alongside episodes of depression.
Because people usually seek help during the depressed phase, bipolar disorder is often first treated as depression. Getting the distinction right matters, because it changes which medication is safe and appropriate.
Treatment usually involves- Careful history covering periods of elevated mood, reduced need for sleep and impulsivity
- Mood stabilising treatment with appropriate monitoring
- Recognizing early warning signs so an episode can be caught sooner next time
When something that happened is still shaping how the body responds today.
This can include intrusive memories, nightmares, being constantly on alert, avoiding reminders, and feeling numb or detached. It is common after a single event and equally common after long-running circumstances.
Treatment usually involves- Assessment at a pace you set, with no requirement to give detail before you are ready
- Medication for sleep, hyperarousal and mood where that is helpful
- Supportive psychotherapy, and referral to trauma-focused therapy where indicated
Sudden, intense episodes that often feel like a medical emergency.
Racing heart, breathlessness, chest tightness, dizziness and a powerful sense that something is very wrong. Many people have been to an emergency department at least once before the pattern is recognized. The fear of the next attack then starts shrinking where you are willing to go.
Treatment usually involves- Confirming that physical causes have been appropriately considered
- Medication that reduces frequency and intensity over time
- Work on avoidance, which is usually what keeps panic disorder going
Unwanted intrusive thoughts, and the rituals used to make them stop.
OCD is often hidden for years because the content of the thoughts feels shameful. It is not about tidiness. The compulsion can be checking, washing, counting, reassurance seeking or entirely mental, and it brings relief that never lasts.
Treatment usually involves- An evaluation you can give honestly, without any reaction to the content
- Medication at doses appropriate for OCD, which often differ from those used for depression
- Referral to exposure and response prevention therapy where that is indicated
Sleep is not a side issue. It drives mood, concentration and anxiety.
Trouble falling asleep, waking through the night, waking far too early, or sleeping and still feeling wrecked. Poor sleep both causes and results from other psychiatric conditions, so it is always worth addressing directly rather than waiting for it to resolve on its own.
Treatment usually involves- Identifying whether the sleep problem is primary or secondary to something else
- Behavioral approaches first, since they hold up better over time
- Medication where appropriate, with a clear plan rather than an open-ended prescription
Ongoing psychiatric care, with treatment reviewed properly rather than repeated automatically.
Psychotic disorders can involve hearing or seeing things others do not, strongly held beliefs that others do not share, disorganised thinking, and withdrawal from people and activity. Treatment works best when it is consistent and when side effects are taken seriously rather than tolerated in silence.
Treatment usually involves- Antipsychotic medication management with monitoring for metabolic and movement side effects
- Regular review of whether the current regimen is still the right one
- Coordination with family or other services where you want that
Mental health that moves with hormonal and life stage changes.
This includes premenstrual mood changes, mental health during and after pregnancy, and the perimenopausal years, when anxiety, low mood, irritability and sleep disruption are frequently put down to stress alone.
Treatment usually involves- Evaluation that takes hormonal and life stage factors seriously
- Prescribing decisions made with pregnancy and breastfeeding explicitly considered
- Coordination with your obstetric or primary care team where helpful
Treated as a health condition, and discussed without judgment.
Alcohol and substance use very often sits alongside anxiety, depression, trauma or ADHD, each one feeding the other. Treating only one side of that rarely holds. Dr. Asfaw has worked in residential treatment settings and this is familiar ground.
Treatment usually involves- An honest assessment of use alongside any co-occurring psychiatric condition
- Treatment of both together rather than one after the other
- Referral to detox or a higher level of care where that is what is genuinely needed
If what you are dealing with is not here, ask
This list covers what comes up most often, not everything we can help with. If you are not sure whether this is the right place, call and describe it. If it is not a good fit, we will say so and point you somewhere better.
An evaluation is where this gets clearer
Reading about a condition can only take you so far. One appointment will tell you far more than a list ever can.
