Mental Disorder Pictures

Mental health problems cause struggles within the psyche. Take a look at various types of mental disorders and famous people who have them, along with causes and treatments.

Jimi Hendrix is thought to have had bipolar disorder -- alternating episodes of mania and depression. Medications and therapy are common treatments. Other notable creative people said to have this disorder include Robin Williams, Mel Gibson, Carrie Fisher, Axl Rose and Jim Carrey, along with the actress on the next page.

Catherine Zeta-Jones was diagnosed with bipolar II, which differs from bipolar I in that the person never reaches full-on mania. Next, learn about depression and celebrities who have struggled with it.

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow was diagnosed with depression after her father's death. Those who suffer from PTSD are at a greater risk to develop depression, as well as those experiencing other stressful events. Depression is usually treatable with antidepressants and the development of better coping skills.

Actress Emma Thompson battled clinical depression, having been diagnosed with five or more specific symptoms -- such as depressed mood, loss of interest, fatigue and feelings of worthlessness over at least a two-week period.

President Abraham Lincoln is thought to have had severe depression during most his life as well. His melancholy was commented on regularly, and he had a family history of mood disorders. Depression can also be situational. See the next page to learn more.

Actress Brooke Shields is pictured here with daughters Grier Henchy and Rowan Henchy. Shields was diagnosed with postpartum depression after giving birth to her first daughter and later wrote a book about her experience.

Sometimes people turn to food or alcohol to deal with negative emotions. Elton John has dealt with substance abuse issues and bulimia. Bulimia is an eating disorder in which people binge, or uncontrollably consume large amounts of food, and then expel the food by vomiting or using laxatives because they don't want to gain weight.

Princess Diana also had the eating disorder bulimia. Eating disorders can be caused by many things, including biological, social and psychological factors. Athletes are also not immune to mental disorders. Learn more on the next page.

Soccer star David Beckham has obsessive compulsive disorder -- he's obsessed with counting objects, symmetry and keeping things in order in his hotel rooms. Other famous people known to have OCD include Woody Allen and Harrison Ford. The next disorder also includes a lot of activity.

Michael Phelps won eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics and has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is characterized by hyperactivity and difficulty focusing. Counseling and medication are effective in managing the disorder.

Another talented athlete, football great Herschel Walker, was diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder and dealt with a dozen alternate personalities. The disorder is strongly associated with childhood trauma and abuse. The condition on the next page may also affect children.

In his 2002 song, "Cleaning Out My Closet," rapper Eminem accuses his mother of having Munchausen syndrome. People with this disorder pretend to be ill, or make their child ill, because they're seeking attention and sympathy.

In other disorders, people don't want attention at all. Singer Barbra Streisand didn't perform in public for more than 20 years due to a social phobia.

Paula Deen also formerly struggled with a phobia -- agoraphobia -- or fear of crowds, open spaces or uncontrolled social conditions. She had regular panic attacks as a result.

Similarly, singer Jonathan Knight performed with New Kids on the Block in the 1980s and suffered from panic attacks so severe that it caused him to leave the band. Treatment depends on the person and may be cured just with psychotherapy, but sometimes medication is necessary in severe cases.

A more common anxiety is claustrophobia -- an irrational fear of confined spaces. Actress Drew Barrymore has this phobia. It can be caused by a traumatizing experience in childhood or might even be connected to an evolutionary survival skill of avoiding entrapment and/or suffocation.

If fears are taken to an extreme, paranoia can be the result. Margot Kidder portrayed Lois Lane opposite Christopher Reeve's Superman in the movies and was overwhelmed by paranoia and manic depression in 1996. She now speaks publicly on mental health issues after making a full recovery.

John Forbes Nash Jr., the Nobel Prize winner for economic sciences in 1994, also endured paranoia. More specifically, he suffered from schizophrenia. People with this disorder can experience delusions, hallucinations and paranoia. Nash's struggle inspired the award-winning film, "A Beautiful Mind."

Defensive end Lionel Aldridge played for the Green Bay Packers and San Diego Chargers and was also diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia after retiring from football. He was homeless for more than two years before receiving treatment and making a recovery.

Beach Boy Brian Wilson likewise lived with distortions in perception, in addition to manic depression -- otherwise called schizoaffective disorder. He takes medication to keep it under control. Symptoms usually begin in early adulthood and affect thinking and feeling.

While it is not certain Sir Isaac Newton (one of the most accomplished scientists in history) had schizophrenia, he was known to write delusional letters and have mood swings. Some researches think he, along with Albert Einstein, had Asperger's Syndrome, which is an autism spectrum disorder affecting the ability to socialize with others.

People with borderline personality disorder also have a difficult time with personal relationships. It is thought that this affected Marilyn Monroe. She had several marriages and affairs, though she had very few friends or family members. Other signs of this condition include difficulty managing emotions and feelings of worthlessness.

In some cases, mental disorders can be detrimental to other people as well. While it isn't certain that the Great Emperor Nero was a pyromaniac, some believe he set the city of Rome on fire. Pyromania is the uncontrollable urge to start fires.

In other cases, mental disorders may cause people to break the law. Winona Ryder was convicted of shoplifting in 2002, but she didn't attempt a kleptomania defense. Kleptomania is an addiction to stealing items not for personal use or monetary gain.

Regardless of the condition, it is important to get help for any type of mental disorder. Suicide can be a risk, such as with singer Kurt Cobain (1967-1994), who took his life while dealing with biploar disorder. For more information, see our Mental Health Guide and take the Mental Illness Myths Quiz.