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FULL OF KNOWLEDGE BLOG ONSEN® / Expert Tips

Emotional disorders - how to recognize and treat them

5 lipca 2025
Contents
Types of emotional disorders
Diagnosing emotional disorders
Treating emotional disorders
The invisible cause of suffering
In the 21st century, emotional disorders have become one of the major health challenges. Constant rush, along with sensory overload and rising social expectations, make it difficult for many people to manage their emotions. As Mateusz Nesterok, a psychologist specializing in health and rehabilitation, points out, it is excessive pressure and chronic emotional overload that are key factors in destabilizing mental health. He notes that people often stop listening to themselves and don’t realize when they need help.

It’s important to note that emotional difficulties are not limited to temporary states such as sadness or stress. They involve persistent patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that affect relationships and quality of life. That’s why early recognition and appropriate treatment are crucial to functioning better.

Types of emotional disorders

Emotional disorders are a collection of various difficulties that primarily affect the emotional sphere, but also behavior and social relationships of the person affected. Mateusz Nesterok emphasizes the need to speak not only about symptoms, but also about the roots of these challenges. Many patients live in environments that reinforce anxiety and tension, which only deepens the issue. A common foundation for therapy is cutting off the stimuli that trigger difficulties.

Among the general population, anxiety disorders are frequent. These involve conditions where fear becomes chronic, intense, or irrational, and distinct from typical fear. The most common include social phobia and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), as well as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and panic disorders. Sufferers often live in constant tension, which leads to physical symptoms—a field referred to as psychosomatics, involving somatization.

Meanwhile, affective disorders such as depression, dysthymia, or bipolar disorder impact the ability to feel joy and emotional stability. Patients often report a deep lack of energy and purpose, as well as trouble engaging in daily activities. Many fail to recognize that their lack of motivation or irritability is not laziness, but a symptom of a treatable condition.

A separate category includes personality disorders, divided into three clusters:
  • A (odd-eccentric) – includes schizotypal, schizoid, and paranoid personalities;
  • B (dramatic) – includes narcissistic, antisocial, histrionic, and borderline personalities;
  • C (anxious) – includes obsessive-compulsive, dependent, and avoidant personalities.
Particularly intense are Cluster B disorders, such as borderline and narcissistic personality types, where emotional instability and interpersonal difficulties are most severe. As Mateusz Nesterok explains, for those with a borderline personality, emotions crash like tsunami waves. The issue is not that these emotions exist—because there are no “bad” emotions—but that they are uncontrollable and destructive.

Diagnosing emotional disorders

Proper identification of emotional disorders can be difficult, especially in modern society, which glorifies efficiency and independence with little tolerance for vulnerability. Symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, or apathy are often ignored or mistaken for temporary exhaustion. Many patients seek help only when everything else has failed—relationships have collapsed, and work has become impossible. In such cases, psychotherapy must be carefully planned, Nesterok notes.

One of the most common signs of emotional disorders is persistent sadness or anxiety that continues even when life circumstances appear stable. It is often accompanied by sleep disturbances, irritability, or tearfulness, as well as social withdrawal and suicidal thoughts. With personality disorders, symptoms can be harder to detect, as they align with a chronic psychological functioning style.

People affected by emotional disorders often do not realize their condition or explain their symptoms through external factors. However, what seems to be a matter of personality may actually be a symptom of a disorder—especially when it causes chronic suffering and difficulties in relationships, affecting biopsychosocial functioning.

Diagnosis is the first step toward lasting improvement, as many emotional disorders are highly treatable. Moreover, awareness and naming the problem can offer relief and enable action. Diagnosis should be made by a specialist based on interviews, psychological testing, and observation. Early detection and swift intervention increase the chances of effective treatment and improve quality of life. As Nesterok says: If something paralyzes your life for more than a few weeks, it's a serious warning signal—don’t wait until it gets worse.

Treating emotional disorders

Truly effective treatment of emotional disorders requires a holistic approach. In practice, this means combining psychological therapy and pharmacotherapy, along with other supportive measures. Mateusz Nesterok emphasizes that this is not a one-time visit, but a long-term process. It demands trust and consistency, but above all, a readiness for change.

Effective treatment of emotional disorders requires a personalized approach that considers the type of disorder, symptom severity, and the patient’s life situation. Beyond therapy and medication, lifestyle factors like healthy eating, sleep, physical activity, and avoiding substances are crucial – they have a proven impact on mental health.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a popular approach that helps patients identify and change thought patterns. The effectiveness of this form of psychotherapy has been especially confirmed for long-term treatment of depression and anxiety disorders, which are the most common. For individuals with borderline personality disorder, experts often recommend the less common Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which focuses on emotional regulation.

In more severe cases, pharmacotherapy may be used, including various agents such as antidepressants, mood stabilizers, or anxiolytics that can significantly relieve symptoms. However, it’s essential that medication is prescribed and monitored by a specialist. Medication is not a magic pill but a supportive part of therapy. It cannot replace internal change, because while it may suppress symptoms, it does not modify thought patterns.

The invisible cause of suffering

Personality disorders often go unnoticed or are misinterpreted as a difficult temperament. In reality, they are serious and chronic emotional disorders that significantly impact life quality. The biggest challenge with narcissistic or borderline personality is that not only the patients suffer, but also their loved ones. Due to a lack of understanding, they are often left alone – notes Nesterok.

Personality disorders are a specific form of emotional problems because they’re not usually seen as an illness in the traditional sense but rather as a deep-rooted way of being – at least in everyday perception. People with these disorders often don’t see the problem as their own. They believe the world around them is toxic, hostile, or incomprehensible, while they themselves function “normally.”

According to the DSM-V, psychiatry divides personality disorders into three clusters. Cluster A includes eccentric and socially withdrawn individuals (mostly paranoid), Cluster B includes dramatic and impulsive individuals (like borderline or narcissistic), and Cluster C includes anxious and avoidant types (like dependent or obsessive-compulsive personalities). Each cluster needs a different approach, but all involve significant emotional suffering and relational challenges.

Cluster C disorders, such as avoidant or obsessive-compulsive personalities, often lead to chronic anxiety and perfectionism, even social withdrawal. These individuals are often highly functional at work but experience immense internal stress. As Nesterok points out: They’re often people who do everything perfectly yet can’t sleep at night, thinking they could have done more—feeding rumination cycles.

Cluster B disorders, particularly borderline personality disorder, manifest through extreme emotions, impulsivity, fear of abandonment, and identity instability. Treating these patients requires empathy and a clear structure, which is why DBT has gained strong recognition.

These individuals struggle with identity, often triggering intense emotional responses. Their relationships are marked by ambivalence, shifting from idealization to devaluation quickly and engaging in short-term bonds. Therapy in such cases requires patience and a stable therapeutic relationship.

Cluster A disorders, such as paranoid or schizotypal personalities, are relatively harder to treat due to the patient’s low trust in others. Therapy requires great sensitivity and flexibility, ideally delivered by experienced professionals.

It’s important to emphasize that people with personality disorders deserve help and understanding just as much as those with physical illnesses. When these disorders are undiagnosed and untreated, they can cause serious issues—not just in relationships and work, but across all life areas. You shouldn't wait for the symptoms to go away on their own, because they won’t. Professional help is effective and increasingly accessible. Mental health isn’t a luxury – it’s the foundation of a good life.

We also encourage you to explore other articles on the best sleep and health blog, as well as the Encyclopedia of Healthy Sleep prepared by the ONSEN® team of specialists. For those who care about spine health, we recommend a set of spine exercises prepared by our physiotherapist.

FAQ: Emotional disorders

What are emotional disorders?

Emotional disorders are difficulties in experiencing and regulating emotions that significantly impact daily functioning. They are not temporary mood dips, but persistent conditions that include anxiety disorders, depression, and personality disorders. Affected individuals often cannot respond emotionally in appropriate ways, leading to conflicts, social isolation, or even burnout.

What are the symptoms of emotional disorders?

Symptoms vary depending on the disorder but commonly include: excessive irritability, anxiety, feelings of emptiness or meaninglessness, relationship difficulties, impulsivity, emotional outbursts, sleep disturbances, concentration problems, low self-esteem, chronic fatigue, and a sense of loneliness or being misunderstood.

How does someone with an emotional disorder behave?

Such individuals may behave unpredictably?ranging from extreme withdrawal to impulsivity or aggression. They may be hypersensitive to criticism, experience mood swings, and struggle with maintaining stable relationships. Often, they don?t understand the source of their emotions, which can lead to frustration and worsening symptoms.

Is depression an emotional disorder?

Yes, depression is one of the most common emotional disorders. It is marked by prolonged low mood, lack of motivation, loss of interest, and low energy. It can interfere with work, relationships, and daily life, and requires diagnosis and appropriate treatment?both psychotherapeutic and pharmacological.

What is the difference between an emotional disorder and a mental illness?

Clinically, both are classified as mental health conditions. In everyday language, however, emotional disorders and mental illnesses are often distinguished by severity and cognitive impact. Mental illnesses like schizophrenia involve serious disruptions in thought, perception, and reality, while emotional disorders mainly affect the emotional sphere. Both require professional help, though emotional disorders are often harder to identify.

Contents
Types of emotional disorders
Diagnosing emotional disorders
Treating emotional disorders
The invisible cause of suffering
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