Mental Health Resources
Curated guides, condition information, and trusted external references — so you can understand what you're experiencing and make informed decisions about your care.
Learn about your condition
Each guide covers what the condition is, how it feels, common symptoms, types, and how Arcadia Minds treats it.
Anxiety & Panic Disorders
What anxiety is, types (GAD, panic disorder, social anxiety), symptoms, causes, and treatment approaches including CBT and medication.
Read the guide →Depression & Mood Disorders
Major depression, dysthymia, postpartum, seasonal — what distinguishes each, why it's not "just sadness," and how to get better.
Read the guide →ADHD
ADHD in adults and children, inattentive vs. hyperactive presentations, why it's often missed in women, and what treatment looks like.
Read the guide →PTSD & Trauma
The four symptom clusters of PTSD, complex trauma (C-PTSD), why the nervous system stays stuck, and evidence-based treatments like EMDR.
Read the guide →Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar I, II, and cyclothymia — why it takes an average of 10 years to diagnose, how to recognize manic and depressive episodes, and long-term management.
Read the guide →OCD
The obsession-compulsion cycle, common OCD themes (harm, contamination, ROCD), and why ERP is the gold-standard treatment.
Read the guide →Insomnia & Sleep Disorders
Why insomnia is rarely "just" a sleep problem, CBT-I as the #1 recommended treatment, and when medication is appropriate.
Read the guide →Substance Use & Addiction
Why addiction is a medical condition, MAT (medication-assisted treatment), dual diagnosis care, and the path to recovery.
Read the guide →Grief & Life Transitions
The difference between grief and depression, complicated grief disorder, and how therapy helps you process loss and find meaning.
Read the guide →Read further — from sources we trust
These organizations publish evidence-based, peer-reviewed information. We recommend them to patients who want to learn more between appointments.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
The federal government's primary research organization on mental health. Excellent for understanding conditions, statistics, and cutting-edge research.
NAMI — National Alliance on Mental Illness
America's largest grassroots mental health organization. Excellent patient-facing guides, personal stories, and advocacy resources.
American Psychiatric Association (APA)
The leading professional association for psychiatrists. Publishes the DSM-5 and offers patient-facing condition fact sheets.
Mayo Clinic — Mental Health
Trusted medical content on symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options — written for patients in plain language.
IOCDF — International OCD Foundation
The authoritative resource for OCD — condition information, ERP therapy guides, and a therapist directory of ERP-trained specialists.
CHADD — Children & Adults with ADHD
The leading ADHD organization. Excellent for adults who were recently diagnosed or parents of children with ADHD.
SAMHSA — Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services
Federal agency for substance use and mental health resources, treatment locator, and crisis support.
Veterans & Military Mental Health
Specialized resources for veterans, active duty service members, and their families.
Understand how you're feeling
These validated screening tools are widely used by clinicians. They can help you recognize symptoms and communicate them to your provider — but they are not a substitute for a professional diagnosis.
PHQ-9 — Depression Screening
9 questions · 2 minThe most widely used tool to screen for depression severity. Rates symptoms over the past two weeks on a 0–3 scale.
Take the PHQ-9 →GAD-7 — Anxiety Screening
7 questions · 1 minScreens for generalized anxiety disorder. Clinically validated and used in most primary care and psychiatric settings.
Take the GAD-7 →Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS)
18 questions · 3 minThe WHO's validated screening tool for adult ADHD. Developed in collaboration with leading ADHD researchers.
Take the ASRS →PC-PTSD-5 — Trauma Screening
5 questions · 1 minPrimary care PTSD screen for DSM-5. A positive result suggests a full PTSD evaluation should be conducted.
Take the PC-PTSD-5 →MDQ — Bipolar Disorder Screening
13 questions · 3 minThe Mood Disorder Questionnaire screens for bipolar spectrum conditions — helping distinguish them from unipolar depression.
Take the MDQ →ISI — Insomnia Severity Index
7 questions · 2 minMeasures the severity, impact, and daytime consequences of insomnia — used to guide treatment decisions.
Take the ISI →Important: These tools help you recognize patterns — they don't provide a diagnosis. Bring your results to your appointment and discuss them with your provider. If you scored in the moderate-to-severe range on any screen, please consider booking an appointment soon. If you're in crisis, call or text 988.