Behavioral Health: Mental Health and Addiction Medicine

While low levels of anxiety are a normal reaction to everyday stresses, people with anxiety feel extreme reactions that impact their ability to function normally.

The symptoms of anxiety disorders can include, but are not limited to:

• Chest pain
• Chills or hot flashes
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Feeling like you're choking
• Feeling of detachment
• Heart palpitations
• Nausea or abdominal pain
• Shortness of breath
• Trembling or shaking

MUSC Health has a variety of treatment options to help manage anxiety disorders, such as:

• ReVisions: Group therapy sessions to alleviate your symptoms. Learn more about ReVisions.
• CDAP: Variety of services for treatment of alcohol and substance use disorders when anxiety is related to substance use. Learn more about the Center for Drug & Alcohol Programs.
• Senior Care: Inpatient care at the Institute of Psychiatry for seniors diagnosed with various disorders. Learn more about inpatient care.
• Synchronous Health: MUSC has partnered with Synchronous Health to deliver virtual behavioral health counseling sessions with licensed mental health providers. Learn more about Synchronous Health.

More than typical day-to-day stress, people with generalized anxiety disorder experience high levels of anxiety that may prevent them from participating in daily life. For some people, generalized anxiety disorder occurs alongside other mental health disorders. Symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder may include:

• Easily startled
• Diarrhea
• Disproportionate worry or concerns about events and circumstances
• Extreme tiredness or fatigue
• Fear of making wrong decisions
• Irritability
• Muscle aches or muscle tension
• Nausea
• Overthinking plans and solutions to worst-case scenarios
• Profuse sweating
• Thinking all situations are threatening, even when they aren't
• Trouble concentrating
• Trouble dealing with uncertainty
• Trouble sleeping

MUSC Health has treatment options to help manage generalized anxiety disorder, such as:

• SATRD: Adult outpatient clinic for behavioral and medication interventions. Learn more about our Sleep & Anxiety Treatment & Research Division. 
• ReVisions: Group therapy sessions to alleviate your symptoms. Learn more about ReVisions.
• General Adult Care: Inpatient care at the Institute of Psychiatry for adults with various disorders. Learn more about inpatient care.
• Senior Care: Inpatient care at the Institute of Psychiatry for seniors diagnosed with anxiety. Learn more about inpatient care.
• Synchronous Health: MUSC has partnered with Synchronous Health to deliver virtual behavioral health counseling sessions with licensed mental health providers. Learn more about Synchronous Health.

Most people feel nervous in certain situations from time to time. However, if you feel such heightened anxiety that you can’t function in certain social situations, you may have social anxiety disorder. People with social phobia may become self-conscious and embarrassed because of their fears. Symptoms of this disorder can include:

• Analyzing your own performance after a social situation
• Avoiding situations in which you may be judged negatively
• Avoiding situations in which you may be the center of attention
• Expecting the worst possible outcome from a negative experience in a social setting
• Intense fear of speaking to strangers
• Worrying about embarrassing yourself
• Worrying that other people will know you're anxious

MUSC Health has treatment options to help manage social phobia at:

• ReVisions: Group therapy sessions to alleviate your symptoms. Learn more about ReVisions.
• Synchronous Health: MUSC has partnered with Synchronous Health to deliver virtual behavioral health counseling sessions with licensed mental health providers. Learn more about Synchronous Health.

Post-traumatic stress disorder – or PTSD – is a mental health disorder that’s caused by having gone through a terrifying event. This event may have happened to you directly, or you may have witnessed the event. PTSD symptoms can include:

• Avoiding people, activities, or places that are connected to the traumatic event
• Becoming, or feeling emotionally numb
• Becoming easily frightened
• Feeling detached from family and friends
• Feeling hopeless about your future
• Flashbacks about the traumatic event
• Memory problems
• Negative feelings about the world, other people, and yourself
• Nightmares about the traumatic event
• Problems sleeping or concentrating
• Recurrent, obtrusive thoughts about the traumatic event
• Trying to avoid talking or thinking about the traumatic event

MUSC Health has a variety of treatment options to help manage PTSD, such as:

• ReVisions: Group therapy sessions to alleviate your symptoms. Learn more about ReVisions.
• SATRD: Adult outpatient clinic for behavioral and medication interventions. Learn more about our Sleep & Anxiety Treatment & Research Division. 
• General Adult Care: Inpatient care at the Institute of Psychiatry for adults with various disorders. Learn more about inpatient care.
• Senior Care: Inpatient care at the Institute of Psychiatry for seniors diagnosed with various disorders. Learn more about inpatient care.

Panic attacks are a sudden episode of intense fear when there is no real cause or danger. They can be very frightening to the person having the panic attack. Some people only have one or two panic attacks in their lifetime, but others have recurrent panic attacks. In this case, the person has a panic disorder. Symptoms of a panic attack may include:

• Chills
• Chest pain
• Dizziness or fainting (syncope)
• Fear of death
• Feeling a detachment from reality
• Headaches
• Hot flashes
• Loss of control
• Nausea
• Rapid heart rate or heart palpitations
• Sense of danger or impending doom
• Shaking
• Shortness of breath
• Sweating

MUSC Health has a variety of treatment options to help manage panic disorder, such as:

• ReVisions: Group therapy sessions to alleviate your symptoms. Learn more about ReVisions.
• SATRD: Adult outpatient clinic for behavioral and medication interventions. Learn more about our Sleep & Anxiety Treatment & Research Division. 

Depending on the type of mood disorder, symptoms can include:

• Depression symptoms, such as feelings of extreme sadness or hopelessness
• Irritability or outbursts of anger
• Mania symptoms, such as increased energy or a decreased need for sleep
• Mood swings
• Withdrawing from social engagements, interests, or hobbies 

MUSC Health has a variety of treatment options to help manage mood disorders, such as:

• ReVisions: Group therapy sessions to alleviate your symptoms. Learn more about ReVisions.
• CDAP: Variety of services for treatment of alcohol and substance use disorders when substance plays a role in the mood disorder. Learn more about the Center for Drug & Alcohol Programs.
• General Adult Care: Inpatient care at the Institute of Psychiatry for adults with various disorders. Learn more about inpatient care.
• Senior Care: Inpatient care at the Institute of Psychiatry for seniors diagnosed with various disorders. Learn more about inpatient care.
• Synchronous Health: MUSC has partnered with Synchronous Health to deliver virtual behavioral health counseling sessions with licensed mental health providers. Learn more about Synchronous Health.

Depression is a mood disorder that causes a person to feel ongoing sadness and/or a loss of interest in everyday life and relationships. People with depression have trouble completing day-to-day tasks and may feel like their life isn’t worth living. Symptoms of depression can include:

• Anger
• Frustration or irritability
• Changes in appetite
• Changes in body weight
• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
• Difficulty remembering things
• Feeling of emptiness
• Feelings of sadness
• Low energy or fatigue
• Loss of interest in hobbies or relationships
• Thoughts of suicide or suicidal behavior
• Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
• Unexplainable physical symptoms, such as headaches or back pain

MUSC Health has a variety of treatment options to help manage depression, such as:

• ReVisions: Group therapy sessions to alleviate your symptoms. Learn more about ReVisions.
• CDAP: Variety of services for treatment of alcohol and substance use disorders if substance use is contributing to depression.. Learn more about the Center for Drug & Alcohol Programs.
• General Adult Care: Inpatient care at the Institute of Psychiatry for adults with various disorders. Learn more about inpatient care.
• Senior Care: Inpatient care at the Institute of Psychiatry for seniors diagnosed with various disorders. Learn more about inpatient care.
• BSS - Brain Stimulation Services: Treatments for patients who have not had success with talk therapy and/or have medication-resistant symptoms. Learn more about BSS.
• Centerspace: Treatments for patients using Esketamine or ketamine-assisted therapy for depression.  Learn more about Centerspace.
• Synchronous Health: MUSC has partnered with Synchronous Health to deliver virtual behavioral health counseling sessions with licensed mental health providers. Learn more about Synchronous Health.

Bipolar disorder – formerly known as manic-depressive illness – causes shifts in a person’s mood, energy and activity levels, and concentration. The person typically experiences alternating periods of high energy – known as manic episodes – followed by periods of low energy – known as depressive episodes. Some people experience manic and depressive symptoms at the same time (mixed episodes). Symptoms of bipolar disorder can include:

• Elevated mood
• Thoughts running fast
• An increased or reduced appetite for drinking, eating, sex, or other activities
• Being more active than usual
• Extreme irritability
• Feeling jumpy or wired
• Feeling more talented or powerful than usual
• Feeling very sad, worthless, or suicidal
• Talking faster, or slower, than usual
• Trouble focusing, concentrating, or making decisions
• Unusual sleep patterns, trouble falling asleep, or staying asleep

MUSC Health has a variety of treatment options to help manage bipolar disorder, such as:

• ReVisions: Group therapy sessions to alleviate your symptoms. Learn more about ReVisions.
• Acute Care: Safe, stable inpatient care unit at the Institute of Psychiatry. Learn more about inpatient care.
• General Adult Care: Inpatient care at the Institute of Psychiatry for adults with various disorders. Learn more about inpatient care.
• Senior Care: Inpatient care at the Institute of Psychiatry for seniors diagnosed with various disorders. Learn more about inpatient care.
• BSS - Brain Stimulation Services: Treatments for patients who have not had success with talk therapy and/or have medication-resistant symptoms. Learn more about BSS.

People with schizophrenia have trouble adequately interpreting reality. They can have trouble going about their daily life and will likely need lifelong treatment. Symptoms of schizophrenia can include:

• Delusions - Fixed false beliefs
• Hallucinations
• Lack of eye contact
• Problems with personal hygiene
• Socially withdrawn
• Trouble completing simple tasks
• Trouble effectively communicating, or disorganized speech
• Useless or excessive movements

MUSC Health has a variety of treatment options to help manage schizophrenia, such as:

• Acute Care: Safe, stable inpatient care unit at the Institute of Psychiatry. Learn more about inpatient care.
• General Adult Care: Inpatient care at the Institute of Psychiatry for adults with various disorders. Learn more about inpatient care.
• Senior Care: Inpatient care at the Institute of Psychiatry for seniors diagnosed with various disorders. Learn more about inpatient care.

People with schizoaffective disorder have a combination of schizophrenia and mood disorder symptoms. There are two types of schizoaffective disorder: bipolar type and depressive type. People with bipolar type experience episodes of mania and, in some cases, major depression. People with depressive type only have major depressive episodes. Symptoms of schizoaffective disorder can include:

• Delusions - Fixed false beliefs
• Depression symptoms, including feeling worthless and sad
• Difficulty communicating
• Hallucinations
• Periods of mania or increased energy levels and decreased need for sleep
• Struggling with personal hygiene
• Trouble with work or school
• Unusual or bizarre behavior

MUSC Health has treatment options to help manage schizoaffective disorder, such as:

• ReVisions: Group therapy sessions to alleviate your symptoms. Learn more about ReVisions.
• Acute Care: Safe, stable inpatient care unit at the Institute of Psychiatry. Learn more about inpatient care.
• General Adult Care: Inpatient care at the Institute of Psychiatry for adults with various disorders. Learn more about inpatient care.
• Senior Care: Inpatient care at the Institute of Psychiatry for seniors diagnosed with various disorders. Learn more about inpatient care.

Catatonia is a mental health condition caused by both psychiatric and medical conditions, that presents with specific physical symptoms and signs as listed below. About 10% of people with mental health disorders will experience catatonia at least once in their lives. Catatonia symptoms can include:

• Agitation
• Impersonating someone else's movements or speech
• Holding your body in an odd position
• Making unusual or repetitive movements
• Not responding to other people or certain situations
• Not talking
• Resisting people who touch your body

MUSC Health offers treatment options to help manage catatonia, such as:

• BSS - Brain Stimulation Services: Treatments for patients who have not had success with talk therapy and/or have medication-resistant symptoms. Learn more about BSS.

Neuro-cognitive disorders are disorders of cognition related to brain diseases. Previously called Dementias, the most common causes of neuro-cognitive disorders include Alzheimer’s, brain injury or trauma, Lewy Body, vascular, Fronto-temporal, and others. Symptoms of neuro-cognitive disorders can include:

• Loss of memory, typically short-term memory
• Episodes of confusion
• Agitation
• Progressive worsening of the symptoms

MUSC Health has treatment options to help manage neuro-cognitive disorders, such as:

• Senior Care: Inpatient care at the Institute of Psychiatry for seniors diagnosed with various conditions. Learn more about inpatient care.

Obsessive-Compulsive disorder – or OCD – causes a person to have a pattern of unwanted or intrusive thoughts and fears (Obsessions). These obsessions cause the person to perform repetitive behaviors (Compulsions) which can impact the person’s ability to go about their daily life. While symptoms vary from person to person, OCD symptoms may include:

• Obsessions with:
  • Cleanliness, or a fear of being dirty or contaminated
  • Safety - Checking locks
  • Trouble dealing with uncertainty
  • Troubling thoughts about harming others, or thoughts of self-harm
  • Unwanted aggressive thoughts
• Compulsions to:
  • Check things
  • Count things
  • Demand reassurance in all situations
  • Follow a strict routine
  • Put things in order
  • Wash or clean repetitively

MUSC Health has a variety of treatment options to help manage OCD, such as:

• ReVisions: Group therapy sessions to alleviate your symptoms. Learn more about ReVisions.
• SATRD: Adult outpatient clinic for behavioral and medication interventions. Learn more about our Sleep & Anxiety Treatment & Research Division. 
• General Adult Care: Inpatient care at the Institute of Psychiatry for adults with various disorders. Learn more about inpatient care.
• Senior Care: Inpatient care at the Institute of Psychiatry for seniors diagnosed with various disorders. Learn more about inpatient care.
• BSS - Brain Stimulation Services: Treatments for patients who have not had success with talk therapy and/or have medication-resistant symptoms. Learn more about BSS.

Eating disorders are health problems that affect both your mental and physical health. People with eating disorders struggle with how they think about food, eating, eating behaviors, their weight and image. Symptoms of an eating disorder can include:

• Avoidance of certain food groups
• Eating unusually large amounts of food, or binge eating
• Exercising excessively
• Feelings of worthlessness and severe self-judgement
• Eating secretively, or hiding food
• Severely restricting calorie intake
• Vomiting after eating
• Withdrawing from usual social events, especially events involving food

MUSC Health offers treatment to manage eating disorders, such as:

• Center for Eating Disorders: Family-based treatment, also known as Maudsley approach, for children, adolescents, and young adults with eating disorders. Learn more about the Center for Eating Disorders.
• General Adult Care: Inpatient care at the Institute of Psychiatry for adults with various disorders. Learn more about inpatient care.

Having thoughts of taking your own life can be a reaction to stressful life situations. It’s important to know the signs of suicidal ideations, so you can spot it in others and get them help. Symptoms of suicidality can include:

• Becoming socially withdrawn
• Changes in eating or sleeping patterns
• Engaging in risky behavior
• Extreme mood swings
• Feeling hopeless
• Obtaining the means to commit suicide, such as having a gun or a large amount of painkiller medications
• Personality changes
• Talking about suicide
• Using more alcohol or drugs than usual

MUSC Health has treatment options to help manage suicidality, such as:

• ReVisions: Group therapy sessions to alleviate your symptoms. Learn more about ReVisions.
• Acute Care: Safe, stable inpatient care unit at the Institute of Psychiatry. Learn more about inpatient care.
• CDAP: Variety of services for treatment of alcohol and substance use disorders when suicidality is related to substance use disorder. Learn more about the Center for Drug & Alcohol Programs.
• General Adult Care: Inpatient care at the Institute of Psychiatry for adults with various disorders. Learn more about inpatient care.
• Senior Care: Inpatient care at the Institute of Psychiatry for seniors diagnosed with various disorders. Learn more about inpatient care.

This is a mental health condition that affects the way you think about yourself and others. People with borderline personality disorder may experience self-image issues, problems managing their emotions and behaviors, and unstable relationships. Symptoms of borderline personality disorder can include:

• Extreme anger or violent outbursts
• Extreme mood swings
• Fear of abandonment
• Feelings of emptiness or hopelessness
• Impulsive or risky behavior
• Isolating yourself from loved ones for periods of time
• Patterns of unstable interpersonal relationships
• Quick changes in self-image or identity
• Self-injury or thoughts of suicide
• Shifting goals and values

MUSC Health offers treatment options to help manage borderline personality disorder, such as:

• ReVisions: Group therapy sessions to alleviate your symptoms. Learn more about ReVisions.
• General Adult Care: Inpatient care at the Institute of Psychiatry for adults diagnosed with a variety of disorders. Learn more about inpatient care.

IIf you have trouble getting to or staying asleep – or you sleep more than most people or fall asleep suddenly during the day – you may have a sleep disorder. Getting enough quality sleep each day is very important. Having a sleep disorder can affect all aspects of your life, including your health, performance at work and school, and interpersonal relationships. Although symptoms vary depending on which type of sleep disorder you have, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms:

• Being very sleepy during the day
• Breathing that stops or pauses during sleep
• Falling asleep at inappropriate times, such as at work or while driving
• Having trouble falling asleep at night
• Having your days and nights mixed up
• Restless legs - or uncontrollable urges to move your legs during sleep or while falling asleep

MUSC Health offers a variety of treatment options to help manage sleep disorders at::

• SATRD: Adult outpatient clinic for behavioral and medication interventions. Learn more about our Sleep & Anxiety Treatment & Research Division. 

Also called an alcohol addiction, this mental health condition affects the brain and behavior. The person’s sole focus is getting their next drink of alcohol. Having an addiction negatively impacts all aspects of a person’s life. Symptoms of alcohol use disorder can include:

• Continuing to use alcohol even when you know it’s negatively affecting your life.
• Engaging in unusually risky behaviors
• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you haven't consumed alcohol
• Having such intense urges for alcohol that you block out all other thoughts
• Having to use alcohol regularly, typically at least once a day
• Needing more alcohol to get the same effect over time
• Spending money on alcohol when you can't afford to do so
• Worrying about always having a supply of alcohol on hand

MUSC Health has treatment options to help manage alcohol use disorder, such as:

• Addictions Unit: Safe inpatient care at the Institute of Psychiatry. Learn more about inpatient care.
• CDAP: Variety of services for treatment of alcohol and substance use disorders. Learn more about the Center for Drug & Alcohol Programs.

People with a mood disorder have emotional states that are inconsistent with their circumstances. These disorders can affect a person’s ability to function normally in their daily life. Depending on the type of mood disorder caused by substance use, symptoms can include:

• Depression symptoms, such as feelings of extreme sadness or hopelessness
• Irritability or outbursts of anger
• Mania symptoms, such as increased energy or a decreased need for sleep
• Mood swings
• Withdrawing from social engagements, interests, or hobbies

MUSC Health has a variety of treatment options to help manage mood disorder, such as:

• Addictions Unit: Safe inpatient care at the Institute of Psychiatry. Learn more about inpatient care.
• CDAP: Variety of services for treatment of alcohol and substance use disorders. Learn more about the Center for Drug & Alcohol Programs.

People with a nicotine or tobacco addiction are addicted to nicotine-containing products, including cigarettes, cigars, vapes, and chewing tobacco. Nicotine causes the brain to release “feel-good” chemicals. People become addicted to this feeling and find it very difficult to quit using these products. Symptoms of a nicotine or tobacco addiction include:

• Avoiding places or situations where you can't smoke
• Inability to quit smoking or using nicotine
• Using tobacco products even if you have a health problem
• Withdrawal symptoms when you try to quit

MUSC Health has treatment options to help manage tobacco addiction, such as:

• BSS - Brain Stimulation Services: Treatments for patients who have not had success with talk therapy and/or have medication-resistant symptoms. Learn more about BSS.

Also called addictions, substance use disorders affect the brain and behavior. The person’s sole focus becomes on the next time using the substance to which they’re addicted. People can become addicted to illegal drugs, such as meth or cocaine. They can also become addicted to legal substances, including prescription painkillers or alcohol. Having an addiction negatively impacts all aspects of a person’s life. Symptoms of substance use disorders can include:

• Continuing to use the substance even when you know it’s negatively affecting your life
• Engaging in unusually risky behaviors
• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you haven’t used the substance
• Having such intense urges for the substance that you block out all other thoughts
• Having to use the substance regularly – typically at least once daily
• Needing more of the drug to get the same effect over time
• Spending money you can’t afford on the substance
• Worrying about always having a supply of the substance on hand

MUSC Health has treatment options to help manage substance abuse disorders, such as:

• Addictions Unit: Safe inpatient care at the Institute of Psychiatry. Learn more about inpatient care.
• CDAP: Variety of services for treatment of alcohol and substance use disorders. Learn more about the Center for Drug & Alcohol Programs.