Common Symptoms

Common Medical Conditions

Sharing these Symptoms

How to Differentiate for

Accurate Assessment

Depressed mood

Hypothyroidism

Decreased thyroid function is accompanied by cold

intolerance, dry skin, hair loss, slow heart rate

Anemia

Low energy level which may accompany poor nutrition

confirmed by blood tests showing low hematocrit - Hct

levels

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Epstein

Often accompanied by physical symptoms especially in

Barr Virus or Fibromyalgia

extremities. Diagnosis often inconclusive

Female Hormone Imbalance

Evaluate connection of symptoms with hormone cycles,

  - oral contraceptives, premenstrual,

medications such as hormone replacement therapy and

    pregnancy, post partum, pre/post

contraception as well as life stages. Confirm with

    menopause

Gynecological referral

Cancer

Psychiatric symptoms may be first sign of cancers as

toxins are excreted from cells. Sudden onset, physical

symptoms, absence of common mental illness themes

can be diagnostic - i.e.feelings of failure, low self 

esteem, guilt, loss of interest in activities and people

Substance Abuse

Many abused substances directly cause depression -

alcohol and tranquilizers - or indirectly upon their

withdrawal - stimulants. Abstinence from suspected 

abuse is necessary for accurate assessment

Diabetes

Increased sweating, frequent urination, obesity or other

weight changes, lethargy, increased thirst

Stroke or other causes of brain cell

Sudden onset of symptoms, age, blood pressure

and tissue damage

or use of medications for blood pressure, facial muscle

asymmetry, history of or recent falls, family history of

stroke, absence of family depression history

Anxiety

Cardiopulmonary Diseases

May be direct result of chemicals in the body, hypoxia -

lack of oxygen to brain, breathing difficulties leading to

panic states or worry over life and death issues

Substance related

Caffeine, Cocaine, Anti-cholinergic drugs - i.e. Cogentin,

Aspirin, Hallucinogens, Steroids, Sympathomimetics -

drugs that mimic the body's autonomic arousal system

THC, withdrawal from alcohol, narcotics, and sedatives

Female Hormone Imbalance

Especially prevalent with Premenstrual syndrome and

Menopause

Hypertension

High blood pressure which can be the result of over-

active stress response from pressured lifestyle, weight/diet

issues, medications, disease -to name a few

Hypo or hyperthyroidism

Symptoms as above for hypothyroidism with

hyperthyroidism having such features as sweating, heart

palpitations, insomnia, weight loss, tremor, hyper-

sensitivity to heat

Neurological disorders

These are diseases of the nervous system which affect

    -Epilepsy, Huntington's Disease,    

firing of impulses at nerve sites. Medical history is vital to

     Multiple Sclerosis, Organic Brain

comprehensive assessment. Absence of common mental

     Syndrome, Wilson's Disease)

illness themes may be diagnostic

Hypoglycemia

Diets high in refined sugar with poor overall nutrition

trigger hypoglycemic - low blood sugar - episodes which

stimulate a surge of adrenalin into the body--the stress

hormone leading to a hyper-vigilant/anxious state

Irritability

Head Injury

History of head injury especially of frontal lobe. Injury may

Anger

have been ignored such as "heading" a soccer ball during

Aggression

a game. Note activities of client as part of assessment

Continuum

Hypoglycemia

As above with anxiety, sudden surges of adrenalin are

    -Diabetic Insulin reaction, Alcoholism,

triggered by low blood sugar some reaching violent

     Nutrition

proportions

Hyperthyroidism

As noted, increased thyroid hormone stimulates

adrenaline - the stress hormone. Medical history

absence of mental illness themes is a predictor

Brain Tumor

Symptoms depend on location. This may present with

headache, sudden, uncharacteristic changes in

personality and thought processing

Stroke or other damage

History of pre-morbid personality, age, cognitive

functioning and considerations as previously noted

for stroke, head injury, neurologic disorders

Steroids

History of medications taken either prescribed -such as

Prednisone - or illegal - such as those taken for body

building and competitive sports