Psychological disorders, also referred to as mental disorders or mental illnesses, are health conditions that disrupt an individual’s thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and social functioning. These conditions often cause significant distress or interfere with daily life, relationships, and productivity.

In Tanzania, mental health issues are increasingly recognized as a public health concern. However, awareness remains low, and cultural stigma continues to prevent many individuals from seeking help. The scarcity of trained mental health professionals and limited access to services, especially in rural areas, further exacerbates the problem.

Below is an overview of major categories of psychological disorders, with examples relevant to both global and local Tanzanian experiences:

1. Anxiety Disorders

Marked by persistent fear, anxiety, or avoidance behavior that interferes with daily life.

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) – Chronic worry about finances, health, family, or daily survival, often without a specific cause. In Tanzania, stressful socio-economic conditions can trigger or worsen this disorder.
• Panic Disorder – Sudden panic attacks with symptoms like chest pain, dizziness, or shortness of breath, sometimes misinterpreted as spiritual attacks.
• Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) – Intense fear of public interactions, common in people who fear social judgment or humiliation.
• Phobias – Extreme fears of objects or situations, for example, fear of snakes (common in rural Tanzania) or crowds (agoraphobia).
• Separation Anxiety Disorder – Overwhelming fear of being apart from loved ones, often seen in children and sometimes linked to parental loss or displacement.

2. Mood Disorders (Affective Disorders)

Involve persistent sadness or dramatic mood changes.

• Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) – Extended periods of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest, often misunderstood in communities as laziness or spiritual weakness.
• Bipolar Disorder – Alternating episodes of depression and mania (excessive energy, risky behavior).
• Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia) – Chronic low mood lasting for years, which may go unnoticed or untreated.
• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) – In Tanzania, seasonal changes may affect mood, particularly during prolonged rainy seasons that impact farming communities.

3. Psychotic Disorders

Severe disorders involving distorted thinking and perception.

• Schizophrenia – Experiences of hallucinations (e.g., hearing voices) and delusions, often misunderstood as witchcraft or spiritual possession in Tanzanian communities.
• Schizoaffective Disorder – Features of both schizophrenia and mood disorders.
• Brief Psychotic Disorder – Short-term psychosis, frequently triggered by intense stress, bereavement, or trauma.

4. Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders

Involve unwanted repetitive thoughts and behaviors.

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – Intrusive thoughts leading to rituals like constant cleaning or checking, sometimes misinterpreted culturally as signs of bad luck or curses.
• Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) – Obsession with perceived physical flaws, increasingly seen among youth influenced by social media.
• Hoarding Disorder – Difficulty discarding possessions, leading to unhealthy living environments.

5. Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders

Linked to exposure to traumatic events, such as poverty, domestic violence, or communal conflicts.

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Recurring nightmares, flashbacks, or hypervigilance, commonly observed in survivors of gender-based violence or road accidents.
• Acute Stress Disorder – Short-term PTSD-like symptoms following trauma.
• Adjustment Disorders – Emotional distress following major life changes (e.g., divorce, unemployment, forced migration).

6. Dissociative Disorders

Disruptions in memory, identity, or awareness.

• Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) – Presence of multiple identities, sometimes mistaken for spiritual possession in Tanzania.
• Dissociative Amnesia – Memory loss linked to trauma.
• Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder – Feeling detached from oneself or surroundings, often reported as “feeling like a ghost” in local descriptions.

7. Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders

Physical complaints without medical explanation, common in Tanzania where mental health issues are often “expressed through the body.”

• Somatic Symptom Disorder – Preoccupation with unexplained physical symptoms.
• Illness Anxiety Disorder (Hypochondriasis) – Constant worry about having serious diseases, sometimes leading to overuse of health services.
• Conversion Disorder – Neurological-like symptoms such as paralysis or seizures with no medical basis, often attributed to spiritual causes.

8. Eating Disorders

Involve abnormal eating habits affecting health and psychosocial well-being.

• Anorexia Nervosa – Extreme restriction of food intake, though less common, cases are emerging in urban areas influenced by Western beauty standards.
• Bulimia Nervosa – Binge eating followed by purging.
• Binge-Eating Disorder – Uncontrolled eating without purging, contributing to rising obesity rates in urban Tanzania.

9. Sleep-Wake Disorders

Disruptions in sleep patterns affecting health and productivity.

• Insomnia Disorder – Difficulty falling or staying asleep, often linked to stress and poverty.
• Hypersomnolence Disorder – Excessive daytime sleepiness.
• Narcolepsy – Sudden sleep attacks.
• Sleep Apnea – Breathing interruptions during sleep, underdiagnosed due to lack of sleep clinics.

10. Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Typically diagnosed in childhood but can persist into adulthood.

• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) – Inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, often misunderstood in schools as behavioral misconduct.
• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) – Social communication challenges and repetitive behaviors, with limited services for early diagnosis in Tanzania.
• Intellectual Disability – Impairments in cognitive and adaptive functioning.
• Learning Disorders – Difficulties in reading, writing, or math, often unrecognized due to resource gaps in schools.

11. Personality Disorders

Enduring patterns of behavior that deviate from social expectations.

• Cluster A (Odd/Eccentric):
  • Paranoid Personality Disorder
  • Schizoid Personality Disorder
  • Schizotypal Personality Disorder
• Cluster B (Dramatic/Emotional):
  • Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD)
  • Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
  • Histrionic Personality Disorder
  • Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)
• Cluster C (Anxious/Fearful):
  • Avoidant Personality Disorder
  • Dependent Personality Disorder
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)

12. Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders

Involve the misuse of substances or addictive behaviors, a growing problem in Tanzania especially among youth.

• Alcohol Use Disorder – Alcohol abuse is prevalent, particularly in informal sectors.
• Opioid Use Disorder – Emerging concern with the rise in prescription and illicit drug use.
• Stimulant Use Disorder – Linked to the use of khat, cigarettes, and other stimulants.
• Gambling Disorder – Increasingly affecting young people, especially due to online and mobile betting platforms.

Other Notable Disorders

• Gender Dysphoria – Distress related to incongruence between gender identity and assigned sex, often facing severe social stigma in Tanzania.
• Paraphilic Disorders – Involves atypical sexual behaviors that cause harm or distress, such as pedophilic disorder.

Diagnosis and Treatment in Tanzania

In Tanzania, psychological disorders are diagnosed primarily using international guidelines such as:

• DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition) – by the American Psychiatric Association.
• ICD-11 (International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision) – by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Common Treatment Approaches in Tanzania:

• Psychotherapy: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma-Focused Therapy, and culturally sensitive counseling.
• Pharmacotherapy: Use of antidepressants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers, though access to medications is often limited in rural settings.
• Community-Based Interventions: Collaboration with religious leaders, traditional healers, and community health workers to address stigma and improve access.
• Integrated Care Models: Combining mental health services into primary healthcare, as recommended by Tanzania’s National Mental Health Implementation Strategy (2021-2026).

References

Primary Sources

• American Psychiatric Association (APA). (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.).
• World Health Organization (WHO). (2019). International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision (ICD-11).

Secondary and Local Resources

• Tanzania Ministry of Health. (2021). National Mental Health Implementation Strategy 2021–2026.
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): www.nimh.nih.gov
• Mayo Clinic – Mental Health: www.mayoclinic.org
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): www.nami.org
• Psychology Today – Disorders Overview: www.psychologytoday.com

Recommended Academic Texts

• Sadock, B.J., & Sadock, V.A. Kaplan & Sadock’s Synopsis of Psychiatry (Latest Edition).
• Journal of Abnormal Psychology – Peer-reviewed research on psychological disorders.