How Many Mental Disorders Are There? A List of Recognized Types

How Many Mental Disorders Are There?

There are more than 300 mental illnesses listed in the DSM-5-TR, according to the American Psychiatric Association. However, there is no single universal count of mental disorders because diagnostic systems organize and define conditions differently. Some broader online lists include more than 450 entries, but these figures are not directly comparable without checking what each list counts.

Two major references are the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR), published by the American Psychiatric Association, and the International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision (ICD-11), developed by the World Health Organization. Both classify mental disorders into broad categories and individual diagnoses.

Sources: American Psychiatric Association: What Is Serious Mental Illness? | WHO: ICD-11 Diagnostic Manual

List of Recognized Mental Disorders

The following list covers major diagnostic categories and examples of conditions included in established classification systems. It is an overview rather than an exhaustive list of every diagnosis, subtype, and coding variation.

1. Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Conditions that affect development, learning, communication, or behavior.

• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

• Autism spectrum disorder

• Disorders of intellectual development

• Developmental speech or language disorders

• Developmental learning disorder

• Developmental motor coordination disorder

• Stereotyped movement disorder

2. Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders

Conditions that can affect thinking, perception, and a person's experience of reality.

• Schizophrenia

• Schizoaffective disorder

• Schizotypal disorder

• Acute and transient psychotic disorder

• Delusional disorder

• Schizophreniform disorder

• Brief psychotic disorder

3. Bipolar and Related Disorders

Conditions involving episodes of significant mood changes.

• Bipolar I disorder

• Bipolar II disorder

• Cyclothymic disorder

• Other specified bipolar and related disorders

4. Depressive Disorders

Conditions involving persistent disturbances in mood.

• Major depressive disorder

• Single episode depressive disorder

• Recurrent depressive disorder

• Persistent depressive disorder

• Dysthymic disorder

• Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder

• Premenstrual dysphoric disorder

5. Anxiety and Fear Related Disorders

Conditions involving excessive fear, anxiety, or worry.

• Generalized anxiety disorder

• Panic disorder

• Social anxiety disorder

• Specific phobia

• Agoraphobia

• Separation anxiety disorder

• Selective mutism

6. Obsessive Compulsive and Related Disorders

Conditions involving recurring unwanted thoughts or repetitive behaviors.

• Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

• Body dysmorphic disorder

• Hoarding disorder

• Olfactory reference disorder

• Trichotillomania

• Excoriation disorder

• Hypochondriasis, classified as an obsessive compulsive or related disorder in ICD-11

7. Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders

Conditions associated with traumatic or stressful experiences.

• Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

• Complex post traumatic stress disorder

• Acute stress disorder

• Adjustment disorders

• Prolonged grief disorder

• Reactive attachment disorder

• Disinhibited social engagement disorder

8. Dissociative Disorders

Conditions involving disruptions in memory, identity, or awareness.

• Dissociative identity disorder

• Dissociative amnesia

• Depersonalization derealization disorder

• Dissociative neurological symptom disorder

• Partial dissociative identity disorder

• Trance disorder

9. Feeding and Eating Disorders

Conditions involving disturbances in eating behavior.

• Anorexia nervosa

• Bulimia nervosa

• Binge eating disorder

• Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder

• Pica

• Rumination regurgitation disorder

10. Elimination Disorders

Conditions involving repeated difficulties with bladder or bowel control beyond what is developmentally expected.

• Enuresis

• Encopresis

11. Disorders of Bodily Distress and Related Conditions

Conditions involving distressing physical symptoms or concerns about bodily experiences.

• Bodily distress disorder

• Somatic symptom disorder

• Illness anxiety disorder

• Functional neurological symptom disorder

Classification varies between the DSM-5-TR and ICD-11.

12. Substance Use and Addictive Disorders

Conditions involving problematic substance use or addictive behaviors.

• Alcohol use disorder

• Cannabis use disorder

• Opioid use disorder

• Stimulant use disorder

• Sedative, hypnotic, or anxiolytic use disorder

• Cocaine use disorder

• Tobacco use disorder

• Hallucinogen use disorder

• Gambling disorder

• Gaming disorder

13. Impulse Control and Disruptive Behavior Disorders

Conditions involving persistent difficulties controlling certain impulses or behaviors.

• Kleptomania

• Pyromania

• Intermittent explosive disorder

• Oppositional defiant disorder

• Conduct disorder

• Compulsive sexual behaviour disorder

14. Personality Disorders

Conditions involving persistent patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving.

• Borderline personality disorder

• Antisocial personality disorder

• Avoidant personality disorder

• Narcissistic personality disorder

• Obsessive compulsive personality disorder

• Paranoid personality disorder

• Schizoid personality disorder

• Histrionic personality disorder

• Dependent personality disorder

• Schizotypal personality disorder

15. Neurocognitive Disorders

Conditions involving impairment or decline in cognitive abilities.

• Delirium

• Major neurocognitive disorder

• Mild neurocognitive disorder

• Alzheimer's disease related neurocognitive disorder

• Vascular neurocognitive disorder

• Frontotemporal neurocognitive disorder

• Neurocognitive disorder associated with traumatic brain injury

16. Sleep Wake Disorders

Conditions involving persistent problems with sleep.

• Insomnia disorder

• Hypersomnolence disorder

• Narcolepsy

• Circadian rhythm sleep wake disorders

• Non rapid eye movement sleep arousal disorders

• Nightmare disorder

• Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder

17. Sexual Dysfunctions

Conditions involving persistent difficulties with sexual functioning.

• Erectile disorder

• Female sexual interest arousal disorder

• Female orgasmic disorder

• Delayed ejaculation

• Premature ejaculation

• Genito pelvic pain penetration disorder

18. Paraphilic Disorders

Diagnostic conditions involving specific patterns of sexual arousal that meet clinical criteria for a disorder.

• Exhibitionistic disorder

• Voyeuristic disorder

• Pedophilic disorder

• Frotteuristic disorder

• Sexual sadism disorder

19. Factitious Disorders

Conditions involving falsification or induction of illness without an obvious external reward.

• Factitious disorder imposed on self

• Factitious disorder imposed on another

20. Other Specified and Unspecified Mental Disorders

These classifications are used when a person's presentation meets relevant criteria for a mental disorder but does not fit a named category fully, or when available information is insufficient for a more specific diagnosis.

• Other specified mental disorders

• Unspecified mental disorders

• Certain mental or behavioral syndromes associated with medical conditions

References

1. American Psychiatric Association. What Is Serious Mental Illness?

2. American Psychiatric Association. The Organization of DSM-5-TR

3. World Health Organization. Clinical Descriptions and Diagnostic Requirements for ICD-11 Mental, Behavioural and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

4. World Health Organization. ICD-11 Reference Guide

5. Nafarieh K, et al. ICD-11 classification of mental disorders, BMJ Open (2024)

Amna Zaheer There are more than 300 mental illnesses listed in the DSM-5-TR, according to the American Psychiatric Association. However, there is no single universal count of mental disorders because diagnostic systems organize and define conditions differently.