A broad, non-diagnostic starting point
Psychology Knowledge Atlas
Begin with what you feel, what is happening in life or what is becoming difficult. The atlas organises practical routes without asking you to diagnose yourself.
Orientation, not diagnosis
Similar signs can arise from psychological, social, medication-related and physical-health causes. Urgent danger and severe new symptoms need local emergency or medical care.
≈
Anxiety, fear and panic
Worry, bodily alarm, avoidance and fear of situations or judgement.
≈
Persistent worry and tensionWorry that feels difficult to control, muscle tension, restlessness, irritability or a constant sense that something may go…
!Sudden fear, racing heart or breathlessnessA sudden wave of intense fear with physical sensations can occur in panic attacks, but chest pain and…
◌Fear of judgment and social avoidanceIntense fear of embarrassment, scrutiny or rejection can make conversations, meetings, eating in public or performance situations difficult.
△Intense fear of a specific object or situationA fear becomes more than ordinary caution when it is persistent, disproportionate and begins to shape daily choices…
⌂Fear of leaving home, crowds or places that feel hard to escapeSome people avoid public transport, queues, open spaces, crowded places or being outside alone because escape or help…
✚Health worry and unexplained physical symptomsRepeated checking, reassurance seeking or intense fear about bodily sensations may be associated with health anxiety, but physical…
☼
Mood, energy and sleep
Low mood, changing energy, exhaustion, grief, loneliness and disrupted sleep.
↓
Low mood and loss of interestPersistent sadness, emptiness or loss of pleasure deserves attention, especially when daily functioning, sleep, appetite or hope are…
↕Marked mood, energy or sleep changesPeriods of unusually high energy, little need for sleep, rapid speech or risky decisions need careful assessment, especially…
☾Insomnia, oversleeping or exhausting sleepSleep problems can both reflect and worsen psychological distress, but they may also have medical, breathing, pain, medication…
▱Burnout, exhaustion or loss of capacityLong-term demands without enough recovery can lead to exhaustion, cynicism, reduced effectiveness and worsening physical symptoms.
♡Grief, loss and difficulty continuing lifeGrief varies widely. Support may help when distress remains overwhelming, daily life is persistently blocked or the loss…
○Loneliness, isolation or feeling disconnectedA person can feel lonely even around others. Prolonged disconnection may affect mood, sleep, confidence and physical health.
⌁
Thoughts, attention and habits
Intrusive thoughts, concentration difficulty, perfectionism, avoidance and repetitive behaviours.
↻
Intrusive thoughts and repeated ritualsUnwanted thoughts, images or urges combined with checking, washing, counting, reassurance or mental rituals may form an obsessive-compulsive…
⌁Concentration, forgetfulness and unfinished tasksAttention problems are not specific to one condition. Their onset, childhood history, sleep, stress, mood, medication and physical…
◇Perfectionism, harsh self-criticism or fear of mistakesHigh standards can become harmful when worth depends on flawless performance and mistakes trigger shame, avoidance or overwork.
⌛Procrastination, avoidance or difficulty startingRepeated delay is not always laziness. It may be driven by fear, attention difficulties, unclear priorities, exhaustion or…
▦Difficulty discarding possessions or unsafe clutterSaving possessions becomes a concern when living areas cannot be used safely, distress is intense or family conflict…
✦Hair pulling, skin picking or repetitive body habitsRepetitive pulling, picking, biting or scratching may relieve tension briefly but cause shame, injury or loss of control.
⛓Alcohol, substances or compulsive habitsUsing alcohol, drugs, gambling, gaming, pornography, shopping or other behaviours to regulate distress can become harmful even before…
✦
Trauma, safety and reality changes
After-effects of frightening events, detachment, severe confusion, harassment and unsafe relationships.
◇
Flashbacks, nightmares and feeling unsafeAfter frightening or overwhelming events, the mind and body may remain on alert, avoid reminders or re-experience what…
◫Feeling unreal, detached or outside yourselfDepersonalization or derealization can occur during panic, trauma, severe stress or other conditions. New neurological symptoms need medical…
◉Hearing or seeing things, strong suspiciousnessChanges in perception, fixed unusual beliefs, severe confusion or loss of contact with reality need prompt professional and…
!Bullying, harassment, coercion or feeling unsafe with othersRepeated intimidation, humiliation, threats, monitoring or control can affect sleep, confidence, work and safety. Practical protection may be…
∞Repeated relationship conflict or attachment fearRecurring conflict, jealousy, withdrawal, fear of abandonment or difficulty setting boundaries may reflect patterns that can be explored…
◈Identity conflict, discrimination or not feeling acceptedDistress may arise from identity questions and from the way families, institutions or communities respond. The problem is…
♡
Relationships, family and life stages
Parenting, pregnancy, caregiving, intimacy, migration, ageing and major transitions.
♢
Parenting stress, conflict or uncertainty about a childParents may need support with behaviour, boundaries, separation, developmental differences, co-parenting or their own emotional reactions.
❀Emotional changes during pregnancy or after birthAnxiety, depression, intrusive thoughts or severe confusion can arise during pregnancy or after birth. Rapidly worsening symptoms need…
☆Child or adolescent emotional and behaviour changesChanges at home, school or with peers should be understood in developmental context and with information from caregivers,…
♧Caregiver strain, compassion fatigue or responsibility overloadCaring for a child, older relative, ill person or high-need family member can gradually consume sleep, identity, finances…
♥Intimacy, sexual wellbeing or communication difficultiesDesire, comfort, consent, pain, body image, trust and communication can be affected by relationship, psychological, medical and medication-related…
↗Migration, culture shock or living far from homeRelocation can bring opportunity and also grief, uncertainty, language strain, isolation, identity conflict and practical insecurity.
↺Midlife transition, menopause or major identity changeHormonal change, ageing, children leaving home, career shifts, caregiving and relationship changes may overlap and affect mood, sleep…
◷Later-life change, memory worry or loss of independenceRetirement, bereavement, illness, caregiving changes and memory concerns can affect mood and identity. New cognitive change needs medical…
✚
Body, health and appearance
Eating, pain, skin, physical symptoms, body image and health-related distress.
◍
Eating, weight or body-image distressRestriction, binge eating, purging, compulsive exercise or intense body dissatisfaction can have serious psychological and medical consequences.
≈Chronic pain, illness adjustment or medical uncertaintyLiving with pain or illness can affect mood, identity, sleep, relationships and confidence while symptoms still require appropriate…
✺Skin symptoms, appearance distress or stress-related flare-upsSkin conditions and visible differences can affect confidence and social life, while stress can intensify itch, picking or…
✚Health worry and unexplained physical symptomsRepeated checking, reassurance seeking or intense fear about bodily sensations may be associated with health anxiety, but physical…
✦Hair pulling, skin picking or repetitive body habitsRepetitive pulling, picking, biting or scratching may relieve tension briefly but cause shame, injury or loss of control.
♥Intimacy, sexual wellbeing or communication difficultiesDesire, comfort, consent, pain, body image, trust and communication can be affected by relationship, psychological, medical and medication-related…
▤
Work, study and performance
Examination pressure, career conflict, burnout, procrastination and fear of mistakes.
▤
Study pressure, examination anxiety or academic declineAcademic difficulty may involve anxiety, attention, sleep, motivation, learning needs, family pressure or an unsuitable study environment.
▰Workplace conflict, job insecurity or career distressWork can become a major source of distress through conflict, unclear roles, overload, discrimination, moral injury, redundancy or…
▱Burnout, exhaustion or loss of capacityLong-term demands without enough recovery can lead to exhaustion, cynicism, reduced effectiveness and worsening physical symptoms.
⌛Procrastination, avoidance or difficulty startingRepeated delay is not always laziness. It may be driven by fear, attention difficulties, unclear priorities, exhaustion or…
◇Perfectionism, harsh self-criticism or fear of mistakesHigh standards can become harmful when worth depends on flawless performance and mistakes trigger shame, avoidance or overwork.
⌁Concentration, forgetfulness and unfinished tasksAttention problems are not specific to one condition. Their onset, childhood history, sleep, stress, mood, medication and physical…
No exact match. Try a broader word or use the support navigator.
Choose the next route
Information first, professional support when needed
Explore signs and possibilities
Read common patterns, possible explanations, medical cautions and questions to prepare.
Compare four support formats
Written guidance, expert panel review, telephone consultation and secure video each serve different needs.
Review verified professionals
Filter by language, specialty, country and consultation format.
Clinical governance note
This atlas is educational. It separates everyday distress, possible mental-health patterns, physical-health cautions and urgent warning signs. All commercial-launch content should be reviewed by PRJI clinical governance and updated against authoritative public-health guidance.