Ch 4 Health Vocab

Mental disorder

An illness that affects the mind and reduces a person’s ability to function, to adjust to change, or to get along with others.

Anxiety

Fear caused by a source you can not identify or a source that does not pose as much of a threat as you think

Anxiety disorder

A disorder characterized by anxiety that persists for a long time, and interferes with daily living

Phobia

Anxiety that is related to a specific situation or object

Obsession

An unwanted thought or image that takes control of the mind

Compulsion

An unreasonable need to behave in a certain way to prevent a feared outcome

Mood disorder

A disorder characterized by extreme emotions

Depression

An emotional state in which a person feels really sad or hopeless

Schizophrenia

A disorder characterized by severe disturbances in thinking, mood awareness, and behavior

Personality disorder

A mental disorder characterized by rigid patterns of behavior, which make it difficult for a person to get along with others

Eating disorder

A mental disorder that reveals itself through abnormal behaviors relating to food

Anorexia nervosa

An easing disorder in which a person doesn’t eat enough to maintain a healthy body weight

Bulimia

An easing disorder in which a person has uncontrolled eating binges followed by purging

Binge eating disorder

An eating disorder in which a person regularly has an uncontrollable urge to eat large amounts of food, but without purging

Clinical depression

The symptoms of this disorder are feeling sad and hopeless for months, being unable to enjoy activities that were once a source of pleasure, and sometimes being unable to accomplish daily tasks

Cutting

The use of a sharp object to intentionally cut or scratch one’s body deep enough to bleed

Suicide

The intentional killing of oneself

Cluster suicides

A series of suicides that occur within a short period of time in the same peer group or community

Psychiatrist

A physician who can diagnose and treat mental disorders

Neurologist

A physician who treats physical disorders of the nervous system

Clinical psychologist

A mental health professional who is trained to recognize and treat behavior that is not normal

Psychiatric social worker

A mental health professional who helps people with mental disorders and they families to accept and adjust to an illness

Therapy

A treatment method