Chapter 17: Mental Health

anxi/o

anxiety

anti-

against

claustr/o

barrier, enclosed space

-mania

madness or obsessive preoccupation

narc/o

sleep, stupor

para-

around, abnormal

-phobia

abnormal fear

phren/o

mind, diaphragm

post-

after

psych/o

mind

schiz/o

split

somn/o

sleep

-tic

pertaining to

traumat/o

injury

-tropic

having an affinity for

acrophobia

an excessive fear of heights.

affect

used in psychology as a noun, is the outward appearance of a person’s mood or emotional state.

agoraphobia

an excessive fear of environments where the person fears a panic attack might occur.

alcoholism

chronic alcohol dependence with specific signs and symptoms upon withdrawal.

anorexia nervosa

characterized by a false perception of body appearance.

antidepressant

administered to prevent or relieve depression.

anxiety disorders

mental conditions characterized by excessive, irrational dread of everyday situations or fear that is out of proportion to the real danger in a situation.

anxiolytic drug

also known as an antianxiety drug or tranquilizer, is administered to temporarily relieve anxiety and to reduce tension.

autism spectrum disorder

(ASD) describes a condition with different levels of symptom severity in which a young child has difficulty developing normal social relationships and communication skills; may compulsively follow repetitive routines; and has narrowly focused, intense interests that are sometimes unusual.

attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder

(ADHD) is characterized by a short attention span and impulsive behavior that is inappropriate for the child’s developmental age.

bipolar disorder

a condition characterized by cycles of severe mood changes shifting between highs called mania (manic behavior, sometimes including a feeling of euphoria, meaning intense happiness and excitement) and either hypomania (milder manic symptoms) or major depressive episode (severe depression) that affect a person’s attitude, energy, and ability to function.

binge eating disorder

(BED) is characterized by frequent episodes of eating large quantities of food, accompanied by a sense of loss of control and feelings of guilt or shame afterward.

biofeedback

involves monitoring a person’s physical reaction to relaxation techniques such as deep breathing.

body dysmorphic disorder

characterized by a preoccupation with perceived flaws in a person’s own appearance.

borderline personality disorder

characterized by impulsive actions, often with the potential for self-harm, as well as mood instability and chaotic relationships.

bulimia nervosa

an eating disorder characterized by frequent episodes of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors to purge the food such as self-induced vomiting; excessive exercising; or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or other medications.

claustrophobia

an abnormal fear of being in small or enclosed spaces.

cognitive behavioral therapy

(CBT) focuses on changing thoughts and behaviors that are affecting a person’s emotions and functioning.

delirium tremens

(DTs) is a disorder involving sudden and severe mental changes or seizures caused by abruptly stopping the use of alcohol.

delusion

a false personal belief that is maintained despite obvious proof or evidence to the contrary.

depression

a common mood disorder characterized by sadness, changes in sleep, energy, and concentration and may be accompanied by apathy, which is the lack of interest in formerly pleasurable activities, or anhedonia, which is the inability to enjoy oneself.

dissociative disorders

occur when normal thought is separated from consciousness.

dyslexia

also known as a developmental reading disorder, is a learning disability characterized by substandard reading achievement due to the inability of the brain to process symbols correctly.

electroconvulsive therapy

(ECT), also known as electroshock therapy, is a procedure in which small amounts of electric current are passed through the brain, deliberately triggering a brief seizure in order to reverse symptoms of certain mental illnesses.

emotion

a current state of feeling which may include a release of chemicals in the brain. Emotions include anger, fear, and love.

exposure therapy

can be used for treating anxiety disorders including phobias. It involves repeated exposure to a fear in a safe and controlled setting.

factitious disorder

a condition in which an individual acts as if they have a physical or mental illness when they are not really sick.

gender dysphoria

(GD) is a condition where a person’s sex at birth does not match the gender with which they currently identify, causing significant amounts of distress.

hallucination

a sensory perception (i.e., sight, touch, sound, smell, or taste) experienced in the absence of any actual external stimulus.

hoarding disorder

characterized by the overaccumulation of belongings in a way that interferes with daily living.

hypnotherapy

the use of hypnosis to produce an altered state of focused attention in which the patient may be more willing to believe and act on suggestions.

intellectual disability

also called intellectual developmental disorder, is a diagnosis of significant below-average intellectual and adaptive functioning present from birth or early infancy.

limbic system

a group of structures in the brain generally associated with thought, mood, and emotion.

mania

manic behavior, sometimes including a feeling of euphoria, meaning intense happiness and excitement. The suffix -mania means obsessive preoccupation.

mental illness

extremely common, affecting as many as one in five adults in the United States. Mental illness affects people of all ages, races, genders, and body types. Anxiety and depression are among the most common types of mental illness in the U. S.

mood

a current state of emotion.

narcolepsy

a potentially dangerous sleep disorder consisting of sudden and uncontrollable brief episodes of falling asleep during the day.

neurodevelopmental disorders

disorders with childhood onset which are characterized by a disturbance in the central nervous system.

obsessive-compulsive disorder

(OCD) is characterized by recurrent obsessions, which are repetitive, intrusive, distressing thoughts or impulses, and/or compulsions, feeling compelled to repeatedly do things, like wash or count.

oppositional defiant disorder

(ODD) is characterized by a child or adolescent’s persistent angry, uncooperative, and disruptive behavior directed toward authority figures, which disrupts daily activities.

panic attack

an unexpected, sudden experience of fear in the absence of danger, accompanied by physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, shortness of breath, chest tightness, dizziness, sweating or chills, nausea, numbness and tingling, choking sensations, or a combination of these.

paranoia

intense anxiety caused by persistent suspicion and mistrust of someone or something.

paraphilic disorders

characterized by altered sexual fantasies, urges, or behaviors.

parasomnia

general term for several categories of sleep disorders that occur while falling asleep, during sleep, or while waking from sleep.

personality disorder

A personality disorder (PD) is a chronic pattern of inner experience and behavior that causes serious problems with relationships and work.

phobia

a persistent, irrational fear of a specific thing or situation, strong enough to cause significant distress, interfere with functioning, and lead to the avoidance of the thing or situation that causes the reaction.

posttraumatic stress disorder

(PTSD) may develop after an event involving actual or threatened death or injury to the individual or someone else, during which the person felt intense fear, helplessness, or horror.

psychiatrist

a physician who specializes in diagnosing and treating chemical dependencies, emotional problems, and mental illness.

psychology

the scientific study of the mind.

psychopharmacology

Drug therapy for mental disorders is called psychopharmacology.

psychosis

a disrupted thought pattern that makes it difficult for a person to distinguish what is real and what is not.

psychotic disorder

characterized by the loss of contact with reality and deterioration of normal social functioning.

psychotherapy

sometimes called talk therapy or supportive psychotherapy, is used to treat many mental illnesses by providing insights into a person’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

psychotropic drug

acts primarily on the central nervous system, where it produces temporary changes affecting the mind, emotions, and behavior.

schizophrenia

a psychotic disorder usually characterized by withdrawal from reality, illogical patterns of thinking, delusions, and hallucinations and accompanied in varying degrees by other emotional, behavioral, or intellectual disturbances.

self-harm

harming oneself intentionally and ranges greatly in severity.

sexual dysfunctions

conditions which prevent a person from experiencing satisfaction from sexual activity.

stimulant

works by increasing activity in certain areas of the brain to increase concentration and wakefulness.

suicide

the intentional taking of one’s own life.

trauma

physical or emotional shock or injury.