Understanding Stress and Mental Health Disorders

Stress

Physical and mental response to a challenging or threatening situation.

Hypertension

High blood pressure, often linked to chronic stress.

Immune suppression

Weakened ability of the body to fight illness, often due to prolonged stress.

Stressors

Events or conditions that trigger a stress response.

Distress

Negative stress that causes anxiety or concern.

Eustress

Positive stress that can motivate and improve performance.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)

Traumatic events in childhood linked to long-term health and mental health issues.

General adaptation syndrome (GAS)

Model of the body's stress response: alarm, resistance, exhaustion.

Alarm reaction phase

The initial reaction to a stressor where the body activates the fight-or-flight response.

Resistance phase

The body tries to adapt to the continued presence of the stressor.

Exhaustion phase

The body's resources are depleted, leading to fatigue or illness.

Tend-and-befriend theory

Stress response more common in women involving nurturing and seeking social support.

Problem-focused coping

Dealing with stress by tackling the problem causing it.

Emotion-focused coping

Dealing with stress by managing emotions rather than the problem itself.

Positive psychology

The scientific study of strengths that help individuals thrive.

Subjective Well-being

How people experience and evaluate their lives and happiness.

Resilience

The ability to recover quickly from setbacks or adversity.

Posttraumatic Growth

Positive changes resulting from struggling with a major life crisis.

Positive Emotions

Feelings that reflect a favorable state such as joy, love, and satisfaction.

Gratitude

Recognizing and appreciating the positive aspects of life.

Wisdom

The ability to make sound decisions and give good advice using knowledge and experience.

Courage

Mental or emotional strength to face fear, difficulty, or danger.

Humanity

Caring and compassion for others.

Justice

Fairness and the pursuit of equality and advocating for the rights of others.

Temperance

Self-control and moderation in actions and emotions.

Transcendence

A connection to something greater than oneself, often spiritual or philosophical.

Abnormal Psychology

The study of unusual patterns of behavior, thought, or emotion.

Clinical Psychology

The branch of psychology focused on diagnosing and treating mental illness.

DSM-5-TR

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Text Revision; used to classify mental disorders.

International Classification of Mental Disorders (ICD)

Global standard by the WHO for reporting diseases and health conditions, including mental disorders.

Deviation

Behavior that significantly differs from societal norms.

Dysfunction

Interference with daily functioning, used as a sign of mental disorder.

Stigma

Negative stereotypes and discrimination associated with mental illness.

Eclectic Approach

Using multiple psychological theories and techniques for treatment.

Biopsychosocial Model

Model explaining mental health as a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors.

Diathesis-Stress Model

Theory that mental disorders result from a genetic predisposition triggered by stress.

Specific Phobia

Intense, irrational fear of a specific object or situation.

Acrophobia

Fear of heights.

Arachnophobia

Fear of spiders.

Agoraphobia

Fear of open or public spaces where escape may be difficult.

Panic Disorder

Repeated panic attacks and worry about future attacks.

Ataque de nervios

Cultural expression of distress involving uncontrollable shouting, crying, or trembling (common in Latino cultures).

Social Anxiety Disorder

Intense fear of being judged or embarrassed in social situations.

Taijin Kyofusho (TKS)

Japanese disorder involving fear of offending others with body appearance or odor.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Excessive, uncontrollable worry about various aspects of life.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders

Disorders involving unwanted, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions).

Obsessions

Persistent, unwanted thoughts or urges that cause distress.

Compulsions

Repetitive behaviors performed to reduce anxiety from obsessions.

Hoarding Disorder

Difficulty discarding possessions, leading to clutter that disrupts life.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Ongoing anxiety and flashbacks after experiencing a traumatic event.

Major Depressive Disorder A mood disorder with long periods of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest in activities.

Persistent Depressive Disorder A milder, long-lasting form of depression that lasts for two years or more.

Bipolar I Disorder A disorder with extreme mood swings, including full manic episodes and often depression.

Bipolar II Disorder Mood swings between hypomania and major depression.

Mania A state of overly high energy, racing thoughts, risky behavior, and little need for sleep.

Hypomania A milder form of mania with high energy and mood but without extreme behaviors.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD A disorder with trouble focusing, staying still, and controlling impulses.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) A developmental disorder with challenges in communication, social skills, and repetitive behaviors.

Anorexia Nervosa An eating disorder where people severely restrict food due to fear of gaining weight.

Bulimia Nervosa An eating disorder involving binge eating followed by purging to avoid weight gain.

Schizophrenic Spectrum Disorders Severe mental disorders with distorted thinking, emotions, and behaviors.

Delusions False beliefs despite evidence to the contrary.

Delusions of Persecution Belief that others are out to harm or spy on you.

Delusions of Grandeur Belief that you are extremely important, famous, or powerful.

Hallucinations Seeing, hearing, or feeling things that aren't actually there.

Word Salad Jumbled, nonsensical speech that's hard to understand.

Disorganized Motor Behavior Strange or unpredictable movements or body positions.

Flat Affect Showing little or no emotional expression.

Catatonic Stupor Being motionless and unresponsive for long periods.

Dopamine Hypothesis The theory that too much dopamine activity is linked to schizophrenia.

Positive Symptoms Extra behaviors seen in schizophrenia, like delusions or hallucinations.

Negative Symptoms Missing normal behaviors, like lack of emotion or motivation.

Dissociative Amnesia

Memory loss usually caused by stress or trauma, where a person cannot recall important personal information.

Dissociative Fugue

A rare condition where a person suddenly travels away from home and cannot remember their past or identity.

Dissociative Identity Disorder

A disorder where a person has two or more distinct personalities or identities that control their behavior at different times.

Paranoid Personality Disorder

A condition marked by distrust and suspicion of others without enough reason.

Schizoid Personality Disorder

A personality disorder where a person avoids social relationships and shows little emotion.

Schizotypal Personality Disorder

A condition involving odd behavior, thoughts, and appearance, and discomfort in close relationships.

Antisocial Personality Disorder

A disorder where a person shows no regard for right or wrong and often violates the rights of others.

Histrionic Personality Disorder

A disorder marked by attention-seeking behavior, excessive emotions, and a need for approval.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

A condition where someone has an inflated sense of self-importance and lacks empathy.

Borderline Personality Disorder

A disorder characterized by unstable moods, behavior, and relationships, and fear of abandonment.

Avoidant Personality Disorder

A condition involving extreme shyness, fear of rejection, and feelings of inadequacy.

Dependent Personality Disorder

A disorder marked by a need to be taken care of and fear of being alone.

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder

A personality disorder where a person is preoccupied with order, perfection, and control.

Deinstitutionalization

The process of moving people with mental illnesses out of large institutions and into community-based care.

Cultural Humility

A lifelong process of self-reflection and learning about different cultures while recognizing one's own biases.

Therapeutic Alliance

The trusting, collaborative relationship between therapist and client that supports treatment.

Nonmaleficence

The ethical principle of doing no harm.

Fidelity

Being trustworthy and keeping commitments in therapy.

Integrity

Being honest and practicing therapy ethically.

Respect for People's Rights & Dignity

Valuing and protecting each client's rights and dignity, including privacy and cultural differences.

Psychodynamic Therapies

Therapies that focus on unconscious processes and past experiences.

Free Association

A technique where clients say whatever comes to mind to uncover unconscious thoughts.

Dream Interpretation

Analyzing dreams to understand unconscious desires and feelings.

Person-Centered Therapy

A humanistic therapy that provides a supportive environment where the client leads the discussion.

Active Listening

Fully focusing, understanding, and responding to a client to show empathy and support.

Group Therapy

Therapy where multiple clients work through issues together with a therapist.

Individual Therapy

One-on-one therapy between a client and a therapist.

Cognitive Therapies

Therapies that focus on changing negative thinking patterns.