Module 14_Psychiatry_Terms

amnesia

partial or total loss of memory (derived from the Greek a- = without + mnesis = memory).

anorexia nervosa

a syndrome characterized by extreme and persistent fear of obesity (associated with body image distortions) leading to a decrease in eating to the point of starvation (from the Greek an- = without + orexis = appetite and the Latin nervosus = full of nerve

antisocial personality disorder

disregard for normal, socially acceptable standards of conduct leading to persistent violations of rules, laws, and regulations.

autism

mental disorder characterized by abnormal development of interpersonal skills and social interaction (from the Greek autos = self).

 avoidant personality

avoidance of social interactions due to extreme shyness.

bipolar disorder

mood disorder characterized by manic phases or manic and depressive episodes.

bulimia

an eating disorder characterized by bouts of gorging (exaggerated hunger) followed by forced emesis (vomiting) or doses of laxatives to prevent weight gain (from the Greek bous = ox + limos = hunger).

delirium

state of confusion and disorientation caused by toxic or metabolic disorders (from the Latin delirare = to act like a dotard or one without sense. The word originally meant to leave the furrow with the plow, i. e. to make an error in ploughing).

dementia

Chronic deterioration of cognitive function caused by aging or disease (from the Latin de- = out of + mens = mind).

dissociative disorder

a disruption in the integrated functioning of consciousness, memory, identity with multiple symptoms.

hypochondriasis

Preoccupation with bodily health and fear of disease (from the Greek hypo = beneath + chondros = cartilage. The spleen is located beneath the hypochondrium and a lack of organic cause was attributed to the “splenic flexure syndrome”, i. e. functional bowe

kleptomania

uncontrollable impulse to steal things that usually are not very valuable (from the Greek klepto = steal + mania = madness, elevated emotional state)

psychotherapy

the use of verbal or non verbal communication to treat mental disorders.

trichtillomania

compulsive repetitive pulling out of hairs from the head (from the Greek trikhos = hair + tillo = pull out + mania = madness, insanity).

achluophobia

Gr. achlys = mist, darkening of the sight

fear of darkness

acrophobia

Gr. akron = top, tip, end

fear of heights

aerophobia

Gr. aer = air, atmosphere

fear of flying

agoraphobia

Gr. agora = public gathering place, market

fear of open places

bibliophobia

Gr. biblion = book

fear of books

claustrophobia

Lat. claustra = barricade, enclosure

fear of being closed in without escape

cynophobia

Gr. kyon, kynos = dog

fear of dogs

dendrophobia

Gr. dendron = tree

fear of trees

entomophobia

Gr. entoma = insects

fear of insects

erotophobia

Gr. eros, erotos = love

fear of sexual love (or sexual abuse)

gamophobia

Gr. gamos = marriage (wedding ceremony)

fear of marriage

gelotophobia

Gr. gelos, gelotos = laughter

fear of being laughed at

gerontophobia

Gr. geron, gerontos = old man

fear of growing old, fear of the elderly

gymnophobia

Gr. gymnos = naked, without clothing

fear of nakedness

heliophobia

Gr. helios = sun

fear of sunlight

hemophobia

Gr. haima = blood

fear of (the sight of) blood

herpetophobia

Gr. herpeton = reptile

fear of reptiles

hodophobia

Gr. hodos = road, way, journey

fear of travel

hydrophobia

Gr. hydor = water

fear of water

hypnophobia

Gr. hypnos = sleep

fear of sleep or nightmares

hypochondria (hypochondriasis)

Gr. hypo = beneath + chondros = cartilage (The spleen is located beneath the hypochondrium and a lack of organic cause was attributed to the “splenic flexure syndrome”, i. e. functional bowel disorder witnessed in neurotics.)

fear of illness

monophobia

Gr. monos = alone, solitary

fear of being alone

musophobia (muriphobia)

Gr. mus, muos and Lat. mus, muris = mouse or rat

fear of mice or rats

necrophobia

Gr. nekros =dead body

fear of death or the dead

pyrophobia

Gr. skopos = a watcher

fear of being looked at

thalassophobia

Gr. thalassa = sea

fear of the sea

xenophobia

Gr. xenos = stranger, foreigner

fear of strangers, foreigners