Mental Health Terms & Definitions

Mental health: the successful performance of mental function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people and the ability to adapt to change and cope with adversity; from early childhood until late life, mental health is the springboard of thinking and communications skills, learning, emotional growth, resilience and self-esteem.

Mental illness: the term that refers collectively to all mental disorders. Mental disorders are health conditions that are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood or behavior (or some combination thereof) associated with distress and/or impaired functioning.

Schizophrenia: the most chronic and disabling of the severe mental disorders. Typically develops in the late teens or early twenties. The overt symptoms are hallucinations (hearing voices, seeing visions), delusions (false beliefs about commonly held views of reality) and bizarre thought patterns. These are the positive symptoms that typically lead to psychiatric treatment and hospitalization. Often neglected are the "negative" symptoms-social isolation and withdrawal, blunting of emotional expressiveness, poor communication skills and decreased motivation and self-care. Even with available treatment, most continue to suffer chronically or episodically throughout their lives. <<For more information on schizophrenia and its causes and treatment click here.>>

Major Depression or Unipolar Depression: marked by persistent depressive thought and mood, accompanied by physical disturbances in sleep, appetite and energy level. Acuity of though, memory and concentration are also affected. Also can include feelings of pessimism, self-deprecation and delusions of worthlessness.

Manic-Depression or Bipolar Disorder: Depressive episodes alternate intermittently with manic ones, marked by heightened energy and mood, sharpened and unusually creative thinking, irritability and increased self-confidence. In full mania, these symptoms progress to grandiose delusions and psychotic, disruptive behavior.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): is characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts and conscious, ritualized, seemingly purposeless acts.

Panic Disorder: marked by sudden attacks of terror and irrational fear, an overwhelming sense of impending doom and bodily symptoms such as racing heartbeat, gasping for air, sweating, weakness, dizziness and feelings of unreality.