~ A ~
Addiction: Is continuing to use a substance (for example: alcohol or cocaine) for non-medical purposes despite wanting or trying to stop using it.
Addictions have a negative impact on many areas of a person’s functioning in life.
For example, if a person’s substance use gets in the way of positive relationships with friends or family; success at school or work, it is interfering with their life. An addiction is characterized by:
- Abuse of a chemical.
- Behaviour of drug seeking.
- Daily focus on the drug.
- Craving for the substance.
People who are addicted will often experience withdrawal when they stop using a substance. However, withdrawal does not equal addiction.
Withdrawal is a common physical response to quickly stopping a chemical that affects the brain.
Agoraphobia: A fear and avoidance of situations where you might feel unsafe or unable to escape if you have a panic attack.
Anhedonia: Is a word used to describe a lack of pleasure. Sometimes, people suffering with depression will experience anhedonia. For example, the person doesn’t feel good when they are doing the things that normally make them feel good, such as:
- Playing a favorite game.
- Swimming.
- Watching movies.
- Social Event.
Anhedonia due to depression will get better once the depression has been successfully treated.
Anorexia Nervosa (Commonly Referred To As Anorexia): Is a type of eating disorder. The key features that a person with Anorexia will experience are:
- Refusing to maintain a minimally reasonable body weight.
- Intense fear of gaining weight.
- An unrealistic perception of their body image (for example: they think or feel that they are much larger or heavier than they are).
The word “anorexia” means loss of appetite but many youths with anorexia struggle to suppress their appetite. Anorexia Nervosa can be effectively treated with various psychological and family focused therapies.
Antidepressant Medicine: A medicine that is usually used to treat the symptoms of depression or anxiety disorders. The antidepressant called “Fluoxetine” is the most useful for helping in adolescent depression.
It usually takes 6 to 8 weeks for an antidepressant medicine to work in treating depression.
Antipsychotics: Are medicines that are often used to help treat psychosis. Sometimes they can also be used to treat mood swings (such as severe depression or mania) or extreme behaviours (such as aggressive outbursts).
This can be confusing if a person is being treated with an antipsychotic medicine and does not have a psychosis. If you are being treated with an antipsychotic medicine, make sure you understand why it is being used and its risks and benefits.
Check out the “Evidence Based Medicine for Teens” on: www.teenmentalhealth.org.
Anti-Social Personality Disorder: Is a type of personality disorder. People with anti-social personality disorder have a long pattern of violating the rights of others. It begins in childhood or early adolescence and continues into adulthood.
Other common terms for anti-social personality disorder are sociopath or psychopath. People with this personality disorder will often harm others without feeling remorse or guilt.
Anxiety: Is a type of body signal, or group of sensations that are generally unpleasant. A person with anxiety experiences a variety of physical sensations that are linked with thoughts that make them feel apprehensive or fearful.
A person with anxiety will often also think that bad things may happen even when they are not likely to happen. For example, you may be thinking about your puppy falling and getting hurt when it is on the bed and this makes you feel anxious.
Anxiety is normal and everyone experiences it! It is a signal that we need to adapt to life’s challenges by learning how to cope.
When you have so much anxiety that it interferes with your normal routine or many parts of your life such as, school, work, recreation, friends or family — that is when it becomes a problem and maybe even a disorder.
Typical sensations of anxiety include:
- Worry
- Ruminations
- The feeling of “butterflies” in the stomach.
- Twitchiness.
- Restlessness.
- Muscle tension.
- Headaches.
- Dry mouth.
- Feeling as if air is not coming into your lungs.
- Panic attacks.
Anxiety Disorders: Are a group of common mental disorders. People with an Anxiety Disorder will experience things like mental and physical tension about their surroundings, apprehension (negative expectations) about the future, and will have unrealistic fears (see anxiety).
It is the amount and intensity of the anxiety sensations and how they interfere with life that makes them Disorders. Some common types of Anxiety Disorders are:
- Social Anxiety Disorder.
- Panic Disorders.
- Separation Anxiety Disorder.
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
Anxiety Disorders can be effectively treated with psychological therapies or medications.
Asperger’s: Is often considered to be a developmental disorder that can usually be diagnosed prior to adolescence.
People with Asperger’s experience repetitive behaviours, restrictive behaviours and interests that may lead to impaired functioning at work and socially.
Asperger’s is considered one of the several disorders on the Autism Spectrum and is unique because there is no significant delay in language development.
Many people with Asperger’s live full and productive lives without any (or minimal) treatment. Recent research is challenging the idea that Asperger’s is a disorder but much more study of this is needed.
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD): Is a term used in the past to diagnose what is now called ADHD (see Attention Deficit Hyper-Activity Disorder).
Attention Deficit Hyper-Activity Disorder (ADHD): Is a mental disorder that is usually lifelong and associated with a delay in how the brain matures and how it processes information.
People with ADHD usually have varying degrees of difficulty paying attention, being impulsive, and being overactive which causes problems at home, in school, and in social situations. There are three kinds of ADHD:
- Inattentive type.
- Hyperactive- impulsive type.
- Combined type.
People with “Inattentive type” mostly have problems paying close attention to things or being able to pay attention for long periods of time, so it is harder for them to focus on schoolwork or things that take a lot of concentration for more than a short period of time.
People with “Hyperactive- Impulsive type” are usually “on the go” and are often not very good about thinking things through before they act People with Combined Type have problems with inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity.
ADHD can be treated effectively with medication and behavioural techniques. About 1/3 of young people with ADHD may have a learning disability, so anyone who is diagnosed with ADHD should have special learning tests done.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Is a life-long mental disorder in which the person suffers with significant abnormal development of social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication.
A person with Autism has trouble understanding the feelings of others (empathy) and usually does not understand many social norms (rules that tell us what is socially acceptable).
Language difficulties range from the inability to speak to automatic sounding repetitive phrases to normal language that sounds formal and emotionless.
People with Autism Spectrum Disorder may also display repetitive behaviours (for example: continuous flapping of hands) and strong need to follow a precise daily schedule and routine. Autism symptoms can vary from extremely severe to mild.
Numerous treatments are available to help improve many of the symptoms of Autism, as yet there is no single best treatment for Autism.
The causes of Autism are complex and not well understood but the popular perception that vaccinations cause Autism is not correct.
Avolition: Means having little or no motivation or drive to do things. For example:
- Not getting dressed.
- Not wanting to cook.
- Not wanting to go out with family or friends.
This is not the same thing as “lazy.”
~ B ~
Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depression): Is a mood disorder. People with Bipolar Disorder have experienced at least one full depressive episode and at least one manic episode.
Most people with Bipolar Disorder have their first episode before age 25 and it is usually a depression.
Bipolar Disorder can be effectively treated with medications and various psychological therapies.
Bipolar Disorder Type 2 (Hypo-Manic Depression): Is a mood disorder. People with Bipolar Disorder type 2 experience at least one full depressive episode and at least one hypo-manic episode.
Hypo-manic episodes are like manic episodes but are not as severe. These episodes may last days to months.
Bipolar Disorder type 2 can be effectively treated with medications and psychological therapies.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD): Is a personality disorder. People with borderline personality disorder have difficulty in regulating their emotions and can experience intense bouts of anger, depression, and anxiety that may last from hours to days or longer.
These bouts occur repeatedly, often in response to minor life stressors or just on their own.
People with BPD have unstable moods, stormy relationships, poor self-image, and self-harming behaviours which can lead to impulsive aggression, self-injury, risk taking and substance abuse.
Brain: Is the center of adaptation, exploration, procreation and civilization. It is the master control of you and your body. You are what your brain is. Your mind is what your brain does.
The brain is made up many different parts that are all connected with each other. Here is a very brief overview of some of the parts and some of what they do:
- Amygdala: Is responsible for emotional memories, responses to fear, emotions and arousal, as well as being involved in the release of hormones that prepare the body for action.
- Brain stem: Relays messages from the body to the rest of the brain (cerebrum & cerebellum) and vice versa. It also helps control many of the body’s vital functions, such as, breathing, digestion, heart rate, sleep and arousal.
- Cerebellum: Is important for coordinating movement, controlling balance and muscle tone.
- Cerebrum: Is the largest part of the brain responsible for “higher functions” such as concentration, reason and abstract thinking. It consists of two connected hemispheres (halves) that are divided into the following four lobes: frontal, occipital, parietal and temporal.
- Frontallobe: Is important in controlling movement, planning behaviour (actions), reasoning, emotions, and problem solving.
- Graymatter: Is the part of the brain that is dark in color. It is mostly made up of nerve cells (neurons).
- Hippocampus: Is involved in turning emotional information into memory, learning, and regulating (controlling) emotional responses.
- Hypothalamus: Communicates with the limbic system to influence behaviour and emotions, controlling body functions such as temperature, sleep, appetite, sexual drive, stress reactions. Also helps control hormone release from the pituitary gland of the brain-endocrine system.
- Limbicsystem: Is made up of a group of brain parts that help control emotions, memory, motivation, appetite, and arousal.
- LocusCoeruleus: Is a small area in the brain stem containing nerve cells that activate the norephrinephrine system that signals anxiety and fear.
- Myelin: Is a kind of insulation that covers axons and helps nerve signals move more quickly. Myelin is also often called “white matter” because it looks white.
- Occipitallobe: Is responsible for vision.
- Parietal lobe: Is responsible for recognition (i.e., knowing what things are), body movement in space, as well as taste and some touch.
- Temporallobe: Is important in the processing (i.e., knowing what things mean) and recognition (i.e., knowing what things are) of sounds as well as, the recognition and memory of objects and faces.
- Thalamus: Receives information from all parts of the nervous system and relays it to the appropriate parts of the brain that deal with sensation and motor (movement) signals. It also helps to regulate sleep and wakefulness.
Bulimia Nervosa: Is an eating disorder often just called Bulimia characterized by excessive uncontrollable eating (binges of large amounts of food) over a short period of time, which is then followed by actions that try to get rid of the calories consumed, examples of this include:
- Self induced vomiting.
- Laxative abuse.
- Excessive exercise.
- Eating less meals.
- Eating smaller portion.
This behaviour is repetitive and often followed by feelings of depression, self-disgust, and guilt. Bulimia can be effectively treated with psychological therapy or medications.
~ C ~
Cognition: The mental processes associated with thinking, learning, planning, memory etc.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: Is a form of psychotherapy (talk therapy), designed to help treat various mental disorders.
It focuses on changing the persons’ thoughts and behaviours to help reverse the person’s symptoms and help increase the person’s functioning.
Cognitive Symptoms: Are disruptions in normal thoughts. Some medical disorders can interfere with cognition. For example:
- Negative thoughts in depression (“I am a useless person”).
- Negative delusions (see below) in psychosis (“The FBI is plotting against me”).
- Difficulties in planning.
- Difficulties in problem solving.
Compulsions: Are repetitive behaviours used to suppress (push out of thought) obsessive thoughts or to follow strong urges. Some types of compulsions include:
- Counting.
- Fidgeting
- Tapping.
- Re-checking multiple times.
While mild and occasional compulsions are common, severe and persistent compulsions can be part of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
Conduct Disorder (CD): Is a disruptive behaviour disorder. The individual with CD shows a persistent pattern of aggressive behaviours lasting over 6 months that are unacceptable to society.
Examples include:
- Stealing.
- Vandalism.
- Fighting.
- Starting fires.
- Rule violating.
Young people with CD often get into difficulty with the law.
~ D ~
Delusion: Is a disturbance of cognition where a person has fixed false beliefs that something has occurred or will occur that is not real.
A common delusion is the belief that someone is trying to harm them, even though nobody is. Delusions are often associated with psychosis.
Depression: Is a term used to describe a state of low mood or a mental disorder. This can be confusing because people may often feel depressed but will not have the mental disorder called Depression.
People with a Depression could be experiencing either Major Depressive Disorder or Dysthymic Disorder. The most common type of Depression as a mental disorder is a Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).
A person with MDD:
- Feels very low, sad, depressed or irritable.
- Experiences lack of interest.
- Less pleasure.
- Hopelessness.
- Fatigue.
- Sleep problems.
- Loss of appetite.
- Suicidal thoughts.
MDD has a negative impact on a person’s life, home, family, school/work, friends, etc.
Depression can also be part of a Bipolar Disorder (see above). MDD can be effectively treated with psychological therapies or medications.
Depressive Episode: Describes a period of depression in MDD or Bipolar Disorder. It includes at least 5 or more of these symptoms being present most of the time, mostly every day for 2 or more weeks:
- depressed mood
- A clear decrease in interest or pleasure in most or all (once enjoyable) activities.
- A significant weight gain or loss without dieting or loss of appetite.
- Unable to get enough sleep or too much sleep (Insomnia or Hypersomnia).
- Slow movements or purposeless movements from mental tension such as nervousness or restlessness.
- Which is observable by others (also known as psychomotor agitation or retardation).
- Feeling tired or having less than a normal amount of energy.
- Feeling worthless or a lot of inappropriate guilt.
- Diminished ability to think or concentrate or indecisiveness (have difficulties making decisions).
- Recurrent (happening again and again) thoughts of death.
- Suicidal ideation (thoughts and/or ideas about death or dying).
- Suicide plan.
- Suicide attempt.
Disorder: An abnormality in mental or physical health; disorder is often used as another name for illness.
Distress: Is mental or physical suffering. Distress is a part of normal life. Distress is not a mental disorder.
Double Depression: Is a mental disorder which is characterized by the presence of both Major Depressive Disorder and a less severe depression known as Dysthymic Disorder in one individual.
Dysthymic Disorder: Is a mood disorder. People with Dysthymic Disorder experience persistent low mood for two or more years (or one year for children) but experience fewer depressive symptoms than in Major Depressive Disorder.
This low-grade depression can result in many difficulties at home, school, work, with family and friends.
Dysthymia can be effectively treated with psychology therapies or medication.
~ E ~
Eating Disorders: Are a group of mental disorders related to eating. People with (an) eating disorder(s) excessively control their eating, exercise and weight.
These disorders include:
- Bulimia.
- Anorexia Nervosa.
- Binge Eating Disorder.
- Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified.
Eating disorders can be effectively treated using various psychological and medical treatments.
Euphoria: This word means a much-exaggerated sense of happiness or joy. In a mental disorder this can be found in Bipolar Disorder.
Extraversion: This is personality type where someone is very outgoing and sociable. People with this personality feature are often called “extroverts.”
~ G ~
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Is a mental disorder which is characterized by excessive anxiety and worry about numerous possible events (not any single, specific event) that leads to problems with daily functioning.
People with GAD worry all the time and experience many physical symptoms because of the worry (headaches, stomach aches, sore muscles, etc.) GAD can be effectively treated with psychological therapies or medications.
Grandiosity: Is having a highly exaggerated and unsubstantiated belief in your importance, ideas or abilities.
Unrealistic amounts of grandiosity can be found in Mania and Hypomania.
Grief: Is normal emotional suffering experienced by a person from a loss of a loved one (e.g., it is experienced when a family member dies).
It is different from a depressive disorder. Grief is not a mental disorder.
~ H ~
Hallucination: Is a disturbance of how your brain perceives the world.
A person with a hallucination experiences senses that are not real, this can effect:
- Sound.
- Sight.
- Smell.
- Taste.
- Touch.
For Example, a person with psychosis is hallucinating if they hear voices that are not occurring in reality.
Health: Is a state of physical, mental, social, and spiritual well being and not just the absence of disease or infirmity. It includes mental health.
Holistic: Is used to describe a type of care that focuses on the whole person, which takes into account their physical and mental state as well as their social background rather than just treating the symptoms of an illness alone.
Hypomanic Phase (Hypomania): Is a milder form of a manic phase. It is usually a part of bipolar disorder.
Hypomania can be effectively treated with medication and psychological therapies.
~ I ~
Introversion: Means to look inward, for a person to mostly focus on their inner selves and less on their social surroundings.
People that have this personality characteristic are often called “introverts.”
Involuntary Status: Is a term used to describe someone who has been admitted into a psychiatric facility (usually a hospital) against their will or without their consent, under the authority and protection of the law.
~ M ~
Manic Phase: Is one of the two phases of bipolar disorder (the other is Depression).
It is a period during which the person with mania experiences very high energy and excessive activity elevated to the point where they may have difficulty controlling themselves or acting in an expected manner.
Three or four of the following symptoms must be present for an episode to be considered to be a manic phase:
- Inflated (really high) self-esteem or grandiosity.
- Decreased need for sleep.
- More talkative than usual or pressure to keep talking.
- Racing thoughts.
- Distractibility.
- Increase in goal-directed activity.
- Excessive involvement in pleasurable activities that have a potential for painful or negative consequences, such as spending sprees or gambling.
A manic phase often requires hospitalization for treatment. It can be effectively treated with medications plus other therapies.
Mental Disorder: Is a disturbance of brain function that meets internationally accepted criteria (DSM or ICD) for a diagnosis.
Mental disorders occur as a result of complex interaction between a person’s genetic makeup and their environment.
Many effective treatments (provided by health professionals) for mental disorders are available.
Sometimes people use the term “mental health disorder” when they mean mental disorder. This is not necessary.
Mental Health: Is a state of emotional, behavioural, and social wellbeing, not just the absence of mental or behavioural disorder. It does not mean lack of distress.
A person can have a mental disorder and mental health at the same time. For example: a person may have a Major Depressive Disorder that has been effectively treated and is still taking treatment for the disorder.
Now they have mental health as well as a mental disorder.
Mental Health Professional: Is a broad category of health care workers who work to help other people improve their mental health or treat mental disorders. Examples are:
- Psychiatrists
- Clinical social workers
- Psychiatric nurses
- Psychologists
- Mental health counselors.
- Child and youth workers.
They have all received training in working with people who are living with a mental disorder.
Mental Health Promotion: These are activities that try to improve the mental health of people or try to reduce risk for the development of various mental health or social problems.
Mental Illness: Refers to a range of brain disorders that affect mood, behaviour, and thought process. Mental illnesses are listed and defined in the DSM and the ICD. The terms mental illness and mental disorder are often used interchangeably.
Mental Retardation: Is the below average general mental functioning that can be first noticed during childhood and is associated with problems in adjusting to different environments.
A diagnosis of mental retardation means that the person has shown to perform lower than average (compared to others their age) in two areas: measured intelligence (IQ) and an overall rating of the individual’s level of performance in school, at work, at home and in the community.
Mood: Is the ongoing inner emotional feeling experienced by a person.
Mood Disorders: Are a group of mental disorders related to problems in how the brain is controlling emotions.
A person with a mood disorder experiences an abnormal change in mood. These include: MDD, Bipolar Disorder, and Dysthymia.
Mood Stabilizers: Medicines used to help normalize mood. They are usually used to treat Bipolar Disorder. Some of these are: lithium, valproate, carbamezapine.
Some of these medicines are also commonly used in the treatment of epilepsy.
~ N ~
Narcissistic: Is a quality or trait of a person who interprets and regards everything in relation to their own self and not to other people.
It is associated with an unrealistic and highly inflated self-worth.
Negative Symptoms: Are symptoms of Schizophrenia that follow a lessening of executive functioning (conscious choice, intention, decision making; problem solving) in the brain.
The person either has less of something (for example energy) or is unable to do something (for example, unable to get out of bed). These symptoms include:
- Linertia (inability to get oneself going) lack of energy.
- Lack of interaction with their friends and family members.
- Poverty of thought (significantly fewer thoughts).
- Social withdrawal.
- Blunted affect (less emotionally responsive).
~ O ~
Obsessions: Are repetitive, persistent, unwanted thoughts that the person cannot stop and which cause significant distress and impair the person’s ability to function.
Mild and occasional obsessive thoughts are normal, but when they become severe and persistent they can be part of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Is a type of mental disorder. People with obsessive compulsive disorder experience persistent unwanted and recurring thoughts (obsessions) and/or persistent and unwanted repetitive behaviours (compulsions).
Repetitive behaviours are carried out with the goal of preventing or getting rid of the obsessions or of releasing a strong feeling of inner tension.
These behaviours may provide temporary relief for the person while not performing them can cause extreme anxiety.
Examples of obsessions include repetitive thoughts of germs or contamination.
Examples of compulsions include repetitive or excessive touching, counting, hand washing, and cleaning.
OCD can be effectively treated with medications and psychological therapies.
~ P ~
Panic Attack: Is a sudden experience of intense fear or psychological and physical discomfort that develops for no apparent reason and that includes physical symptoms such as:
- Dizziness.
- Trembling.
- Sweating.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Increased heart rate.
Occasional panic attacks are normal. If they become persistent and severe, the person can develop a Panic Disorder.
Panic Disorder: Is a mental disorder. A person with panic disorder has panic attacks, expects and fears the attacks and avoids going to places where escape may be difficult if a panic attack happens.
Sometimes, people with Panic Disorder can develop Agoraphobia.
Panic Disorder can be effectively treated with psychological therapies or medications.
Perception: Is the mental process of becoming aware of or recognizing information that comes from the five senses: sight, sound, smell, touch or taste.
Proprioception (knowing where your body parts are without looking) is also a type of perception.
Personality Disorders: Is a general term for a group of behavioural disorders characterized by lifelong behaviour patterns.
People with Personality Disorders do not adjust or function well in changing social environments. Signs of these patterns may include:
- Poor judgment.
- Emotional control.
- Impulse control.
- Relationship functioning.
Positive Symptoms: Are symptoms found in psychosis, often in Schizophrenia. They include:
- Hallucinations.
- Delusions.
- Loose associations (unclear connections between ideas or disorganized flow of conversation topics).
- Ambivalence (wanting to act one way but act in a way that is opposite to that).
- Unstable or quickly changing emotions.
Postsynaptic Neuron: Is the nerve cell (neuron) that receives messages from other neurons across a synapse.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): This mental disorder can happen to people who experience a really scary, painful, or horrific event in which they felt scared or helpless and during which they were in danger of death or severe injury.
People who develop PTSD will have flashback memories, or nightmares, of the event and will avoid things that remind them of the event. For example, if a person was assaulted in a park, they may be too fearful to go to parks and have to find new routes to work.
PTSD can be effectively treated with psychological interventions or medications.
Presynaptic Neuron: Is the nerve cell (neuron) that sends messages to other neurons across a synapse.
Prognosis: Is an educated guess, based on previous evidence and scientific study, of how the disorder will affect the person over time.
Your health provider will estimate the length of time the disorder will be present and how it may affect you.
A prognosis can change over time. For example, if a treatment is very helpful then the prognosis may improve.
Protective Factor: Is anything that decreases a person’s chances of getting a disorder or having a negative outcome.
Protective factors can be aspects of a person’s health, lifestyle or environment, such as a supporting family or community.
Their actual effect in any one person is not easy to predict and it is not clear if they all actually have a direct effect or are just examples taken from healthy people compared to people who are not well.
Psychiatrist: Is a doctor who specializes in the practice of psychiatry (the treatment of people who have a mental disorder and the prevention of mental disorders).
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who have had many years of additional training in psychiatric medicine.
Psychiatry: Is the medical specialty focused on understanding, diagnosing and treating mental disorders.
Psychomotor: Describes the mental process that helps put physical movements into action. For example, a feeling of fatigue may lead to walking very slowly or resting on a couch.
Psychomotor Agitation: Are movements that happen because of mental tension. It is often described as away of relieving mental tension. For example, pacing back and forth and peeling or biting skin around fingers.
Psychomotor Retardation: Are slow thoughts as well as movements that are slowed down.
Psychosis: Is a mental state in which a person has lost the ability to recognize reality. Symptoms can vary from person to person but may include:
- Changes in thinking patterns.
- Delusions.
- Hallucinations.
- Changes in mood.
- Difficulty completing everyday tasks (like bathing or shopping).
Mental disorders such as Schizophrenia can include psychosis as a symptom. Psychosis can be effectively treated with medications and other additional treatments.
Psychotherapy: Is a type of treatment for emotional, behavioural, personality, and other psychiatric disorders based mainly on person-to-person communication.
Psychotherapies can be evidence based (supported by many good research studies) or non-evidence based (not supported by many good research studies).
It is important for a patient to know what the evidence to support the psychotherapy that they are being treated with is.
To find out more about any psychotherapy, check out the Evidence Based Medicine booklet at: www.teenmentalhealth.org.
~ R ~
Recovery: Is when a person with a mental disorder is doing as well as they can be and is feeling mentally healthy – even if they still have a mental disorder.
Risk Factor: Is anything that increases a person’s chances of getting a disorder (can be aspects of a person’s health, genetics, lifestyle or environment).
Remember, risk factors increase a person’s chances of getting a disorder – they do not cause the disorder. Risk factors can be weak or strong. So having a specific risk factor may or may not be important for the person.
~ S ~
Schizoaffective Disorder: Is a psychotic disorder that has symptoms of both Schizophrenia and a major mood disorder.
People with Schizoaffective disorder can be effectively treated with medications and other additional treatments.
Schizophrenia: Is a mental disorder that can usually be diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 25.
People who have Schizophrenia experience delusions and hallucinations (psychotic symptoms) and many other problems that can make day to day living difficult.
While Schizophrenia runs in families some people can get Schizophrenia without a family history of the disorder.
Schizophrenia can be treated with medications and additional interventions that can improve the lives of people with the disorder.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Is a type of Major Depressive Disorder that usually happens to people only or mostly at certain times of year (for example: winter).
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): Are a group of medications used to treat depression. These medications work mainly in the serotonin system of the brain.
Self–Harm: Is any injury that a person inflicts on themselves without the intent to die. Examples of self-harming behaviours include: burning or cutting following an emotionally upsetting event, burning or cutting as a method of manipulation or threat, burning or cutting as a way of solving a problem.
Separation Anxiety Disorder: Is an Anxiety Disorder that can be diagnosed in children which makes it very hard for them to be away from their parent.
People with Separation Anxiety Disorder can be helped with psychological treatments.
Serotonin: Is a neurotransmitter that helps in regulating many different brain functions, including mood, anxiety and thinking.
Social: Is the ability to interact with other people in ways that are commonly accepted and appropriate to the situation/culture.
Social Phobia (Also Know As Social Anxiety Disorder): Is an anxiety disorder regarding the fear of having to be in social situations. A person with Social Anxiety Disorder also avoids the situations that make them feel anxious.
Examples include, the fear of public speaking, the fear of going to a party because other people are “judging” them, performing in front of other people.
People with Social Anxiety Disorder can be effectively treated with psychotherapy or medication.
Social Worker: Is a professional who is educated to deal with social, emotional, and environmental problems that may be associated with a disorder or disability.
Services provided by social workers may include case management (connecting patients with programs that meet their needs), counselling, human service management, social welfare policy analysis, and policy and practice development.
Sociopath (Orpsychopath): Is a person with antisocial personality disorder.
Sociopathy: Are the behaviour patterns and personality traits a sociopath displays such as superficial (fake) charm, having a lack of remorse (doesn’t feel badly/guilty about doing something wrong), and others.
Somatic: Describes the physical body. For example: sore muscles, fatigue, and headache are all somatic (also known as physical) sensations.
Specific Phobia: Is an Anxiety Disorder. A person with a specific phobia experiences fear in the presence of an object or situation, snakes, fear of heights, fear of the dark, etc.
Specific phobias often do not need to be treated. If they do, behaviour therapy is usually used.
Stigma Related To Mental Illness: Is attaching negative qualities to mental disorders (for example, thinking people with a mental disorder are dangerous).
Stigma is a strong force and is harmful in that it may keep people from speaking about their disorder, getting help, or receiving treatment.
It can create a false image of what mental disorders are and may force people to limit their social interactions, work, education, or to not seek help if they have a mental disorder.
Stress: Is the body’s reaction when forces such as infections or toxins disrupt the body’s normal physiological equilibrium (homeostasis).
Psychological stress develops in response to when a person perceives a threat, real or imagined, and determines whether they have the skills or resources to cope with the perceived threat.
Stress is necessary for learning how to adapt. Too much stress can lead to a variety of health problems.
Stimulants: Are a group of medications that improve various aspects of brain function, such as: alertness, concentration, etc.
They are often used to treat ADHD.
Substance Abuse: Is an unhealthy pattern of drug, alcohol or other chemical use that may lead to relationship, education, work, mental and/or physical problems.
Substance Dependence: Is a pattern of actions, physical, and mental symptoms that develop from abuse of a substance (drug).
A person who has a substance dependency may develop tolerance to the substance’s effects and may experience withdraw symptoms when they stop using the substance.
They crave the substance and engage in behaviour designed to access and use the substance – even if the behaviour or substance is harmful to them. A similar term is “Addiction.”
Suicidality: Refers to any thoughts or actions associated with the desire or intent to die.
We do not recommend using this term as it is so broad that it cannot convey clearly what a person means. For example: a passing thought about death or an attempt to die are both examples of suicidality.
Suicide: Is death that occurs because of an action designed to end one’s life.
Suicide Attempt: A purposeful act with the intent to end one’s life that does not cause death.
Suicidal Ideation: Refers to thoughts, images or fantasies of harming or killing oneself.
Suicidal Intent: Is the commitment and expectation of death by suicide. (Future tense: the person intends to take their life. Past tense: the person intended to take their life).
Suicidal Plan: Is the mentally created plan to attempt to end one’s life.
Supported Decision Making: Is the process in which a vulnerable person is provided advice, support, and assistance by their support network so they can make and communicate their own decisions.
Symptom: Is an occurrence of any type experienced by a person that differs from their normal in structure, behaviour, sensation, emotion or cognition that indicates illness or disease.
Synapse Or Synaptic Space: Is a space between neurons (nerve cells). Neurons release chemicals into this space that regulate how messages in the brain operate.
Syndrome: Is a collection of signs (what a person observes about another person) and symptoms (what a person experiences) that describes a disease.
Systematic Desensitization: Is a type of psychological treatment which gradually introduces things that a person fears so that they gradually overcome their fears.
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Teen Mental Health: Is a teen’s state of emotional and spiritual well being and not just the absence of disease.
Focusing to improve the mental health and ability of teens’ academic, social, physical, and other functioning will, in turn, increase their ability to contribute to society in the short term and in the long term in meaningful ways. It is based on the brain’s ability to adapt.
Therapist: Is a person who is professionally trained and/or skilled in the practice of a particular type of therapy.
Therapy: Is the treatment of disease or disorder by any method.
Tolerance: Is when a person becomes less responsive to a medication or other treatment over time.
Trauma: Is any painful or damaging injury or event that harms a person’s physical or mental health.
Treatment: Medical, psychological, social or surgical management and care of a patient.
Trichotillomania: Is a mental disorder. People with Trichotillomania pull out their hair repeatedly leaving noticeable hair loss. The person usually experiences tension before pulling the hair or if they try to stop themselves from pulling the hair and feel either pleasure or relief when pulling the hair out. The location of the hair can be anywhere on the body but is commonly from the scalp, eyebrows and eyelashes.
Psychological treatments and sometimes medications are usually used to help with this disorder.
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Violence: Is emotional, sexual and/or physical abuse towards someone usually in an effort to gain power or control of another person or group of people.
Voluntary Admission: Is being admitted as a patient to a mental health unit for treatment (usually in a hospital) based on a person’s agreement to be admitted.
Voluntary Patient: Is a person who stays in a psychiatric facility (usually a hospital) by their own consent or with the consent of the substitute decision maker.
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Withdrawal: Is a brain response to a sudden stopping of use of a medication or drug. Symptoms of withdrawal can include:
- Nausea.
- Chills.
- Cramps.
- Diarrhea.
- Hallucinations.
Withdrawal often occurs in addiction / substance dependence but most people who experience it are not addicted.
Another meaning of withdrawal is the self-directed avoidance of social contact.
This can be seen in some mental disorders such as: Depression, Schizophrenia, Panic Disorder, etc.