Mental Health Glossary

Anxiety disorders range from feelings of uneasiness to immobilizing bouts of terror. Most people experience anxiety at some point in their lives and some nervousness in anticipation of a real situation. However, if a person cannot shake unwarranted worries, or if the feelings are jarring to the point of avoiding everyday activities, he or she most likely has an anxiety disorder. Anxiety can be associated with depression.

People with ADHD experience a regular pattern of inattention and/or severe hyper and impulsive behavior that interferes with regular functioning or development.

Biofeedback is learning to control muscle tension and "involuntary" body functioning, such as heart rate and skin temperature; it can be a path to mastering one's fears. It is used in combination with, or as an alternative to, medication to treat disorders such as anxiety, panic, and phobias.

A combination of cognitive and behavioral therapies, this approach helps people change negative thought patterns, beliefs, and behaviors so they can manage symptoms and enjoy more productive, less stressful lives.

These two similar approaches to therapy involve discussions and problem-solving sessions facilitated by a therapist-sometimes with the couple or entire family group, sometimes with individuals. Such therapy can help couples and family members improve their understanding of, and the way they respond to, one another. This type of therapy can resolve patterns of behavior that might lead to more severe mental illness. Family therapy can help educate the individuals about the nature of mental disorders and teach them skills to cope better with the effects of having a family member with a mental illness- such as how to deal with feelings of anger or guilt.

Depression is a mood disorder characterized by intense feelings of sadness that persist beyond a few weeks. It is associated with many physical symptoms such as disturbance of sleep, appetite, and concentration. Depressed people often feel tired, guilty and can find normal life extremely difficult. Depression can be associated with anxiety.

An alternative treatment for physical pain and emotional distress. It's also referred to as tapping or psychological acupressure. It involves tapping specific points on the body, primarily on the head and the face, in a particular sequence. While doing this, the person focuses on the issue that they wish to treat.

A collection of evidence based mind-body approaches for understanding and improving human functioning. EP focuses on the relationship between thoughts, emotions, sensations, and behaviors, and known bioenergy systems (such as meridians and the biofield).

Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) comprises empirically validated processes that facilitate the conscientious, explicit and judicious integration of individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research in making decisions about the care of individual patients.

Therapy tailored for a patient/client that is administered one-on-one.

Come in many variations and has long been acknowledged as a tool to master the mind and cope with stress, depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder, and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). Meditation-which come in many variations-has long been acknowledged as a tool to master the mind. Over 600 research indicate the positive effects of this stress reducing technique

Mental health problems are real. They affect one's thoughts, body, feelings, and behavior. Mental health problems are not just a passing phase. They can be severe, seriously interfere with a person's life, and even cause a person to become disabled. Mental health problems include depression, bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness), attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, schizophrenia, and conduct disorder.

Diagnostic, treatment, and preventive care that helps improve how persons with mental illness feel both physically and emotionally as well as how they interact with other persons. These services also help persons who have a strong risk of developing a mental illness.

Mindfulness allows individuals to be fully aware in the current moment. A person who is mindful is present with their body and senses and can observe and describe events in a nonjudgmental way allowing one to accept difficult thoughts, feelings or circumstances.

People with panic disorder experience heart-pounding terror that strikes suddenly and without warning. Since they cannot predict when a panic attack will seize them, many people live in persistent worry that another one could overcome them at any moment.

PTSD can occur when a teenager experiences a shocking, unexpected event that is outside the range of usual human experience. The trauma is usually so extreme that it can overwhelm their coping mechanisms and create intense feelings of fear and helplessness.

Social anxiety, also known as social phobia, can be described as a fear of social situations or of interacting with people other than one’s close friends and family. When social anxiety is persistent or has a detrimental effect on one's daily life, therapy may be helpful in addressing this issue and exploring treatment and coping methods.

Stress is primarily a physical response. When stressed, the body thinks it is under attack and switches to ‘fight or flight’ mode, releasing a complex mix of hormones and chemicals such as adrenaline, cortisol and norepinephrine to prepare the body for physical action. This causes a number of reactions, from blood being diverted to muscles to shutting down unnecessary bodily functions such as digestion. Mild levels of stress are beneficial, however, excessive stress can have negative mental and physical health consequences.

Telepsychiatry, or telemedicine, allows patients to receive treatment from mental health providers, including counselros, through a video conference program, similar to Skype or FaceTime, but with heightened security.

Trauma is the body’s response to witnessing or experiencing a frightening event, such as a natural disaster or sexual assault. Symptoms of trauma vary greatly by person, but may include extreme fear surrounding the event, anger or aggression, withdrawn behavior, and more. A person with trauma may develop anxiety or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Many people who seek treatment are able to work with their care team to reduce symptoms