FundaMENTALs
Glossary of Common Psychology and Mental Health Terminology

Addiction: Addiction is a compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance (as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal. More about addiction.
Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA or ACOA): Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA or ACoA) is a 12-step recovery program for adults who grew in in an alcoholic or otherwise dysfunctional family and share any number of unhealthy feelings and behaviors. More about Adult Children of Alcoholics.
Agoraphobia: Derived from the Greek word for marketplace, agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder marked by fear and avoidance of being in open or inescapable places such as crowds, wide-open areas, bridges, and shopping centers. More about agoraphobia.
Alcoholism: Alcoholism is a physical and psychological dependence on alcohol that usually involves periods of frequent and heavy drinking and drinking despite problems resulting from alcohol use. More about alcoholism.
Amnesia: Amnesia is a condition caused by the loss of memory, either wholly or partially. Memory is housed in several parts of the brain's limbic system, and any condition that interferes with the operation of the limbic system can cause amnesia. More about amnesia.
Anger: Anger is a very powerful basic human emotion that can stem from feelings of frustration, hurt, annoyance or disappointment. More about anger.
Anorexia Nervosa: Anorexia nervosa, like bulimia, is an eating disorder that makes people lose weight rapidly due to extreme diets and exercise regimens. Anorexics may weigh an amount that is not healthy for their height and age, or they may be attempting to reach an unhealthy body weight. More about anorexia nervosa.
Antisocial Personality Disorder: Antisocial personality disorder is a mental illness marked by long-term patterns of disregarding and violating the rights of others. More about antisocial personality disorder.
ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: ADHD is a problem with inattentiveness, over-activity, impulsivity, or a combination. For these problems to be diagnosed as ADHD, they must be out of the normal range for a child's age and development. More about ADHD.
Anxiety: Anxiety is a type of fear--a powerful emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes that has a strong effect on the mind and body because it is one of our natural survival responses. More about anxiety.
Anxiety Disorders / Generalized Anxiety Disorders: Anxiety disorders are diagnosed when excessive worry about everyday problems occurs for 6 months or more. More about anxiety disorders.
Autism: Autism is an umbrella term used to describe a number of conditions that exist along a spectrum. All people with autism have difficulties with social and communication skills. More about autism.
Behavior Disorders: There are two major types of behavior disorders, Conduct Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). (Some children whose diagnosis does not perfectly match up with either may also be classified under "Disruptive behavior, Not Otherwise Specified (NOS).") Children with behavior disorders repeatedly behave in ways that violate rules, social norms or the rights of others. More about behavior disorders.
Binge Eating Disorder: Binge eating disorder is characterized by recurrent binge eating without the regular use of compensatory measures, such as exercise or purging as someone with bulimia or anorexia might do, to counter the binge eating. More about binge eating disorder.
Bipolar Disorder / Manic Depression: Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a mood disorder that causes people to shift between extremes in mood and energy. More about bipolar disorder.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), also known as dysmorphophobia, is a mental illness involving an obsessive concern over an imagined or minor defect in one's appearance. More about body dysmorphic disorder.
Borderline Personality Disorder: Borderline personality disorder is a condition in which people have long-term patterns of unstable or turbulent thoughts, feelings and behaviors. More about borderline personality disorder.
Bulimia: Bulimia is a potentially life threatening eating disorder in which the sufferer attempts to control his or her weight by purging food. More about Bulimia.
Childhood Depression: Childhood depression is the early onset of clinical depression, which causes sufferers to feel discouraged, hopeless, sad, and unsettled. More about childhood depression.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFIDS): Chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as chronic fatigue immune dysfunction and Myalgic encephalomyelitis, refers to severe, continued tiredness that is not relieved by rest and is not directly caused by other medical conditions. More about chronic fatigue.
Compulsions: Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or thoughts that a person engages in to neutralize, counteract, or make their obsessions-thoughts, images, or impulses that occur over and over again and feel out of the person's control-go away. More about compulsions.
Compulsive Hoarding Syndrome: Compulsive hoarding syndrome, also called compulsive hoarding and hoarding, is characterized by the excessive collection of items and difficulty discarding things that appear to most people to have little or no value to the point where clutter makes it difficult to navigate through one's home. More about compulsive hoarding syndrome.
Compulsive Shopping Disorder: Compulsive shopping, also called compulsive buying disorder, is described as a pattern of chronic, repetitive purchasing that becomes difficult to stop and results in harmful consequences. More about compulsive shopping disorder.
Conduct Disorder: Conduct disorder is a repetitive and persistent pattern of behavior in children and adolescents in which the rights of others or basic social rules are violated in a variety of settings including home, school, and in social situations. More about conduct disorder.
Delusions: Delusions are a persistent, false psychotic belief regarding the self or persons or objects outside the self that is maintained despite indisputable evidence to the contrary. More about delusions.
Dementia: Dementia is not a specific disease. It's an overall term that describes a wide range of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to reduce a person's ability to perform everyday activities. More about dementia.
Depression: Depression is a mood disorder in which feelings of sadness, loss, anger, or frustration interfere with everyday life for weeks or longer. More about depression.
Dissociative Disorders: Dissociative disorders involve a dissociation or interruption of an individuals sense of self. More about dissociative disorders.
Eating Disorders: Eating disorders include extreme emotions, attitudes and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues. They are present when a person experiences severe disturbances in their eating behavior, such as extreme reduction of food intake or extreme overeating, or feelings of extreme distress or concern about body weight or shape. More about eating disorders.
Hypochondria: Hypochondria takes health anxiety a step further. Instead of just worrying about having a disease or physical ailment, the person is convinced he has problems and seeks medical attention to confirm his suspicions. More about hypochondria.
Obsessions: Obsessions are thoughts, images, or impulses that occur over and over again and feel out of a person's control. More about obsessions.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a mental illness characterized by anxiety related to unreasonable thoughts or fears. In response to these obsessions, sufferers are driven to perform ritualistic, compulsive acts. More about OCD.
Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD): Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), also called obsessive-compulsive, is a condition in which a person is preoccupied with rules, orderliness and control. More about OCPD.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD): Oppositional defiant disorder is a pattern of disobedient, hostile, and defiant behavior toward authority figures. More about oppositional defiant disorder.
Panic Attacks & Panic Disorder: A panic attack is the most severe form of acute anxiety, and what happens in your body is in response to, not the cause of, a sudden, excessive amount of adrenaline and other hormones in your bloodstream. More about panic attacks and panic disorder.
Personality Disorders: Personality disorders are a group of psychiatric conditions in which a person's long-term behaviors, emotions, and thoughts are very different from his or her culture's expectations, and cause serious problems with relationships and work. More about personality disorders.
Phobias: Phobias are intense fears of objects or situations that pose little or no harm in reality. Certain phobias may have their own names, such as acrophobia (fear of heights) and agoraphobia (fear of open or public spaces). More about phobias.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD): Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a mental illness triggered by a frightening, painful, or disturbing life event. Instead of easing over time, the traumatic reactions and anxious symptoms get worse over time. More about PTSD.
Postpartum Depression: Postpartum depression is a prolonged period of moderate to severe depression that occurs after birth. It generally emerges within three months following birth, and treatment is often required to cure it. More about postpartum depression.
Psychosis & Psychotic Disorders: Psychosis is a symptom of some of the more severe forms of mental health problems – grouped as psychotic disorders - such as schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder. More about psychosis and psychotic disorders.
Schizophrenia: Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disorder that interferes with a person's ability to think clearly, manage emotions, make decisions and relate to others. More about Schizophrenia.

Anger Management: Anger management classes and counseling can be done individually, with a partner or other family members, or in a group. More about anger management.
Counseling: Counseling is an umbrella term that incorporates a variety of talking therapies delivered by trained practitioners, with the goal of improving the well-being of an individual person or group. More about counseling.
Family Therapy: Family therapy is a type of psychotherapy designed to assist members of a family improve communication techniques and resolve group and individual conflicts. More about family therapy.
Marriage Counseling: Marriage counseling is a form of psychotherapy for established partners or a married couple which addresses marital relationship issues in order to improve the relationship. More about marriage counseling.
Psychiatrists: A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental health and emotional problems. More about psychiatrists.
Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy is a process between a therapist and patient that enables psychological problems to be dealt with through communication and education. More about psychotherapy.

Psychiatrists: A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental health and emotional problems. More about psychiatrists.

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FundaMENTALs Glossary of Common Psychology and Mental Health Terminology

FundaMENTALs
Glossary of Common Psychology and Mental Health Terminology