This glossary aims to bring clarity to some of the key concepts of mental health, such as the many disorders, various forms of help & treatment available, and ideas such as social stigma.
This clarity helps us to better navigate mental health and facilitates the important conversations on this topic.
There are many different, but equally important, mental health disorders. Due to this wide scope, not everything is included in this glossary. This glossary is the first step in understanding mental health, not a complete resource.
Please acknowledge I am not professionally educated in this area and am using my own research and experience to aid and encourage awareness.
Addiction
Addiction is defined as not having control over doing, taking or using something to the point where it could be harmful to you. Addiction is most commonly associated with alcohol, gambling, drugs and nicotine, but it's possible to be addicted to just about anything. Over half a million people in the UK suffer from alcoholism, of which less than one-fifth receive help.
ADHD
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a mental health disorder that can cause above-normal levels of hyperactive and impulsive behaviors. People with ADHD may also have trouble focusing their attention on a single task or sitting still for long periods of time. Most cases are diagnosed when children are 6 to 12 years old. The symptoms of ADHD usually improve with age, but many adults who were diagnosed at a young age continue to experience problems. People with ADHD may also have additional problems, such as sleep and anxiety disorders.
Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer's disease is a chronic neurodegenerative disease associated with an ongoing decline of brain functioning. It can affect memory, thinking skills and other mental abilities. It is responsible for 60–70% of cases of dementia. The exact cause of Alzheimer's disease is not yet fully understood, although a number of lifestyle and genetic factors are thought to increase your risk of developing the condition.
Antidepressants
Antidepressants are a type of medicine used to treat depression. They’re sometimes prescribed for other health problems such as chronic pain, and for other mental health conditions such as anxiety or OCD. SSRIs are the most commonly prescribed type of antidepressant medicine.
Anxiety
Anxiety refers to a range of mental and physical states and can come in many forms including general, social and phobias. It’s a normal human response to lots of situations, but if it’s persistent or out of proportion to the situation, it can be a symptom of poor mental health. Anxiety and depression are often experienced in connection with each other.
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that causes repeated, severe mood swings. At different times your mood can vary from excitement and elation (called mania) to depression and distress. These mood swings can last for several weeks.
CBT
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a type of talking therapy designed to help people to cope with stress and emotional difficulties. It encourages recipients to make connections between how they think, feel, and behave, in turn helping them to change negative patterns in how they think, feel and behave. It’s an effective therapy for many types of mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, addiction, OCD, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder.
Cortisol
Cortisol is a steroid hormone, released by the adrenal glands, and in other tissues, in response to stressful stimuli. This hormone plays a key role in the normal stress response, although excessive long-term exposure to cortisol can increase risk of mental and physical health conditions.
Dementia
Dementia is a general term for loss of memory, language, problem-solving and other thinking abilities that are severe enough to interfere with daily life. The impairment in cognitive function is commonly accompanied, and occasionally preceded, by deterioration in emotional control, social behaviour, or motivation. Although dementia mainly affects older people, it is not a normal part of ageing. Worldwide, around 50 million people have dementia, and there are nearly 10 million new cases every year. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia.
Depression
Depression is a mood disorder characterised by intense continuous low mood, feeling of emptiness and/or a loss of interest and enjoyment in your life that persists beyond a few weeks. It is associated with many physical symptoms such as disturbance of sleep, appetite, and concentration. Depression is the most common mental health problem worldwide.
Dopamine
Dopamine is a hormone and a neurotransmitter that plays several important roles in the brain and body. Dopamine plays a key role in motivating behaviour. In an evolutionary context, it rewards us for beneficial behaviours and motivates us to repeat them. In addition to this role, dopamine is involved in sleep, mood, learning, concentration, motor control and memory. Effective dopamine signalling is vital for both physical and mental health.
Eating disorder
Eating disorders describe illnesses that are characterized by irregular eating habits, unhealthy attitudes to food, and severe distress or concern about body weight or shape. Eating disturbances may include inadequate or excessive food intake which can ultimately damage an individual’s health and well-being. The most common forms of eating disorders include Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder and affect both females and males.
Endorphins
Endorphins are chemicals produced by the brain that interact with the body in a similar way to both hormones and neurotransmitters. Endorphins give a sense of positive wellbeing and are released in response to stress and pain, as well as exercise, cold exposure, laughter and sex. They are believed play a major role in the body's inhibitory response to pain.
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Holistic
Holistic refers to the belief that the parts of something are intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole. In the context of holistic health and medicine, this means viewing and treating the person as a whole, taking into account mental and social factors, rather than just the symptoms of a disease.
Insomnia
Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder in which people have trouble falling asleep, or staying asleep as long as desired. It can be caused by a number of lifestyle/behavioural factors, or as a result of an underlying condition. Insomnia is usually improved by changing sleeping habits.
Meditation
Meditation is an ancient practice where an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state.
Mental health
Mental health refers to a state of psychological and emotional well-being. Poor mental health, caused by a range of mental health problems, represents the largest single cause of disability in the UK. The cost to the economy is estimated at £105 billion a year – roughly the cost of the entire NHS. Mental health disorders, just like physical disorders, are varied and can be experienced very differently between individuals.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the psychological process of purposely bringing one's attention to experiences occurring in the present moment without judgment, which one develops through the practice of meditation and through other training. Mindfulness forms the basis of some mental health treatments.
OCD
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a mental health condition where you have obsessive thoughts or compulsive behaviours (things you feel you must do) or both. The obsessions and the need to perform rituals can become overwhelming if left untreated.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a severe long-term mental health condition. It causes a range of different psychological symptoms such as hallucinations, and disordered thinking, meaning the person may not always be able to distinguish their own thoughts and ideas from reality. Schizophrenia can also lead to symptoms such as social withdrawal and extreme apathy.
Self-efficacy
The concept of self-efficacy refers to individuals’ own beliefs and their ability to achieve defined goals. Self-efficacy reflects confidence in the ability to exert control over one's own motivation, behaviour, and social environment. Low self-efficacy affects both achievements, ambitions, and motivation.
Self-esteem
Self-esteem is the opinion we have of ourselves. Self-esteem encompasses a variety of beliefs about yourself, such as the appraisal of your own appearance, beliefs, emotions, and behaviours. When we have healthy self-esteem, we tend to feel positive about ourselves and about life in general. When our self-esteem is low, we tend to see ourselves and our life in a more negative and critical light.
Serotonin
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter commonly known for its influence on mood and the feeling of well-being, however its full biological function is complex – modulating cognition, reward, learning, and memory. Also, approximately 90% of the human body's serotonin is located in cells lining the small intestine, where it regulates digestion. Several classes of antidepressants, such as the SSRIs, interfere with serotonin signalling having the effect of increased serotonin activity.
Social inclusion
Social inclusion involves ensuring that vulnerable or disadvantaged groups are able to access all of the activities and benefits available to anyone living in the community. This involves actively removing personal, institutional, and structural bias and discrimination.
Social Stigma
Social stigma is described as stereotypes or negative views attributed to a person or groups of people when their characteristics or behaviours are viewed as different from or inferior to societal norms. Despite the fact that mental health problems are common (1 in 10 children aged 5-16 years have a diagnosable mental health problem), there is a strong social stigma attached to mental ill health, with nearly nine out of ten people with mental health problems saying that stigma and discrimination have a negative effect on their lives.
SSRIs
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most commonly prescribed type of antidepressant medicine. They're mainly prescribed to treat depression, particularly persistent or severe cases, and are often used in combination with a talking therapy such as CBT.
Stress
Stress is the body's reaction to feeling threatened or under pressure. It's a natural physiological and psychological response, and in safe doses plays a key role in daily life. However, excessive and long-term activation of the stress-response system and the resulting overexposure to cortisol and the other stress hormones can be detrimental to mental and physical health.
These definitions are offered to help with the communication and understanding of this subject area. They are based on research carried out by the author to date. If you can add to these definitions - we'd love to hear from you.