Mental Illnesses and Problems: English Vocabulary List

a condition, experienced mostly by children, making them seem restless, unable to keep focus, and act impulsively

"ADHD causes restlessness and impulsivity."

"Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder causes restlessness, inability to focus, and impulsive actions."

an eating disorder, particularly in women, marked by body image disturbance and obsessive fear of becoming fat, which leads to dangerous weight loss

"Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder."

"Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by an abnormally low body weight and an intense fear of gaining weight."

a post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from prolonged exposure to active warfare

"Battle fatigue affected him."

"Battle fatigue is a mental health condition caused by the stress of combat also known as post traumatic stress disorder or PTSD."

a chronic mental health condition marked by episodes of mania and depression

"She has bipolar disorder."

"Bipolar disorder causes extreme mood swings between high energy and deep depression."

a mental illness that causes a person to act impulsively, to experience severe shifts in mood, and to be unable to form interpersonal relationships

"BPD causes impulsive actions."

"Borderline personality disorder involves impulsive behavior, mood swings, and relationship difficulties."

a mental illness which causes a person to eat too much and then forces themselves to vomit to maintain their weight

"Bulimia involves binge-purge cycles."

"Bulimia is an eating disorder characterized by episodes of binge eating followed by purging through vomiting or using laxatives."

compulsive display of one's genitals for the purpose of sexual gratification

"Exhibitionism exposes genitals publicly."

"Exhibitionism is a mental disorder characterized by the compulsive urge to expose one's genitals to unsuspecting strangers."

the condition in which a person is overwhelmed by distress or impairment due to a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity

"Gender dysphoria is identity distress."

"Gender dysphoria is the psychological distress that results from an incongruence between one's experienced gender and one's assigned gender at birth."

a state where a person is unusually active, is unable to stay focused or quiet for long, experienced mostly by children

"Child shows high hyperactivity."

"The child shows high hyperactivity and finds it very difficult to sit still during lessons at school every day."

a mental condition in which a person is constantly anxious and worried about their health

"He suffers from hypochondria."

"Hypochondria makes people constantly worry that minor symptoms mean they have a serious disease."

a mental condition in which one is obsessed with stealing things without any financial motive

"Kleptomania causes an urge to steal."

"Kleptomania is a mental health disorder characterized by an irresistible urge to steal items that are not needed for personal use or monetary value."

a chronic mental disorder marked by excessive mood swings ranging from depressive lows to crazed highs

"Manic depression is bipolar disorder."

"Manic depression is an older term for bipolar disorder a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings."

a psychological condition or personality trait characterized by an inflated sense of power, importance, or self-worth

"The dictator's megalomania led to disastrous decisions."

"His dangerous megalomania made him believe he could control everything and everyone around him."

a severe mental condition in which the patient suffers from depression often without any apparent reason

"Deep melancholia suffered."

"She suffered from deep melancholia after losing her beloved husband suddenly last year."

a mental condition usually associated with schizophrenia in which the patient does not move for long time spans

"Severe catatonia showed."

"The patient showed severe catatonia and remained motionless for many hours during the episode."

a serious mental disorder associated with antisocial behavior, irresponsibility, and absence of empathy

"Psychopathy lacks empathy."

"Psychopathy is a personality disorder characterized by persistent antisocial behavior impaired empathy and remorse and bold disinhibited traits."

a severe mental condition in which the patient loses contact with external reality

"Psychosis means losing touch with reality."

"Psychosis is a severe mental condition where an individual loses contact with external reality and experiences distorted perceptions."

a psychological condition characterized by physical symptoms that derive from mental or emotional causes, often without any medical explanation

"It is psychosomatic."

"Psychosomatic disorders show real physical symptoms caused by psychological factors."

a mental condition in which one is obsessed with setting things on fire

"Dangerous pyromania led."

"His dangerous pyromania led him to start fires repeatedly without any logical reason."

a chronic mental disorder in which a person's ability to think, feel or behave is affected, often associated with the distortion of reality

"Schizophrenia distorts reality perception."

"Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder affecting a person's ability to think, feel, and behave, often involving a distortion of reality."

a medical condition in which one is depressed in fall and winter, particularly due to lack of sunlight

"She has seasonal affective disorder."

"Seasonal affective disorder affects many people who live in countries with long, dark winters and very little sunlight."

an antisocial personality disorder characterized by lack of sympathy and moral responsibility

"Sociopathic personality is a disorder."

"Sociopathic personality is another term for antisocial personality disorder a mental health condition where a person consistently shows no regard for right or wrong."

an unrealistic feeling of general inadequacy that causes one to believe they are not as competent, smart, or attractive as other people

"Strong inferiority complex."

"He has a strong inferiority complex that affects his confidence in social situations every day."

a severe health condition associated with depression, emotional disturbances, and abnormal behaviors that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning

"Mental disorder affects thinking mood behavior."

"A mental disorder is a syndrome characterized by clinically significant disturbance in an individual's cognition emotion regulation or behavior."

an excessive and unhealthy obsession with a singular subject or idea to an extent that it becomes overwhelming and harmful

"His monomania was clear."

"His extreme monomania about cleanliness made daily life difficult for his family members every day."

a period of overwhelming mental or emotional distress that occurs suddenly

"Nervous breakdown is acute mental distress."

"Nervous breakdown is a non medical term for a period of intense mental distress where a person cannot function normally."

a mental condition that is not caused by organic disease in which one is constantly anxious, worried, and stressed

"Neurosis causes constant anxiety."

"Neurosis is a mental condition characterized by constant anxiety, worry, and stress, but without a loss of contact with reality."

a disorder causing a person to have recurring unwanted thoughts or to do something such as cleaning or checking on something over and over

"OCD has unwanted thoughts."

"Obsessive-compulsive disorder involves recurring unwanted thoughts and repetitive behaviors such as excessive cleaning or checking."

an eating disorder characterized by refraining from eating food that is considered unhealthy at all cost

"Orthorexia nervosa disorder."

"Orthorexia nervosa is an eating disorder where people become obsessed with healthy eating habits."

an unreasonable and persistent fear that others want to harm you

"His paranoia made him very afraid."

"His paranoia grew so intense that he began checking every lock in his house three times each night."

a mental condition in which a person constantly thinks others are trying to hurt them

"Persecution complex suffers."

"He suffers from persecution complex and believes everyone is plotting against him constantly."

any mental illness characterized by different patterns of social behavior, inability to form healthy interpersonal relationships and to function normally in society

"The patient was diagnosed with a personality disorder."

"The psychiatrist diagnosed the patient with a personality disorder that affected his relationships with others."

a mental health condition causing sadness, anxiety, or low mood after a woman gives birth

"Postpartum depression affected her."

"Postpartum depression affected her mood severely after giving birth to her first child last year."

a disorder that is formed in a person who has experienced a very shocking or frightening event, causing them to have nightmares or flashbacks from the event

"PTSD causes flashbacks from trauma."

"Post-traumatic stress disorder can cause nightmares and flashbacks following a shocking or frightening event."

a type of stress-related disorder affecting some soldiers who have served in wars

"Shell shock affected many war soldiers."

"Shell shock is an outdated term for the psychological trauma experienced by soldiers during wartime now known as post traumatic stress disorder."

a mental condition that causes a person to eat too much or too little

"Eating disorders distort food behaviors."

"An eating disorder is a serious mental health condition characterized by abnormal eating behaviors that negatively affect health and well being."

a mental condition in which one is abnormally self-centered and self-interested

"His egomania is extreme."

"His egomania is so extreme that he believes the whole world revolves around him and his desires only."

a mental condition that happens when the brain is damaged by disease or injury, causing memory loss and impairing the ability to think or make decisions

"Dementia gradually affects memory and reasoning abilities"

"Dementia causes progressive decline in memory and thinking."

a chronic condition marked by excessive and persistent worry about various aspects of life, often without a specific cause

"Generalized anxiety disorder is common."

"Generalized anxiety disorder is a mental health condition characterized by excessive and persistent worry about various aspects of life."

a disorder where individuals feign or induce symptoms to garner attention or sympathy, often leading to unnecessary medical interventions

"Munchausen syndrome fakes illness."

"Munchausen syndrome is a factitious disorder where a person repeatedly pretends to be sick or self induces illness to gain attention and sympathy."

a personality disorder marked by emotional detachment and a preference for solitude

"Schizoid avoids social relationships."

"Schizoid personality disorder is a mental health condition characterized by a persistent lack of interest in social relationships and a limited range of emotional expression."

a severe medical condition that leads to partial or complete loss of memory

"The accident caused amnesia."

"Following the head injury, the patient developed retrograde amnesia, forgetting events that occurred before the accident."

a severe condition that mainly affects older people's minds and causes memory loss, involuntary movements, etc.

"Senile dementia affects elderly memory."

"Senile dementia is an outdated term for the loss of cognitive function in elderly people now generally called dementia."

a form of autism characterized by social difficulties, repetitive behaviors, and focused interests, often with average to above-average intelligence

"Asperger's is an autism spectrum disorder."

"Asperger's syndrome is a developmental disorder on the autism spectrum characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication."

a disorder where individuals become excessively obsessed with building muscle mass and have a distorted perception of their own body image, leading to compulsive exercise behaviors

"Bigorexia obsesses over muscularity."

"Bigorexia is a mental health disorder characterized by an obsessive belief that one's body is too small or not muscular enough."

a psychological disorder that causes a person to spend a lot of time thinking obsessively about the imaginary imperfections in their appearance

"BDD focuses on imaginary flaws."

"Body dysmorphic disorder causes a person to obsessively focus on imaginary imperfections in their appearance."