mental/emotional health
the ability to accept yourself and others, express and manage emotions, and deal with the demands and challenges you meet in your life
resilience
the ability to adapt effectively and recover from disappointment, difficulty, or crisis
self-esteem
how much you value, respect, and feel confident about yourself
competence
having enough skills to do something
self-talk
encouragement or criticsm that you give yourself
hierarchy of needs
ranked list of those needs essential to human growth and development, presented in ascending order, starting with basic needs and building toward the need to reach your highest potential
self-actualization
to strive to be the best you can
personal identity
your sense of yourself as a unique individual
role model
someone whose success or behavior serves as an example for you
personality
a complex set of characteristics that makes you unique
character
the distinctive qualities that describe how a person thinks, feels, and behaves
integrity
a firm observance of core ethical values
constructive criticism
nonhostile comments that point out problems and encourage improvement
emotions
signals that tell your mind and body how to react
hormones
chemicals produced by your glands that regulate the activities of different body cells
hostility
the intentional use of unfriendly or offensive behavior
empathy
the ability to imagine and understand how someone else feels
defense mechanisms
mental processes that protect individuals from strong or stressful emotions and situations
perception
the act of becoming aware through the senses
stressor
anything that causes stress
psychosomatic response
a physical reaction that results from stress rather than from an injury or illness
chronic stress
stress associated with long-term problems that are beyond a person's control
relaxation response
a state of calm
stages of grief
a variety of reactions that may surface as an individual makes sense of how a loss affects him or her
closure
acceptance of a loss
coping
dealing successfully with difficult changes in your life
mourning
the act of showing sorrow or grief
traumatic event
any event that has a stressful impact sufficient to overwhelm your normal coping strategies
anxiety
the condition of feeling uneasy or worried about what may happen
depression
a prolonged feeling of helplessness, hopelessness, and sadness
major depression
intense form of depression which can last for weeks or months
mild depression
form of depression with less severe symptoms which can last for years
adjustment disorder
a reaction to a specific life event
apathy
lack of strong feeling, interest, or concern
mental disorder
an illness of the mind that can affect the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of a person, preventing him or her from leading a happy, healthful, and productive life
stigma
a mark of shame or disapproval that results in an individual being shunned or rejected by others
anxiety disorder
a condition in which real or imagined fears are difficult to control
phobia
a strong, irrational fear of something specific, such as heights or social situations
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
persistent thoughts, fears, or urges (obsessions) leading to uncontrollable repetitive behaviors (compulsions)
panic disorder
attacks of sudden, unexplained feelings of terror; accompanied by trembling, increased heart rate, shortness of breath, or dizziness
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
a condition that may develop after exposure to a terrifying event; symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, emotional numbness, guilt, sleeplessness, and problems concentrating
generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
exaggerated worry and tension for no reason; people startle easily and have difficulty concentrating, relaxing, and sleeping
kleptomania
unplanned theft of objects
cutting
repetitive cutting on parts of the body that can be hidden
pyromania
setting fires to feel pleasure or release tension
excessive gambling
continuing to gamble despite heavy losses
compulsive shopping
spending money on items that you can't afford and don't need
mood disorder
an illness that involves mood extremes that interfere with everyday living
bipolar disorder
maniac-depressive disorder; marked by extreme mood changes, energy levels, and behavior
conduct disorder
patterns of behavior in which the rights of others or basic social rules are violated
schizophrenia
a mental disorder in which a person loses contact with reality
alienation
feeling isolated and separated from everyone else
suicide
the act of intentionally taking one's own life
cluster suicides
a series of suicides occuring within a short period of time and involving several people in the same school or community
psychotherapy
an ongoing dialogue between a patient and a mental health professional
behavior therapy
a treatment process that focuses on changing unwanted behaviors through rewards and reinforcements
cognitive therapy
a treatment method designed to identify and correct distorted thinking patterns that can lead to feelings and behaviors that may be troublesome, self-defeating, or self-destructive
family therapy
helping the family function in more positive and constructive ways by exploring patterns in communication and providing support and education
group therapy
treating a group of people who have similar problems and who meet regularly with a trained counselor
drug therapy
the use of certain medications to treat or reduce the symptoms of a mental disorder