chapter 13 medical terminology

akathisia

inability to remain calm, still, and free of anxiety

amnesia

inability to remember either isolated parts of the past or one's entire past

anhedonia

absence of the ability to experience either pleasure or joy, even in the face of causative events

catatonia

paralysis or immobility from psychological or emotional rather than physical causes

confabulation

effort to conceal a gap in memory by fabricating detailed, often believeable stories

defense mechanism

unconscious mechanism for psychological coping, adjustment, or self-preservation in the face of stress or a threat

delirium

condition of confused, unfocused, irrational agitation

delusion

persistent belief in a demonstrable untruth or a provable inaccurate perception despite clear evidence to the contrary

dementia

mental disorder in which the individual experiences a progressive loss of memory, personality alterations, confusion, loss of touch with reality, and stupor

echolalia

repetition of words or phrases spoken by others

hallucination

any unreal sensory perception that occurs with no external cause

illusion

inaccurate sensory perception based on a real stimulus

libido

normal psychological impulse drive associated with sensuality, expressions of desire, or creativity

psychosis

disassociation with or impaired perception of reality

somnambulism

sleepwalking

anger

as a symptom, anger is pathologic in nature if it is inappropriate for the situation

anxiety

anticipation of impending danger and dread accompanied by restlessness, tension, tachycardia, and breathing difficulty not associated with an apparent stimulus

dysphoria

generalized negative mood characterized by depression

euphoria

exaggerated sense of physical and emotional well-being not based on reality, disproportionate to the cause, or inappropriate to the situation

euthymia

normal range of moods and emotions

asperger disorder

disorder characterized by impairment of social interaction and repetitve patterns of inappropriate behavior

attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorderADHD)

series of syndromes that includes impulsiveness, inability to concentrate, and short attention span

autism

condition of abnormal development of social interaction, impaired communication, and repetitive behaviors

conduct disorder

any of a number of disorders characterized by patterns of persistent aggressive and defiant behaviors

mental retardation

condition of subaverage intellectual ability, with impairments in social and educational functioning

rett disorder

condition characterized by initial normal functioning followed by loss of social and intellectual functioning

tourette syndrome

group of involuntary behaviors that includes the vocalization of words or sounds and repetitive movements

acute intoxication

episode of beavioral disturbance following ingestion of alcohol or psychotropic drugs

delirium tremensDTs)

acute and sometimes fatal delirium induced by the cessation of ingesting excessive amounts of alcohol over a long period of time

dependence syndrome

difficulty in controlling use of a drug

harmful use

pattern of drug use that causes damage to health

tolerance

state in which the body becomes accustomed to the substances ingested

withdrawl state

group of symptoms that occurs during the cessation of the use of a regularly taken drug

bipolar disorderBP)

disorder characterized by swings between an elevation of mood, increased energy and activity and a lowering of mood and decreased energy and activity

cyclothymia

disorder characterized by recurring episodes of mild elation and depression that are not severe enough to warrant a diagnosis of bipolar disorder

depressive behavior

depression typically characterized by its degree or number of occurrences

dysthymia

mild, chronic depression of mood that lasts for years but is not severe enough to justify a diagnosis of depression

hypomania

disorder characterized by an inappropriate elevation of mood that may include positive and negative aspects

persistent mood disorders

group of long-term, cyclic mood disorders in which the majority of the individual episodes are not sufficiently severe to warrant being described as hypomanic or mild depressive episodes

seasonal affective disorderSAD)

weather-induced depression resultgin from decreased exposure to sunlight in autumn and winter

acrophobia

fear of heights

agoraphobia

fear of leaving home and entering crowded places

anthropophobia

fear of scrutiny by other people

claustrophobia

fear of enlosed spaces

generalized anxiety disorderGAD)

one of the most common diagnoses assigned, but not specific to any particular situation or circumstance

obsessive-compulsive disorderOCD)

characterized by recurrent, distressing, and unaviodable preoccupations or irresistible drives to perform specific rituals that the patient feels will prevent some harmful event

panic disorderPD)

recurrent, unpredictable attacks of severe anxiety that are not restricted to any particular situation

posttraumatic stress disorderPTSD)

extended emotional response to a traumatic event

adjustment disorder

disorder that tends to manifest during periods of stressful life changes

dissociative identity disorder

maladaptive coping with severe stress by developing one or more separate personalities

somatofoam disorder

any disorder that has unfounded physical complaints by the patient, despite medical assurance that no physiologic problem exists

anorexia nervosa

prolonged refusal to eat adequate amounts of food and an altered perception of what constitutes a normal minimum body weight caused by an intense fear of becoming obese

bulimia nervosa

eating disorder in which teh individual eats large quantities of food and then purges the body through self-induced vomiting or inappropriate use of laxatives

dyssomnia

difficulty with the sleep-wake cycle

parasomnia

abnormal activation of physiologic functions during the sleep cycle

hypoactive-sexual disorder

indifference or unresponsiveness to sexual stimuli

nymphomania

relentless drive to achieve sexual orgasm in the female

premature ejaculation

involuntary, anxiety-induced ejaculation of semen during sexual activity

sexual anhedonia

inability to enjoy sexual pleasure

borderline personality disorder

disorder characterized by impulsive, unpredictable mood and self-image, resulting in unstable interpersonal relationship and a tendency to see and respond to others as unwaveringly good or evil

dissocial personality disorder

disorder in which the patient shows a complete lack of interet in social obligations, to the extreme of showing antipathy for other individuals

paranoid personality disorder

state in which the individual exhibits inappropriately suspicious thinking, self-importance, a lack of ability to forgive perceived insults, and an extreme sense of personal rights

schizoid personality disorder

condition in which the patient withdraws into a fantasy world, with little need for social interaction

kleptomania

uncontrollable impulse to steal

pyromania

uncontrollable umpulse to set fires

trichotillomania

uncontrollable impulse to pull one's hair out by the roots

exhibitionism

condition in which the patient derives sexual arousal from the exposure of his or her genitals to strangers

fetishism

reliance on an object as a stimulus for sexual arousal and pleasure

pedophilia

sexual preference either in fantasy or actuality, for children as a means of achieving sexual excitement and gratification

sadomasochism

prefernece for sexual activity that involves inflicting or receiving pain and/or humiliation

voyeurism

condition in which an individual derives sexual pleasure and gratification from surreptitiously looking at individuals engaged in intimate behavior

behavioral therapy

therapeutic attempt to alter an undesired behavior by substituting a new response or set of responses to a given stimulus

cognitive therapy

wide variety of treatment techniques that attempt to help the individual alter inaccurate or unhealthy perceptions and patterns of thinking

psychoanalysis

behavioral treatment developed initially by Sigmund Freud to analyze and treat any dysfunctional effects of unconscious factors on a patient's mental state

detoxification

removal of a chemical subtance as an initial step in treatment of a chemically dependent individual