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