What does that mean?
Disorders
Adjustment Disorder
A disorder that occurs when a person finds it extremely difficult to cope with, or adjust to, a particular source of stress, such as a major life change, loss, or stressful event (e.g. moving school or home, a break-up, parents' separation).
Agoraphobia
An anxiety disorder where a person is so worried about having a panic attack that they avoid situations, such as crowds and shopping centres. They worry if they had a panic attack that there will not be able to escape the situation or they will be embarrassed.
Anorexia Nervosa
A type of eating disorder that involves a distorted view of body shape and weight (e.g. a person believes they are overweight when they are clearly not), extreme concerns about weight, intense fear of gaining weight, and being very determined to maintain a very low body weight.
Anxiety Disorder
A group of disorders involving symptoms of excessive anxiety (i.e. constant or irrational worrying, stress, fear or discomfort). The anxiety is strong enough to cause trouble at work or school, in personal relationships (e.g. with family, friends, partners) or to make it difficult to get on with day-to-day activities. Anxiety disorders include Phobias, Panic, Obsessive Compulsive, Generalised Anxiety and Post Traumatic Stress Disorders.
Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder
A behavioural disorder that involves problems paying attention, concentrating, and following directions, as well as getting easily bored or frustrated with tasks. These problems are severe enough to affect everyday tasks (e.g. unable to focus at school or complete a basic task). People with this disorder tend to move constantly (i.e. they are hyperactive) and are impulsive, not stopping to think before they act.
Avoidant Personality Disorder
A personality disorder that involves patterns of avoiding social situations, feelings of not being 'good enough' and being over-sensitive to negative judgements (e.g. criticism) from others.
Behavioral/Anger problems
Behavioral problems refer to a pattern of hostile/aggressive, destructive or disruptive behaviour towards oneself or others. These can include:
Binge-Eating Disorder
A type of eating disorder that involves regularly eating large amounts of food when the person is not feeling hungry, usually to the point of feeling overly full, and at a much faster rate than usual. This is often followed by strong feelings of guilt.
Bipolar Disorder (previously known as "Manic Depression")
A mood disorder that involves mood swings, where a person's mood experiences periods of depression (feeling low) and periods of mania (elevated mood), with periods of normal mood in between. Mania can involve feeling a decreased need for sleep, an exaggerated sense of self-importance, being more talkative than normal, having racing thoughts, behaving more impulsively (i.e. without thinking it through), and doing things that are likely to lead to painful consequences, for example, spending money that the person doesn't have. Sometimes the person can experience psychosis while they are depressed or manic.
Borderline Personality Disorder
A personality disorder that involves a pattern of problems that may include unstable emotions (e.g. the way a person feels changes very suddenly and/or frequently), unstable self-image (e.g. a person feeling like they don't know who they really are or feeling like their sense of who they are keeps changing), unstable relationships with others (e.g. often changing their opinion of others from being wonderful to being the worst person in the world) , and impulsive behaviour (i.e. acting without thinking things through first).
Bulimia Nervosa
A type of eating disorder that involves eating large amounts of food in short periods of time and feeling that this food intake is out of control. This is often followed by strong feelings of guilt, resulting in a need to 'throw up', over-exercise or not eat for several days afterwards.
Depression ('depressive disorders')
A group of mood disorders which involves patterns of feeling down or sad that last longer than normal and stop a person from enjoying things they used to like, or from taking part in usual activities (e.g. going out with friends, playing sport etc). When this happens, symptoms other than sadness also develop (e.g. feeling worthless, not sleeping well, having an increased or decreased appetite). The symptoms are severe enough to interfere with everyday life (e.g. they make it hard for the person to focus at school/college/University, to perform well at work or to get along with friends and family). Depressive disorders include major depressive disorder and dysthymia.
Dysthymic Disorder (Dysthymia)
A type of depression that involves continuously depressed mood. When a person has dysthymia, depressed mood is less severe than that seen in major depressive disorder, but it lasts for a minimum of 2 years (or 1 year in young people).
Eating Disorder
A group of disorders that involve a distorted (i.e. inaccurate) view of body shape and weight, and/or extreme disturbances in eating or exercise behaviour or other compensatory behaviours (e.g. purging, using laxatives or fasting). Eating disorders include Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and Binge-Eating Disorder.
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
A type of anxiety disorder that involves worrying excessively (more than makes sense) about lots of different problems. For example, a person may worry a lot about things like study, money, health, family and work, and feel unable to cope even when there are no signs of trouble. People with GAD often struggle to control their worries and worry about their worrying.
Major Depressive Disorder (Major depression)
A type of depression that involves periods of low mood or sadness that last longer than 2 weeks and stop a person from enjoying things that they used to like, or from taking part in usual activities (e.g. going out with friends, playing sport etc). Symptoms can include: tiredness and lack of energy, worthlessness, thoughts of death, and changes in eating and sleeping patterns. The symptoms are severe enough to interfere with everyday life (e.g. they make it hard for the person to focus at school/college/University, to perform well at work or to get along with friends and family). Adolescents experiencing this kind of depression may describe their mood as irritable (i.e. bad-tempered, cranky, easily "triggered" into fights or arguments) rather than low or sad.
Mood Disorder (depression, bipolar)
A group of disorders that affect the way people feel (i.e. their mood). Disturbances in mood affect a person's thoughts, feelings and behaviours, and get in the way of their daily activities. For example, making it hard for the person to focus at work, school, college or University, causing problems with relationships (e.g. with friends, family, partners) or making it hard for them to do everyday things (e.g. getting out of the house, meeting friends). Mood disorders include depression and bipolar disorder.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
A personality disorder that involves patterns of feeling really important (i.e. more important than most people), needing and expecting to be admired by others, and lacking understanding of and compassion (or sympathy) towards others.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
A type of anxiety disorder that involves a person experiencing either obsessions or compulsions, or a combination of both. Obsessions include having unwanted, repeated thoughts or urges that a person cannot get out of their head. These thoughts or urges are known as obsessions (e.g. fear of being contaminated with germs). Obsessions cause distress and anxiety (i.e. excessive worrying/fear/discomfort). Compulsions refer to a person feeling the need to carry out certain repetitive behaviours to reduce anxiety or distress (e.g. repetitive hand washing).
Panic Disorder
A type of anxiety disorder that involves experiencing panic attacks. A panic attack is an intense feeling of anxiety or fear which happens suddenly and very quickly. During a panic attack people experience physical symptoms (e.g. a pounding heart, sweating, shaking, shortness of breath) that are so strong they may fear that they are having a heart attack or are 'going crazy'. After a panic attack, they may be afraid of having another panic attack or of losing control.
Paranoid Personality Disorder
A personality disorder that involves suspicion of other peoples' motives (i.e. the reasons behind their actions) and intentions (i.e. what they are trying to do). This causes the person to be unable to trust others, for example, interpreting other person's motives as nasty even when this is not the case.
Personality Disorder
A pattern of problems that usually start in adolescence or early adulthood and affects most areas of a person's life, causing the person significant distress over a number of years. This pattern can be seen in the way the person thinks, feels, relates to other people, and exercises self-control.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
A type of anxiety disorder that involves a long-lasting response following a traumatic event that may involve feeling very afraid, helpless or horrified. Other symptoms may include memory loss, flashbacks of the traumatic event, nightmares related to the event and the avoidance of objects or situations that remind the person of the traumatic event.
Psychotic Disorder (Schizophrenia or Psychosis)
A mental health disorder that involves changes in the way a person interprets reality making it hard for them to tell the difference between what is real and what is not real. This may cause unusual experiences, thoughts or beliefs. For example, sensing something that is not actually there (hallucinations), believing something that others can clearly see is untrue (delusions), or feeling very confused and experiencing jumbled thoughts (thought disturbances). It may also lead to disorganised behaviours, for example, dressing in strange ways. Psychotic disorders include Schizophrenia and Psychosis.
Relationship problems
Difficulty managing relationships with others (e.g. romantic relationships or friendships). This may include:
Schizophrenia
A mental health disorder that involves changes in the way a person interprets or experiences reality, including the experience of delusions, (believing something that others can clearly see is untrue) and hallucinations (sensing something that is not actually there), thinking difficulties, blunted or inappropriate emotions (e.g. unable to experience a change in emotions), loss of drive or motivation and social withdrawal.
Specific Phobia
A type of anxiety disorder that involves being extremely afraid of specific objects or situations (such as heights, spiders, or injections). People with phobias avoid the feared object or situation, or become extremely anxious if forced to confront it. Their phobia interferes with their daily life, causing problems with relationships, work or study, or makes it difficult for them to do things that they need to do (e.g. avoiding medical treatment from a doctor or dentist because they are too afraid of needles).
Substance Use Disorder
Using substances (alcohol or drugs) at a level that causes harm to the person, such as problems at work, school or home, damage to health or relationships, or trouble with the law. Substances may be legal or illegal, and can include alcohol and other drugs, such as cocaine, marijuana, heroin, ecstasy, special-K, and ice, as well as more common ones like caffeine and nicotine.
Psychological Treatments
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
A type of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy that teaches a person to accept thoughts and feelings without trying to change them. The therapy also helps a person to be sure about their personal goals and to take action towards achieving these, to bring more meaning to their life.
Behaviour Therapy (BT)
Therapy that focuses on increasing activity levels and pleasure in life, which involves doing activities that are rewarding or give satisfaction.
Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT)
Therapy that helps with the recognition of unhelpful behaviour patterns and their origins (i.e. thinking about how they began), and to develop new and more helpful strategies in order to cope better.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
Therapy that focuses on recognising current patterns of thinking, acting and feeling, in order to develop more realistic and healthy patterns.
Cognitive Therapy
Therapy that focuses on identifying and changing the unhelpful thoughts that lead to unwanted feelings and behaviours.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
Therapy that focuses on helping the person to develop skills that help them to remain grounded (i.e. in touch with reality) and in control of their body and mind, to cope with problems in relationships, tolerate stressful situations and help them regulate their emotions (i.e. to have more control over their feelings).
Exposure Therapy
Therapy that involves being exposed, in a structured and planned manner, to the things that cause feelings of anxiety (i.e. feelings of worry, stress, fear or discomfort).
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Therapy that involves remembering disturbing or traumatic memories while making particular types of eye movements that are thought to help in reducing the distress that these memories bring.
Family Therapy
Therapy that involves the whole family attending treatment sessions, where the therapist tries to help the family change their patterns of communication so that relationships are more supportive and involve less conflict.
Group Therapy
Therapy that involves a group of people, who usually don't know one another, meeting together with a therapist. It can be based on the techniques of a variety of other therapies, for example, group CBT.
Hypnotherapy or Hypnosis
Therapy that involves a therapist helping a person to get into a hypnotic state where they can experience vivid (i.e. realistic) mental imagery
Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT)
Therapy that focuses on problems in personal relationships and building skills to deal with these problems.
Marital or Relationship Therapy
Therapy that focuses on helping a person with their problems by improving their relationship with their partner, family or friends. All persons involved in the relationship need to attend the therapy sessions.
Mindfulness Therapy
Therapy involving meditation and being taught to focus on the present moment, including breathing and recognising thoughts and feelings. Often used for preventing relapse or return of depression in people.
Narrative Therapy
Therapy that involves focusing on how a person thinks about themselves and their life situations in terms of narratives, or stories.
Problem-solving Therapy (PST)
Therapy that involves learning to clearly identify problems, think of different solutions for each, choose the best solution, develop and carry out a plan, and then see if this solves the problem.
Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy
Therapy that focuses on unconscious motivations, where the person talks about their life and things that happened when they were young as a way of finding out how things experienced in the past can affect their current behaviour and feelings.
Psychodynamic-interpersonal Therapy (formerly Conversational Model of Therapy)
Therapy that focuses on specific problems in relationships and tests out solutions to solve these problems.
Psychoeducation
Receiving information about mental illness in general or a specific mental illness, including its signs and symptoms and treatment options.
Rational Emotive Therapy (RET)
Therapy that focuses on unreasonable (or unrealistic) beliefs that may be stopping the person from achieving their goals and causing them anxiety (i.e. feelings of worry, stress, fear or discomfort). The focus in therapy is to work to replace these with more reasonable beliefs.
Relaxation Therapy
Therapy that involves the use of relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation combined with breathing techniques.
Schema-focused Cognitive Therapy
A long-term cognitive therapy that focuses on deeply held beliefs (schemas) found in personality disorders.
Social Skills Training
Training that involves learning how to interact in social situations (e.g. meeting new people, talking in a group) with the help of a therapist that is usually a treatment for social anxiety.
Stress Inoculation Therapy
A type of behaviour therapy that involves exposure to increasing levels of stress to improve a person's ability to cope with stress.
Supportive Psychotherapy or Supportive Counselling
Therapy that aims to help a person to cope better by providing personal support and allowing them to reflect on their life situation in an environment where they are accepted.
Systemic Therapy
Therapy that focuses on a person's relationships, exploring their patterns of interaction (i.e. how they communicate or deal with other people), their beliefs and meaning of interaction, in order to bring about new and more useful patterns.
Medical Treatments
Anti-anxiety or Anxiolytic medication
Medication used for severe anxiety (and sometimes for depression if the person is also very anxious), also called 'tranquilisers'.
Antidepressant medication
Medications used to treat Mood Disorders (including depression and anxiety) that are prescribed by a doctor (e.g. Zoloft, Lexapro, Cipramil, Aropax, Prozac, Luvox).
Antipsychotic medication
Medication used to treat psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia, and sometimes prescribed for bipolar disorder or severe depression.
Atypical Antipsychotics (2nd generation)
A newer type of antipsychotic medication that is used to treat psychosis by blocking the brain from detecting certain chemicals. Atypical drugs are thought to decrease the side effects associated with body movement compared to Typical drugs.
Barbiturates
A type of drug that slows down the brain and body and are generally used to treat sleep disorders.
Benzodiazepines
A type of anti-anxiety medication that makes the body and brain feel relaxed and is usually used to treat anxiety disorders.
Drug withdrawal medication
Medication used to reduce symptoms experienced from reducing or stopping the use of drugs or alcohol.
Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
Treatment that involves passing electrical currents through the brain to cause a seizure, usually to treat severe depression.
Lithium
A mood-stabilising medication that is mainly used to treat bipolar disorder and major depression.
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs)
A type of antidepressant medication that is used to treat mood disorders by stopping the break down of chemicals in the brain.
Mood stabilising medication
Medication used to treat mood disorders that suppress swings from one mood extreme to another, such as mania to depression (e.g. Lithium).
Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitors (NaRIs)
A type of antidepressant medication that is used to treat mood disorders by increasing chemicals associated with mood in the brain.
Noradrenaline-Serotonin Specific Antidepressants (NaSSAs)
A type of antidepressant medication that stops the brain detecting certain chemicals and is used to treat mood disorders.
Sedative medication
Medication that helps someone to feel more calm, and can be prescribed to help reduce anxiety and to induce sleep.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
A type of antidepressant medication that is used to treat depression and anxiety disorders by increasing chemicals in the brain.
Serotonin and Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs)
A type of antidepressant medication that is used to treat mood disorders by increasing chemicals in the brain that are associated with mood.
Stimulant medication
Medication that helps to increase the activity of the chemical messengers in the brain, is usually used to treat behavioural problems, and sometimes for the treatment of anxiety.
Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs)
A type of antidepressant medication that stops the brain detecting certain chemicals and is used to treat mood disorders.
Typical Antipsychotics (1st generation)
A type of antipsychotic medication that stops the brain detecting certain chemicals and is generally used to treat psychosis.
Herbal Treatements
Borage
A herb originating in Syria used in traditional Iranian medicine for improving mood.
Combination preparations
These contain mixtures of herbal remedies, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.
Ginkgo biloba
Extracts from the leaves of the Ginkgo biloba tree that may play a role in reducing the body's response to stress.
Golden root (Rhodiola rosea)
A plant that grows in cold parts of the world and is used as a traditional remedy to cope with stress.
Kava
The root of a plant from the South Pacific used in ceremonial rituals. It may help to reduce anxiety.
Lavender
A plant used in herbal medicine. Essential oils extracted from its flowering tops are traditionally used to aid sleep and relaxation.
Passionflower
A plant native to the Americas that is used as a traditional remedy for anxiety and insomnia.
Saffron
A spice used to treat depression in Persian traditional medicine.
St John's Wort
Small flowering plant used as a traditional remedy for depression. Extracts are widely available in health food stores or in some countries by prescription only.
Valerian
A herb often used to treat sleeping difficulties. It is also used to treat anxiety.
Nutritional Treatments
Carnitine (acetyl carnitine)
A nutrient involved in energy production in the body that is produced in the body. It is available from meat and dairy products as well as supplements.
Chromium
An essential trace mineral involved in the absorption and digestion of food, available in food or as a supplement.
Folate (folic acid)
A nutrient found in foods or in dietary supplements, usually as folic acid. It is sometimes used with antidepressant drugs.
Glutamine
An amino acid (building block of protein) found in food and also available in supplements. It is promoted as a 'brain food' that improves mood and energy levels.
Inositol
A compound similar to glucose, consumed through food and available in supplements. It helps to produce substances involved in activity of brain cells.
Magnesium
A mineral present in food and also available as a supplement.
Melatonin
A hormone produced in the brain and involved in the body's sleep-wake cycle. It is also available as a supplement in some countries.
Multivitamins
A dietary supplement that may contain different combinations of vitamins, dietary minerals and other nutrients.
Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil)
Types of polyunsaturated fats found in fish oil or made in the body.
Phenylalanine
An amino acid (building block of protein) that plays a role in the production of brain chemicals.
SAMe
A compound made in the body and available as a supplement. It plays a role in the activity of brain cells.
Selenium
A mineral present in whole grains and meats and available as a supplement.
Tyrosine
An amino acid (building block of protein) that plays a role in the activity of brain cells.
Vitamin B12
A vitamin that plays an important role in the activity of brain cells. It is found in meat, milk and eggs and is also available in supplements.
Vitamin B6
A vitamin that plays a role in the activity of brain cells. It is widely available in food and can also be taken as a supplement.
Vitamin D
A vitamin that is made in the body mainly through the action of sunlight on skin. Supplements have been used to treat winter depression.
Zinc
An essential mineral found in food and available in supplements.
Lifestyle/Complementary/Alternative Treatments
Acupuncture
A technique of inserting fine needles into specific points on the body.
Aromatherapy
The use of essential oils for healing, through the skin, or heated and vaporised into the air.
Autogenic Training
Regular practice of simple mental exercises in body awareness, such as concentration on breathing, heartbeat, warmth and heaviness of body parts.
Ayurvedic medicine
Traditional healing system of India that aims to improve health and vitality through nutrition, lifestyle and herbal medicines.
Bach flower remedies
Highly diluted flower extracts believed to contain small amounts of the plant's life force energy. "Rescue Remedy" is the most common of these.
Bibliotherapy
A form of self-help that uses books or other written material. These provide information and homework exercises that the reader works through on their own.
Breathing Training
Teaches correct breathing habits to help reduce anxiety.
Computer or Internet Interventions
Websites with information on disorders or Computerised Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CCBT). CCBT involves structured sessions of CBT on the computer.
Exercise
Engaging in physical activity, either aerobic exercise (which exercises the heart and lungs, such as jogging) or anaerobic exercise (which strengthens the muscles, such as weight training).
Homeopathic medicines
Treatment that uses small doses of various substances to stimulate self-healing.
Hydrotherapy
A therapy that involves using hot air, steam baths or saunas, wet packings and various kinds of warm and cold baths for relaxation or stimulation.
Massage
Manipulation of soft body tissues (or muscles) using the hands or a mechanical device. It is often done by a trained professional. One of the aims of massage is to relieve tension in the body.
Meditation
Meditation trains a person to focus their attention and awareness. Some types involve focusing attention on one's own breath or a silently repeated word. Others involve observing thoughts without judgement (mindfulness).
Reiki
A form of Japanese energy healing involving a practitioner lightly laying their hands or placing them close to parts of a person's body.
Relaxation Training
Learning how to relax using techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation and thinking of relaxing scenes or places.
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Traditional medicine practices that originated in China, including techniques such as herbal medicine, acupuncture, dietary therapy, and Tui na and Shiatsu massage.
Yoga
Exercising the mind and body through using physical postures, breathing techniques and meditation.
Adjustment Disorder
A disorder that occurs when a person finds it extremely difficult to cope with, or adjust to, a particular source of stress, such as a major life change, loss, or stressful event (e.g. moving school or home, a break-up, parents' separation).
Agoraphobia
An anxiety disorder where a person is so worried about having a panic attack that they avoid situations, such as crowds and shopping centres. They worry if they had a panic attack that there will not be able to escape the situation or they will be embarrassed.
Anorexia Nervosa
A type of eating disorder that involves a distorted view of body shape and weight (e.g. a person believes they are overweight when they are clearly not), extreme concerns about weight, intense fear of gaining weight, and being very determined to maintain a very low body weight.
Anxiety Disorder
A group of disorders involving symptoms of excessive anxiety (i.e. constant or irrational worrying, stress, fear or discomfort). The anxiety is strong enough to cause trouble at work or school, in personal relationships (e.g. with family, friends, partners) or to make it difficult to get on with day-to-day activities. Anxiety disorders include Phobias, Panic, Obsessive Compulsive, Generalised Anxiety and Post Traumatic Stress Disorders.
Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder
A behavioural disorder that involves problems paying attention, concentrating, and following directions, as well as getting easily bored or frustrated with tasks. These problems are severe enough to affect everyday tasks (e.g. unable to focus at school or complete a basic task). People with this disorder tend to move constantly (i.e. they are hyperactive) and are impulsive, not stopping to think before they act.
Avoidant Personality Disorder
A personality disorder that involves patterns of avoiding social situations, feelings of not being 'good enough' and being over-sensitive to negative judgements (e.g. criticism) from others.
Behavioral/Anger problems
Behavioral problems refer to a pattern of hostile/aggressive, destructive or disruptive behaviour towards oneself or others. These can include:
- Harming or threatening themselves, other people or pets
- Damaging or destroying property
- Lying or stealing
- Not doing well in school, skipping school
- Early smoking, drinking or drug use
- Early sexual activity
- Frequent tantrums and arguments
- Consistent hostility towards authority figures
Binge-Eating Disorder
A type of eating disorder that involves regularly eating large amounts of food when the person is not feeling hungry, usually to the point of feeling overly full, and at a much faster rate than usual. This is often followed by strong feelings of guilt.
Bipolar Disorder (previously known as "Manic Depression")
A mood disorder that involves mood swings, where a person's mood experiences periods of depression (feeling low) and periods of mania (elevated mood), with periods of normal mood in between. Mania can involve feeling a decreased need for sleep, an exaggerated sense of self-importance, being more talkative than normal, having racing thoughts, behaving more impulsively (i.e. without thinking it through), and doing things that are likely to lead to painful consequences, for example, spending money that the person doesn't have. Sometimes the person can experience psychosis while they are depressed or manic.
Borderline Personality Disorder
A personality disorder that involves a pattern of problems that may include unstable emotions (e.g. the way a person feels changes very suddenly and/or frequently), unstable self-image (e.g. a person feeling like they don't know who they really are or feeling like their sense of who they are keeps changing), unstable relationships with others (e.g. often changing their opinion of others from being wonderful to being the worst person in the world) , and impulsive behaviour (i.e. acting without thinking things through first).
Bulimia Nervosa
A type of eating disorder that involves eating large amounts of food in short periods of time and feeling that this food intake is out of control. This is often followed by strong feelings of guilt, resulting in a need to 'throw up', over-exercise or not eat for several days afterwards.
Depression ('depressive disorders')
A group of mood disorders which involves patterns of feeling down or sad that last longer than normal and stop a person from enjoying things they used to like, or from taking part in usual activities (e.g. going out with friends, playing sport etc). When this happens, symptoms other than sadness also develop (e.g. feeling worthless, not sleeping well, having an increased or decreased appetite). The symptoms are severe enough to interfere with everyday life (e.g. they make it hard for the person to focus at school/college/University, to perform well at work or to get along with friends and family). Depressive disorders include major depressive disorder and dysthymia.
Dysthymic Disorder (Dysthymia)
A type of depression that involves continuously depressed mood. When a person has dysthymia, depressed mood is less severe than that seen in major depressive disorder, but it lasts for a minimum of 2 years (or 1 year in young people).
Eating Disorder
A group of disorders that involve a distorted (i.e. inaccurate) view of body shape and weight, and/or extreme disturbances in eating or exercise behaviour or other compensatory behaviours (e.g. purging, using laxatives or fasting). Eating disorders include Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and Binge-Eating Disorder.
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
A type of anxiety disorder that involves worrying excessively (more than makes sense) about lots of different problems. For example, a person may worry a lot about things like study, money, health, family and work, and feel unable to cope even when there are no signs of trouble. People with GAD often struggle to control their worries and worry about their worrying.
Major Depressive Disorder (Major depression)
A type of depression that involves periods of low mood or sadness that last longer than 2 weeks and stop a person from enjoying things that they used to like, or from taking part in usual activities (e.g. going out with friends, playing sport etc). Symptoms can include: tiredness and lack of energy, worthlessness, thoughts of death, and changes in eating and sleeping patterns. The symptoms are severe enough to interfere with everyday life (e.g. they make it hard for the person to focus at school/college/University, to perform well at work or to get along with friends and family). Adolescents experiencing this kind of depression may describe their mood as irritable (i.e. bad-tempered, cranky, easily "triggered" into fights or arguments) rather than low or sad.
Mood Disorder (depression, bipolar)
A group of disorders that affect the way people feel (i.e. their mood). Disturbances in mood affect a person's thoughts, feelings and behaviours, and get in the way of their daily activities. For example, making it hard for the person to focus at work, school, college or University, causing problems with relationships (e.g. with friends, family, partners) or making it hard for them to do everyday things (e.g. getting out of the house, meeting friends). Mood disorders include depression and bipolar disorder.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
A personality disorder that involves patterns of feeling really important (i.e. more important than most people), needing and expecting to be admired by others, and lacking understanding of and compassion (or sympathy) towards others.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
A type of anxiety disorder that involves a person experiencing either obsessions or compulsions, or a combination of both. Obsessions include having unwanted, repeated thoughts or urges that a person cannot get out of their head. These thoughts or urges are known as obsessions (e.g. fear of being contaminated with germs). Obsessions cause distress and anxiety (i.e. excessive worrying/fear/discomfort). Compulsions refer to a person feeling the need to carry out certain repetitive behaviours to reduce anxiety or distress (e.g. repetitive hand washing).
Panic Disorder
A type of anxiety disorder that involves experiencing panic attacks. A panic attack is an intense feeling of anxiety or fear which happens suddenly and very quickly. During a panic attack people experience physical symptoms (e.g. a pounding heart, sweating, shaking, shortness of breath) that are so strong they may fear that they are having a heart attack or are 'going crazy'. After a panic attack, they may be afraid of having another panic attack or of losing control.
Paranoid Personality Disorder
A personality disorder that involves suspicion of other peoples' motives (i.e. the reasons behind their actions) and intentions (i.e. what they are trying to do). This causes the person to be unable to trust others, for example, interpreting other person's motives as nasty even when this is not the case.
Personality Disorder
A pattern of problems that usually start in adolescence or early adulthood and affects most areas of a person's life, causing the person significant distress over a number of years. This pattern can be seen in the way the person thinks, feels, relates to other people, and exercises self-control.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
A type of anxiety disorder that involves a long-lasting response following a traumatic event that may involve feeling very afraid, helpless or horrified. Other symptoms may include memory loss, flashbacks of the traumatic event, nightmares related to the event and the avoidance of objects or situations that remind the person of the traumatic event.
Psychotic Disorder (Schizophrenia or Psychosis)
A mental health disorder that involves changes in the way a person interprets reality making it hard for them to tell the difference between what is real and what is not real. This may cause unusual experiences, thoughts or beliefs. For example, sensing something that is not actually there (hallucinations), believing something that others can clearly see is untrue (delusions), or feeling very confused and experiencing jumbled thoughts (thought disturbances). It may also lead to disorganised behaviours, for example, dressing in strange ways. Psychotic disorders include Schizophrenia and Psychosis.
Relationship problems
Difficulty managing relationships with others (e.g. romantic relationships or friendships). This may include:
- Worrying a lot about relationships ending, even when things are good.
- Being unable to maintain long-term relationships even though the person wants to
- Being unable to cope with relationship problems or break-up
- Being unable to get along with others which affects other aspects of the person's life, e.g., having problems with people at school/work which affects the person's ability to do their work well
Schizophrenia
A mental health disorder that involves changes in the way a person interprets or experiences reality, including the experience of delusions, (believing something that others can clearly see is untrue) and hallucinations (sensing something that is not actually there), thinking difficulties, blunted or inappropriate emotions (e.g. unable to experience a change in emotions), loss of drive or motivation and social withdrawal.
Specific Phobia
A type of anxiety disorder that involves being extremely afraid of specific objects or situations (such as heights, spiders, or injections). People with phobias avoid the feared object or situation, or become extremely anxious if forced to confront it. Their phobia interferes with their daily life, causing problems with relationships, work or study, or makes it difficult for them to do things that they need to do (e.g. avoiding medical treatment from a doctor or dentist because they are too afraid of needles).
Substance Use Disorder
Using substances (alcohol or drugs) at a level that causes harm to the person, such as problems at work, school or home, damage to health or relationships, or trouble with the law. Substances may be legal or illegal, and can include alcohol and other drugs, such as cocaine, marijuana, heroin, ecstasy, special-K, and ice, as well as more common ones like caffeine and nicotine.
Psychological Treatments
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
A type of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy that teaches a person to accept thoughts and feelings without trying to change them. The therapy also helps a person to be sure about their personal goals and to take action towards achieving these, to bring more meaning to their life.
Behaviour Therapy (BT)
Therapy that focuses on increasing activity levels and pleasure in life, which involves doing activities that are rewarding or give satisfaction.
Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT)
Therapy that helps with the recognition of unhelpful behaviour patterns and their origins (i.e. thinking about how they began), and to develop new and more helpful strategies in order to cope better.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
Therapy that focuses on recognising current patterns of thinking, acting and feeling, in order to develop more realistic and healthy patterns.
Cognitive Therapy
Therapy that focuses on identifying and changing the unhelpful thoughts that lead to unwanted feelings and behaviours.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
Therapy that focuses on helping the person to develop skills that help them to remain grounded (i.e. in touch with reality) and in control of their body and mind, to cope with problems in relationships, tolerate stressful situations and help them regulate their emotions (i.e. to have more control over their feelings).
Exposure Therapy
Therapy that involves being exposed, in a structured and planned manner, to the things that cause feelings of anxiety (i.e. feelings of worry, stress, fear or discomfort).
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Therapy that involves remembering disturbing or traumatic memories while making particular types of eye movements that are thought to help in reducing the distress that these memories bring.
Family Therapy
Therapy that involves the whole family attending treatment sessions, where the therapist tries to help the family change their patterns of communication so that relationships are more supportive and involve less conflict.
Group Therapy
Therapy that involves a group of people, who usually don't know one another, meeting together with a therapist. It can be based on the techniques of a variety of other therapies, for example, group CBT.
Hypnotherapy or Hypnosis
Therapy that involves a therapist helping a person to get into a hypnotic state where they can experience vivid (i.e. realistic) mental imagery
Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT)
Therapy that focuses on problems in personal relationships and building skills to deal with these problems.
Marital or Relationship Therapy
Therapy that focuses on helping a person with their problems by improving their relationship with their partner, family or friends. All persons involved in the relationship need to attend the therapy sessions.
Mindfulness Therapy
Therapy involving meditation and being taught to focus on the present moment, including breathing and recognising thoughts and feelings. Often used for preventing relapse or return of depression in people.
Narrative Therapy
Therapy that involves focusing on how a person thinks about themselves and their life situations in terms of narratives, or stories.
Problem-solving Therapy (PST)
Therapy that involves learning to clearly identify problems, think of different solutions for each, choose the best solution, develop and carry out a plan, and then see if this solves the problem.
Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy
Therapy that focuses on unconscious motivations, where the person talks about their life and things that happened when they were young as a way of finding out how things experienced in the past can affect their current behaviour and feelings.
Psychodynamic-interpersonal Therapy (formerly Conversational Model of Therapy)
Therapy that focuses on specific problems in relationships and tests out solutions to solve these problems.
Psychoeducation
Receiving information about mental illness in general or a specific mental illness, including its signs and symptoms and treatment options.
Rational Emotive Therapy (RET)
Therapy that focuses on unreasonable (or unrealistic) beliefs that may be stopping the person from achieving their goals and causing them anxiety (i.e. feelings of worry, stress, fear or discomfort). The focus in therapy is to work to replace these with more reasonable beliefs.
Relaxation Therapy
Therapy that involves the use of relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation combined with breathing techniques.
Schema-focused Cognitive Therapy
A long-term cognitive therapy that focuses on deeply held beliefs (schemas) found in personality disorders.
Social Skills Training
Training that involves learning how to interact in social situations (e.g. meeting new people, talking in a group) with the help of a therapist that is usually a treatment for social anxiety.
Stress Inoculation Therapy
A type of behaviour therapy that involves exposure to increasing levels of stress to improve a person's ability to cope with stress.
Supportive Psychotherapy or Supportive Counselling
Therapy that aims to help a person to cope better by providing personal support and allowing them to reflect on their life situation in an environment where they are accepted.
Systemic Therapy
Therapy that focuses on a person's relationships, exploring their patterns of interaction (i.e. how they communicate or deal with other people), their beliefs and meaning of interaction, in order to bring about new and more useful patterns.
Medical Treatments
Anti-anxiety or Anxiolytic medication
Medication used for severe anxiety (and sometimes for depression if the person is also very anxious), also called 'tranquilisers'.
Antidepressant medication
Medications used to treat Mood Disorders (including depression and anxiety) that are prescribed by a doctor (e.g. Zoloft, Lexapro, Cipramil, Aropax, Prozac, Luvox).
Antipsychotic medication
Medication used to treat psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia, and sometimes prescribed for bipolar disorder or severe depression.
Atypical Antipsychotics (2nd generation)
A newer type of antipsychotic medication that is used to treat psychosis by blocking the brain from detecting certain chemicals. Atypical drugs are thought to decrease the side effects associated with body movement compared to Typical drugs.
Barbiturates
A type of drug that slows down the brain and body and are generally used to treat sleep disorders.
Benzodiazepines
A type of anti-anxiety medication that makes the body and brain feel relaxed and is usually used to treat anxiety disorders.
Drug withdrawal medication
Medication used to reduce symptoms experienced from reducing or stopping the use of drugs or alcohol.
Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
Treatment that involves passing electrical currents through the brain to cause a seizure, usually to treat severe depression.
Lithium
A mood-stabilising medication that is mainly used to treat bipolar disorder and major depression.
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs)
A type of antidepressant medication that is used to treat mood disorders by stopping the break down of chemicals in the brain.
Mood stabilising medication
Medication used to treat mood disorders that suppress swings from one mood extreme to another, such as mania to depression (e.g. Lithium).
Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitors (NaRIs)
A type of antidepressant medication that is used to treat mood disorders by increasing chemicals associated with mood in the brain.
Noradrenaline-Serotonin Specific Antidepressants (NaSSAs)
A type of antidepressant medication that stops the brain detecting certain chemicals and is used to treat mood disorders.
Sedative medication
Medication that helps someone to feel more calm, and can be prescribed to help reduce anxiety and to induce sleep.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
A type of antidepressant medication that is used to treat depression and anxiety disorders by increasing chemicals in the brain.
Serotonin and Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs)
A type of antidepressant medication that is used to treat mood disorders by increasing chemicals in the brain that are associated with mood.
Stimulant medication
Medication that helps to increase the activity of the chemical messengers in the brain, is usually used to treat behavioural problems, and sometimes for the treatment of anxiety.
Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs)
A type of antidepressant medication that stops the brain detecting certain chemicals and is used to treat mood disorders.
Typical Antipsychotics (1st generation)
A type of antipsychotic medication that stops the brain detecting certain chemicals and is generally used to treat psychosis.
Herbal Treatements
Borage
A herb originating in Syria used in traditional Iranian medicine for improving mood.
Combination preparations
These contain mixtures of herbal remedies, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.
Ginkgo biloba
Extracts from the leaves of the Ginkgo biloba tree that may play a role in reducing the body's response to stress.
Golden root (Rhodiola rosea)
A plant that grows in cold parts of the world and is used as a traditional remedy to cope with stress.
Kava
The root of a plant from the South Pacific used in ceremonial rituals. It may help to reduce anxiety.
Lavender
A plant used in herbal medicine. Essential oils extracted from its flowering tops are traditionally used to aid sleep and relaxation.
Passionflower
A plant native to the Americas that is used as a traditional remedy for anxiety and insomnia.
Saffron
A spice used to treat depression in Persian traditional medicine.
St John's Wort
Small flowering plant used as a traditional remedy for depression. Extracts are widely available in health food stores or in some countries by prescription only.
Valerian
A herb often used to treat sleeping difficulties. It is also used to treat anxiety.
Nutritional Treatments
Carnitine (acetyl carnitine)
A nutrient involved in energy production in the body that is produced in the body. It is available from meat and dairy products as well as supplements.
Chromium
An essential trace mineral involved in the absorption and digestion of food, available in food or as a supplement.
Folate (folic acid)
A nutrient found in foods or in dietary supplements, usually as folic acid. It is sometimes used with antidepressant drugs.
Glutamine
An amino acid (building block of protein) found in food and also available in supplements. It is promoted as a 'brain food' that improves mood and energy levels.
Inositol
A compound similar to glucose, consumed through food and available in supplements. It helps to produce substances involved in activity of brain cells.
Magnesium
A mineral present in food and also available as a supplement.
Melatonin
A hormone produced in the brain and involved in the body's sleep-wake cycle. It is also available as a supplement in some countries.
Multivitamins
A dietary supplement that may contain different combinations of vitamins, dietary minerals and other nutrients.
Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil)
Types of polyunsaturated fats found in fish oil or made in the body.
Phenylalanine
An amino acid (building block of protein) that plays a role in the production of brain chemicals.
SAMe
A compound made in the body and available as a supplement. It plays a role in the activity of brain cells.
Selenium
A mineral present in whole grains and meats and available as a supplement.
Tyrosine
An amino acid (building block of protein) that plays a role in the activity of brain cells.
Vitamin B12
A vitamin that plays an important role in the activity of brain cells. It is found in meat, milk and eggs and is also available in supplements.
Vitamin B6
A vitamin that plays a role in the activity of brain cells. It is widely available in food and can also be taken as a supplement.
Vitamin D
A vitamin that is made in the body mainly through the action of sunlight on skin. Supplements have been used to treat winter depression.
Zinc
An essential mineral found in food and available in supplements.
Lifestyle/Complementary/Alternative Treatments
Acupuncture
A technique of inserting fine needles into specific points on the body.
Aromatherapy
The use of essential oils for healing, through the skin, or heated and vaporised into the air.
Autogenic Training
Regular practice of simple mental exercises in body awareness, such as concentration on breathing, heartbeat, warmth and heaviness of body parts.
Ayurvedic medicine
Traditional healing system of India that aims to improve health and vitality through nutrition, lifestyle and herbal medicines.
Bach flower remedies
Highly diluted flower extracts believed to contain small amounts of the plant's life force energy. "Rescue Remedy" is the most common of these.
Bibliotherapy
A form of self-help that uses books or other written material. These provide information and homework exercises that the reader works through on their own.
Breathing Training
Teaches correct breathing habits to help reduce anxiety.
Computer or Internet Interventions
Websites with information on disorders or Computerised Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CCBT). CCBT involves structured sessions of CBT on the computer.
Exercise
Engaging in physical activity, either aerobic exercise (which exercises the heart and lungs, such as jogging) or anaerobic exercise (which strengthens the muscles, such as weight training).
Homeopathic medicines
Treatment that uses small doses of various substances to stimulate self-healing.
Hydrotherapy
A therapy that involves using hot air, steam baths or saunas, wet packings and various kinds of warm and cold baths for relaxation or stimulation.
Massage
Manipulation of soft body tissues (or muscles) using the hands or a mechanical device. It is often done by a trained professional. One of the aims of massage is to relieve tension in the body.
Meditation
Meditation trains a person to focus their attention and awareness. Some types involve focusing attention on one's own breath or a silently repeated word. Others involve observing thoughts without judgement (mindfulness).
Reiki
A form of Japanese energy healing involving a practitioner lightly laying their hands or placing them close to parts of a person's body.
Relaxation Training
Learning how to relax using techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation and thinking of relaxing scenes or places.
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Traditional medicine practices that originated in China, including techniques such as herbal medicine, acupuncture, dietary therapy, and Tui na and Shiatsu massage.
Yoga
Exercising the mind and body through using physical postures, breathing techniques and meditation.
