Glossary
Unless you’re a medical professional (and perhaps even if you are!), the vast array of medical terminology relating to the field of mental illness can be a bit daunting.
That’s where the Glossary comes in. Within it I’ll list and define terms, as well as provide links to any related articles on A Winter’s Day, in case you feel like reading up on them further.
The Glossary will obviously be a continuous work-in-progress, but hopefully you’ll find it useful as you journey through A Winter’s Day!
Anhedonia
The inability to feel or gain pleasure, particularly from activities that were previously enjoyed.
Atypical Depression
A type of unipolar disorder, and a subtype of major depressive disorder and dysthymia, characterised by mood reactivity — being able to experience improvements in mood due to positive events.
Related Articles:
• Atypical Depression: Depression Symptoms Guide
Bipolar Disorder
(also known as manic depression, manic-depressive disorder or bipolarism)
A mood disorder categorised by the presence of two, (bi) poles of extreme mood: depression and mania.
Related Articles:
• Bipolar I Disorder: Depression Symptoms Guide
• Bipolar II Disorder: Depression Symptoms Guide
Bipolar I Disorder
(also known as bipolar 1 or bipolar type 1)
A type of bipolar disorder categorised by the sufferer experiencing periods of mania, with or without episodes of major depressive disorder.
Related Articles:
• Bipolar I Disorder: Depression Symptoms Guide
Bipolar II Disorder
(also known as bipolar 2 or bipolar type 2)
A type of bipolar disorder categorised by mood cycling between periods of hypomania and major depressive disorder.
Related Articles:
• Bipolar II Disorder: Depression Symptoms Guide
Bipolar Disorder NOS
(also known as ’sub-threshold’ bipolar disorder)
A type of bipolar disorder which is generally a ‘catch-all’ or provisional diagnosis of bipolar disorder, where bipolar disorder seems to be present, but there is not yet enough information to make a formal diagnosis of a specific type of bipolar disorder.
Related Articles:
• Bipolar Disorder NOS: Depression Symptoms Guide
Delusional Disorder
A psychotic mental disorder that is characterised by holding one or more non-bizarre delusions. Non-bizarre delusions are fixed beliefs that are certainly and definitely false, but that could possibly be plausible, for example, someone who thinks he or she is under police surveillance.
Depression
One of numerous mood disorders characterised primarily by a constantly low mood in unipolar disorder types, or combinations of low mood and mania in bipolar disorder types.
Dysphoric Mania
(also known as agitated depression, mixed state or mixed episode)
A condition during which symptoms of mania and depression occur simultaneously. Examples may include tearfulness during a manic episode, or racing thoughts during a depressive episode.
Dysthymia
(also known as chronic depression or dysthymic disorder)
A type of unipolar disorder characterised by its long duration (at least two years), and symptoms that are similar to, but lower grade and less severe than those found in major depressive disorder.
Related Articles:
• Dysthymia: Depression Symptoms Guide
Hyperactivity
A state in which a person is abnormally and easily excitable, both physically and mentally. Impulsive behaviour, strong emotional reactions and sometimes a short attention span are also typical in hyperactivity.
While for some, hyperactivity may be considered their ‘normal’ state, where the behaviour starts to become a problem for the person or others, it may be classified as a medical disorder.
Hypersexuality
A condition where a person exhibits an unusual or excessive concern with, or indulgence in sexual activity, to a degree considered problematic and clinically significant. Hypersexuality may occur during periods of mania or hypomania in bipolar disorder.
Hypersomnia
A disorder characterised by excessive sleepiness and the need to sleep or nap at inappropriate times. The condition often also involves oversleeping, difficulty waking and feelings of disorientation once awake.
Hypomania
A reduced state of mania, symptoms of which include a constant elevated or irritable mood, reduced need for sleep and high energy levels. People with hypomania are frequently extroverted, outgoing and daring. The condition generally has little to no affect on a person’s functioning or quality of life.
Hypomania is distinguished from mania primarily by the absence of psychosis, and is a feature of two mood disorders, bipolar II disorder and cyclothymia.
Hypothyroidism
A disease state caused by insufficient production of thyroid hormone by the thyroid gland.
Insomnia
A disorder in which the sufferer has difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep, usually resulting in impaired functioning while awake.
Major Depressive Disorder
(also known as clinical depression, major depression, severe depression or unipolar depression)
A type of unipolar disorder which can develop rapidly, and with a wide range of potentially severe symptoms. Major depressive disorder tends to debilitate sufferers to the point where normal functioning becomes difficult or impossible.
Related Articles:
• Major Depressive Disorder: Depression Symptoms Guide
Mania
A state of abnormally heightened or irritable mood, arousal or energy levels, sometimes caused by drug abuse or a brain tumour, but most commonly associated with bipolar disorder, where episodes of mania alternate with depression. Mania can vary in severity from the milder hypomania, to extreme psychosis.
Symptoms of mania likewise range in severity from racing thoughts, rapid speech, a decreased need for sleep and hypersexuality, to tendencies with potentially more dangerous consequences such as euphoria, impulsiveness, and a disregard for restraint and the consequences of the person’s actions.
Postpartum Depression (PPD)
(also known as postnatal depression)
A type of unipolar disorder usually occurring in women a few weeks or months after childbirth.
Related Articles:
• Postpartum Depression (PPD): Depression Symptoms Guide
Psychomotor Agitation
A series of agitated, purposeless and unintentional motions experienced by an individual as a result of mental tension and anxiety. Pacing, tapping, and removing clothing may be involved, and in more severe cases, harmful behaviour such as biting or ripping at the skin of the fingers and lips to the point of bleeding.
Psychomotor agitation is a symptom often accompanying major depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder or the manic phase of bipolar disorder. It can also result from an excess intake of stimulants.
Psychomotor Retardation
(also known as psychomotor impairment or motormental retardation)
The slowing down of thought and diminishment in physical movements, most commonly seen in those suffering from major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder and also as a result of the affects of benzodiazepines.
Psychomotor retardation can cause the sufferer to experience physical hardship carrying out ‘mundane’ tasks such as getting dressed, showering, preparing food, or climbing stairs. Mental activities and decisions that might once have been trivial, such as writing a shopping list can become challenging or feel impossible.
Psychosis
A general psychiatric term for a mental state involving a ‘loss of contact with reality’. People suffering from psychosis are said to be psychotic. A person experiencing psychosis may experience a range of hallucinations, including visual and auditory disturbances, and may also express delusional beliefs.
Psychosis may be accompanied by unusual or strange behaviour, and can often interfere with the sufferers ability to function socially and in general life activities.
Residual Schizophrenia
A milder sub-type of schizophrenia where delusions, auditory hallucinations, and thought disorder are present at a low intensity.
Schizoaffective Disorder
A mental disorder characterised by recurring episodes of elevated or depressed mood, or simultaneously elevated and depressed mood that alternate or occur together with psychosis.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a neuropsychiatric and mental disorder characterised by abnormalities in the perception or expression of reality. It most commonly manifests as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganised speech and thinking with significant social or occupational dysfunction.
Schizophreniform Disorder
A mental disorder diagnosed when symptoms of schizophrenia are present for at least one month, but not for the full six months required for a diagnosis of schizophrenia.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
(also known as winter depression, winter blues, seasonal depression or seasonal mood disorder)
A type of unipolar disorder which causes people who are typically mentally healthy, to experience depressive symptoms during the winter (and sometimes other seasons), repeatedly and at the same time each year.
Related Articles:
• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Depression Symptoms Guide
Unipolar Disorder
A mood disorder categorised by the presence of only one, (uni) pole of extreme mood: depression.
Related Articles:
• Atypical Depression: Depression Symptoms Guide
• Dysthymia: Depression Symptoms Guide
• Major Depressive Disorder: Depression Symptoms Guide
• Postpartum Depression (PPD): Depression Symptoms Guide
• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Depression Symptoms Guide
