Lesson 12

Mental Health

Mental health terminology bridges neuroscience and psychology. The DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) provides standardized criteria for psychiatric diagnoses. Mental health conditions are among the most prevalent diseases worldwide. This lesson covers mood disorders, anxiety, psychotic disorders, trauma, substance use, and neurodevelopmental conditions.

50 min3 sections5 objectives

Learning Objectives

1Identify combining forms related to mental health
2Describe major DSM-5 diagnostic categories
3Recognize terminology for psychiatric symptoms and signs
4Understand major psychiatric medications and their mechanisms
5Apply mental health terminology in clinical contexts

1Psychiatric Terminology Basics

Mental status examination (MSE): Organized assessment of psychiatric patient

Appearance, Behavior, Speech, Mood, Affect, Thought process, Thought content, Perceptions, Cognition, Insight, Judgment

Key Terms:

Mood: Patient's subjective feeling (depressed, anxious, elevated)

Affect: Clinician's observation of emotional expression (flat, blunted, labile, congruent)

Psychosis: Loss of contact with reality; hallucinations + delusions

Hallucination: False perception without external stimulus (auditory most common in schizophrenia)

Delusion: Fixed false belief not amenable to reason

Insight: Awareness of having mental illness

Sensorium: Level of consciousness and cognitive function

2Major Psychiatric Disorders

Depressive Disorders:

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): ≥5 symptoms for ≥2 weeks (SIGECAPS: Sleep, Interest, Guilt, Energy, Concentration, Appetite, Psychomotor, Suicidality)

Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD/dysthymia): ≥2 years

Bipolar Disorders:

Bipolar I: Full manic episode (≥7 days, ±hospitalization)

Bipolar II: Hypomania + depression; no full mania

Cyclothymia: Chronic fluctuating mood <manic/depressive threshold

Anxiety Disorders:

GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder), Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Specific Phobia, Agoraphobia

Trauma and Stressor-Related:

PTSD: Re-experiencing, avoidance, negative cognitions, hyperarousal after traumatic event

Acute Stress Disorder: <1 month post-trauma

Psychotic Disorders:

Schizophrenia: ≥2 symptoms for 6 months: hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, negative symptoms

Neurodevelopmental:

ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Disability

3Psychiatric Medications

Antidepressants:

SSRIs (sertraline, fluoxetine): First-line; block serotonin reuptake

SNRIs (venlafaxine, duloxetine): Serotonin + norepinephrine

TCAs, MAOIs: Older; more side effects

Mood Stabilizers:

Lithium: Gold standard for bipolar; narrow therapeutic range; requires monitoring

Valproate, lamotrigine, carbamazepine

Antipsychotics:

First-generation (typical): Haloperidol; D2 blockers; extrapyramidal side effects (EPS)

Second-generation (atypical): Olanzapine, risperidone, quetiapine; lower EPS risk

Anxiolytics:

Benzodiazepines (diazepam, lorazepam): Fast-acting; risk of dependence

Buspirone: Non-habit forming; for GAD

ADHD Medications:

Stimulants: Methylphenidate (Ritalin), amphetamine salts (Adderall)

Non-stimulant: Atomoxetine

Clinical Connections

►1 in 5 adults in the US experiences mental illness each year; only ~40% receive treatment
►Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in people ages 10–34 in the US
►The biopsychosocial model recognizes biological, psychological, and social factors in mental illness

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L11: The Endocrine System

L13: Male and Female Reproductive Systems

Nicole's Med Terms

Mental Health

50 min3 sections5 objectives

1Psychiatric Terminology Basics

Mental status examination (MSE): Organized assessment of psychiatric patient

Appearance, Behavior, Speech, Mood, Affect, Thought process, Thought content, Perceptions, Cognition, Insight, Judgment

Key Terms:

Mood: Patient's subjective feeling (depressed, anxious, elevated)

Affect: Clinician's observation of emotional expression (flat, blunted, labile, congruent)

Psychosis: Loss of contact with reality; hallucinations + delusions

Hallucination: False perception without external stimulus (auditory most common in schizophrenia)

Delusion: Fixed false belief not amenable to reason

Insight: Awareness of having mental illness

Sensorium: Level of consciousness and cognitive function

2Major Psychiatric Disorders

Depressive Disorders:

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): ≥5 symptoms for ≥2 weeks (SIGECAPS: Sleep, Interest, Guilt, Energy, Concentration, Appetite, Psychomotor, Suicidality)

Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD/dysthymia): ≥2 years

Bipolar Disorders:

Bipolar I: Full manic episode (≥7 days, ±hospitalization)

Bipolar II: Hypomania + depression; no full mania

Cyclothymia: Chronic fluctuating mood <manic/depressive threshold

Anxiety Disorders:

GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder), Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Specific Phobia, Agoraphobia

Trauma and Stressor-Related:

PTSD: Re-experiencing, avoidance, negative cognitions, hyperarousal after traumatic event

Acute Stress Disorder: <1 month post-trauma

Psychotic Disorders:

Schizophrenia: ≥2 symptoms for 6 months: hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, negative symptoms

Neurodevelopmental:

ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Disability

3Psychiatric Medications

Antidepressants:

SSRIs (sertraline, fluoxetine): First-line; block serotonin reuptake

SNRIs (venlafaxine, duloxetine): Serotonin + norepinephrine

TCAs, MAOIs: Older; more side effects

Mood Stabilizers:

Lithium: Gold standard for bipolar; narrow therapeutic range; requires monitoring

Valproate, lamotrigine, carbamazepine

Antipsychotics:

First-generation (typical): Haloperidol; D2 blockers; extrapyramidal side effects (EPS)

Second-generation (atypical): Olanzapine, risperidone, quetiapine; lower EPS risk

Anxiolytics:

Benzodiazepines (diazepam, lorazepam): Fast-acting; risk of dependence

Buspirone: Non-habit forming; for GAD

ADHD Medications:

Stimulants: Methylphenidate (Ritalin), amphetamine salts (Adderall)

Non-stimulant: Atomoxetine