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12
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