Psychiatry & Psychology

Psychosis is a severe mental state characterized by a disconnection from reality, often including delusions, hallucinations, and impaired thinking. It denotes a pathologic condition requiring clinical attention, typically within the context of a broader psychiatric disorder. The term is used in clinical and research settings as well as in general discussion of serious mental health symptoms.

Psychotic is an adjective describing a severe mental disorder or a state of disordered thinking and perception. It often appears in medical or clinical contexts but is also used colloquially to suggest extreme irrational behavior. The term implies a loss of touch with reality, with symptoms ranging from delusions to hallucinations, though its casual use should be careful and precise.

Resilience is the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties, adversity, or trauma. It also refers to the ability of a material to spring back into shape after bending or stretching. In psychology, it encompasses effective coping, persistence, and adaptability in the face of stress. (2–4 sentences, ~60–70 words)

Schizoaffective is an adjective describing a mental health condition that combines features of schizophrenia with mood disorder symptoms (depression or mania). It denotes a clinical syndrome where psychotic symptoms co-occur with persistent mood disturbance, requiring specialized treatment considerations. The term reflects a neuropsychiatric diagnosis rather than casual slang or everyday language.

Schizoid is an adjective describing a personality type characterized by emotional detachment, limited affect, and social withdrawal. It is used in psychology and psychiatry to denote a tendency toward isolation and a subdued affect, often without psychotic features. In everyday language, it can describe someone who appears distant or unengaged.

Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder characterized by disturbances in thought, perception, and behavior, including delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized thinking. It typically presents in adulthood and requires ongoing treatment and support. The term denotes a fragmentation of mental processes rather than multiple personality states. It is a clinical diagnosis used by professionals in psychiatry and psychology.

Schizotypal is an adjective describing a personality type characterized by unconventional beliefs, perceptual experiences, and social anxiety that resembles schizoid or schizotypal personality traits, without full-blown psychosis. It specifically relates to odd thinking, suspiciousness, and eccentric behavior, often affecting interpersonal functioning. The term is used in psychology and psychiatry to denote patterns that are unusual, introspective, and idiosyncratic.

Somatization is the process by which psychological distress is expressed as physical symptoms when emotional issues are converted into bodily complaints. It is used in clinical contexts to describe a pattern of symptoms without a fully explained medical cause, reflecting the mind–body connection. The term is commonly discussed in psychology and psychiatry, particularly in relation to somatic symptom disorders.

Somatoform is an adjective describing a physical illness or symptoms that originate from psychological factors rather than identifiable medical disease. It’s used in medical and psychological contexts to denote medically unexplained symptoms that appear physical but are linked to emotional or mental processes. The term is more technical and less common in everyday speech, often encountered in clinical writing and research discussions.

Somnolence is a state of drowsiness or sleepiness, often implying an inability to stay awake. It can describe a medical condition, such as excessive daytime sleepiness, or a transient feeling of fatigue. The term is commonly used in clinical or academic contexts to discuss levels of alertness and sleep regulation.

Stress (noun) refers to the force or emphasis placed on a syllable or word, often affecting pronunciation and meaning. It also denotes mental or emotional strain arising from demanding circumstances. In linguistics, stress is the relative prominence of syllables within a word or phrase, influencing rhythm and intelligibility in speech.

Sublimation is the process by which a solid substance changes directly into a gas, bypassing the liquid phase. In psychology, it refers to channeling instinctual impulses into socially acceptable activities. The term can also describe the purification or refinement of something by removing impurities.

A medical term for a set of signs and symptoms that occur together and characterize a disease or condition. It can be caused by various underlying factors and may lack a single identifiable cause. The word is used across clinical, research, and lay discussions to describe a recognizable pattern of health issues.

Synesthesia is a neurological condition in which stimulation of one sensory pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory pathway, such as seeing colors when hearing sounds. It blends senses in a cross-wired perceptual experience and is often described as a synesthetic projection. The term covers a variety of sensory pairings and varies in intensity among individuals.

Tardive is a medical-adj adjective describing late-appearing symptoms, especially tardive dyskinesia. In context, it often refers to adverse, late-onset effects from long-term medication use. The term is used primarily in clinical or academic settings and signals a time-delayed onset rather than immediate presentation.

Temporal as an adjective mainly refers to time or the timing of events, and in anatomy to the temples on the head. In academic contexts it contrasts with spatial, describing duration, sequence, or timing in processes. It can also denote relation to the temple region in anatomy or to the everyday experience of time. Common phrases include temporal data, temporal sequence, and temporal lobe in neuroscience.

Thalamus is a large paired structure in the brain that acts as a relay and integration center for sensory and motor signals, and contributes to consciousness and alertness. It consists of multiple nuclei that route information to the cerebral cortex. The term comes from Greek, reflecting its role as a chamber within the brain.

Trauma is a deeply distressing physical or psychological injury, especially one resulting from a violent event or accident. It can also refer to emotional shock causing lasting damage. In medical and everyday usage, it describes an event that disrupts normal functioning and warrants care, treatment, or long-term coping.

Akinesia refers to a loss or impairment of the ability to initiate movement. It is a neurological symptom often associated with Parkinsonian syndromes, presenting as slowness of movement, reduced spontaneous activity, and difficulty starting actions. It reflects failure of motor initiation rather than weakness of the muscles themselves.

alexithymic (adj): describing someone who has difficulty identifying and expressing emotions or feelings, often showing limited emotional awareness and introspection. The term combines Greek roots for “not” ( a-), “words” ( loxia/lexis), and “emotion” ( thymos), with the suffix -ic. It is used in clinical and psychological contexts to characterize a specific emotional processing style rather than a diagnosable disorder.

Amygdaloid refers to a structure resembling or relating to the amygdala, especially in the brain or in certain bones. In anatomy, it describes anything that has the shape or functional qualities of the amygdala. The term is often used in neuroscience and comparative anatomy to refer to almond-shaped clusters of neurons or ossified bodies. It conveys a precise, technical sense appropriate for expert discourse.

Antidepressant refers to a medication that alleviates symptoms of depression by altering brain chemistry. It typically targets neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, or dopamine, and may take several weeks to show noticeable effects. The term also appears in contexts discussing treatment plans, side effects, and clinical outcomes.

Apraxia is a neurologically-based motor disorder that impairs the ability to perform purposeful movements, despite having the desire and physical capacity to do so. It affects planning and coordinating complex actions, often impacting speech (apraxia of speech) and other motor tasks. The term conveys a disruption in motor programming rather than muscle weakness.

Avolition is a psychiatric term referring to a marked lack of motivation to initiate and persist in goal-directed activities, despite the required ability to do so. It denotes a deficit in goal-oriented behavior, not a temporary reluctance, and is often observed in conditions like schizophrenia or depression. The term typically appears in clinical, academic, and medical discussions.