Mental Health Vocab

Terms

Improve Mental Health and Mental Illness

Abnormal – Something that is not usual, different from what is normal. 

Aerobic Exercise – Moving large muscle groups (legs, core, etc.) for extended periods of time to increase oxygen intake.

Amygdala – Two almond-shaped organs located in the brain, near the hippocampus and the hypothalamus, that are involved in emotions.

Antidepressants –Medications used to treat mood disorders, pain, and addiction. 

Antipsychotics –Medication that helps reduce symptoms of psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia.

Anxiety – Feeling of unease and distress that can lead to varying disorders. Often caused by fear and stress.

Audio Frequency – Repeating vibration that is audible to the human ear.

Biochemical – Chemicals produced within a living organism.

Benzodiazepines – A psychoactive drug that induces sleep and provides relief to anxiety.

Beta-Blockers – Medications that lower blood pressure by decreasing heart contractions. 

Cardiac Arrest – Loss of heart function caused by heart disease. 

Cognition – The mental process of knowing, including perception and reasoning.

Deficiency – The lack of a substance. 

Depression – Common mood disorder where people feel distressed and extreme sadness. Causes vary by person, but stress and chemical imbalance within the body increase risk.

Dementia – General term for impaired ability to remember and decision-making; an example is Alzheimer’s disease. Poor health and aging increase the risk for dementia.

Empathy – The ability to sympathize and understand another’s feelings. 

Endorphins – Natural pain relievers produced by the central nervous system and pituitary gland.

Fatality – Referring to death caused by an event.

Fatigue – The feeling of tiredness.

Genetics – The study of hereditary, includes DNA molecules that provide variance between organisms. 

Gray Matter –  Matter composed of neuronal cells and unmyelinated axons which process information in the brain.

Heart palpitations – The feeling of pounding or a fluttering heart.

Insecurity – The lack of confidence and assurance. 

Insomnia – Common sleep disorder where you have trouble sleeping. Often caused by stress or changes in schedule or environment. 

Irritability – The state of being more sensitive to stimuli. A feeling of agitation.

Mass – Amount of matter in an object. 

Matter – Any substance or object that takes up space.

Melatonin – Natural hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain that controls your sleep cycle.

Migraines – Type of headache that causes pulsing pain. Causes vary by person, but most commonly caused by stress, strong smells, and skipped meals. 

Myelin Sheath – A lipid-rich substance that surrounds nerve cell axons to speed up impulses and to provide insulation 

Neurotransmitters – Chemical messengers in the body that help control body functions: digestion, mood, and muscle movement. 

Pessimistic – Attitude or mindset where you expect the worst and are not hopeful.

Phobia – Type of anxiety disorder where you have a deep fear of objects or situations.

Psychological – Referring to the mind or one’s emotions.

Remorse – The feeling of guilt or regret from one’s actions.

Serotonin – Neurotransmitter that helps mood and promotes healthy digestion. 

Social Network – A web of connections between a person and all their friends, family, and other contacts. 

Thyroid – A gland in the neck that releases hormones within the body.

White Matter – Deep tissue in the brain that contains nerve cells covered in myelin allows to process and send information faster. 

Parts of the Brain

Frontal lobe — Most anterior section of the cerebrum whose primary role is in cognitive functions.

Involuntary — An action that requires no consciousness, occurs autonomously.

Medulla — Inferior to the pons and anterior to the cerebellum whose function is to the serve as a conduit for nerves. controlling reflexes, and involuntary body actions.

Occipital lobe — Most posterior section of the cerebrum whose primary role is in visual perception and mapping.

Parietal lobe — Most superior area to the cerebrum whose primary role is in sensory perception.

Pons — Superior to the medulla which connects to the cerebellum and the cerebrum.

Temporal lobe — Inferior to the parietal lobe whose primary role is speech production and auditory perception.

Anatomical Terms

Anterior — Refers to the area in front of a body part.

Inferior — Refers to the area under or below another body part.

Posterior — Refers to the area behind a body part

Superior — Refers to the area above another body part.

Test Your Knowledge

Mental Health Vocab

Find out how much you’ve learned through our resources by taking our short quiz! It covers all of our Mental Health Vocab.

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The state of being more sensitive to stimuli. A feeling of agitation. 

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Neurotransmitter that helps mood and promotes healthy digestion. 

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Common mood disorder where people feel distressed and extreme sadness, usually caused by stress and chemical imbalance. 

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Two almond-shaped organs located in the brain, near the hippocampus and the hypothalamus that is involved in emotions. 

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Medication that helps reduce symptoms of psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia. 

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Natural pain relievers produced by the central nervous system and pituitary glands. 

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Any substance or object that takes up space. 

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Refers to the area behind a body part. 

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Referring to death caused by an event. 

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Repeating vibration that is audible to the human ear. 

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A gland in the neck that releases hormones within the body. 

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Refers to the area in front of a body part. 

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General term for impaired ability to remember and decision-making; an example is Alzheimer’s disease. 

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Attitude or mindset where you expect the worst and are not hopeful. 

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Referring to the mind or one’s emotions. 

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A lipid-rich substance that surrounds nerve cell axons to speed up impulses and to provide insulation.

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Medications used to treat mood disorders, pain, and addiction. 

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The mental process of knowing, including perception and reasoning. 

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The lack of a substance. 

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Inferior to the pons and anterior to the cerebellum whose function is to serve as a conduit for nerves, controlling reflexes, and involuntary body actions. 

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Most anterior section of the cerebrum whose primary role is in cognitive functions. 

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Common sleep disorder where you have trouble sleeping caused by stress or changes in schedule. 

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Amount of matter in an object. 

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The feeling of guilt or regret from one’s actions. 

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Superior to the medulla which connects the cerebellum and the cerebrum. 

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Chemical messengers in the body that help control body functions: digestion, mood, and muscle movement. 

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Refers to the area under or below another body part. 

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Deep tissue in the brain that contains nerve cells covered in myelin allows to process and send information faster.

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Loss of heart function caused by heart disease. 

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Natural hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain that controls your sleep cycle. 

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The ability to sympathize and understand another’s feelings. 

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A web of connections between a person and all of their friends, family, and other contacts. 

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Something that is not usual, different from what is normal. 

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Moving large muscle groups for extended periods of time to increase oxygen intake. 

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A cognitive impairment that causes a writing and arithmetic disability resulting from damage to the left parietal lobe. 

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A psychoactive drug that induces sleep and provides relief to anxiety. 

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Matter composed of neuronal cells and unmyelinated axons which process information in the brain.  

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The lack of confidence and assurance. 

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The feeling of pounding or a fluttering heart. 

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Feeling of unease and distress that can lead to varying disorders. Often caused by fear and stress.  

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Medications that lower blood pressure by decreasing heart contractions. 

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The outer layer of gray matter that covers the surface of the cerebral hemisphere. 

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Most posterior section of the cerebrum whose primary role is in visual perception and mapping. 

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Refers to the outer sides of a body part. 

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Inferior to the parietal lobe whose primary role is speech production and auditory perception. 

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An action that requires no consciousness, occurs autonomously. 

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Refers to the midline area of a body part. 

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Verbal or non-verbal signals that guide conversations and other social interactions. 

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A sudden convulsion or spasm. 

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Most superior area of the cerebrum whose primary role is in sensory perception.

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The study of hereditary, includes DNA molecules that provide variance between organisms. 

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Tongue-shaped process, most anterior part of the cerebellum. 

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Refers to the area above another body part. 

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The feeling of tiredness. 

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Type of anxiety disorder where you have a deep fear of objects or situations. 

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Type of headache that causes pulsing pain from stress, strong smells, or skipped meals. 

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Chemicals produced within a living organism. 

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Brain by OpenClipart-Vectors, via Pixabay

*This site content is provided for informational purposes only and does not intend to substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have medical questions and/or concerns, please contact a medical professional.