Psychiatry

Glossary of Mental Health Terms

Glossary of Terms – P

To view this glossary simply click on the corresponding letter below.

Please note – this is not an exhaustive list, but includes some fo the terminology commonly used in the assessment and treatment of mental illness. The terms in this glossary were derived from the medical glossary of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and are used with the Centre's permission

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Panic attack – An anxiety disorder characterized by a sudden and intense attack of anxiety, terror or fear that begins with a sense of foreboding and is accompanied by physical symptoms that can include shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, chest pain and flushing in the face. These attacks may be caused by or cause phobias, and may be accompanied by agoraphobia. They can be severely debilitating if left untreated.

Parasomnias - Physical acts that occur during sleep that often lead to awakening. These include walking while asleep, sometimes called somnambulism or talking during sleep, sometimes called somniloquy. Night terrors or body jerks are other examples of this condition.

Parkinsonism – a side–effect of certain neuroleptics or anti–psychotic medications characterized by awkward and stiff facial and arm movements.

Parkinson’s disease – a movement disorder characterized by muscle rigidity, tremor, slowing of physical movement (bradykinesia), and in extreme cases, a loss of physical movement (akinesia). Parkinson’d disease is chronic and progressiveand caused by the loss of brain cells that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine

Paranoia – A mental disorder in which a person has an extreme fear and distrust of others accompanied by delusions of grandeur or persecution.

Personality disorder – an enduring pattern of thoughts, feelings and behavior that differs in significant ways from the culture in which the person lives. This pattern is pervasive and inflexible, begins in adolescence or early adulthood and causes distress or impairment.

Pharmacotherapy – treatment of symptoms of disorders with medications that operate by altering the chemical balance in specific systems in the brain.

Phobia – A persistent and irrational fear of a specific object, activity or situation that results in a compelling desire to avoid that situation. Phobias include agoraphobia, social phobia and specific phobias ( such as fear of dogs, heights, spiders etc)

Post–partum depression – a depressive episode following childbirth, characterized by tearfulness, despondency, a feeling of hopelessness, inability to cope with infant care, extreme anxiety and guilt. Women suffering from postpartum depression should seek help immediately; prognosis is good. To be distinguished in severity from postpartum blues, which occur in 50 to 80% of women within a week of giving birth, and consists of 1 to 4 days of moodiness and tearfulness.

Posttraumatic stress disorder – A condition suffered by survivors of extraordinary events (for example, war, plane crashes, traumatic or violent situations either experienced or witnessed). Symptoms include hypervigilance, inability to trust, nightmares, "real–feeling" flashbacks and loss of interest in enjoyable activities.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) – a severe and disruptive premenstrual stage occurring during the week prior to the onset of the menstrual cycle. It is characterized by changeable moods, irritability, anxiety, sleep difficulties, abdominal cramps, bloating and breast tenderness. It is also known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder

Privileges – The degree and kind of privileges a person may have during the year when that person is under the authority of the Ontario Review Board (ORB). Having a stable mental status, following the rules and using privileges without problems usually leads to more privileges. The consulting psychiatrist has the right to allow, refuse or revoke (cancel) any privilege listed on the ORB's disposition, based on the assessment of the safety of the person and the public. The goal of privileges is to help people become re–integrated into society.

Prodromal phase of schizophrenia – Prodrome" is derived from the Greek word prodromos meaning the forerunner of an event. It refers to the early symptoms and signs of an illness that precede the characteristic manifestations of the acute, fully developed illness and in the case of schizophrenia to the period from first noticeable symptoms to first prominent psychotic symptoms .

Psychoeducation – provides individuals and their families with clear up to date information about the mental disorder they are experiencing as well as links to sources that provide in–depth analysis. Knowledge about one’s condition can be pivotal in recovery and relapse prevention.

Psychosis – is a serious mental condition characterized by a loss of contact with reality, and a dramatic change in a person's thoughts, beliefs, perceptions and behavior. These might take the form of hallucinations, delusions and paranoia, lack of insight and thought disorder .

Psychotherapy – a form of treatment for anxiety and major depression based on talking with a therapist. Psychotherapy aims to change attitudes, behaviors and habits, leading to better ways of coping with the condition. Central to the process is the examination of one’s emotions motivations, thoughts and feelings. Also known as Talk Therapy

Psychotic depression – a major depressive episode in which the person loses touch with reality and may have hallucinations or delusions.

[Back to top]
[Back to Glossary homepage]