G L O S S A R Y
Agoraphobia: A mental disorder Obsessivecompulsive disorder: reaction to a life situation; at characterized by an irrational other times, they are related to anxiety disorder An character fear of leaving the familiar set the effects of alcohol or other ized by a persistent intrusion of ting of home or venturing into drugs. The symptoms may rep unwanted and uncontrollable the open. This disorder is so resent longterm psychiatric thoughts, urges, or actions, such pervasive that a large number of disorders that are outside the as repetitive handwashing. context of intoxication or stress. external life situations are entered Panic attacks: The abrupt onset into reluctantly or avoided; often Depressive disorders: Psychiatric of an episode (usually lasting associated with panic attacks. conditions characterized by about 10 to 20 minutes) of Alcoholinduced disorders: intense sadness and symptoms A feelings of intense anxiety or that include interference with group of psychiatric symptoms nervousness accompanied by sleep, appetite, and daily life that develop in the course of rapid heartbeats (i.e., palpita functioning. Unless treated, intoxication or withdrawal from tions) and a feeling of short such symptoms are likely to alcohol. These symptoms, in ness of breath. Panic attacks remain for many months and cluding depression and anxiety, can occur as a reaction to tend to be temporary and dis even years. severe stress, as a complica appear within days or weeks of Depressive symptoms: General tion of some medications (e.g., abstinence. Because they are and frequently observed feelings diet pills), during intoxication short lived, the symptoms rarely of sadness apparent during peri with stimulant drugs (e.g., am require longterm counseling or ods of grief, reactions to difficult phetamines or cocaine), or psychotherapy, and little evi situations, or as consequences of during withdrawal from de dence indicates that they benefit medical conditions or side effects pressant drugs (e.g., alcohol). from medications. of medications or drugs. The sad Panic disorder: A longterm, Antisocial personality disorder: ness resembles the symptoms frequently lifelong, anxiety A pervasive pattern of disregard seen in depressive disorders but disorder characterized by for and violation of the rights of usually is short lived and disap panic attacks pears with time. that occur fre others. The disorder is character Dysthymia: quently (i.e., multiple times ized in part by risk taking, crimi A disorder charac nality, and pathological lying. terized by at least 2 years of per month) and develop un related to stress, side effects Anxiety disorders: depressed mood. A group of of medications, or effects of Major depressive episode: longterm, often lifelong, psy A peri alcohol or other drugs. This od of at least 2 weeks during chiatric disorders, the central disorder often responds to which there is either depressed feature of which is some form education and some behavioral mood or the loss of interest or of nervousness or anxiety. These treatments, including relaxation, panic disorder, pleasure in nearly all activities. disorders include but may require medications social phobia, and other long Mania: An episode of intense (e.g., antidepressants) in cer term anxiety conditions. Often hyperactivity, rapid thoughts, tain cases. they require active treatment and poor judgment that is likely that can involve education and Schizophrenia: A chronic disor to last weeks to months unless counseling, behavioral treatments der characterized by delusions, actively treated. A person who (e.g., teaching relaxation tech hallucinations, and disorga experiences an independent niques or ways of approaching nized thoughts and behavior. major manic episode usually feared situations), and, occasion Social phobia: is diagnosed as demonstrating A longterm, ally, longterm medications. bipolar, or manicdepressive, often lifelong, major anxiety
Anxiety symptoms: Signs include disorder. disorder characterized by a
feelings of nervousness, tension, fear (i.e., a phobia) and avoid Manicdepressive disorder: A or anxiety. They can include ance of specific social situa psychiatric disorder character temporary symptoms that in tions even though he or she ized by episodes of both manic panic attacks knows that the fear is irrational. volve , fears, or and depressive disorders . This The avoidance results in repet other nervous behaviors. Some condition also is referred to as times these symptoms occur as a bipolar disorder. itive major life problems.
86 ALCOHOL HEALTH & RESEARCH WORLD