Glossary
- ABI Long-Term Care Waiver (ABI LTC) -
The ABI Long-Term Care Waiver is a program that helps adults who have suffered a serious brain injury. If someone with brain injury has reached a point where they are not expected to get better with rehabilitation, they can still receive support to help them live safely in their community. The program provides necessary services to maintain their health and well-being.
- Abstinence -
Abstinence refers to the refraining from the use of substances or the participation in activities. Abstinence from drugs and alcohol is the focus of substance abuse treatment programs.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) -
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that emphasizes the need to accept certain thoughts or feelings rather than to try to control them. This approach is used when attempts to control thoughts and feelings lead to problematic behaviors.
- Acquired Brain Injury Acute Waiver (ABI-A) -
The Acquired Brain Injury Waiver is a program that offers help and assistance to people who have suffered brain injuries. The aim of this program is to support these individuals in their journey to lead an independent and fulfilling life in their community. The program provides a range of services and resources to aid in their rehabilitation and successful reintegration into the society.
- Activity of Daily Living (ADL) -
Activity of daily living means the essential tasks that we need to do every day to take care of ourselves, such as eating, bathing, and moving around. These are the basic things we need to do to maintain our health and well-being.
- Acute Care -
Acute care refers to active short-term care to address a specific health-related problem.
- Addiction -
Addiction is dependence on a substance or activity that can be physical, psychological, or both.
- Addiction Counselor -
Addiction counselors are professionals specifically trained to help people who suffer from addiction. The methods they use evolve over time as new research and therapeutic techniques become available.
- Addiction Medicine Physician -
Addiction medicine physicians are professionals who have a medical doctorate and specialize in managing patients who suffer from addiction.
- Addiction Psychiatrist -
An addiction psychiatrist is a psychiatrist who specializes in addiction and who is able to prescribe medications to patients.
- Adverse Reaction -
An adverse reaction is a reaction that is deemed negative and unhealthy.
- Age at onset -
Age at onset refers to the age in which symptoms appear or a diagnosis is made. The average age of onset is known for several disorders, which can aid in diagnosis.
- Agonist -
An agonist is an agent that binds to cells' receptors and produces a physiological effect. Depending on the type of agonist, the effect may be similar or different from what happens when the receptors are stimulated by the body's own neurotransmitters for those receptors.
- Agoraphobia -
Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by fear of situations or places that may be difficult to escape. People with agoraphobia often avoid crowded areas to prevent the intense anxiety they may experience in those places.
- Alcohol -
Alcohol is another term for ethanol or ethyl alcohol, which is a psychoactive agent contained in alcoholic beverages.
- Alcohol Use Disorder -
Alcohol use disorder refers to the act of engaging in excessive alcohol use. The degree of excess varies for those with alcohol use disorder.
- Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) -
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a 12-step self-help program aimed at helping people quit consumption of alcohol.
- Ambivalence -
Ambivalence refers to contradictory feelings that are simultaneously present, such a the desires both for and against a substance or situation.
- Amphetamine -
Amphetamine is a stimulant of the central nervous system. Amphetamine drugs are used to treat conditions like attention deficity hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy and is often abused.
- Analgesics -
Analgesics are agents that relieve pain. The most commonly used analgesics are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), though some analgesics are opioids.
- Anonymous -
To be anonymous means to be unidentifiable. Upon entering treatment, for instance, many people choose to identify as anonymous so that people are unaware of their identity.
- Anorexia Nervosa -
Anorexia nervosa, also known as anorexia, is an eating disorder that involves severe restriction in nutrient intake that leads to significantly low body weight. People with anorexia fear weight gain and have distorted body images that prevent them from understanding how underweight they are.
- Antagonist -
Antagonists are agents that interfere with the ability of other agents to cause physiological effects in thier host.
- Anxiety Disorders -
There are several different anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and phobia-related disorders. The symptoms vary depending on the specific disorder, but all anxiety disorders involve chronic anxiety.
- Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) -
Applied behavior analysis is a type of therapy that helps people learn new behaviors and change existing ones. It's based on scientific principles of how we learn and behave.
- Assessment -
Assessment refers to the process of evaluation, often of a patient by a medical professional, with the intention of determining the best course of action for helping that individual.
- Assistive Technology (AT) -
Assistive technology is any tool or device that helps people with disabilities to do things they might find difficult. These tools could be anything from a software program to a piece of equipment or product system. The aim of these tools is to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of persons with disabilities.
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) -
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a common neurodevelopmental disorder that involves attention difficulties and impulsive behaviors.
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) -
Autism spectrum disorder is a condition that affects the way people interact with others, communicate, learn, and behave. It's a type of neurological and developmental disorder that can make it difficult for individuals to socialize, communicate effectively, and learn certain skills.
- Barbiturate -
A barbiturate is a sedative-hypnotic drug that is normally used to treat a host of issues, including insomnia, seizure disorder, preoperative anxiety, and more.
- Behavior Support Plan (BSP) -
A behavior support plan is a plan that helps people learn and develop positive behaviors so they can avoid doing things that might be harmful or challenging. It's like a guide that shows individuals how to replace or reduce negative behaviors with more helpful ones.
- Behavioral Disorders -
Behavioral disorders occur in children and involve disruptive behaviors that are considered abnormal for the child's age. Examples of behavioral disorders are oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and conduct disorder (CD).
- Behavioral Health -
Behavioral health is a subspecialty of behavioral medicine that focuses on how individuals can boost their health and prevent illness. Much of the emphasis of behavioral health is on lifestyle.
- Benzodiazepines -
Benzodiazepines are drugs that act as central nervous system depressants. These drugs, which are commonly used to treat anxiety and other disorders, lead to sedation.
- Binge Drinking -
Binge drinking refers to overconsumption of alcohol in a short period of time. Alcohol consumption is considered binge drinking if women and men drink at least 4 or 5 drinks, respectively, over the course of 2 hours.
- Binge Eating Disorder -
Binge eating disorder involves uncontrollable eating that results in the consumption of abnormally large amounts of food. People with binge eating disorder often suffer from feelings of guilt after compulsive eating and are at increased risk for obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
- Borderline Personality Disorder -
Borderline personality disorder is a psychiatric illness that affects the ability to regulate emotions and often leads to impulsivity. People with borderline personality disorder often struggle to maintain healthy relationships.
- Buprenorphine -
Buprenorphine is an opioid analgesic used to treat severe pain. It is a partial agonist for mu opioid receptors.
- Case Management -
Case management refers to the coordination of healthcare delivery with the goal of improving quality of care and reducing costs by providing continuity and efficiency.
- Case Manager -
Case managers are healthcare professionals who help patients and their families to better understand and manage their health and wellness needs. They work as advocates to ensure that patients receive the right care and support at the right time and help to coordinate care between different healthcare providers.
- Ceiling Effect -
A ceiling effect is when measurements tend to cluster around the highest possible value. When a ceiling effect occurs, it indicates an inability to effectively analyze results.
- Cerebral Palsy (CP) -
Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect a person's ability to move, balance, and hold a posture. It can greatly impact daily life and requires specialized care and support.
- Co-occurring Disorders -
Co-occurring disorders are multiple disorders that occur at the same time.
- Cocaine -
Cocaine is a central nervous system stimulant that leads to an acute period of enhanced alertness. Cocaine works by acting as a reuptake inhibitor of dopamine, norephinephrine, and serotonin.
- Codeine -
Codeine is an opiate that is used to treat pain as well as coughs. Like heroin, codeine leads to euphoria, but codeine is significantly less addictive than heroin.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) -
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a treatment that has been shown to be effective for a range of psychiatric disorders. The therapy works by targeting and altering abnormal thought patterns and is successfully used in patients of all ages.
- Cold Turkey -
Cold turkey is a colloquialism for quitting the use of a substance abruptly without the use of medications or tapering. The term refers to the effects, such as chills, that occur with withdrawal from opioids.
- Comorbidity -
Comorbidities are medical conditions that occur simultaneously in a given patient.
- Compulsive Behaviors -
Compulsive behaviors are those that occur repetitively in the absence of deliberate thought.
- Conduct Disorder -
Conduct disorder (CD) involves severe antisocial behavior that often includes aggression. It usually begins in childhood or adolescence and is often accompanied by attention deficity hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
- Coping Strategies -
Coping strategies are thought processes or behaviors that are deliberately deployed to combat one's reaction to a given situation.
- Counselor -
A counselor is a professional who specializes in an area of counseling and is generally trained in counseling, psychology, nursing, or social work. Counselors perform evaluations and provide information to help their clients' solve problems related to decision making and behavior.
- Craving -
A craving is a significant urge for a given substance and is a key feature of alcohol and drug addiction.
- Delusions -
Delusions refer to false beliefs that result from abnormal thoughts or thought processes and that persist in the face of contrary evidence. Delusions tend to arise as a result of medical, neurological, or psychiatris disorders.
- Denial -
Denial is an unconscious defense mechanism that involves ignoring unpleasant thoughts so that they do not enter conscious awareness.
- Dependence -
Dependence refers to the onset of symptoms
- Depressant -
A depressant is an agent that diminishes the functioning of the central nervous system.
- Depression -
Depression is a common mood disorder that can cause severe symptoms that interfere with daily functioning. Depression can impact behaviors related to sleep, eating, and work.
- Designer Drugs -
Designer drugs are synthetic agents that are manufactured to mimic the impact of illicit drugs. Designer drugs are developed to produce the effects of illicit drugs while avoiding the legal ramifications of their use.
- Detox -
Detox, which is short for detoxification, is a procedure to eliminate toxins from the body. There are a variety of mechanisms for detoxification, many of which occur with professional supervision.
- Developmental Disabilities -
Developmental Disabilities refer to a group of impairments that can include learning, language, movement, or behavior. People with developmental disabilities may suffer from functional deficits throughout their lives.
- Diagnostic Evaluation -
Diagnostic evaluation refers to assessments undertaken to determine which, if any, diseases or disorders a patient may have.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) -
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a combinatorial therapeutic approach that leverages asoects of cognitive behavioral thearpy (CBT), behavior therapy, and mindfulness. The emphasis of DBT is helping patients learn to both tolerate and regulate their emotions rather than to focus on just one of these strategies.
- Disease -
Disease refers to a pathology of the body accompanied by recognizeable symptoms that impair functioning.
- Dissociation -
Dissociation, also referred to as compartmentalization, is the process of separating conflicting ideas or feelings as a way to protect oneself psychologically.
- Dissociative Disorder -
A dissociative disorder where consciousness, perception, or memory are disrupted. These disorders can come on gradually or suddenly and may be transient or chronic.
- DOC or Drug of Choice -
Drug of choice (DOC) refers to the drug that someone will preferentially choose over others.
- Dopamine -
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a critical role in motor behavior, emotion, and decision making. Changes in dopamine activity underlie certain conditions and diseases.
- Dope Sick -
Dope sick is a term that refers to adverse symptoms associated with the withdrawal from medication or drugs.
- Drug -
A drug is any non-food substance that affects bodily processes. Physicians may administer or prescribe drugs, but drugs are also often used recreationally.
- Drug Abuse -
Drug abuse refers to the compulsive use of drugs despite adverse consequences.
- Drug Court -
Drug court offers a way to manage nonviolent drug offenders without involving the legal system. Rather than focus on penalties, drug court emphasizes rehabilitation.
- Dry Drunk -
A dry drunk is someone in recovery from alcoholism who no longer drinks alcohol but who has not dealt with the underlying issues that drove them to alcoholism. Dry drunks are often considered at high risk for relapsing.
- Dual Diagnosis -
A dual diagnosis occurs when two distinct disorders coexist in the same patient at the same time.
- Eating Disorders -
Eating disorders, including but not limited to anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, involve a abnormal eating behaviors that tend to be associated with aberrant cognition or emotion. Eating disorders can be fatal.
- Ecstasy -
Ecstasy, also known as methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), is a drug that affects mood and perception. It is known to be popular if nightclub scenes.
- Emotional Disorder -
Emotional disorder refers to psychological illness that involves inappropriate emotional reactions.
- Enabling -
Enabling is the process by which someone contributes to another's pathological behavior. Enablers are often personally close to those they enable and feel a lack of power to stop the destructive behavior of their loved one.
- Ethanol -
Ethanol is another term for alcohol or ethyl alcohol. It is a psychoactive agent contained in alcoholic beverages.
- Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) -
Evidence-based practice (EBP) refers to clinical practice that is based on the latest and best scientific evidence.
- Fentanyl -
Fentanyl is an opioid analgesic that has traditionally been used during surgery. However, illicit fentanyl use has been on the rise in recent years, leading to increased deaths from the substance.
- Fetal Alcohol Syndrome -
Fetal alcohol syndrome refers to a group of syndromes that result from heavy maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Key features of fetal alcohol syndrome are low birth weight, slowed growth, craniofacial abnormalities, and cognitive and behavioral deficits.
- Functional Assessment (FA) -
Functional assessment is a process that helps us understand how well a child is able to do things in their everyday life. It involves watching them, asking questions, listening to their family's stories, and analyzing the skills and behaviors that they show in different situations and places where they spend their time. The goal is to get a good idea of how the child is doing and what they might need to do better in different areas of their life.
- General Practitioners -
General practitioners are physicians who are certified in family medicine. General practitioners are often referred to as primary care providers.
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder -
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) involves excessive worry that interferes with daily life. Women are more likely than men to suffer from GAD and often starts around the age of 30.
- Hallucinations -
Hallucinations are sensory perceptions that occur without the appropriate external stimulus. Auditory and visual hallucinations are the most common type of hallucination, and they can result from psychotic disorders like schizophrenia, as well as from substance abuse, neurological changes, and other disorders.
- Hallucinogen -
An hallucinogen is a substance that can lead to sensory perceptions that do not match existing stimuli. Hallucinogens are often referred to as psychedelics.
- Harm Reduction -
Harm reduction is a strategy for dealing with risky behavior that focuses on minimizing adverse outcomes rather than eliminating the behavior altogether.
- Heroin -
Heroin is an extremely addictive and potent opioid. It is used in some countries for pain management, but it is considered an illegal substance in the United States because of its potential for abuse and the risks associated with such abuse.
- Home and Community Based Waiver (HCBW) -
The Home and Community Based Waiver program helps people of all ages who have difficulty moving around on their own due to physical disabilities. It offers services and support to enable them to live independently in their homes and communities.
- Hydrocodone -
Hydrocodone is an opioid analgesic that is used to treat moderate to severe pain. It is often used in combination with acetaminophen or a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.
- Ibogaine -
Ibogaine is an hallucinogenic agent that blocks the reuptake of serotonin and may be used to treat opioid withdrawal.
- Individualized Education Plan (IEP) -
An individualized education plan is a special plan designed to help children with disabilities attending elementary or high school get the specialized instruction and services they need to learn. It's created to make sure that every child gets the education they need to succeed.
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) -
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is a law that makes sure kids with disabilities get the education they need. It means that schools have to provide special help to these kids, like extra teachers or equipment, to make sure they can learn just like everyone else.
- Inhalant -
Inhalants are volatile substances that lead to intoxication when inhaled. Several abused inhalants are toxic and can lead to asphyxiation.
- Inpatient Treatment -
Inpatient treatment refers to interventions that are undergone for patients that are staying within the healthcare facilities until their health-related issues are resolved.
- Intellectual Disabilities -
Intellectual disabilities, which can be caused by genetic conditions, injury, or disease, limit people's ability to learn and function in their daily lives. Examples of common intellectual disabilities are down syndrome, fragile X syndrome, and fetal alcohol syndrome.
- Intensive Outpatient Treatment -
Intensive outpatient treatment refers to treatment for patients who do not reside in the place where their intervention occurs but for whom significant intervention is underway.
- Intranasal -
Intranasal means within the nasal cavity. In the context of medicine, intranasal refers to the administration of drugs through the nasal cavity.
- Maintenance Dose -
Maintenance dose is the term to refer to the amount of a drug that is required to maintain the therapeutic dose.
- Major Depressive Disorder -
Major depressive disorder involves depressed mood, reduced interest in activities, impaired cognitive, and changes in sleep and appetite. Major depressive disorder can be debilitating and occurs twice as frequently in women as in men.
- Marijuana -
Marijuana is a drug used in a varity of forms both recreationally and medically.
- Medical Necessity -
A medical necessity is a medical intervention that was required in order to maintain or restore health.
- Medication Assisted Detox -
Medication assisted treatment refers to detox that involves the use of medication.
- Medication Assisted Treatment -
Medication assisted treatment refers to therapy that involves the use of medication.
- Mental Disorders -
Mental disorders are characterized by disruptions in cognition, emotional regulation, or behavior. There are several different mental disorders, and 1 out of 8 people worldwide are currently living with one.
- Mental Health Recovery -
Mental health recovery refers to the recovery from mental illness that often involves a collaborative effort between patients, caregivers, and service providers.
- Mental Illness -
Mental illness is an umbrella term that encompasses hundreds of psychiatric conditions.
- Methadone -
Methadone is an opioid analgesic that is synthetic and used to treat pain. It is also used in methadone maintenance therapy as a substitute for heroin to prevent withdrawal while also blocking opioid effects that can reinforce their use.
- Methamphetamine -
Methamphetamine is a stimulant of the central nervous system that is often used to treat conditions like attention deficity hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methamphetamines are conducive to abuse.
- Michelle P. Waiver (MPW) -
The Michelle P. Waiver is a program in Kentucky that helps people with intellectual or developmental disabilities to live independently in their community. It's part of the state's Medicaid program and provides assistance to those who need it. The program aims to help these individuals lead a fulfilling life while receiving the support they need to be as independent as possible.
- Moderate Drinking -
Moderate drinking means drinking that is not heavy drinking but is also not abstinence or low-level drinking. Moderate drinking is often considered unhealthy.
- Mood Disorders -
Mood disorders, sometimes referred to as affective disorders, are common disorders that involve disruptions in emotion that can cause depression or mania.
- Morphine -
Morphine is a potentially addictive analgesic and sedative. It is the primary active ingredient found in opium but a much more potent analgesic than opium.
- Naloxone -
Naloxone, commonly referred to by its tradename Narcan, is an opioid antagonist that can rapidly reverse opioid overdoses and restore normal respiration.
- Naltrexone -
Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist that prevents opioid agonists from binding to opioid receptors. As a result, when taken before opioid use, naltrexone will prevent the reinforcing effects of the drug and is therefore used to manage opioid dependence.
- Narcan -
Narcan, also known as naloxone, is an opioid antagonist that can rapidly reverse opioid overdoses and restore normal respiration.
- Narcotic -
The term narcotic is often used to refer to strong opioids, but it is traditionally meant to encapsulate all drugs that induce states of stupor.
- Narcotics Anonymous -
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a 12-step self-help organization aimed at helping people quit addictive drugs abuse. The structure and strategies of NA are similar to those of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).
- Natural Recovery -
Natural recovery refers to recovery that occurs without the use of pharmacological or surgical interventions.
- Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) -
Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) occurs after a pregnant mother suddenly discontinues her use of certain substances.
- Neurotransmitter -
Neurotransmitters are chemicals that brain cells release to communicate with one another.
- Nicotine -
Nicotine is a psychoactive drug found in tobacco that activates several receptors including nicotinic receptors and cannabinoid receptors. It leads to a host of pharmacological and behavioral effects, which are observed in those using tobacco products.
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) -
Obsessive-compulsive disorder, commonly referred to as OCD, is a mental health condition that affects many people around the world. It is a long-lasting disorder in which a person experiences uncontrollable and recurring thoughts, engages in repetitive behaviors, or both. These thoughts and behaviors can be distressing and can significantly interfere with an individual's daily life.
- Occupational Therapy (OT) -
Occupational therapy is a type of therapy that helps people who are recovering from physical or mental illness. The therapy involves doing activities that are a part of our daily lives, like getting dressed, cooking, or doing household chores. This helps the person recover and become independent again.
- Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) -
The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation is a helpful organization that provides support and services to people with disabilities who are looking for work or want to improve their skills for the workplace. They help individuals find job opportunities and provide resources to make them successful in their careers.
- Opiate -
Opiates are compounds that come from opium. These compounds include morphine, heroin, and codeine.
- Opioid Replacement Therapy (ORT) -
Opioid replacement therapy is an addiction treatment program associted with benefits that extend beyond those directly related to health.
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) -
Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a behavior disorder in children characterized by abnormal emotion, behaviors, and self control. Children with ODD display anger, irritation, and vindictiveness toward others.
- Outpatient Treatment -
Outpatient treatment refers to the care of patients who are well enough not to be admitted during the time of their care.
- Over-The-Counter (OTC) Medications -
Over-the-counter medications are drugs that do not require a prescription from a physician.
- Oxycodone -
Oxycodone is a highly potent opioid used to treat pain.
- Panic Attacks -
Panic attacks refer the sudden onset of intense fear when no clear danger is present. A panic attack is accompanied by physical symptoms such as difficulty breathing, heart palpitation, sweating, dizziness, and chest pain and can occur in those with anxiety disorders or other mental or medical disorders.
- Panic Disorder -
Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder that involves episodes of panic attacks that occur randomly and absent any real danger.
- Paranoia -
Paranoia refers to a psychiatric disorder wherein someone experiences persistent delusions.
- Participant Directed Services (PDS) -
Participant-directed services are a type of service that can assist people with disabilities to live independently. These services can be provided in the comfort of their own homes or in the community.
- Peer Support Group -
A peer support group is a group of supportive people of a similar age who work to help one another deal with or recover from specific scenarios such as drug addiction.
- Persistent Depressive Disorder -
Persistent depressive disorder, or dysthymic disorder, involves depression that tends to be less severe than the depression observed in major depressive disorder. However, this type of depression is chronic and tends to last longer than other forms of depression.
- Person Centered Service Plan or Plan of Care (PCSP or POC) -
Person-centered planning, formerly known as MAPS (making action plans), is a way of working together with someone to plan their life in a way that makes sense to them. It focuses on the person's goals and choices, and helps them achieve the life they want.
- Personality Disorders -
Personality disorders are common disorders that manifest as extreme personality traits and are associated with reduced quality of life, functional limitations, and poor health.
- Pharmacotherapy -
Pharmacotherapy refers to treatments that involve the use of drugs rather than non-drug strategies such as surgery, psychotherapy, or lifestyle changes.
- Physical Dependence -
Physical dependence occurs when the repeated use of a drug leads to a scenario in which ceasing to use the drug leads to physiological symptoms.
- Placebo -
A placebo refers to a control intervention used in experiments to help evaluate the effects of a given intervention.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) -
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric condition that occurs after experiencing a significant psychological trauma. PTSD increases the risk for functional and cognitive deficits.
- Potency -
Potency refers to the strength of a drug, or how much of it is required to achieve the desired effect.
- Pre-Admission Screening & Resident Review (PASRR) -
Pre-admission screening and resident review ensure that before someone gets admitted to a nursing home, they're checked to see if they have a serious mental illness, intellectual disability, or a related condition.
- Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) -
Pre-employment transition services help students with disabilities move from school to a job with the assistance of provider agencies.
- Prevalence -
Prevalence refers to the percentage of cases or total number of cases that exist in a population. For instance, point prevalence is the number or percentage of cases occurring at a given point in time, and period prevalence is the number or percentage of cases occurring during a specified period.
- Psychiatrists -
Psychiatrists are physicians who provide mental health services. Unlike psychologists, psychiatrists are licensed to prescribe medications.
- Psychologists -
Psychologists are clinicians that provide mental health services. Unlike psychiatrists, psychologists are not licensed to prescribe medications.
- Psychosis -
Psychosis refers to a loss of contact with reality and often occurs in psychiatric, neurological, or other medical conditions. Psychosis can be extremely distressing to patients and their loved ones but can often be managed with antipsychotic medications.
- Psychosocial Disabilities -
Psychosocial disabilities are psychological disorders that affect social experiences. These disabilities can involve relationship difficulties and occupational dysfunction.
- Psychosocial Therapy -
Psychosocial therapy refers to treatment at the intersection of psychology and social interactions. This treatment focuses on helping people manage their emotions and behaviors to facilitate healthier social relationships.
- Receptor -
Receptors are proteins that are present on the surface of the body's cells. By interacting with receptors, other entitites in the body are able to influence cells and their activity, thereby impacting our bodily functions.
- Recidivism -
Recidivism refers to relapse, which can be in a variety of contexts including substance abuse or criminal behavior.
- Recovery -
Recovery can refer to the process of rehabilitating from illness or injury. In the context of substance abuse and addiction, recovery tends to represent a phase of sobriety subsequent to long-term substance abuse.
- Referral -
A referral is the directing of a patient to a medical professional with the intention of matching the patient with a professional that provides a service that the patient needs.
- Rehabilitation -
Rehabilitation refers to the process of restoring wellness and independence following injury, disorder, or disability.
- Relapse -
Relapse refers to the recurrence of an illness after a period of recovery. In the context of substance abuse, relapse is the return to substance abuse after a time of abstinence.
- Remission -
Remission refers to a period of improved symptoms. Though symptoms may abate, remission does not always indicate that illness has been cured.
- Residential Treatment -
Residential treatment refers to treatment programs that also provide residential accommodations.
- Risk Factors -
Risk factors are characteristics that have been established as increasing the likelihood of a certain disease or disorder. These risk factors come in a host of forms which may include genetics, environment, behavior, or psychology.
- Schizophrenia -
Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder that involves both positive and negative symptoms. Positive symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, and formal thought disorders, whereas negative symptoms include lack of motivation, anhedonia, and reduced speech.
- Serious Mental Illness -
Serious mental illness refers to a specific set of mental illnesses, including psychotic disorders and major mood disorders, that are associated with more medical illnesses, worse medical care, and earlier death than other mental illnesses.
- Serotonin -
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays critical roles in a variety of functions including but not limited to mood, appetite, sleep, pain perception, and emotional processing. Several psychological drugs target the serotonergic system.
- Social Anxiety Disorder -
Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, involves avoidance of social situations that cause significant social anxiety or performance anxiety.
- Social Withdrawal -
Social withdrawal describes the retreat from relationships that is often accompanied by feelings of detachment and indifference. This type of withdrawal often occurs in those living with disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, or autism.
- Social Worker -
A social worker is a mental health professional that helps people manage functions of life, such as their health, finances, and relationships.
- Speech Therapy (ST) -
Speech therapy is a type of treatment that helps people communicate better by improving their ability to understand and use language effectively. It can be helpful for a wide variety of communication difficulties, such as difficulty with pronunciation, grammar, or understanding what others are saying.
- Stigma -
Stigma refers to social attitudes that involve disapproval and may lead to unfair exclusion or discrimination. Stigma towards those with mental and physical disabilities is common.
- Stimulant -
A stimulant is a substance that increases activity in target parts of the body. For instance, psychostimulants are excitatory in the central nervous system.
- Suboxone -
Suboxone is a combination of naloxone and buprenorphine. It is used to treat opioid use disorder.
- Substance Dependence -
Substance dependence, also referred to as chemical dependence, is a term to describe symptoms that arise in response to the continued use of a substance.
- Supported Employment (SE) -
Supported employment is a method that's designed to assist individuals who experience mental illness to secure and maintain jobs that are competitive.
- Supported Employment Specialist (SES) -
Experts work closely with their clients and their support teams to create customized plans that are based on the client's abilities, interests, and preferences. These plans are designed to help clients achieve their goals and improve their overall well-being.
- Supports for Community Living Waiver (SCL) -
The Supports for Community Living Waiver is a program that helps people receive the care they need in their own homes and communities. This program is different from others because it also provides residential services along with other types of support.
- Titration -
Titration is a process used to determine the specific dose needed to produce an optimal response. During titration, dosages are often gradually increased until the desired effect is achieved or lowered when a drug producing the desired effect is accompanied by unwanted side effects.
- Tolerance -
Tolerance is the condition in which persistent substance use leads to the need to increase the dose in order to get the same effect that was previously achieved at a lower dose.
- Treatment -
Treatment is the process of intervening to relieve symptoms or improve pathology.
- Trigger -
A trigger is a stimulus that causes a certain reaction, such as the occurrence of memory or the initiation of drug use.
- Withdrawal -
Withdrawal refers to symptoms that arise after the cessation of prolonged use of a substance.
