The Scottish Government

Mental health problems

[refers to] psychological states of mind where there individual almost always is distressed, is aware that this distress is out of proportion to events, and cannot control the experience. Commonly described as 'mild', 'moderate' and 'severe'.

Personality disorder

'a severe disturbance in the character, condition and behavioural tendencies of the individual, usually involving several areas of the personality, and nearly always associated with considerable personal and social disruption' (World Health Organisation [WHO] 1992, cited in Department of Health [DoH] 2003).

Anxiety disorder

common, mild to moderately severe disorder with features of great apprehension, unreasonable fear of specific situations, often linked to signs of autonomic overactivity (increased heart-rate, sweating), experienced as panic when there is a sudden onset.

Polydrug use

misuse of more than one prescribed medication or illicit drug, and often includes alcohol.

Psychiatric disorders

see 'mental health problems'.

Psychoticism/psychotic disorder

an individual is said to be psychotic by virtue of possession of true hallucinations, delusional belief and/or certain disorders of thought.

Paranoid features

false beliefs, unshakeably held, out of keeping with culture, that serious harm is intended to the individual.

Suicidal ideation

persistent, intrusive thoughts that the individual, or those around, would be better off were the individual to be dead.

Schizophrenia

a major mental disorder, characterised by disordered thinking, hallucinations and delusions, blunting of emotions, and impaired capacity for self care, often taking a chronic course.

Neurotic disorder

(obsolete) term for a mild to moderately severe mental disorder.

Bipolar disorder

a major mental health problem, with alternate stages of great elation, loss of judgement, and overactivity or depressed mood, retardation, agitation and a bleak outlook. It is recurrent, suicide risk is high, and it is thought to have a biological basis.

Looked after children

a technical term for children looked after by local authorities, subject to a court order, such as a child protection order.

Integrated care pathways

an Integrated Care Pathway (ICP) determines locally agreed, multi-disciplinary practice based on guidelines and evidence, where available, for a specific patient/client group. It forms all or part of the clinical record, documents care given and facilitates the evaluation of outcomes for continuous quality improvement. (National Pathways Association) www.the-npa.org.uk

Cognitive hallucinatory control techniques

the use of psychological understanding, awareness and thought channelling as an alternative approach to medication for hallucinations.

Refractive schizophrenia

an episode of illness which responds poorly or not at all to the usual drug or psychological treatments.

Dysphoria

low mood.