Coping skill

Strategy to help you deal with difficult situations and lessen unpleasant emotions, thoughts, or behaviors

 

Health insurance

Signed contract with a health insurance company that requires the company to pay for some of your health care costs

 

Lived experience

First-hand, personal experience dealing with a mental health or substance use challenge

 

Mental health concern

Anything that causes a person to believe their mental health may be suffering; could be a symptom, a group of symptoms, or a diagnosable mental health condition

 

Mental health condition

A Set of related symptoms that the mental health community has recognized; includes conditions defined in the DSM-V, ICD-11, and by people with lived experience

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Mental health professional

Licensed or certified mental health treatment provider

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Mental health screen

Evaluation of your mental health and well-being through scientifically validated assessment tools

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Neurotransmitters

Chemicals that carry messages throughout your brain

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Outpatient

Treatment that takes place in an office, hospital, or other clinical setting but does not involve overnight stays

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Peer

Someone who shares the experience of living with a mental health condition and/or substance use disorder

 

Protective factor

Something that decreases the chances of developing a condition and/or balances out an existing risk factor

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Psychiatrist

A licensed medical doctor who has completed additional psychiatric training; can diagnose mental health conditions, prescribe and manage medication, and provide therapy

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Recovery

Process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential

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Risk factor

Something that increases the chances of developing a condition

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Self-stigma

Negative attitudes and shame regarding an individual’s own mental health, resulting from internalizing public stigma

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Sliding scale payment

A payment model providers can use to make treatment financially accessible for those who would not otherwise be able to afford it due to income or lack of health insurance coverage

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Social determinants of health

Conditions in which people live, learn, work, and play that impact their health and quality of life

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Stigma

Negative, judgmental, and/or discriminatory attitudes toward mental health challenges and those who live with them

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Stress

A feeling of emotional or physical tension in response to being overwhelmed or unable to cope with mental/emotional pressure

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Symptom

A physical or mental feature that indicates the potential existence of a concern, condition, or diagnosis

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Therapist

Mental health professional trained to help individuals understand and cope with their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors; may assess and/or diagnose mental health conditions

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Trauma

Emotional response to a disturbing, scary, or shocking experience that overwhelms an individual’s ability to cope

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More Resources and Mental Health Glossaries:

Mental Health Glossary PDF

988 Suicide Prevention Glossary​

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