anxiety: A nervous reaction to events causing excessive uneasiness and apprehension. People with anxiety may even develop panic attacks.
anxious: (n. anxiety) A feeling of dread over some potential or upcoming situation, usually one over which someone feels he has little control.
depression: A low spot, such as in a field or the surface of a rock. (in medicine) A mental illness characterized by persistent sadness and apathy. Although these feelings can be triggered by events, such as the death of a loved one or the move to a new city, that isn’t typically considered an “illness” — unless the symptoms are prolonged and harm an individual’s ability to perform normal daily tasks (such as working, sleeping or interacting with others). People suffering from depression often feel they lack the energy needed to get anything done. They may have difficulty concentrating on things or showing an interest in normal events. Many times, these feelings seem to be triggered by nothing; they can appear out of nowhere.
disorder: (in medicine) A condition where the body does not work appropriately, leading to what might be viewed as an illness. This term can sometimes be used interchangeably with disease.
factor: Something that plays a role in a particular condition or event; a contributor.
mental health: A term for someone’s emotional, psychological and social well-being. It refers to how people behave on their own and how they interact with others. It includes how people make choices, handle stress and manage fear or anxiety. Poor mental health can be triggered by disease or merely reflect a short-term response to life’s challenges. It can occur in people of any age, from babies to the elderly.
obsessive-compulsive disorder: Best known by its acronym, OCD, this mental disorder involves obsessive thoughts and compulsive behavior. For example, someone who obsesses about germs might compulsively wash his hands or refuse to touch things like doorknobs.
panic disorder: A type of anxiety disorder. Its victims frequently experience sudden attacks of overwhelming fear and panic. Panic attacks can happen without an obvious cause. They often include strong physical reactions. People having such an attack sometimes feel like they are losing control, can’t breathe or even are having a heart attack.
persistent: An adjective for something that is long-lasting.
phobia: An extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something.
post-traumatic stress disorder: , or PTSD A severe condition that may develop after a person is exposed to a traumatic injury or severe psychological shock. Recalling the event can bring on anxiety and other problems in the victim.
social: (adj.) Relating to gatherings of people; a term for animals (or people) that prefer to exist in groups. (noun) A gathering of people, for instance those who belong to a club or other organization, for the purpose of enjoying each other’s company.
social anxiety: Feelings of apprehension caused by social situations. People with this disorder may be so worried about interacting with others that they withdraw from social events altogether.
spider: A type of arthropod with four pairs of legs that usually spin threads of silk that they can use to create webs or other structures.
stress: (in psychology) A mental, physical, emotional or behavioral reaction to an event or circumstance (stressor) that disturbs a person or animal’s usual state of being or places increased demands on a person or animal; psychological stress can be either positive or negative.
stressor: Something that induces stress in an individual or system.
therapy: (adj. therapeutic) Treatment intended to relieve or heal a disorder.
trauma: (in medicine) An injury, often a fairly severe one. This term also can refer to a severely disturbing incident (such as witnessing a battlefield death) or memory.