Mental or Behavioral Dysfunction
mental disorders
Subclass of:
Psychiatry and Psychology (MeSH Category)
Also called:
Mental illness
Definitions related to mental disorders:
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Any of various conditions characterized by impairment of an individual's normal cognitive, emotional, or behavioral functioning, and caused by social, psychological, biochemical, genetic, or other factors, such as infection or head trauma; note behavior disorders are a subset of mental disorder.CRISP ThesaurusNational Institutes of Health, 2006
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Psychiatric illness or diseases manifested by breakdowns in the adaptational process expressed primarily as abnormalities of thought, feeling, and behavior producing either distress or impairment of function.NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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Mental disorders (or mental illnesses) are conditions that affect your thinking, feeling, mood, and behavior. They may be occasional or long-lasting (chronic). They can affect your ability to relate to others and function each day. There are many different types of mental disorders. Some common ones include Anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and phobias; Depression, bipolar disorder, and other mood disorders; Eating disorders; Personality disorders; Post-traumatic stress disorder; Psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia. There is no single cause for mental illness. A number of factors can contribute to risk for mental illness, such as: Your genes and family history; Your life experiences, such as stress or a history of abuse, especially if they happen in childhood; Biological factors such as chemical imbalances in the brain; A traumatic brain injury; A mother's exposure to viruses or toxic chemicals while pregnant; Use of alcohol or recreational drugs; Having a serious medical condition like cancer; Having few friends, and feeling lonely or isolated. Mental disorders are not caused by character flaws. They have nothing to do with being lazy or weak. Mental disorders are common.MedlinePlusU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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(psychiatric disorder) A disorder characterized by behavioral and/or psychological abnormalities, often accompanied by physical symptoms. The symptoms may cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social and occupational areas of functioning. Representative examples include anxiety disorders, cognitive disorders, mood disorders and schizophrenia.NCI ThesaurusU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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Mental health (psychiatric or psychologic) disorders involve disturbances in thinking, emotion, and/or behavior. Small disturbances in these aspects of life are common, but when such disturbances cause significant distress to the person and/or interfere with daily life, they are considered mental illness or a mental health disorder. The...Merck & Co., Inc., 2020
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Mental illness, also called mental health disorders, refers to a wide range of mental health conditions - disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behavior. Examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders and addictive behaviors.Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
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