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Glossary terms open in a new window
Click the first letter of the word or term you wish to review.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
A
addiction: Addiction is sometimes described as a "physical dependence" (the existence of withdrawal symptoms) or as "psychological dependence" (the habit-forming effects of euphoric experiences).
agoraphobia: Anxiety about or avoidance of places or situations from which escape might be difficult (or embarrassing) or in which help may not be available in the event of a panic attack.
alcohol/drug abuse: A maladaptive pattern of substance use manifested by recurrent and significant adverse consequences related to the repeated uses of the substance.
anti-anxiety medications: Medications that help to calm and relax the anxious person and remove the troubling symptoms.
antidepressants: Some medications that were originally approved for treatment of depression have been found to be effective for anxiety disorders. Antidepressants are also effective for panic attacks and are often prescribed for these conditions. They are also sometimes used for more generalized forms of anxiety, especially when it is accompanied by depression.
anxiety: A state of uneasiness, apprehension, worry, or fear about things that may happen in the future.
anxiety disorder: An individual suffering from an anxiety disorder is someone who chronically experiences an uneasiness, apprehension, worry, or fear about things that may happen. Anxiety disorders include: generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, social phobia, and specific phobias.
anxiety associated with depression: Some people with anxiety disorder may also have symptoms of depression such as sadness.
B
behavior/cognitive therapy: A combination of behavior and cognitive therapies.
behavior therapy: Behavior therapy helps patients to modify and gain control over unwanted behavior by changing the way they respond to situations. Specifically, the therapist helps individuals learn how to cope with difficult situations so they may eventually develop an inner sense of having more control over their life. Behavior therapy is built upon the principle that, since your reactions to these certain situations are learned, they can also be unlearned.
benzodiazepines: Benzodiazepines (ben-zoe-dye-AZ-e-peens) belong to the group of medicines called central nervous system (CNS) depressants (medicines that slow down the nervous system). Some benzodiazepines are used to relieve anxiety. However, benzodiazepines should not be used to relieve nervousness or tension caused by the stress of everyday life.
breathing retraining: Breathing retraining involves breathing exercises that are used to help calm the bodily symptoms of anxiety, thereby counteracting the threatening thoughts that accompany a panic attack.
C
cognitive therapy: Cognitive therapy focuses on the role of irrational and automatic thoughts. This type of therapy helps some people control their anxieties by giving them a deeper understanding of their own thought processes and how they evaluate upsetting situations. Patients learn how to separate unrealistic thoughts from realistic ones and develop techniques to change the way they respond to a situation.
cognitive-behavioral therapy: A course of therapy that involves both cognitive and behavioral therapy. See "cognitive therapy" and "behavior therapy."
D
dependence: See "physical dependence."
depression: Depression is a real and legitimate illness having key symptoms that may include a sad, anxious, or empty mood that lasts 2 weeks or more-and a loss of interest or pleasure in things that were once enjoyed (including sex).
drug: A drug is a substance other than food or drink that is taken to obtain a desired effect on the mind or body.
drug interactions: Refers to the counterproductive or possibly dangerous effects some drugs can have when you're taking more than one of them.
drug misuse: See "alcohol/drug abuse."
E
environmental factors: Anything around you that may be impacting your physical or mental health.
exposure therapy: The most common treatment for patients whose lives are dominated by avoiding those situations they fear most. This type of therapy "exposes" individuals gradually to feared situations so they can be taught how to deal with them on a rational level.
F
family history: Refers to the genetic connection and/or family health issues you have with your blood relatives.
G
GABA: a natural chemical in your body that sends messages to your brain that tell it to "calm down."
GAD: See "generalized anxiety disorder."
generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): An anxiety disorder in which a person typically has vague feelings that something bad is going to happen. Excessive or unrealistic worries often are so persistent that the individual cannot make them go away and has difficulty concentrating on daily tasks. Chronic and excessive worry about events that are unlikely to occur is a key characteristic of this disorder.
M
MAOIs: See "monoamine oxidase inhibitors."
monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs): Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) prevent the metabolism of the brain chemicals serotonin and norepinephrine by inhibiting the enzyme monoamine oxidase, making these chemicals more available for normal brain function.
medication: Any substance used to treat disease.
mental health specialists: A mental health specialist is not a title protected by a license. It is a general term that includes all practitioners who provide mental health services. This sometimes includes clinical social workers, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, marriage and family therapists, drug and alcohol counselors, and a variety of other counselors who specialize in particular problems or particular types of therapies.
N
nonmedication therapies: Refers to any treatment therapy not using drugs.
noreprinephrine: NO DEFINITION
O
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): Individuals with OCD are plagued by persistent, recurring thoughts or "obsessions" that they find very disturbing. These thoughts typically reflect exaggerated anxiety or fears that have no basis in reality. (Example: A person who is constantly washing his or her hands because of fear of contamination.)
P
panic attack: The actual event that commonly defines a person suffering from panic disorder. (See "panic disorder" for symptoms.)
panic disorder: Panic disorder is characterized by unexpected and repeated episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms that may include chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, or abdominal distress.
phobias: Phobias occur in several forms. A specific phobia is a fear of a particular object or situation. Social phobia is a fear of being painfully embarrassed in a social setting. Agoraphobia, which often accompanies panic disorder, is a fear of being in any situation that might provoke a panic attack, or from which escape might be difficult if one occurred. Adults with phobias realize their fears are irrational, but often facing, or even thinking about facing, the feared object or situation brings on a panic attack or severe anxiety.
physical dependence: When physical dependence occurs, the body has developed a tolerance for a drug, and larger doses are needed to achieve the same effects the patient experienced when he or she first started taking the medication.
psychiatrist: A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental illnesses and substance use disorders.
psychoactive drug: A psychoactive drug is one which has an effect on the brain and central nervous system. It can affect the way a person thinks, feels, or acts.
psychological dependence: Psychological dependence exists when a drug is so central to a person's thoughts, emotions, and activities that it is extremely difficult to stop using it or even stop thinking about it. In essence, the drug becomes the center of the person's universe.
psychologist: A psychologist studies and understands brain/behavior processes from a scientific viewpoint and applies this knowledge to help people understand, explain, and change behavior. A psychologist does not have a medical degree and thus cannot prescribe drugs.
psychosocial therapy: Involves regularly scheduled "talk-therapy" sessions between the patient and a mental health professional such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, psychiatric social worker, or psychiatric nurse. The goal of this treatment is to help individuals understand why they are acting and thinking in ways that are troubling or dangerous to themselves or others, so they have more control over their behaviors and can correct them.
psychotherapy: A selected form of psychiatric treatment that employs specialized communication techniques practiced by a properly trained physician for the purpose of curing or reducing the psychiatric disability of the patient.
psychotropic drugs: Psychotropic drugs alter a chemical imbalance in the brain, thereby affecting the overall behavior of the patient.
R
relaxation techniques: Relaxation techniques, such as controlled breathing and positive visualization, are 2 typical methods some specialists use to help people through a panic attack..
S
serotonin: A chemical in the brain that acts as a kind of messenger between nerve cells.
side effects: Unwanted physical and/or mental effects that can happen to you as a result of taking a drug.
SSRIs: See "selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors."
substance abuse: See "alcohol/drug abuse."
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): Some medications that were originally approved for treatment of depression have been found to be effective for anxiety disorders. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (or SSRIs) affect the concentration of serotonin—a chemical in the brain thought to be linked to anxiety disorders.
T
tricyclics: Originally used for treating depression, tricyclics are drugs that have also been used for some types of anxiety disorders. Tricyclics generally take 2 or 3 weeks to take effect.
W
withdrawal: Withdrawal is related to how the body tolerates a drug and forms a physical dependence to it. After long and continuous use, the body adjusts itself so it can function normally with the presence of the drug. When use of the drug is stopped-or withdrawn-the body fails to function normally because it has adjusted to compensate for the presence of the drug, and this abnormal functioning is felt as withdrawal.
X
XANAX® (alprazolam): XANAX is in a class of drugs called benzodiazepines. Controlled clinical trials have demonstrated that XANAX is effective in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder, anxiety associated with depression, and panic disorder with or without agoraphobia. Please see full prescribing information.
Important Safety Information:
The most common side effect is sedation, but this often decreases or goes away in most
people after their bodies get used to the drug. Until you experience how
For more information, see important safety information.
