Psychological Medicine Glossary
100 terms total — 24 showing — Last updated 15 Sep 2026
serotonin syndrome
Potentially life-threatening condition caused by excessive serotonergic activity, typically from drug interactions or overdoses.
5150 hold
A 72-hour involuntary psychiatric hold in California allowing emergency detention of individuals deemed dangerous to the...
abreaction
The therapeutic release and expression of previously repressed emotions, often through re-experiencing traumatic events.
affect
Observable emotional response or mood displayed by a patient during clinical examination.
AIMS
Standardized rating scale for detecting and monitoring abnormal involuntary movements.
akathisia
A medication-induced movement disorder characterized by subjective restlessness and inability to remain still.
akineisia
Complete or partial loss of muscle movement, often medication-induced.
alexithymia
Difficulty identifying, describing, and expressing emotions and internal sensations.
alogia
A negative symptom of schizophrenia characterized by poverty of speech or thought content.
anhedonia
Inability to feel pleasure in activities that were previously enjoyable or rewarding.
anosognosia
A neurological condition where a patient is unaware of their own mental health symptoms or functional deficits.
avolition
A negative symptom of schizophrenia characterized by lack of motivation and reduced goal-directed activity.
Beck Depression Inventory
Twenty-one item self-report questionnaire measuring depression severity in adolescents and adults.
BIRP note
A structured documentation format using Behavior, Intervention, Response, and Plan to record therapy sessions.
BPRS
A psychiatric rating scale used to assess the severity of psychotic symptoms and general psychopathology.
Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale
A standardized assessment tool used to measure psychiatric symptoms and treatment response in clinical settings.
CAGE questionnaire
Four-item screening tool for alcohol use disorders using Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-opener questions.
catatonia
A neuropsychiatric syndrome characterized by psychomotor immobility and behavioral abnormalities.
circumstantiality
A speech pattern characterized by excessive, unnecessary detail before eventually reaching the main point.
CIWA-Ar
A standardized assessment tool used to monitor and quantify the severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms in clinical sett...
clang associations
Speech pattern where word choice is governed by sound similarity rather than logical meaning.
cognitive behavioral therapy
Evidence-based psychotherapy that focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviors.
cognitive triad
Beck's model describing the three negative thought patterns characteristic of depression: negative views of self, world,...
contraindication
A condition or factor that makes a particular treatment inadvisable or potentially harmful.
coprolalia
The involuntary utterance of obscene or inappropriate words, most commonly associated with Tourette syndrome.