Author: Glossary

A group of symptoms characteristic of schizophrenia that include loss of fluency and spontaneity of verbal expression, impaired ability to focus or sustain attention on a particular task, difficulty in initiating or following through on tasks, impaired ability to experience pleasure or form emotional attachment to others, and blunted affect.  

An atypical antidepressant (characterized as a serotonin antagonist and reuptake inhibitor [sari]) used to treat depression and certain anxiety disorders. Nefazodone is infrequently prescribed today because of its association with life-threatening liver failure. Although available only as generic, it may still be known by the discontinued brand name serzone.  

One of the paraphilias, characterized by marked distress over, or acting on, urges involving sexual activity with corpses. A rare sexual variance in which sexual gratification is achieved by looking at or having intercourse with a corpse. In extreme cases, a necrophiliac may kill to provide himself with a corpse. This is considered by some…

Pathological preoccupation with dead bodies.  

Brand name for the conventional antipsychotic drug thiothixene. A commercial preparation of thiothixene.  

Now called Mental Health America. The oldest and largest nonprofit organization addressing all aspects of mental health and mental illness. Founded by Clifford W. Beers in 1909 as the National Committee for Mental Hygiene.  

An agency of the u.s. Department of health and human services that is a world-renowned institution supporting biomedical and behavioral research; the principal biomedical research agency of the federal government. Its components are the national cancer institute; the national eye institute; the national heart, lung, and blood institute; the national human genome research institute; the…

One of the 27 institutes and centers that constitute the national institutes of health (NIH). Nida’s mission is to lead the fight on drug abuse and addiction. An institute within ADAMHA responsible for the prevention, control, and research into causes and treatment of narcotic addiction and drug dependence. Established within the National Institute of Mental…

One of the 27 institutes and centers that constitute the national institutes of health (NIH). NIAAA supports and conducts biomedical and behavioral research on the causes, consequences, treatment, and prevention of alcoholism and alcohol-related problems. An institute within ADAMHA responsible for programs for the prevention, control, and research into courses and treatment of alcohol abuse and…

One of the 27 institutes and centers that constitute the national institutes of health (NIH). Nimh is responsible for research on the causes and treatments of mental disorders. An institute within ADAMHA responsible for programs dealing with mental health. The mission of NIMH is to improve the understanding, treatment and rehabilitation of the mentally ill,…