Trauma (How the Mind Processes Extreme Stress)
This almond-shaped part of the brain acts like a smoke detector, screaming "danger!" during a traumatic event
What is the Amygdala?
Bipolar disorder is primarily characterized by intense shifts between these two extreme emotional states.
What are Mania (Highs) and Depression (Lows)?
The medical term for losing interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities you used to love completely
What is Anhedonia?
Hearing voices or seeing things that other people in the room cannot hear or see
What are Hallucinations?
This common anxiety response involves a sudden, intense wave of fear that peaks within minutes, causing a racing heart and shortness of breath
What is a Panic Attack?
A sudden, vivid, and overwhelming re-living of a past scary memory, making a person feel like it is happening right now.
What is a Flashback?
A phase of extreme energy, racing thoughts, and a drastically decreased need for sleep
What is a Manic Episode (or Mania)?
Depression is often misunderstood as just feeling sad, but it frequently feels more like a total lack of this physical and mental asset.
hat is Energy (or Motivation)?
Holding a deeply firm, unshakeable belief in something that is completely untrue or impossible, despite clear evidence.
What is a Delusion?
An intense, irrational fear of a specific object, animal, or situation, such as heights, spiders, or flying.
What is a Phobia
The body's automatic survival response to danger, which floods the body with adrenaline to run or defend itself.
What is the Fight-or-Flight Response?
Sudden changes in this daily rest cycle are often the very first warning sign that a manic or depressive episode is starting.
What is Sleep Pattern / Schedule?
Harsh, repetitive internal critical voices that falsely tell a person they are a burden or that things will never get better
What are Depressive Thoughts (or Cognitive Distortions)?
True or False: Schizophrenia means someone has a "dangerous or violent" second personality.
What is False? (It is an issue with processing reality, not a split personality)
This common type of anxiety involves an overwhelming, persistent fear of being judged, rejected, or embarrassed in social settings.
What is Social Anxiety Disorder
Emotional or physical things (like a loud sound, a specific smell, or a location) that suddenly remind a person of a past trauma.
What are Triggers?
The medical term for a stable, balanced mood that is neither too high nor too low.
What is Euthymia
Simple, small daily acts—like taking a shower, eating a meal, or walking outside—that become incredibly difficult during depression
What is Self-Care / Executive Functioning?
The medical umbrella term for a temporary state where a person's brain loses touch with shared reality.
What is Psychosis?
Known by the acronym GAD, this condition causes constant, excessive, and unrealistic worry about everyday life events for months at a time.
What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?
The positive psychological growth or change a person can experience after surviving a highly challenging life crisis
What is Post-Traumatic Stress?
True or False: People with Bipolar Disorder have "split personalities" and change moods every few seconds
What is False? (Mood episodes usually last weeks or months).
A highly effective type of talk therapy focused on changing negative thought patterns to directly change how you feel
What is CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)?
This stage of life, ranging from late teens to mid-20s, is statistically the most common time for schizophrenia symptoms to first appear.
What is Young Adulthood?
This common physical symptom of high anxiety involves breathing too rapidly, which can cause dizziness, tingling, or chest tightness.
What is Hyperventilation?