Defining Mental Health Buzzwords

Hey AllMinds Community!

Do you feel like you get lost in the chaos of mental health buzzwords on social media? There are so many different posts, videos, and podcasts out there explaining various words (do I hear narcissism and trauma anyone?). The worst part? They often conflict with each other! There is so much information out there that it’s hard to get a clear understanding regarding what people are even talking about anymore. So, if you feel confused, don’t worry, because you aren’t alone! We here at AllMinds feel just as lost (and we’re therapists working in mental health!).

Throughout our products, resources, and videos, you will see a lot of mental health related words that are circulating the internet, so we thought we’d define some those words for you here. This will hopefully help you understand how these terms are being used (at least for us) and provide you with clarity on how to define these words for yourself. Defining words helps you gain control of your own narrative. This is a practice that continually evolves as you experience new things and learn more, so step into the gray area where definitions are more fluid and malleable depending on the context of the situations you find yourself in.

AllMinds Glossary:

• Anxiety: a spectrum of emotional experiences characterized by a high state of energy and unpleasant feelings of fear, nervousness, uncertainty (and more), typically regarding what may happen in the future

  • Spectrum includes a range of intensity that varies on the situation (social situations, generalized anxiety, phobias, etc.)

• Borderline (personality): an extreme set of protector parts that come as a result of severe past trauma, often causing unstable and unpredictable behaviors as a way to cope with fears of relational abandonment

• Boundary: a clear distinction regarding what is okay for you and what is not

• Depression: a spectrum of emotional experiences characterized by a lower state of energy and unpleasant feelings of hopelessness, sadness, disappointment (and more), typically regarding things that happened in the past

  • These emotional experiences can last from days to weeks to years

  • Spectrum can range from acute depression following significant life change (such as a breakup, loss, etc.) to Major Depressive Disorder that persists for extended periods of time

• Diagnosis* (for mental health): the act of having a mental health professional identify a disease/problem based on a set of signs & symptoms that cause significant problems in your life

• Healing: the process of acknowledging, allowing, accepting, and integrating painful past experiences and strong emotions to restore meaning and a sense of self

• Healthy vs. Unhealthy: a state of physical, mental, emotional, social, and/or behavioral well-being that leads to internal congruence vs. a state of being that is incongruent and can lead to harm and lack of balance

• Imposter syndrome: a persistent inability to believe that your success is deserved and well-earned, often due to shame

• Inner (self) care: actions that you intentionally take in order to support your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing

• Mindful: the act of being present in the current moment with an intentional, objective mindset

• Narcissism: an excessively inflated view of yourself and your accomplishments to mask deep insecurities regarding your own inner-worth (although this insecurity is vehemently ignored/disregarded)

  • Often need to hide attachment related fears behind layers of “perfection,” which can lead to a lack of any personal accountability, manipulation, gaslighting, abuse, and more

• Toxic: interactions where boundaries are often violated, causing distress through repeated negative actions/words

• Trauma: the wound that was sustained following an experience that shaped how you view yourself, others, and/or the world around you

• Trigger: a stimulus (action, sight, smell, etc.), either directly or indirectly, that impacts behavior

*Note: Diagnoses, while they can provide answers and validity to your experiences, can also be very limiting. It is important to examine how you feel about a diagnosis and think about your identity outside of a diagnosis if you are given one. Be wary of defining yourself by your diagnosis alone. Consider viewing it simply as a part of you or an experience you have rather than it being who you are.

Tips:

1. Be critical regarding who is defining the terms. Although it’s great to hear different perspectives and ideas regarding what these buzzwords mean, when it comes to real mental health diagnoses and techniques, it’s best to ensure you are getting the information from those who are in the field to ensure the information backed by research and clinical experience.

2. Notice how you feel about what is being posted. Social media, while helpful in many aspects, is also playing a significant role in contributing to the stigmatization and trivialization of mental illness. It is simultaneously providing us with more access to information than ever, while also making real mental health struggles seem trendy and frivolous. It pushes out messages that may be unconsciously causing you to feel like looking for help is attention-seeking, weak, or unnecessary because “everyone else is able to deal with it." When you are consuming media regarding mental health, make sure you check in to see what you are taking in and limit your time to help ensure you aren’t becoming overwhelmed. Examine what overt and covert message are being presented and internalized.

3. Take the time to create your own glossary of terms. Because there is so much information out there, it’s easy to fall into a passive role of simply following what others believe. Spend some time thinking about the words you hear, the ways they are defined, and your own experiences with those terms. How do you want to define the words for your own story? Write them down so that you can see how they evolve as you grow.

Together we can all create a culture that embraces our individual differences while also building strong communities and making positive mental health a standard. Join us as we work to change the discussion about mental health for ourselves and our society.

Got a comment or concern? Reach out to us!