Terri The mental health industry likes to use lots of acronyms. These acronyms are used to shorten the lengthy terms used for various mental health conditions and treatment solutions. But just what do each of these acronyms mean? This post breaks down 20 of the most popular acronyms used by mental health experts to help you gain an understanding.
ADD or ADHD
Attention Deficit Order or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
ADD and ADHD are two words to describe the same condition. People with this condition have trouble maintaining focus, staying organized and controlling impulses. This is not a mental illness that you can develop, but instead something that you are born with. Symptoms can range from mild to severe – the severe form being a lot more noticeable and more likely to be classed as a disability. ADHD has no cure, but can be managed through routines, organization measures, relaxation methods and certain prescribed medication.
ASD
Autism Spectrum Disorder
ASD is a term used to describe anyone on the autism spectrum. People with ASD may experience difficulty with social cues, hypersensitivity to light/sounds, obsessive niche interests and repetitive/unusual mannerisms. Like ADHD, these symptoms can range from mild to severe, and are something that people are born with. There is likewise no cure for autism, however this condition can be managed through calming measures, positive reinforcement and certain forms of therapy.
BD
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is a condition that causes massive mood swings – ranging from manic happiness or irritability to an intense depressive state. These mood swings take the form of lengthy episodes that can last days or weeks. This condition is often hereditary, however you are not born with it. Instead, it is usually triggered by a stressful event during childhood or adulthood. BD can be managed through medication, therapy and lifestyle changes.
BPD
Borderline Personality Disorder
Borderline personality disorder is a mental illness that is similar to bipolar disorder in that it causes mood swings. However, instead of mood swings taking the form of lengthy episodes, they tend to be smaller and more regular mood swings that may occur multiple times per week or even in the same day. BPD is often caused by living in a toxic and disruptive environment. Anyone can develop it, however it is more common in people who have a family history of BPD. Psychotherapy may be able to treat BPD.
CBT
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
CBT is one of the most common types of therapy for mental illness. It involves talking to a therapist and focuses on identifying negative thought patterns and developing behaviors to stop these negative thought patterns. CBT often takes place over many sessions. Conditions often treated with CBT include anxiety, depression, eating disorders, PTSD, phobias and bipolarism.
DBT
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
DBT is similar to CBT in that it involves changing negative ways of thinking. However, it also involves getting people to accept certain difficult feelings that could be healthy or impossible to change. In other words, DBT helps those with more complex emotional problems to know which thoughts and feelings to accept and which to fight. Like CBT, it may require several sessions. Conditions treated with DBT include borderline personality disorder, suicidal behaviors, PTSD and substance use disorders.
EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
EMDR is a type of psychotherapy used primarily to treat PTSD. It involves asking patients to recall traumatic memories in an attempt to change the way these memories are stored – usually by encouraging people to make eye movements by following a therapist’s finger while recalling the memory. Other distraction techniques can also be used such as playing sounds and making hand claps.
GAD
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
GAD is a common form of anxiety in which someone feels persistent feelings of anxiety over everyday things. People with GAD may get anxious about their health, money, family, work or school – causing constant stress or manic worrying. GAD can be hereditary, however it is something that is learnt rather than being born with. There are many different ways to overcome an anxiety disorder like GAD from getting therapy to adopting relaxation techniques.
IOP
Intensive Outpatient Program
IOP is a type of treatment program used to help people overcome mental health problems ranging from anxiety to addiction. It is termed ‘intensive’ because it requires patients to attend treatment for several hours per day at a clinic. However, unlike an inpatient program, the patient is allowed to return home each evening and stay in their own home overnight.
IPT
Interpersonal Psychotherapy
Interpersonal psychotherapy is commonly used to treat depression and other mental health conditions. It involves exploring the way in which relationships affect our mental health. It may include family members or friends coming to therapy sessions too. Alternatively, it may simply involve discussing friends and family members without them being present and trying to solve conflicts or identifying toxic people who need to be distanced from.
IRF
Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility
An inpatient rehabilitation facility allows patients to stay overnight. Such facilities are recommended to people who may need 24/7 monitoring or distancing from triggers/temptations (for example, those with addiction or suicidal thoughts). Other conditions like OCD and BPD may also be possible to treat at such a facility by giving patients a break from home triggers and allowing them to readopt a completely new way of thinking.
MDD
Major Depressive Disorder
Major depressive disorder is a severe form of depression that is also commonly referred to as ‘major depression’ or ‘clinical depression’. It is characterized by feelings of intense sadness and worthlessness for at least two weeks, in which a person may experience symptoms such as loss of interests, loss of appetite, social withdrawal, sleep problems or lack of motivation to care for themselves. MDD can be triggered by an event such as loss, or it can come on randomly as a result of snowballing negative thoughts. It often requires therapy, lifestyle changes, positive reinforcement or medication to overcome.
OCD
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
OCD is a form of anxiety which causes a person to carry out repetitive debilitating rituals in order to comfort them. This could include an anxiety around germs that causes a person to constantly wash their hands or clean the same spots, or an anxiety around people invading one’s home which causes someone to constantly check locks or religiously watch security cameras. CBT is a recommended form of treatment for OCD that can help to eliminate anxious thoughts and their accompanying rituals.
PHP
Partial Hospitalization Program
A PHP is used to describe any form of mental health treatment that requires partial treatment at a clinic while also allowing a patient to regularly return home. An IOP may be a form of PHP. There are also other programs that may involve staying for several nights at a clinic and then staying several nights at home.
PTSD
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
PTSD is a form of anxiety brought on by a traumatic event. People with PTSD may avoid certain places, people or sounds that are triggers, while constantly experiencing flashbacks or nightmares. Others may feel constant anger, guilt or shame that stops them from being able to enjoy life. War, natural disaster, abuse, injuries, near-death experiences and childbirth are just some of the things that can cause PTSD. There are many different forms of treatment that can help people overcome this condition including specialist solutions for certain types of trauma such as PTSD treatment for veterans. These treatment plans may include therapy, lifestyle changes or medication.
RTC
Residential Treatment Center
A residential treatment center is similar to an inpatient rehabilitation facility in that patients stay overnight while getting treatment. However, whereas an inpatient rehabilitation facility is short term and more like a hospital, a residential treatment center is long term and offers live-in care in a home-like setting. It is commonly used by people tackling addiction and severe mental health issues.
SAD
Seasonal Affective Disorder
SAD is a condition that causes people to go into a depressive episode during certain seasons. In most cases, SAD affects people in winter, and it is sometimes known as ‘winter depression’ because of this. SAD is most common in areas of the world with greatly reduced daylight hours in winter. It’s possible to treat SAD with light therapy, psychotherapy and medication.
SSRIs
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
SSRIs are a common type of antidepressant that work by increasing serotonin levels in the brain. They are prescribed by doctors and can help to treat conditions such as depression and certain forms of anxiety.
SUD
Substance Use Disorder
Substance use disorder is the technical term for addiction to drugs or alcohol. While addiction can be physical, substance use disorder refers to the mental aspects of addiction, which causes people to continue taking substances in spite of knowing the harm that they are causing. Various forms of treatment can be used to treat SUD that depend largely on the substance and the severity.
WRAP
Wellness Recovery Action Plan
WRAP is a framework used by mental health professionals to help treat mental illness. It is based on five key concepts: hope, personal responsibility, education, self-advocacy and support. By covering these five concepts, mental health professionals can ensure that patients receive comprehensive treatment.