Glossary of Mental Health Terms

By Mike Watkins, DTN Correspondent

There is a plethora of terms associated with mental health and the services out there that exist to help -- but what do they mean? How are they different from one another when they sound similar, and why is it important for you to know?

What's the difference between mental health and mental illness? Counseling and therapy? Psychology and psychiatry?

Understanding these terms can help individuals make informed choices about the type of support that best meets their needs.

Counseling vs. Therapy vs. Peer Support

-- Counseling: Typically focuses on specific issues or challenges, providing guidance and support. It is often shorter-term and may target specific concerns, such as grief, stress, or relationship problems.

-- Therapy: Encompasses a broader range of therapeutic approaches and interventions aimed at addressing deeper emotional issues, patterns, or mental health disorders. Therapy may be longer-term and involve more in-depth exploration.

-- Peer Support: Involves individuals with lived experience providing empathy, understanding, and shared experiences to others facing similar challenges. It is not a professional counseling service.

Psychiatrist vs. Psychologist

-- Psychiatrist: A medical doctor who specializes in mental health, able to diagnose and treat mental illnesses. Psychiatrists can prescribe medication and may also provide therapy.

-- Psychologist: Holds an advanced degree in psychology, providing therapy, counseling, and psychological assessments. Psychologists do not prescribe medication but focus on psychotherapy and behavioral interventions.

Mental Health Counselor vs. Therapist

-- Mental Health Counselor: Often holds a master's degree in counseling and provides support for various emotional issues. The focus may be on specific challenges, such as addiction, grief, or career transitions.

-- Therapist: An umbrella term that includes various mental health professionals, such as counselors, psychologists, and social workers, offering a range of therapeutic interventions for emotional and psychological issues.

Teleheath vs. Teletherapy

-- Telehealth: Encompasses a broader range of remote health services, including virtual doctor visits, monitoring, and education. It can involve consultations for various health issues, not just mental health.

-- Teletherapy: Specifically refers to remote mental health services, such as counseling or therapy, conducted through video calls, phone calls, or other virtual platforms.

Mental Health Hotline vs. Crisis Intervention

-- Mental Health Hotline: A helpline providing immediate, confidential support and information for individuals experiencing emotional distress. It is not always crisis-focused.

-- Crisis Intervention: Involves immediate and intensive support for individuals in crisis, often addressing acute mental health issues or emergencies.

Community Mental Health Centers vs. Support Groups

-- Community Mental Health Centers: Organizations providing a range of mental health services, including counseling, psychiatric care, and community programs, often serving a specific geographic area.

-- Support Groups: Gatherings of individuals with shared experiences who come together to provide mutual support, share coping strategies, and discuss challenges. They are not professional mental health service providers.

Other Terms to Know

-- Crisis Hotlines: National and state-specific crisis hotlines are available 24/7 to provide immediate support and assistance to individuals in crisis. These hotlines can be a valuable resource for those in rural areas who may not have immediate access to mental health professionals.

-- Warm Lines: A warm line is a confidential, free phone service offering mental health support. Unlike a crisis line or hotline, they are not intended for emergency situations. Warm lines are typically staffed by volunteers or paid peers -- people with personal experience with mental health disorders. They use their experience to better understand and support callers, offering conversation, emotional support and information on local mental health services and other community services when needed. (https://warmline.org/…)

-- Mental Health Apps: There are numerous mental health apps available that offer self-help resources, meditation and relaxation exercises, mood tracking, and other tools to support mental well-being. These apps can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection.

-- Faith-Based Support: Many rural communities have faith-based organizations that offer support groups, counseling services, and pastoral care for individuals struggling with mental health issues. These resources can be particularly helpful for those who have a strong connection to their faith community.

-- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: CBT is a form of psychological treatment that has been demonstrated to be effective for a range of problems including depression, anxiety disorders, alcohol and drug use problems, marital problems, eating disorders, and severe mental illness. Numerous research studies suggest that CBT leads to significant improvement in functioning and quality of life. In many studies, CBT has been demonstrated to be as effective as, or more effective than, other forms of psychological therapy or psychiatric medications.

-- Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors: SSRIs are a widely used type of antidepressant. They're mainly prescribed to treat depression, particularly persistent or severe cases, and are often used in combination with a talking therapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). It's thought that SSRIs work by increasing serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter -- a messenger chemical that carries signals between nerve cells in the brain. Serotonin is believed to have a positive influence on mood, emotion and sleep. Some brand names of commonly prescribed SSRIs include Celexa, Lexapro, Prozac, Sarafem, Luvox, Paxil, and Zoloft.

-- Benzodiazepines: Depressants that produce sedation and hypnosis, relieve anxiety and muscle spasms, and reduce seizures. The most common benzodiazepines are the prescription drugs Valium, Xanax, Halcion, Ativan, and Klonopin.

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