Mental Health Glossary (A–Z)

Clear, gentle definitions for mental health terms — explained in everyday language, with examples.

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A

Letter A

Anxiety

Body and mind’s alarm system that can feel like worry, tension, or fear — sometimes with a racing heart or tight chest. Example: “My anxiety spikes in crowds, so I take short breaks and use headphones.”

Affirmations

Short, kind phrases that support your mindset and self-talk. Example: “I’m doing my best with what I have today.”

Aftercare

Support steps you use after a hard moment to help your body and mind recover. Example: “After an intense day, my aftercare is water, food, a shower, and early sleep.”

Agitation

Feeling restless, keyed up, or unable to settle — often linked to stress, anxiety, or overwhelm. Example: “When I’m agitated, I pace and need a quiet space.”

Alexithymia

Difficulty identifying or describing feelings (common in many neurodivergent experiences too). Example: “I know something is ‘off’ but can’t name the feeling yet.”

B

Letter B

Burnout

Emotional and physical exhaustion from long-term stress, pressure, or overload. Example: “I’m protecting weekends to recover from burnout.”

Boundaries

Limits you set to protect your time, energy, and wellbeing. Example: “I can’t talk right now, but I can text later.”

Brain fog

Mental cloudiness that can affect focus, memory, and thinking speed. Example: “Brain fog hits when I’m stressed or sleep-deprived.”

Behaviour (as communication)

The idea that actions can show needs or overwhelm when words are hard. Example: “I snapped because I was overloaded, not because I didn’t care.”

C

Letter C

Coping skills

Tools that help you steady your thoughts, feelings, or body (breathing, movement, sensory supports). Example: “Music + a short walk helps me reset.”

Crisis plan (Safety plan)

A short, personal guide for tough moments — signs, coping steps, people to contact, and emergency numbers. Example: “My plan is saved on my phone so I can follow it when overwhelmed.”

Compassion fatigue

Exhaustion from caring for others for long periods, especially in support roles. Example: “I’m taking time off to recover from compassion fatigue.”

Catastrophising

When your mind jumps to worst-case outcomes. Example: “I noticed catastrophising and brought myself back to what I actually know.”

D

Letter D

Depression

More than sadness — can include low mood, low energy, sleep/appetite changes, and loss of interest. Example: “Depression makes mornings hard, so I plan gentle starts.”

Distress tolerance

Skills to get through intense feelings safely until they pass. Example: “Cold water + paced breathing helps me ride the wave.”

Dissociation

Feeling disconnected from yourself, your body, or your surroundings (often linked to stress/trauma). Example: “When I dissociate, grounding helps me reconnect.”

Doubling (body doubling)

Doing tasks with someone nearby to support focus and motivation. Example: “I cleaned for 15 minutes while a friend stayed on a call.”

E

Letter E

Emotional regulation

Skills that help you notice, understand, and manage emotions safely. Example: “I regulate better when I eat regularly and rest.”

Executive function

Brain skills for planning, starting tasks, switching, and remembering steps. Example: “I use checklists because my executive function drops under stress.”

Exposure (therapy)

Gradually facing a fear safely, usually with support, to reduce avoidance over time. Example: “We used gentle exposure for driving anxiety.”

F

Letter F

Fight / flight / freeze / fawn

Common stress responses in the nervous system. Example: “My freeze response looks like going quiet and stuck.”

Flashbacks

Feeling like a past event is happening again (images, sensations, emotions). Example: “Grounding reminds my body I’m safe in the present.”

Functioning (supportive lens)

How you’re managing day-to-day needs — varies with stress, health, environment, and support. Example: “My functioning improves with routines and rest.”

G

Letter G

Grounding

Bringing attention to the present using senses, movement, or naming what’s around you. Example: “5-4-3-2-1 helps me settle after a spike.”

Grief

Natural response to loss; can come in waves and include many emotions. Example: “I’m giving myself permission to grieve without a timeline.”

Gaslighting

Manipulation that makes someone doubt their reality or memory. Example: “I kept notes because gaslighting made me question myself.”

H

Letter H

Hypervigilance

Being constantly alert for danger; can happen after prolonged stress or trauma. Example: “My body stays on high alert in unfamiliar places.”

Healthy coping

Strategies that help you feel safer without harming you long-term. Example: “I use movement and music as healthy coping.”

Helpline

A support service you can contact when you need someone to listen or help you plan next steps. Example: “I text a helpline when talking feels too hard.”

I

Letter I

Intrusive thoughts

Unwanted thoughts that pop in suddenly; having them does not mean you will act on them. Example: “I notice the thought, breathe, and let it pass.”

Insomnia

Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking too early. Example: “A wind-down routine helps my insomnia.”

Invalidation

When feelings or experiences are dismissed (“You’re overreacting”). Example: “Being validated helps me calm faster.”

J

Letter J

Journaling

Writing or tracking feelings, thoughts, and patterns to support reflection and regulation. Example: “I journal after stressful days to untangle my thoughts.”

Judgement (self-judgement)

Harsh inner criticism that increases shame and stress. Example: “I practise noticing judgement and switching to kinder self-talk.”

K

Letter K

Kind self-talk

Speaking to yourself with care instead of criticism. Example: “This is hard — and I can take one small step.”

Know your warning signs

Noticing early signals that you’re heading into overload or crisis. Example: “My warning signs are insomnia, irritability, and isolating.”

L

Letter L

Low mood

Feeling down or flat; can be short-term or part of depression. Example: “My low mood lifts a little when I get outside.”

Learned helplessness

When repeated stress makes someone feel like nothing will help, even when support exists. Example: “Small wins helped me rebuild hope.”

Lived experience

Knowledge gained by living through something yourself. Example: “Peer support values lived experience.”

M

Letter M

Mindfulness

Paying gentle attention to the present moment without judgement. Example: “I notice my breathing and the feel of my feet on the floor.”

Masking (non-clinical)

Hiding or changing parts of yourself to fit in or feel socially safe. Example: “Unmasking with safe people helps me relax.”

Meltdown (overload)

An intense overwhelm response when the nervous system can’t cope with demand/sensory load. Example: “After a meltdown, I need quiet time and recovery.”

Motivation (spoon theory / energy)

Motivation can change depending on stress, fatigue, sensory load, and support. Example: “On low-energy days, I choose smaller tasks.”

N

Letter N

Nervous system

The body system that manages safety, threat, and calm states. Example: “Breathing helps my nervous system downshift.”

Negative self-talk

Harsh inner voice that increases shame and stress. Example: “I practise replacing it with neutral statements.”

Needs (access needs)

Supports that help you function and feel safe (sensory, communication, rest, structure). Example: “My needs include quiet space and predictable routines.”

O

Letter O

Overwhelm

When demands exceed your capacity, leading to shutdown, meltdown, or distress. Example: “I felt overwhelmed, so I reduced tasks and took breaks.”

Obsessions (OCD-related)

Persistent unwanted thoughts/urges that cause distress. Example: “I noticed the obsession and used coping tools to sit with uncertainty.”

Outpatient support

Support you receive without staying in hospital (therapy, community services). Example: “Outpatient sessions helped me stabilise.”

P

Letter P

Panic attack

A sudden surge of intense fear with physical symptoms; it usually passes within minutes. Example: “I remind myself: scary, not dangerous — and slow my breathing.”

PTSD

A condition that can develop after trauma, including flashbacks, avoidance, and hypervigilance. Example: “Triggers can bring body memories, so I use grounding.”

Protective factors

Things that reduce risk and increase wellbeing (support, routines, coping tools). Example: “My protective factors are friends, sleep, and a plan.”

Q

Letter Q

Quiet space

A calmer environment that reduces sensory and social load. Example: “A quiet space helps me de-escalate quickly.”

Quality of life

Your overall wellbeing and satisfaction across daily life areas (health, support, safety, meaning). Example: “Small routines improved my quality of life.”

R

Letter R

Resilience

Ability to recover after stress — supported by community and tools (not “toughing it out”). Example: “My resilience grows when I’m supported.”

Rumination

Replaying worries or regrets in a loop. Example: “I notice rumination and gently redirect to the present.”

Recovery

Building steadier wellbeing over time with support, skills, and compassion. Example: “Recovery isn’t linear — I celebrate small steps.”

S

Letter S

Self-compassion

Being kind to yourself in tough moments, like you would to a friend. Example: “This is hard — and I’m doing my best.”

Safety plan

Simple steps prepared ahead of time for crisis moments — warning signs, coping tools, safe people. Example: “My plan is printed and saved in my notes app.”

Self-harm (non-graphic)

Hurting oneself to cope with intense feelings. If this applies, reaching out for support can help. Example: “When urges rise, I use my safety plan and contact a support person.”

Shutdown

A response where the body/mind goes quiet or “offline” from overload. Example: “I can’t speak during shutdown — I need time and low demand.”

T

Letter T

Triggers

Things that spark strong reactions or memories — sounds, places, topics, sensations. Example: “I let friends know loud venues can be triggering for me.”

Therapy

Support that helps you understand feelings and build coping skills (talking or activity-based). Example: “Therapy helped me build routines and self-kindness.”

Trauma

An experience that overwhelms the nervous system and leaves lasting impact. Example: “My body reacts even when I know I’m safe — that’s trauma.”

U

Letter U

Urgent support

If you feel unsafe or unable to cope, contact a local helpline or emergency service. You deserve immediate support. Example: “When speaking is hard, I use text/chat support.”

Unhelpful coping

Strategies that reduce feelings short-term but create harm long-term. Example: “I’m replacing unhelpful coping with safer tools.”

V

Letter V

Validation

Having your feelings and experience acknowledged as real and understandable. Example: “Validation helps me calm down faster.”

Vicarious trauma

Trauma impact from hearing about or witnessing others’ trauma (common in helpers). Example: “I set boundaries to reduce vicarious trauma.”

W

Letter W

Wellbeing

Your overall mental, emotional, and physical health over time. Example: “My wellbeing improves with rest and support.”

Window of tolerance

The zone where you can think and cope; outside it you may feel hyper (anxious) or hypo (shut down). Example: “Grounding brings me back into my window.”

X

Letter X

Xenophobia (mental health impact)

Prejudice or fear of outsiders; can contribute to stress and trauma in targeted communities. Example: “Feeling unsafe socially affects my mental health.”

Y

Letter Y

Yoga / gentle movement

Body-based tools that can support regulation, flexibility, and stress relief. Example: “Gentle stretching helps my body feel safer.”

Your support team

People/services who help you cope (friends, whānau, GP, counsellor, community support). Example: “I keep a list of my support team in my phone.”

Z

Letter Z

Zoom fatigue

Exhaustion from video calls — social, sensory, and attention demand. Example: “I schedule breaks between calls to reduce Zoom fatigue.”