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Mental Health Glossary (A–Z)

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

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Use the A–Z bar to jump by letter, or use the search to find terms quickly. You can pause, take breaks, or return later — there is no rush here.

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Tip: Try one keyword at a time, such as “sleep”, “trauma”, “therapy”, or “support”.

Gentle content note: This glossary includes terms about distress, crisis support, and self-harm in a non-graphic, educational way. If anything feels too much, it is okay to pause, skip, or reach out for support.

Support & next steps

If you are reading this because things feel heavy, you deserve support. You can ask a trusted person to help you make a plan, book a GP appointment, or connect with a local service.

Self-care basics Crisis support Therapy options School/work supports

Explore related glossaries

Want deeper language for specific areas? These sit in your Glossaries & Definitions Index as separate pages.

Trauma & Regulation Therapies & Treatments Medical & Clinical Terms Medication & Psychiatry
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. Example: “I know something is off, but I can’t name the feeling yet.”
Avoidance
Staying away from a task, place, person, or feeling because it feels too stressful or unsafe. Example: “Avoidance helped short-term, but I needed support to face it gently.”
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, body, feelings, 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.”
Body image
How a person thinks and feels about their body. Example: “Body image can change depending on stress, messages, and support.”
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. Example: “Music and a short walk help me reset.”
Crisis 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.”
Calm corner
A quiet, supportive space with tools that help someone settle or regulate. Example: “My calm corner has headphones, cards, water, and a soft blanket.”
D

Letter D

Depression
More than sadness — it can include low mood, low energy, sleep changes, 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 and paced breathing help me ride the wave.”
Dissociation
Feeling disconnected from yourself, your body, or your surroundings. Example: “When I dissociate, grounding helps me reconnect.”
Diagnosis
A formal identification of a condition made by a qualified professional. Example: “A diagnosis can help some people access support.”
Daily check-in
A quick way to notice mood, energy, stress, needs, and one support step. Example: “My daily check-in helps me catch overwhelm earlier.”
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.”
Emotional overwhelm
When feelings become too intense to process easily. Example: “When I’m emotionally overwhelmed, I need fewer words and less pressure.”
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 through images, sensations, emotions, or body memories. Example: “Grounding reminds my body I’m safe in the present.”
Fatigue
Deep tiredness that can affect mood, thinking, motivation, and daily functioning. Example: “When fatigue is high, I choose smaller tasks.”
Feelings wheel
A visual tool that helps people name emotions more clearly. Example: “The feelings wheel helped me realise I was disappointed, not just angry.”
G

Letter G

Grounding
Bringing attention to the present using senses, movement, or naming what is around you. Example: “5-4-3-2-1 helps me settle after a spike.”
Grief
A natural response to loss that 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, memory, or judgement. Example: “I kept notes because gaslighting made me question myself.”
Growth mindset
The belief that skills and confidence can develop over time with support and practice. Example: “I’m learning, not failing.”
H

Letter H

Hypervigilance
Being constantly alert for danger; often linked to 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.”
Hope
A sense that change, support, or relief is possible, even if things feel hard right now. Example: “Hope can begin as one small next step.”
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 or minimised. Example: “Being validated helps me calm faster.”
Isolation
Being physically or emotionally cut off from connection and support. Example: “When I isolate, a gentle check-in can help.”
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-free support
Support that listens without shaming, blaming, or dismissing someone’s feelings. Example: “Judgement-free support helps me open up safely.”
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 are heading into overload, burnout, or crisis. Example: “My warning signs are insomnia, irritability, and isolating.”
L

Letter L

Low mood
Feeling down or flat; it 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.”
Language matters
The idea that respectful words can reduce shame and help people feel understood. Example: “I try to use language that supports, not labels.”
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
Hiding or changing parts of yourself to fit in or feel socially safe. Example: “Unmasking with safe people helps me relax.”
Meltdown
An intense overwhelm response when the nervous system cannot cope with demand or sensory load. Example: “After a meltdown, I need quiet time and recovery.”
Mood tracking
Noticing mood patterns over time using a scale, journal, app, or worksheet. Example: “Mood tracking helped me notice what drains me.”
Medication
Medicine used to support symptoms, wellbeing, or daily functioning, usually prescribed by a health professional. Example: “Medication is one support option, not a personal failure.”
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
A harsh inner voice that increases shame and stress. Example: “I practise replacing it with neutral statements.”
Needs
Supports that help you function and feel safer, such as sensory, communication, rest, or structure needs. Example: “My needs include quiet space and predictable routines.”
Neurodivergence
Natural brain differences such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and more. Example: “My neurodivergence affects how I process stress.”
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
Persistent unwanted thoughts or urges that cause distress, often discussed in OCD-related support. Example: “I noticed the obsession and used coping tools to sit with uncertainty.”
Overthinking
Getting stuck in repeated thoughts, worries, or mental loops. Example: “Writing it down helped me stop replaying it in my head.”
Occupational therapy
A support approach that helps people with daily activities, routines, sensory needs, and functional skills. Example: “Occupational therapy helped me create a sensory-friendly routine.”
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, such as support, routines, coping tools, and safe relationships. Example: “My protective factors are friends, sleep, and a plan.”
Peer support
Support from someone with lived experience or shared understanding. Example: “Peer support helped me feel less alone.”
Psychology
The study and support of thoughts, feelings, behaviour, and mental processes. Example: “Psychology helped me understand my thought patterns.”
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. Example: “Small routines improved my quality of life.”
Quick check-in
A short pause to notice what you feel, what you need, and what might help. Example: “My quick check-in is: mood, energy, body, need.”
R

Letter R

Resilience
Ability to recover after stress — supported by community and tools, not just “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.”
Routine
A repeated pattern that can reduce decision fatigue and support stability. Example: “My evening routine helps my brain settle.”
S

Letter S

Self-care
Actions that support your body, mind, safety, energy, and wellbeing. Example: “Self-care can be drinking water, resting, or asking for help.”
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.”
Self-esteem
How you value and view yourself. Example: “My self-esteem grows when I practise kinder self-talk.”
Safety plan
Simple steps prepared ahead of time for crisis moments — warning signs, coping tools, and safe people. Example: “My plan is printed and saved in my notes app.”
Self-harm
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.”
Sensory overload
When sounds, lights, textures, smells, movement, or other input becomes too much to process. Example: “Sensory overload makes it harder for me to speak.”
Shutdown
A response where the body or mind goes quiet or “offline” from overload. Example: “I can’t speak during shutdown — I need time and low demand.”
Stress
The body and mind’s response to pressure, demand, uncertainty, or threat. Example: “Stress builds up when I have no recovery time.”
T

Letter T

Triggers
Things that spark strong reactions or memories, such as sounds, places, topics, or sensations. Example: “I let friends know loud venues can be triggering for me.”
Therapy
Support that helps you understand feelings and build coping skills. 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.”
Thought patterns
Repeated ways of thinking that can affect mood, behaviour, and coping. Example: “I’m learning to notice all-or-nothing thought patterns.”
Trust
A sense of emotional or physical safety with a person, place, or process. Example: “Trust takes time, especially after being hurt.”
U

Letter U

Urgent support
If you feel unsafe or unable to cope, contact a local helpline, emergency service, or trusted person. Example: “When speaking is hard, I use text or chat support.”
Unhelpful coping
Strategies that reduce feelings short-term but create harm or extra problems long-term. Example: “I’m replacing unhelpful coping with safer tools.”
Unmasking
Letting yourself be more naturally you, often after hiding parts of yourself to fit in. Example: “Unmasking feels easier around safe people.”
V

Letter V

Validation
Having your feelings and experience acknowledged as real and understandable. Example: “Validation helps me calm down faster.”
Values
The things that matter most to a person, such as kindness, safety, learning, creativity, or connection. Example: “My values help guide my choices when I feel lost.”
Vicarious trauma
Trauma impact from hearing about or witnessing others’ trauma. 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 anxious, overloaded, shut down, or disconnected. Example: “Grounding brings me back into my window.”
Worry
Repeated thoughts about what might happen, often connected to anxiety or uncertainty. Example: “Writing my worries down helps me sort what I can control.”
Workplace support
Adjustments, understanding, or practical help that supports wellbeing at work. Example: “Flexible breaks help reduce my stress at work.”
X

Letter X

Xenophobia and mental health
Prejudice or fear toward people seen as foreign or different; this can contribute to stress, isolation, and trauma in targeted communities. Example: “Feeling unsafe socially can affect mental health.”
Y

Letter Y

Yoga or gentle movement
Body-based tools that can support regulation, flexibility, and stress relief. Example: “Gentle stretching helps my body feel safer.”
Youth mental health
Mental health support, education, and care focused on children, teens, and young people. Example: “Youth mental health support should feel safe, respectful, and age-appropriate.”
Your support team
People or services who help you cope, such as friends, whānau, a GP, counsellor, or community support. Example: “I keep a list of my support team in my phone.”
Z

Letter Z

Zoom fatigue
Exhaustion from video calls due to social, sensory, and attention demands. Example: “I schedule breaks between calls to reduce Zoom fatigue.”
Zones of regulation
A colour-based framework some people use to describe energy, emotions, and regulation needs. Example: “I’m in the yellow zone, so I need a calming tool.”