Wiktionary
n. Any of the various diseases affecting the mind onset by brain damage or genetics described in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems sections 290 through 319.
WordNet
n. (psychiatry) a psychological disorder of thought or emotion; a more neutral term than mental illness [syn: mental disturbance, disturbance, psychological disorder, folie]
Wikipedia
A mental disorder (also called a mental illness, or psychiatric disorder) is a diagnosis, most often by a psychiatrist, of a behavioral or mental pattern that may cause suffering or a poor ability to function in life. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitting, or occur as a single episode. Many disorders have been described, with signs and symptoms that vary widely between specific disorders.
The causes of mental disorders are often unclear. Theories may incorporate findings from a range of fields. Mental disorders are usually defined by a combination of how a person behaves, feels, perceives, or thinks. This may be associated with particular regions or functions of the brain, often in a social context. A mental disorder is one aspect of mental health. Cultural and religious beliefs, as well as social norms, should be taken into account when making a diagnosis.
Services are based in psychiatric hospitals or in the community, and assessments are carried out by psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and clinical social workers, using various methods but often relying on observation and questioning. Treatments are provided by various mental health professionals. Psychotherapy and psychiatric medication are two major treatment options. Other treatments include social interventions, peer support, and self-help. In a minority of cases there might be involuntary detention or treatment. Prevention programs have been shown to reduce depression.
Common mental disorders include depression, which affects about 400 million, dementia which affects about 35 million, and schizophrenia, which affects about 21 million people globally. Stigma and discrimination can add to the suffering and disability associated with mental disorders, leading to various social movements attempting to increase understanding and challenge social exclusion.
Usage examples of "mental disorder".
Of course you shouldn't take any notice of what he said about wanting to demonstrate his skill on people - it's part of the mental disorder he's suffering as a result of his very difficult time over there in Yatakang.
The handwriting might be the same, for handwriting is rarely affected by a mental disorder.
Even if a mental disorder arises from an outside stress it is the neurons that respond to the stress either well or poorly, and the varying ability to respond to the stress healthfully must have its basis in a biochemical difference.
Mentally we may experience hopelessness, exhaustion, confusion or perhaps a serious mental disorder.
But if I'm right-and since it's pretty obvious that you and Cara can't both be sharing the same mental disorder-that would have to mean that whatever is happening has a cause that isn't benevolent.
Some fool of a busy mistook her state for full-scale mental disorder, and by the time I found out about it the commitment papers were too far gone in the mill for me to haul them out.
I did not strap on the straightjacket as was customary when he slept, since I saw that he was too feeble to be dangerous, even if he woke in mental disorder once more before passing away.
And, in reality, about that percent will have some kind of mental disorder, not necessarily GAD, sometime in their life.
This idiot believes that he can erase, remove, or otherwise dispose of me, as if I were some kind of mental disorder.
The iduve looked at him sharply, for his behavior showed a mental disorder that was suspect, but Chimele had given standing orders and the man relented.