This is a list of explanations of some common words that are used in the field of mental health and mental illness.

ACUTE A severe, short term episode of mental illness

ADVOCACY Support for people to enable and empower them to raise their concerns, ideas etc. For some people, this is particularly helpful when attending meetings, making complaints etc

APPROVED SOCIAL WORKER (ASW) This is a social worker who is trained in mental health law and can carry out mental health act assessments with other professionals

ASSERTIVE OUTREACH TEAM This a team which provides intensive community support to those individuals who do not engage well with other services but need a lot of input. Assertive outreach teams take referrals from Community Mental Health Teams.

CARE CO-ORDINATOR This is the person who is a named worker for an individual and co-ordinates the support that the individual receives from other services through the Care Programme Approach. This person is usually a social worker or a community psychiatric nurse.

CARE PLAN This is a plan that is devised by the individual and the professionals supporting them, to ensure that their needs are met as fully as possible and to clarify who will be providing that support

CARE PROGRAMME APPROACH (CPA) This is a multi-agency approach, where all those services/ professionals who are involved in a person's care assess the needs of the person and implement a care plan with them, to ensure that appropriate support is given. This plan will be evaluated regularly and any necessary changes will be made.

CHRONIC An enduring, long term mental illness.

COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH TEAM (CMHT) A team of professionals, mainly comprising of social workers, community psychiatric nurses and psychiatrists, who provide support to those in the local community who are experiencing mental illness. In most teams, there are also psychologists and psychotherapy departments.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT TEAM (CST) A social care team who work alongside the Community Mental Health Team to provide practical community support. They may assist individuals with daily living skills, benefits, education, leisure pursuits and general emotional support.

COMMUNITY PSYCHIATRIC NURSE (CPN) Usually act as a Care Co-ordinator and can also administer medication. They provide support to those with mental illness.

DAY CENTRE Provide social, recreational and educational activities.

DUAL DIAGNOSIS Where a person has a mental illness and also has problematic use of drugs and/ or alcohol dependency.

ENDOGENOUS DEPRESSION Depression that appears to have no obvious cause, ie it is not the result of issues such as bereavement, job loss etc

KEYWORKER A named person in the Community Mental Health Team or CPA process, who has regular contact with the individual and co-ordinates the care that person receives

MENTAL HEALTH ACT 1983 The Mental Health Act 1983 governs the admission of people to psychiatric hospital against their will, their rights while detained, discharge from hospital, and aftercare. The Act applies in England and Wales.

NEAREST RELATIVE As defined in the Mental Health Act 1983 This person holds certain legal rights and responsibilities. Follow this link for more details of Nearest Relative

PARANOIA Paranoia is when people are suspicious without any logical reason and have a belief that others are trying to persecute them. Paranoia can range from mild to severe and can change over time with the same individual. Where someone is experiencing mild forms of paranoia, they may hold beliefs about certain things, but have enough insight into the situation to also believe that it is unlikely to be true. In severe cases of paranoia, a person may be unable to distinguish between what is real and what is not. Paranoia usually focuses on what is going to happen in the future, rather than on past events. However people may hold paranoid beliefs about events that have already happened and their perception of why they happened. For instance, a person may believe that others are plotting against them and are planning to cause them harm. Paranoia can be associated with Schizophrenia.

PERSONALITY DISORDER A group of disorders involving long standing attitudes, behaviours and ways of viewing the world which are outside socially accepted limits.

PSYCHIATRIST A doctor who is specially trained to diagnose and treat mental illness.

REACTIVE DEPRESSION Depression which appears to be a reaction to a certain event or crisis, such as a bereavement, loss of job, illness etc

SECTIONING Parts of the Mental Health Act which allow for an individual to be detained in a psychiatric hospital. Follow this link for more details about Sectioning