Glossary

Explore the definition of social and cultural terminology as well as substance use and mental health terms and disorders from A to Z

B

Binge Eating Disorder

Binge eating disorder (BED) is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating, or eating large amounts of food in a specific period of time, up to 2 hours. Eating binges are not strictly defined, but usually include eating until uncomfortably full, eating very quickly, and feelings of immense shame afterwards. Binge eating disorder is more common in people with obesity, but you don’t have to be obese to have BED, and most people with obesity do not have BED.

Binge eating disorder only became a diagnostic category of eating disorder in 2013, and since then, it has become the second most diagnosed eating disorder. Given its prevalence, it is important to stay informed about binge eating disorder. People with BED have an increased risk of developing conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and gastrointestinal issues. Environmental factors are often responsible for someone developing BED, as childhood exposure to unhealthy eating habits could fester and be replicated in adult life.

BIPOC

BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, and it is a modern term that serves as a more descriptive version of “people of color”. The philosophy of the term is to highlight the history of slavery and oppression experienced by Black and Indigenous people in such a way that isn’t minimized by their inclusion in POC. This history of systemic violence and oppression against Black and Indigenous people remains relevant in modern-day legislation and organizations of communities, which further justifies the need for the distinction. In spite of that, the term BIPOC is meant to bring systemically disadvantaged groups together even if they don’t have the exact same experiences.

While BIPOC is a useful term to refer to large communities of non-white people, it can be harmful to use it as a blanket term to describe smaller groups. For example, there is a tendency to use the phrase “BIPOC children” instead of “Black children” when describing people growing up in certain predominantly Black neighborhoods. Using BIPOC like this could make statements seem to refer to non-white people as a whole instead of a specific cultural identity or ethnicity.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic depression, is a chronic mood disorder characterized by mood swings between states known as euthymia, mania (or hypomania, a less severe version of mania) and depression. There are two main types of bipolar disorders: bipolar I and bipolar II. The difference between the two lies in the presence of mania; people with bipolar II disorder have never experienced a manic episode, but may have experienced hypomania and depression.  

Euthymia is a neutral state that lies between mania and depression, where no extreme mood swings are present. Mania involves feelings of extreme happiness or excitement, increased irritability, and high levels of energy. Mania may lead to impulsive decision-making, like suddenly ending relationships or spending large amounts of money. Depression, on the other hand, involves feelings of sadness or hopelessness, anhedonia (loss of pleasure), and low levels of energy. Depression may lead to a loss of enjoyment in pleasurable activities and the inability to perform simple tasks. 

Bisexual

Someone who is bisexual is attracted, romantically or sexually to more than one gender. Bisexuality can be, but is not necessarily, distinct from biromanticism, or the romantic attraction to more than one gender. Many bisexual people are both bisexual and biromantic, and use the term “bisexual” as an umbrella term for both.

Contrary to popular belief, bisexuality is not just the attraction to both men and women. Many bisexuals conceptualize the identity to mean being attracted to two or more genders. This means that bisexuals can also be attracted to anyone of any gender identity depending on their personal preference. In practice, some bisexuals also identify as pansexual (having the capacity to be attracted to people regardless of gender) as the identities naturally allow for overlap. 

Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a mental illness that impacts how people view themselves and others, which can cause issues with regulating emotions. It involves intense emotional mood swings, impulsive decision-making, and unhealthy self-conception. People with BPD may have self-esteem issues and a fear of abandonment, which may cause them to struggle with maintaining healthy relationships. This may lead to a pattern of frequent, unhealthy relationships caused by the aversion to abandonment.

Symptoms of BPD will most likely manifest in early adulthood, beginning with high intensity mood swings that diminish with age. There are various genetic and environmental risk factors for BPD, such as having a family member with the disorder or experiencing traumatic events as a child. However, there are no definitive causes for BPD, and the presence of these risk factors do not guarantee the development of the disorder.

Bottom Surgery

Bottom surgery is a type of gender-affirming surgery that augments the shape and function of the genitals. Bottom surgery is often requested by transgender people to align their bodies with their gender identities. It can also be requested as a medical procedure to reconstruct damaged genitals using surrounding tissue.

There are many types of bottom surgeries, but three are most often referred to: vaginoplasty for people assigned-male-at-birth (AMAB) and metoidioplasty or phalloplasty for people assigned-female-at-birth (AFAB). Vaginoplasty involves the construction of a vagina by repurposing existing penile tissue. Metoidoplasty is the freeing of the clitoris from surrounding tissue to create a penis, and phalloplasty is the construction of a penis from skin grafts taken from other parts of the body, like the arms or thighs.

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder which involves extreme sessions of overeating, or binging, followed by purposeful expulsion to avoid gaining weight, or purging. People with bulimia often feel shame and disgust towards their binge eating habits, leading to them hiding their binges from others. On top of this, many people with bulimia maintain a normal body weight, which makes it difficult to notice the disorder in others. The disorder also affects how someone views their own body, causing them to justify their own purging. 

There are two types of bulimia nervosa: purging and non-purging. Purging can include vomiting, laxative overuse, or any other methods of forcibly removing food from one’s body. Non-purging bulimia involves fasting or excessive exercise for the sake of weight loss. Pushing past one’s physical limits in this manner can be very dangerous as it can lead to dizziness, fainting, nausea and even heart failure. Seeking treatment for bulimia is recommended, as both types are potentially life-threatening.

C

Caffeine

Caffeine is a naturally occurring chemical compound that produces dopamine and stimulates the central nervous system, increasing focus and alertness while suppressing appetite. It is classified as a drug due to its psychoactive effects, which tracks given its tendency to cause addiction. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, around 85% of the U.S. population drinks at least one caffeinated beverage a day. Daily caffeine use is not necessarily dangerous in moderation, but overconsumption can lead to caffeine dependence.

Caffeine dependence works like other drug addictions; repeated use leads one to develop a tolerance that requires more caffeine use to achieve the same results. In the absence of caffeine, a person with caffeine dependence may experience headaches, nausea, or low energy. There are conflicting reports on whether or not caffeine dependency should be qualified as a drug addiction at all, but caffeine withdrawal is currently recognized as a clinical condition.

CBT

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, also known as CBT, is a psychotherapy method in which licensed professionals work with patients to change how they think about negative situations. CBT can be very helpful, not only for people struggling with mental disorders such as depression or anxiety, but anyone who wants to learn how to think more constructively. Some reported benefits of CBT include mood improvements, better emotional management, and faster healing after a traumatic experience.

There are many ways to get started with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. If you feel you may be interested in CBT, you can reach out to your healthcare provider and see if you can get a referral to a therapist. It is important to make sure that your insurance covers psychotherapy such as CBT as treatment could be costly.

Celibacy

Celibacy is the intentional avoidance of sexual activities for whatever reason. Although they are often treated alike, celibacy and abstinence are not the same thing. Celibacy is under the umbrella of abstinence (any intentional avoidance of something), specifically referring to sex. Different people swear themselves to celibacy for different reasons, be it for religious, social, or personal reasons. For some people, vows of celibacy are lifelong commitments, and for others, their celibacy may last only a couple of years.

Involuntary celibacy is when someone is actively looking for sexual experiences but is unable to for any reason. Unlike voluntary celibacy, involuntary celibacy is inherently temporary as it is defined by the pursuit of a sexual relationship. Involuntary celibacy can lead to feelings of sexual frustration, resentment towards the preferred sex, and perceived inadequacy.

Chest Binding

Chest binding is the process of compressing one’s breasts in order to make them appear flatter and more masculine. Binding is often practiced by transgender men and assigned-female-at-birth nonbinary people to reduce dysphoria, or feelings of discomfort due to the disparity between one’s body and their gender identity. To assist with binding, many people use binders, tight undershirt-like garments that compress one’s chest to make it appear flatter.

Binding is generally safe when practiced responsibly, but doing it too often can have negative side effects on one’s health. High levels of compression are required to bind effectively, so binding for long periods of time without breaks could put excessive pressure on the ribs and spine. It is important to use binders that fit well yet allow for full, deep breaths while wearing them, and also to never sleep while binding.

Chronic

A chronic condition is one that usually lasts a long time and requires consistent treatment to mitigate. They are distinct from acute illnesses, like the flu or the common cold, which appear suddenly and last for relatively short periods of time. Many chronic illnesses start off slow with mild symptoms that get worse over time. Examples of some chronic disorders include cancer, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and long lasting mental disorders like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

Cisgender

Cisgender is the term used to describe people whose assigned sex at birth is the same as their gender identity. For example, someone who was assigned male at birth and continues to refer to themselves as a man is a cisgender man. In this way, it can be described as the opposite of transgender. Cisgender is often shortened to “cis” for brevity in the same way transgender can be shortened to trans.  

Being cisgender is not related to sexual attraction, meaning that someone can be cisgender and not straight, or straight and not cisgender. The purpose behind the term “cisgender” is to remove the notion that being cisgender is the “normal” way to interact with one’s gender identity. This does not serve the purpose of stigmatizing cisgenderism; it is simply categorizing it as its own identity for social purposes.

D

Dab Pen

A dab pen is an electronic device used to consume “dabs”, concentrated amounts of cannabis that can be inhaled in vapor form. Dab pens are basically vapes that expedite the consumption of cannabis instead of nicotine. In recent years, dab pens have grown in popularity as one of the most popular ways to consume cannabis, especially in younger generations, and around one-third of youth under 18 who vape report using them for cannabis smoking.

Dab pens have gained a reputation for being a much safer method of smoking cannabis than traditional methods, while being less addictive than nicotine. However, there have been cases where overuse of cannabis vapes such as dab pens has led to lung injury. This is concerning because self-regulating cannabis intake is difficult with dab pens; this, coupled with the healthy reputation of cannabis vapes, makes dab pens very easy to overuse.

DBT

Dialectical behavioral therapy, or DBT for short, is a type of talk therapy that helps people become grounded in reality and strive for change within their lives. It is based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and is particularly helpful for people with difficulty regulating their emotions. For this reason, it is often recommended to people struggling with borderline personality disorder, depression, anxiety, or some types of eating disorders. 

DBT is built on four core principles: mindfulness, acceptance & distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Therapists who specialize in DBT use these core tenets to help their patients challenge unhelpful thought patterns and put things into perspective. The hope is to give them the skills they need to deal with stressful situations on their own without slipping into negative self-thought.

Delusion

Delusions are unchanging false beliefs based on incorrect or misguided perceptions of reality. People with delusions are prone to resisting evidence contrary to their false beliefs, and will often fabricate reasons for why their delusions are true. Most of the time, people have non-bizarre delusions, or false beliefs that are grounded in reality, such as feeling the presence of a perceived stalker or having an incurable illness. Bizarre delusions are those that are outright or virtually impossible with no basis in reality.

Delusional disorder is a mental disorder that causes people to experience delusions. There are many types of delusional disorders, categorized by the kinds of delusions they induce. Two of the most common delusional disorders are grandiose and persecutory. Grandiose delusional disorder causes those afflicted with it to believe that they are more powerful, knowledgeable, or well-known than they actually are, while persecutory delusion disorders induce feelings of being watched, followed, or mistreated by an unseen third party.

Dementia

Dementia is a group of symptoms that relate to the loss of cognitive abilities, such as memory, logic and reasoning, to the point where it affects everyday activities. Dementia becomes more common in adults as they get older, with one-third of people over 85 experiencing dementia in the United States. Dementia is not a single disease, but a result of the neurons in the brain losing connections with each other, which manifest as the general decline of cognitive abilities.

There are many types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, that share similar symptoms of declining memory and thinking abilities. Someone with dementia may experience difficulty with navigating familiar environments, trouble keeping track of daily tasks, issues with handling money, etc. Dementia may also cause a shift in personality as the cognitive decline worsens. While there is currently no single cause of dementia, a healthy lifestyle has been proven to reduce risk factors related to the development of dementia.

Demisexual

Someone is demisexual when they only feel sexual attraction to people they have an emotional bond with. This means that there is little to no sexual attraction without the emotional aspect of the relationship. This emotional bond does not have to be romantic; demisexual people can develop sexual attraction through the platonic bonds of friendship as well. People who are demisexual can also identify with other sexualities, such as hetero, bi, or homosexual.

Demisexuality is not necessarily the same as waiting until a romantic connection develops to initiate sexual contact with someone. The difference is that demisexual people normally don’t feel sexual attraction at all without the emotional component, and the romantic connection for them is not optional. For this reason, demisexuality is closely related to asexuality and often considered a “midway” point between asexuality and allosexuality (experiencing sexual attraction to others).

Depressants

Depressants are a category of drug that reduce excitement and arousal. They do this by releasing a neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) that slows down central nervous system activity. This slows the rate at which messages are sent between the brain and the body, resulting in feelings of relaxation, euphoria, and reduced inhibitions. Some examples of depressants include alcohol, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates.

Normally, depressants, specifically benzodiazepines, are prescribed in small amounts to treat insomnia or anxiety disorders. When consumed in large quantities, depressants can cause nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, and slowed breathing. Depressants become even more dangerous when mixed with other drugs, which could increase the risk of overdose and even death. It is important to know the recommended dosage before consuming depressants to reduce the risk of negative side effects.

Depression

Depression, also known as major depressive disorder or clinical depression, is a common mood disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness and low mood, which can result in thoughts of self-harm or suicide when untreated. These feelings are not caused by grieving upsetting events in one’s life, but rather a result of changes in brain chemistry. Depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the U.S., with around 7% of adults and 4.4% of children having some form of depression.

Depression can cause more than just sadness; it can affect thought patterns, interpersonal relationships, and interest in daily activities. The disorder also negatively affects the ability to perform daily tasks, like getting out of bed, brushing teeth, sleeping, eating, etc. Given the wide variety of symptoms, depression is quite treatable. Treatment may include talk therapy and medication, or even guided lifestyle changes, which can mitigate the symptoms of the disorder while not necessarily treating it. 

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