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4.7: Psychiatry

  • Page ID
    150537
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    Psychiatry is another specialty area that uses a wide range of abbreviations. This section will introduce you to some of the more common abbreviations used on a psychiatric unit. The focus is on the most common abbreviations, but there may be more used in this specialty area that are not covered here. As well as psychiatry-related abbreviations and definitions, some key concepts related to the abbreviations will be discussed.

    Table 4.30. Psychiatry
    ABBREVIATIONS MEANING
    ADHD attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
    ADD attention deficit disorder
    BAD bipolar affective disorder
    CA chronological age
    CBT cognitive behavioural therapy
    IQ intelligence quotient

    Key Concept

    Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a form of treatment that is thought to be effective in treating such conditions as anxiety, depression, drug and alcohol use, and severe mental illness, among others (American Psychological Association, 2017). This therapy works to help patients by changing their thinking and behavioural patterns.

    Example of orders related to psychiatry :

    1. Patient to attend CBT today at 1200

    Explanation of orders related to psychiatry:

    1. Patient to attend cognitive behavioural therapy today at noon.
    Table 4.31. Psychiatry
    ABBREVIATIONS MEANING
    M.A. mental age
    MDD major depressive disorder
    OCD obsessive-compulsive disorder
    PTSD post-traumatic stress disorder
    SAD seasonal affective disorder
    SSRI selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
    light therapy
    Figure 4.18

    Key Concept

    Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as the “winter blues,” is a form of depression that usually occurs in late fall and early winter. The cause is not truly known, but it is thought that the lack of sunlight, biological clock changes, and vitamin D deficiency could play a role. The symptoms can range from feelings of sadness and lack of energy to suicidal thoughts. There are several treatments that can be used, including CBT, light therapy, vitamin D, and antidepressants. Figure 4.18 shows a person using light therapy for SAD.

    Example of orders related to psychiatry :

    1. Dx OCD and MDD

    Explanation of orders related to psychiatry:

    1. Diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder and major depressive disorder.

    Exercise

    Attribution

    Unless otherwise indicated, material on this page has been adapted from the following resource:

    Carter, K., & Rutherford, M. (2020). Building a medical terminology foundation. eCampusOntario. https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/medicalterminology/ licensed under CC BY 4.0

    References

    American Psychological Association (APA). (2017). What is cognitive behavioral therapy? https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/cognitive-behavioral

    Image Credits (images are listed in order of appearance)

    Light Therapy for SAD by Lou Sander, CC BY-SA 4.0


    This page titled 4.7: Psychiatry is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Lisa Sturdy and Susanne Erickson via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.