Glossary of Terms
For Experts
- Currently not a diagnosis in the DSM or ICD.
- Currently used primarily in Canada.
- Refers to a mental health condition that a person might acquire as a result of exposure to one or more potentially psychologically traumatic events.
- Used to describe a range of problems including, but not limited to, mental disorders such as Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and mental health conditions that may not meet DSM or ICD criteria for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder that still interfere with daily functioning in social, work or family activities.
- By categorizing mental health conditions as “injuries” that are as legitimate as physical injuries, the term can decrease the stigma associated with language such as mental disorder or mental health condition.
For General Public
- Currently not a diagnosis in the DSM or ICD.
- Currently used primarily in Canada to decrease the stigma associated with the word “disorder”.
- Currently, the term is most often used within the military and public safety personnel communities in Canada.
- Refers to a mental health condition that a person acquires as a result of exposure to one or more potentially psychologically traumatic events.
- Has been used by some people to refer to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, but has also been used by some people to refer to several other mental disorders.
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