Mental Health Glossary

Diagnosis is the name a health professional gives to a health problem after evaluating evidence, not a guess from one symptom alone.

Symptoms are reported by the person experiencing them, while signs are often observed or measured by someone else.

Treatment can include medicine, surgery, therapy, lifestyle changes, monitoring, or supportive care depending on the situation.

Inflammation can help protect and repair tissue, but long-lasting or excessive inflammation can also contribute to health problems.

Prognosis is not a guarantee. It is a medical estimate shaped by diagnosis, severity, treatment response, overall health, and other factors.

An adverse event does not always prove the treatment caused it; context and review matter.