Find over 25,000 psychological definitions


exhaustion delirium

delirium occurring under conditions of extreme fatigue resulting from prolonged and intense overexertion, particularly when coupled with other forms of stress, such as prolonged insomnia, starvation, excessive heat or cold, or exposure to toxins. It is typically associated with the extreme physical effort required of those who engage in endurance sports or of others facing extreme environmental conditions, as well as with debilitating diseases.

Browse dictionary by letter

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Psychology term of the day

December 26th 2024

mental disorder

mental disorder

any condition characterized by cognitive and emotional disturbances, abnormal behaviors, impaired functioning, or any combination of these. Such disorders cannot be accounted for solely by environmental circumstances and may involve physiological, genetic, chemical, social, and other factors. Specific classifications of mental disorders are elaborated in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (see DSM–IV–TR; DSM–5) and the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases. Also called mental illness; psychiatric disorder; psychiatric illness; psychological disorder. See also psychopathology.