Psychiatry Cheat Sheet

The core ideas of Psychiatry distilled into a single, scannable reference — perfect for review or quick lookup.

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Quick Reference

Biopsychosocial Model

A framework proposed by George Engel in 1977 that understands mental illness as arising from the interaction of biological factors (genetics, neurochemistry), psychological factors (thoughts, emotions, behaviors), and social factors (relationships, culture, socioeconomic status).

DSM Diagnostic Criteria

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), published by the American Psychiatric Association, provides standardized criteria for classifying mental disorders. The current edition, DSM-5-TR, organizes disorders into categories and specifies symptom thresholds, duration, and functional impairment requirements.

Neurotransmitter Systems

Chemical messenger systems in the brain that are central to psychiatric understanding. Key neurotransmitters include serotonin (mood regulation), dopamine (reward and motivation), norepinephrine (arousal and alertness), GABA (inhibition and anxiety), and glutamate (excitation and cognition).

Psychopharmacology

The scientific study of the effects of medications on mood, cognition, behavior, and mental states. Major drug classes include antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs), antipsychotics (typical and atypical), mood stabilizers (lithium, anticonvulsants), anxiolytics (benzodiazepines, buspirone), and stimulants.

Psychotherapy Integration

The practice of combining medication management with structured psychotherapeutic approaches. Evidence-based therapies used in psychiatric practice include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), psychodynamic therapy, and interpersonal therapy.

Psychiatric Assessment

A comprehensive clinical evaluation that includes a thorough psychiatric history, mental status examination (MSE), risk assessment for suicide and violence, review of medical conditions, substance use screening, and often collateral information from family or prior records.

Informed Consent and Capacity

The ethical and legal requirement that patients understand and voluntarily agree to proposed treatments. Psychiatric patients must have decisional capacity, meaning the ability to understand relevant information, appreciate its significance, reason about options, and communicate a choice.

Comorbidity

The co-occurrence of two or more psychiatric disorders, or of psychiatric and medical conditions, in the same individual. Comorbidity is the rule rather than the exception in psychiatry and significantly complicates diagnosis and treatment planning.

Involuntary Commitment

The legal process by which individuals with severe mental illness who pose an imminent danger to themselves or others, or who are gravely disabled, can be hospitalized against their will. Laws vary by jurisdiction but generally require judicial review within a specified timeframe.

Recovery-Oriented Care

A treatment philosophy emphasizing that individuals with mental illness can lead meaningful, fulfilling lives beyond symptom management. Recovery-oriented care prioritizes hope, personal agency, shared decision-making, community integration, and strengths-based approaches.

Key Terms at a Glance

Affect:The observable expression of emotion, as assessed during a mental status examination (e.g., flat, blunted, labile, congruent).

Agoraphobia:An anxiety disorder characterized by fear and avoidance of situations where escape might be difficult, such as crowds, public transport, or open spaces.

Anhedonia:The inability to experience pleasure from activities that are normally enjoyable; a core symptom of major depressive disorder.

Anxiolytic:A medication used to reduce anxiety. Major classes include benzodiazepines, buspirone, and certain antidepressants.

Bipolar Disorder:A mood disorder characterized by episodes of mania or hypomania alternating with episodes of depression. Subtypes include Bipolar I, Bipolar II, and Cyclothymia.

Catatonia:A neuropsychiatric syndrome featuring motor abnormalities including immobility, excessive movement, mutism, posturing, and waxy flexibility.

Clozapine:An atypical antipsychotic reserved for treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Requires regular blood monitoring due to the risk of agranulocytosis.

Delusion:A fixed, false belief held with conviction despite evidence to the contrary. Types include persecutory, grandiose, referential, and somatic.

Dysthymia:Now called Persistent Depressive Disorder in DSM-5. A chronic, low-grade depressive state lasting at least two years in adults.

Extrapyramidal Symptoms (EPS):Movement-related side effects of antipsychotic medications, including dystonia, akathisia, parkinsonism, and tardive dyskinesia.

GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid):The primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. Reduced GABA activity is associated with anxiety, and benzodiazepines work by enhancing GABA function.

Hallucination:A sensory perception occurring without external stimulus. Can be auditory, visual, tactile, olfactory, or gustatory. Auditory hallucinations are most common in schizophrenia.

ICD-11:The International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision, published by the World Health Organization. Used alongside the DSM for diagnosing mental disorders internationally.

Mania:A period of abnormally elevated, expansive, or irritable mood with increased energy, lasting at least seven days. Features include grandiosity, decreased sleep need, pressured speech, and impulsive behavior.

Mood Stabilizer:A class of medications used to treat bipolar disorder by reducing mood swings. Includes lithium and certain anticonvulsants (valproate, lamotrigine, carbamazepine).

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