PIIMIC Glossary

M

Malingering - Deliberate faking of physical or mental symptoms for a self-serving purpose.

Mania - Usually occurs as a phase of bipolar disorder. Attacks first appear before age 30. Key symptoms: abnormally over-active and energetic, impulsive, elated, grandiose, outbursts of inappropriate irritation, anger, laughter, rapid pressured speech, being ‘everybody’s friend." May spend money recklessly. Judgment of what is harmful to the subject is impaired. Severe mania lasts from a few days to several months and if untreated, may lead to social disruption and violence.

Manic-Depressive Disorder - See Bipolar disorder in the Glossary.

Major Depression – See Depression in Glossary.

Medications – See Treatments entry in Glossary. Extensive details of psychiatric medications, what they are used for, side effects, etc., are available at several websites including: www.mentalhealth.com/fr30.html    At the Medications page of this site, scroll and select the drug name. All names (both chemical and brand names) are listed in alphabetical order.

Another helpful website is:  www.drugs.medbroadcast.com/ On the yellow bar, select Drug Check. Enter the first few letters of the drug name or select the first letter to get a pop-up list.

Mental Disability - A broad group of diagnostic categories including congenital, developmental or degenerative conditions, or brain-damaged conditions from injury or infection. Treated mainly by medical and psychological support. Not identified - by themselves - as "mental disorders" under the terms and purposes of the BC Mental Health Act.

Mental Disorder - In general public usage, a broad group of diagnostic categories separate from physical disorders. "Mental disorder" is generally used instead of "mental illness" in medical and legal context, and in the BC Mental Health Act, where it means disorders that need psychiatric treatment. The Canadian Criminal Code also uses the term mental disorder but defines it very broadly as "a disease of the mind," giving discretion to the judge on what may be considered in an "insanity" defense.

Mental retardation or mental handicap - Usually defined as having an IQ below 70. These conditions usually have a specific physical cause. About one quarter are due to Downe’s syndrome, one quarter to other inherited or congenital conditions, and about one third to trauma or infection before or during birth or in early childhood. In the remaining cases, cause is not certain. The brain damage is not reversible, but life can be enhanced by behaviour modification and special care and training. Most retarded people need protected care but are not suffering from a "mental disorder" and therefore may be able to cope with reality and to know right from wrong.

Minors – are covered by the Mental Health Act of BC. See Glossary entry on Juveniles & Minors.

Mood disorders – See affective disorders in Glossary.  For support information, contact the Mood Disorders Association of B.C.  website www.mdabc.ca

Multiple personality or split personality - A rare disorder. Not related to schizophrenia. The subject has two or more distinct personalities, which take turns playing the dominant role, as in the 1957 Oscar-winning Joanne Woodward movie "The Three Faces of Eve," or in the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Mutism - Refusing to speak, or unable. Possible causes include catatonic schizophrenia.