mental illness

American  

noun

1. any of the various forms of psychosis or severe neurosis.

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mental illness British  

noun

1. any of various disorders in which a person's thoughts, emotions, or behaviour are so abnormal as to cause suffering to himself, herself, or other people

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mental illness Scientific  

/ mĕn′tl /

1. Any of various psychiatric disorders or diseases, usually characterized by impairment of thought, mood, or behavior.

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Etymology

Origin of mental illness

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

There’s no doubt that increasing teen use of social media and smartphones over the last 15 years has coincided with rising levels of depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses.

From The Wall Street Journal

Postpartum psychosis is a rare but severe mental illness that begins suddenly in the days or week after birth, affecting around one in 1,000 mothers.

From BBC

Later, he hints at a troubled childhood; he says his father died but offers no stories about this, and mentions in passing mental illness, without saying whose.

From The Wall Street Journal

Canada is also due to expand access next year to people whose only medical condition is mental illness, though that has twice been delayed.

From BBC

After MSPs expressed concerns at stage one, the bill now explicitly says that disability and mental illness alone do not constitute terminal illness.

From BBC

Related Words

• insanity
• mental disorder