1.
mental illness; psychiatric disorder; psychosis
A disorder affecting the mind that impairs thinking, feeling, or behavior. In medical usage, sometimes refers specifically to psychotic disorders, but in general usage covers mental illness broadly.
Composed of 精神 (mind; spirit; psyche) and 病 (illness; disease). In clinical psychiatry, 精神病 can refer specifically to psychotic disorders (conditions involving loss of contact with reality), but in everyday usage it is often used as a general term for mental illness.
Common collocations
- 精神病院: psychiatric hospital
- 精神病患者: psychiatric patient
- 精神病の治療: treatment of mental illness
- 精神病棟: psychiatric ward
Usage
In modern Japanese, 精神疾患 (psychiatric disorder) or 心の病気 (illness of the mind) are considered more neutral and less stigmatizing alternatives. 精神病 can carry negative connotations and is increasingly avoided in official and medical communications.
Similar words
- 精神疾患: psychiatric disorder — the preferred medical and administrative term; more neutral
- 心の病: illness of the mind — a softer, less clinical expression
- 精神障害: mental disability — covers a broader range including developmental and intellectual disabilities
- うつ病: depression — one specific type of mental illness