Enrichment · Wellbeing

Say what you mean
about how you feel.

Stressed or anxious? Down or depressed? Particular or OCD? Words like these get mixed up all the time. Keep a card for each word you hear: what it really means, where you learned that, a sentence where it fits and a better everyday word for the times you mean an ordinary mood.

Add your first wordWhat you get

My words

The worked example is made up: five words, two of them with something to fix. Saved on this device only.

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What you get

Enrichment · WellbeingFree

What you finish with
A word card for each mental health word: the kind of word, its plain meaning, where the meaning came from, an example sentence, whether you use it casually, an everyday alternative and how sure you are. Counts your words by kind and the condition names you use casually; flags thin meanings, meanings from social media alone and casual use with no alternative.
Who it is for
Middle school, high school and college students; health teachers and families building a shared word list.
Format
Browser word list with a saved card per word. Prints one card, all of them in a table or a blank card; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file.
Access
Free. No account, no sign-in and nothing to install. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Wellbeing space in Caveat Enrichment.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Write down a word you heard or used this week.
  2. Pick what kind of word it is and write its meaning in a sentence a friend would understand.
  3. Note where the meaning came from. If it was only social media, check a health organization’s site.
  4. Write a sentence where the word fits, and an everyday word for when you mean an ordinary mood.
  5. Rate how sure you are, and name someone to ask about the ones you are not sure of.

Add your first word

Why the words matter

An everyday word or a health conditionYou might sayThe health termSignsWorried, nervousGeneralized anxietyHard-to-control worry, 6+ monthsSad, down, bummedDepressionLow mood most days, 2+ weeksNeat, particularOCDUnwanted thoughts, rituals, hoursDistracted, hyperADHDSince childhood, in 2+ settingsMoodyBipolar disorderSeparate high and low episodesAn everyday word or a health conditionWorried, nervousThe health term: Generalized anxietySigns: Hard-to-control worry, 6+ monthsSad, down, bummedThe health term: DepressionSigns: Low mood most days, 2+ weeksNeat, particularThe health term: OCDSigns: Unwanted thoughts, rituals, hoursDistracted, hyperThe health term: ADHDSigns: Since childhood, in 2+ settingsMoodyThe health term: Bipolar disorderSigns: Separate high and low episodes
Everyone has the feelings on the left. The terms on the right are health conditions with specific signs, and only a qualified professional can diagnose them.

Feelings and conditions are different

Stress, worry and sadness are part of being a person. A condition such as depression or an anxiety disorder has specific signs that last and get in the way of daily life. Only a doctor, psychologist or other licensed professional can diagnose one; a word list cannot.

Casual use has a cost

Saying “I am so OCD” about tidy notes makes a serious condition sound like a quirk. People who live with it say jokes like that make them less likely to talk about it. An accurate everyday word says what you mean and keeps the real term for its real meaning.

Help words are worth knowing too

A school counselor, a school psychologist, a therapist and a psychiatrist all do different things. Knowing the words makes it easier to ask for the right help. If you or a friend might not be safe, call or text 988.

Sources

  1. National Institute of Mental Health: Depression; Generalized Anxiety Disorder; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Panic Disorder; ADHD; Bipolar Disorder (nimh.nih.gov/health/topics).
  2. American Psychiatric Association (2022). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed., text rev.). The duration criteria summarized in the table.
  3. American Psychological Association: Stress effects on the body (apa.org/topics/stress).
  4. National Alliance on Mental Illness: Types of mental health professionals (nami.org).
  5. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (988lifeline.org): call or text 988, chat online, 24 hours a day.

The worked example is made up. This guide is for learning words; it is not a diagnosis, counseling or treatment. Nothing you type is sent to Caveat. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.