mentally ill
Definition
- Adjective:
- Suffering from a condition that affects a person's thinking, feeling, mood, or behavior: The term "mentally ill" describes a person who has a medical condition involving their mental health. It is a general, clinical term.
- Of unsound mind; not able to think or behave in a normal, rational way: This definition emphasizes the impact on cognitive and behavioral functioning from a legal or societal perspective.
Examples of Usage
- Adjective:
- The hospital provides specialized care for the mentally ill.
- He was found not guilty by reason of being mentally ill at the time of the crime.
- It is important to treat mentally ill individuals with compassion and respect.
Advanced Usage
- The term "mentally ill" is a broad, descriptive adjective. In modern clinical and advocacy contexts, person-first language (e.g., "a person with a mental illness") is often preferred to emphasize the individual over the condition.
- The phrase can be used in formal legal contexts, such as "declared mentally ill and incompetent to stand trial."
Variants and Related Words
- Mental illness (n): The general category of health conditions.
- Mentally (adv): Relating to the mind.
Synonyms
- Of unsound mind: A formal, often legal, synonym.
- Psychiatrically impaired: A more clinical synonym.
- Having a psychiatric disorder: A precise, person-first alternative.
Related Phrases
- Suffering from mental illness: A common phrasing that emphasizes the experience.
- Living with a mental health condition: A modern, destigmatizing alternative.
Adjective
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suffering from severe mental illness
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of unsound mind
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