Editorial standards

Every term on Shrinktionary is written to a defined standard.

A dictionary of the mind only works if you can trust it. These are the rules every entry follows, written down so you can hold us to them. They're the difference between a definition you can act on and one you have to second-guess.

Plain English first.

Definitions read for an adult who isn't a clinician. The technical version comes second, and is labeled.

Evidence-based.

Definitions reflect current consensus from sources we trust: the DSM-5-TR, the National Institute of Mental Health, the FDA, MedlinePlus, the Mayo Clinic, the American Psychiatric Association, peer-reviewed literature, and official medication labels.

Medically reviewed.

Each entry is reviewed by Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, FAPA, a board certified psychiatrist, before it's published. Review confirms the entry is accurate, current, and clinically appropriate. Review does not create a doctor-patient relationship.

Sourced.

Every entry lists the specific sources that support the definition. Citations are auditable. If a source changes its guidance, the entry is updated and the "Last reviewed" date is moved forward.

Independent.

Shrinktionary doesn't run advertising. It doesn't take payment for placement. It doesn't accept funding from pharmaceutical companies. Decisions about what to include are editorial.

Updated.

Mental health language evolves. The DSM gets revised. New medications enter the market. Old definitions get refined. Every entry shows its "Last reviewed" date so readers know how current it is.

Not medical advice.

Shrinktionary explains words. It doesn't diagnose. It doesn't treat. It doesn't replace a clinician. If you're trying to figure out what's happening with your mental health, the right next step is a conversation with a licensed professional.

How an entry comes together

An entry starts with research from primary sources, not from other glossaries. We write the plain-English meaning first, then the clinical detail, then the things the word is commonly confused with and when it actually matters. We add the connections to related terms and to the right resources in the network, list the sources, and send it for medical review. Only after a board certified psychiatrist signs off does it publish. When sources change or we find an error, the entry is revised, reviewed again, and re-dated.

Holding the line

We'd rather leave a word out than define it badly. We don't pad entries to look authoritative, we don't fabricate citations, and we don't promise outcomes. If we can't source a claim, it doesn't go in. You can read who reviews the content on our medical review page, the sources we rely on on our sources page, and how we handle mistakes on our corrections page.

Language we use, and language we avoid

How we write about people matters as much as what we write. We use person-first, non-stigmatizing language: a person living with schizophrenia, not a schizophrenic; a person who died by suicide, not committed suicide. We avoid words that turn a diagnosis into an insult, and we don't use clinical terms like OCD, bipolar, or trauma as casual intensifiers, because doing so blurs the very meanings this site exists to make clear. When a word carries stigma, we say so, and we explain the more accurate or respectful alternative.

What we will not do

Shrinktionary doesn't diagnose you, doesn't tell you which medication to take, and doesn't try to replace your clinician. We don't dramatize symptoms to hold attention, and we don't write to rank for a search term at the expense of being accurate. The point is to leave you better informed and pointed toward the right next step, not to keep you on the page.