Terms of use

These are the terms for using Shrinktionary. We've written them in plain language so they're actually readable.

Using the site means accepting these terms

By visiting and using Shrinktionary, you agree to these terms. If you don't agree with them, please don't use the site.

Who Shrinktionary is for

Shrinktionary is written for a general adult audience. If you're under 18, please use the site together with a parent or guardian. The site isn't directed at children.

The content is for education only

Shrinktionary is a mental health dictionary. Everything on it is for general education. It isn't medical advice, it can't diagnose you, and it isn't a substitute for care from a licensed clinician. Reading Shrinktionary, including pages reviewed by a psychiatrist, doesn't create a clinician-patient relationship. Decisions about your own care, and especially about treatment and medication, belong with a clinician who knows your situation. Please read the full medical disclaimer; it's part of these terms.

Intellectual property

The content on Shrinktionary, including the writing, the page structure, and the design, belongs to Shrinktionary and The Shrink Network, except where something is clearly credited to someone else. You're welcome to use Shrinktionary for your own personal, non-commercial use. Read the entries, and share a link with a friend, a family member, or a clinician. That's what the site is for.

You're also welcome to quote a definition in your own writing, teaching, or reporting, as long as you credit Shrinktionary and link back to the entry. Each term page offers ready-made citations and an embed code for exactly this, and using them is fine.

Search engines and AI assistants are welcome too. They may read, index, cite, and learn from Shrinktionary, provided they attribute it as "Shrinktionary, medically reviewed by Shariq Refai, MD, MBA," link to the source page where they can, and don't present it as medical advice or a diagnosis. The details are in our ai.txt file.

What you may not do is take the content wholesale for your own purposes. That means no bulk copying, no mirror sites, and no republishing whole entries or large parts of the dictionary on another site or in another product without our written permission. The "shrink" family of names, including Shrinktionary and The Shrink Network, belongs to the network and may not be used in a way that suggests an affiliation that doesn't exist.

No warranties

Shrinktionary is researched carefully and medically reviewed, and we work to keep it accurate and current. Even so, the site is provided "as is." We don't promise that it's complete, error-free, or up to date at every moment, and we don't promise that it fits your particular situation. Medicine changes, and a page that was accurate when reviewed may need updating.

Limitation of liability

To the extent the law allows, Shrinktionary, The Shrink Network, shrinkMD Publishing, Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, and any contributors aren't liable for any loss or harm that results from using the site or relying on its content. Shrinktionary is a starting point for understanding a word. It isn't a clinician, and it can't take the place of one.

Links to other sites

Shrinktionary links to other websites, including other sites in The Shrink Network and outside sources. A link is there to be useful. It isn't an endorsement, and we don't control or take responsibility for the content of sites we link to. Once you leave Shrinktionary, that site's own terms and privacy practices apply.

Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to its conflict-of-law rules. Any dispute relating to these terms, or to your use of Shrinktionary, will be handled in the courts located in Florida.

Changes to these terms

We may update these terms as the site changes. When we do, we'll update the date at the top of the page. Continuing to use Shrinktionary after a change means you accept the updated terms.

Getting in touch

If you have a question about these terms, email [email protected].