Insane - Neurotic - Psychotic - Disturbed - Unstable
These words all describe sb who is suffering from a mental illness.
Mentally ill suffering from an illness of the mind, especially in a way that affects the way you think and behave.
Insane [not usually before noun] (rather formal) suffering from a serious mental illness and unable to live in normal society: The question is, was the man insane when he committed the crime? In informal English insane can describe sb who is not suffering from a mental illness, but whose mind does not work normally, especially because they are under pressure. This meaning is used especially in the phrases go insane and drive sb insane.
Neurotic (medical) suffering from or connected with neurosis (=a mental illness in which a person suffers strong feelings of fear and worry): The treatment of anxiety in neurotic patients. In informal English neurotic is also used to describe sb who is not suffering from a mental illness, but is not behaving in a calm way because they are worried about sth: She became neurotic about keeping the house clean.
Psychotic (medical) suffering from or connected with psychosis (=a serious mental illness in which thought and emotions lose connection with external reality). In informal English psychotic is sometimes used to describe anyone suffering from a mental illness, but in correct medical usage it only describes people who have difficulty relating to external reality. It contrasts with neurotic which describes people who are less seriously mentally ill and are still able to distinguish what is real from what is not.
Disturbed mentally ill, especially because of very unhappy or shocking experiences: He works with emotionally disturbed children.
Unstable having emotions and behaviour that are likely to change suddenly and unexpectedly.
PATTERNS
*neurotic/psychotic/disturbed/unstable behaviour
*neurotic/psychotic illnesses/disorders/symptoms/patients
*seriously mentally ill/neurotic/psychotic/disturbed
*emotionally/mentally disturbed/unstable
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Top Tips Abz Ingles - Notes on usage - Synonyms
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