Unveiling the Leading Mental Health Phrases of 2021 on Our Platform
Rising Usage of Mental Health Terms Reflects Growing Acceptance and Concern
A new analysis of mental health terminology usage has revealed a significant increase in the use of such terms over the past five years, indicating a growing acceptance and interest in discussions surrounding mental health.
According to the study, conducted by a prominent platform, the use of mental health terms has seen a 140% increase from 2016 to 2021. Among the terms with the highest growth are "body dysmorphia" (231% increase), "love-bombing" (920% increase), and "trauma-bonding" (730% increase).
Brittany Morris, MSW and LCSW from the platform in Chesapeake, VA, emphasizes the importance of understanding the implications of this growing acceptance. "While influencers or self-care pages can be informative, they are not replacements for talking with a mental health professional," she cautions.
Morris also warns about the dangers of misinformation, especially when it comes to the broader usage of mental health terminology. Treatment for mental health issues should be personalized based on the person's abilities, past, and support, she says, and misdiagnoses can occur when people seek answers from sources like Google or TikTok.
The term "gaslighting" experienced a 1020% increase in usage from 2016 to 2021, while "codependency" saw a 201% increase. The surge in usage of mental health terms signifies a growing awareness and understanding of these issues.
The use of the term "therapist" grew by 205% in the past five years, reflecting a growing demand for mental health services. The term "self-care" increased by 494% in usage over the last five years, indicating a greater focus on personal well-being and mental health.
The results of the study indicate an increase in public interest towards mental health topics, specifically related to relationships, therapy, self-care, and stress. The term "burnout" grew by 272% in overall mentions, reflecting the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health.
A recent study conducted by Indeed found that more than half (52%) of survey respondents were experiencing burnout in 2021. This highlights the importance of addressing mental health issues and providing appropriate resources to those in need.
Regarding the top 10 most used mental health terms in 2021, the study did not provide specific ranking data. However, it is inferred that common terms include depression, anxiety, psychosis, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), substance use disorder, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicide, and meta-analysis (as a research method-related term).
The current state of mental health terminology usage shows a strong prevalence of terms related to major psychiatric disorders and their research focus, with notable growth and shifts over the past five years influenced by factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
From research trends between 2015 and 2025 in OCD molecular research — a proxy for broader mental health term usage growth — we see that terms like “metaanalysis” and “schizophrenia” remained highly prevalent from 2020 to 2025, highlighting the rising importance of integrated research methodologies and connections between OCD and other psychiatric disorders. Post-pandemic, terms like “basal ganglia” have increased in prevalence, pointing to a growing interest in specific brain regions relevant to mental health conditions.
The mental health sector is growing rapidly, with the industry size in the U.S. increasing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of about 5.9% between 2020 and 2025, driven by higher demand for treatment services linked to increased prevalence and awareness of mental health conditions.
Equipping people with the language to understand their feelings can reduce feelings of isolation and empower them to seek professional help, as suggested by Morris. The growing usage of mental health terms signifies a positive step towards increased understanding and acceptance of mental health issues.
[1] Source: PubMed Central [2] Source: National Institute of Mental Health [3] Source: World Health Organization [5] Source: Grand View Research Inc.
- The increased usage of mental health terms, such as "anxiety" and "depression," suggests a growing interest in health-and-wellness, particularly mental health, mirroring the findings from a study by the National Institute of Mental Health.
- As the mental health sector expands, with the industry size in the US growing at a CAGR of approximately 5.9% between 2020 and 2025 (according to Grand View Research Inc.), there is a growing need for scientific understanding and research on mental health disorders, like OCD, which has been demonstrated by the prevalence of terms like "metaanalysis" and "schizophrenia" in recent research trends.
