Depression Glossary

Relapse: the return of symptoms after a relatively brief period of time.

Relaxation Technique: any psychological or physical exercise engaged in to produce a feeling of relaxation including breathing exercises, meditation, and yoga.

REM: rapid eye movement during sleep

Remission: apparent complete recovery that may or may not be permanent or enduring.

Resilience: the ability to overcome challenges, obstacles and threats.

Reticular Activating System (RAS): the system of nerve fibres that go from the reticular formation at the base of the brain throughout the higher brain centers that are involved in general arousal.

Reticular Formation: a portion of the brain stem that plays an important role in general arousal and attention.

Ramped Dosage: a term used to describe a gradual increase in the dose of a medication (titration up). Generally speaking when physicians prescribe medications for anxiety and depression they gradually increase the dose over a number of weeks so that they can 1) treat the problem with the most effective minimum dose and 2) watch carefully for the emergence of side-effects.

Rapid Cycling: a pattern of bipolar symptoms that includes at least four manic or depressive episodes per year.

Respiratory Disease: a disease of the lungs (such as asthma) that may result in symptoms similar to anxiety.

Rigidity: the tendency to cope the same way, despite the problems that result from that coping style, usually associated with a failure to see problems with the coping style and difficulties in trying new behavior.