psych-, psycho-, -psyche, -psychic, -psychical, -psychically

(Greek: mind, spirit, consciousness; mental processes; the human soul; breath of life; literally, "that which breathes" or "breathing")

A prefix that is normally used with elements of Greek origin, psych- affects the meanings of hundreds of words.

Etymologically, this element includes such meanings as, breath, to breathe, life, soul, spirit, mind, consciousness.

psychonosology
The classification of mental illnesses and behavioral disorders.
psychonoxious
1. Having an unfavorable effect on the emotional life and reactions mediated by higher levels of the central nervous system; may be endogenous or exogenous.
2. Denoting people or situations that elicit fear, pain, anxiety, or anger in an individual.
psycho-oncology
The psychological aspects of the treatment and management of a patient with cancer; it combines elements of psychiatry, psychology, and medicine with special concern for the psychosocial needs of the patient and his/her family.
psycho-optic, psychoptic
Producing a vision of the mind or soul.
psycho-osmic, psychoosmic
A reference to the mental perception of smelling.
psychoparesis
Mental debility.
psychopath (s) (noun), psychopaths (pl)
1. A person affected with an antisocial (psychopathic) personality disorder; a mental disease: A psychopath can be characterized with lying, manipulating, exploiting, arrogance, sexual promiscuity, callousness, and a lack of remorse, among various other characteristics.
2. An individual diagnosed with a mentally disordered or abnormal personality: A psychopath has an antisocial type of personality disorder, which is also known as "anethopath" or "sociopath".
psychopathia martialis
A seldom used term for shell shock.
psychopathic (adjective)
1. Concerning or characterized by a mental disorder: "A pschopathic person has a personality disorder whose characteristic behavior is antisocial, unconventional, or even criminal."
2. A reference to the treatment of abnormal mental condition: "Alvin was being treated for his psychopathic disorder."
psychopathist
An obsolete term for a psychiatrist.
psychopathologist (s) (noun), psychopathologists (pl)
Someone who specializes in mental and behavioural disorders: Mr. Smart, Mary's father, was a psychopathologist who studied and did research of the origins, the processes of development, and the identification of mental disorders, including possible cures and treatments.
psychopathology (s) (noun), psychopathologies (pl)
The branch of medicine which deals with the causes and nature of mental illnesses: Psychopathology includes the research into the causes and development of psychiatric disorders, as well as abnormal and maladaptive behavior or mental activity.
psychopathy (s) (noun), psychopathies (pl)
A reference to a pattern of antisocial, manipulative, or violent behavior: James had a serious personality disorder known as psychopathy with such symptoms as having a lack of remorse for his criminal actions.
psychopharmaceuticals
Medical drugs that are used in the treatment of emotional disorders.
psychopharmacology
1. The use of medical drugs to treat mental and psychological disorders.
2. The science of drug-behavior relationships; which is also known by some specialists as neuropsychopharmacology.
3. The study of drugs that affect mental and behavioral activity; such as, psycholeptic agents.
4. The study of the action of drugs on psychological functions and mental states.
5. The use of drugs to modify psychological functions and mental states.

Inter-related cross references, directly or indirectly, involving the "mind, mental" word units: anima-; anxi-; deliri-; hallucina-; menti-; moro-; noo-; nous; phreno-; thymo-2.

Word units related to breath and breathe: hal-; pneo-; pneumato-; pneumo-; spiro.