German Mental Health Vocabulary | Vocabulary List

German Mental Health Vocabulary

Last Updated: 02.08.2025
This article is part of our German vocabulary series. Also make sure to check out our A1 / A2 online German lessons and our German reading material.

This guide explains the most important German mental health terms in plain language. We include practical words, phrases, and examples so you can understand others and express yourself in sensitive situations.

General Mental Health Terms

These are the basic words you’ll come across in conversations, doctor’s visits, or when reading about mental health.

die psychische Gesundheit
mental health
die Belastung
stress / strain
die Depression
depression
die Angststörung
anxiety disorder
die Panikattacke
panic attack
die Therapie
therapy

Useful Mental Health Phrases

These next phrases can help you describe mood, emotional states or feelings:

Ich fühle mich oft überfordert.

I often feel overwhelmed.
Ich habe Probleme mit dem Einschlafen.

I have trouble falling asleep.
Ich habe in letzter Zeit viel Stress.

I've had a lot of stress lately.
Ich bin oft traurig, ohne genau zu wissen warum.

I'm often sad without knowing exactly why.

Mood, Emotions, States of Mind

These words are useful for describing mood, energy, and mental condition.

die Stimmung
mood
die Traurigkeit
sadness
die Antriebslosigkeit
lack of motivation / drive
die Erschöpfung
exhaustion
die Unruhe
restlessness / nervousness
die Gereiztheit
irritability

Getting Help

Knowing how to ask for help and talk about treatment options is very important. Here are words and phrases that come up in therapy, counseling, or medical appointments.

der Psychologe / die Psychologin
psychologist (m/f)
der Psychiater / die Psychiaterin
psychiatrist (m/f)
die Psychotherapie
psychotherapy
die Gesprächstherapie
talk therapy
die Verhaltenstherapie
cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
das Erstgespräch
initial consultation

Here are some example of how to use these words in a sentence:

Ich bin in therapeutischer Behandlung.

I'm receiving therapy.
Ich habe bald ein Erstgespräch bei einem Psychologen.

I have an initial consultation with a psychologist soon.
Die Therapie hilft mir, besser mit Stress umzugehen.

Therapy helps me cope better with stress.

Final Thoughts

In German, as in English, it's important to talk about mental health respectfully.

Mental health vocabulary in German is used in both medical and everyday language. Learning to express your feelings clearly is a valuable skill.

99 German Idioms

Download our free PDF: 99 German words & idioms. Each expression comes with a German example sentence, a translation & useful vocabulary.

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