Remission
also known as Full remission, partial remission
Medically reviewed by the Shrinkopedia editorial team, led by Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, FAPA.
1 min read · 144 words
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Remission is the absence of the illness's active symptoms, or their reduction below the threshold used to define the illness. It's not the same as cure. In depression, remission is typically defined as a PHQ-9 score below 5 for at least 8 weeks. In bipolar disorder it means no active mood episode. Remission is the target of most psychiatric treatment; partial remission (better but still symptomatic) predicts worse long-term outcomes than full remission.
Where this term appears in Shrinkopedia
- The MDD entry discusses partial vs full remission and why the distinction predicts relapse risk.
- The treatment-resistant depression cluster covers the goal of achieving remission after inadequate response to first-line treatment.
- The schizophrenia entry covers residual symptoms during remission.
For the plain-language definition of the word itself, see remission on Shrinktionary, the network's canonical language layer.
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Remission. Shrinkopedia, medically reviewed by Shariq Refai, MD, MBA. https://shrinkopedia.com/terms/remission/- APA
Shrinkopedia. (2026, July 11). Remission. Medically reviewed by Shariq Refai, MD, MBA. https://shrinkopedia.com/terms/remission/- MLA
"Remission." Shrinkopedia, 11 July 2026, https://shrinkopedia.com/terms/remission/.
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