Aim. To analyse the recipients' and staff opinions from the mental health and social care services on preferred terms describing people with mental disorders. Method. In 2008 and 2010, 634 recipients and 397 providers from Warsaw mental health and social care services, answered survey on preferred terms describing people with mental disorders anonymously. Results. The term patient was the most preferred one, as well as by the recipients (76.2%), as the providers (87.7%) of the services. The second choice among the recipients of the services, however much less preferred, was the term person using mental health services (25.1%), among the providers person with mental disorders (25.9%). With similar frequency the recipients indicated the term person receiving psychiatric treatment (22.4%) and person with mental disorders (22.1%);the staff person with mental problems (23.2%). The terms: user (3.9% recipients, 2.0% providers), beneficiary (respectively 5.2%, 2.0%), client (7.4%, 6.8%) were the less preferred ones. The recipients from out-patient clinics and community based facilities as well as from the nursing home, occupational therapy workshop and home care services also favoured the term patient (71.1%, 77.8%, 63.9%, 68.3% respectively). In spite of staff profession and number of years spent working in mental health or social care services the term patient was the most preferred one. The providers from nursing home preferred the term person mentally ill (nearly 61%) and person with mental disorders (57%). Conclusions. The term patient was the most preferred one in the group of recipients and service providers. The form of services provided did not differentiate the recipients' opinion in regards preferred terms. Profession and number of years spent working in mental health or social care services did not differentiate the providers' opinion in regards preferred terms. The providers from nursing home indicated the term person mentally ill and person with mental disorders the most frequently. Further dialogue on the preferred terms is needed, since they might empower or stigmatise.