Treatment of Psychological Disorders

Psychotherapy

treatment that attacks learning-related disorders, like fears. A trained psychologist uses psych techniques to overcome the disorder.

Biomedical Therapies

treatment involving medication

Insight therapies

therapy that involves verbal interactions intended to enhance clients’ self-knowledge & thus promote healthful changes in personality & behavior

prolonged exposure therapy

therapy that teaches you to gradually approach trauma-related memories, feelings, and situations that you have been avoiding since your trauma.

clinical psychologists

psychologist that emphasizes on treatment of full-fledged disorders

counselling psychologists

psychologists that specialize in the treatment of everyday adjustment problems.

psychiatrists

Physicians who specialize in diagnosis & treatment (usually through medication) of psychological disorders.

lobotomy

a surgical procedure that severs the connections between the frontal lobes of the brain and the rest of the brain; done in an attempt to treat various mental health conditions.

psychoanalytic therapy

therapy that emphasizes the influence of the unconscious mind on behavior

humanistic therapy

therapy that focuses on personal growth and self-actualization, emphasizing the individual's capacity for self-improvement and healing.

transference

unconscious process of strong emotions for loved ones transferring to therapist

hypnosis

procedure that produces a heightened state of suggestibility, thought to ease the grip that repression had on the unconscious and bring some of those issues to consciousness.

free association

patient says the first thing that comes to mind when a therapist says something in order to catch a glimpse into the unconsciousthoughts and feelings.

client-centered therapy

therapy emphasizing the idea that distress comes from a difference between self-concept in reality; get in touch with real self in order to bring relief

active listening

therapists parrot back to the client what they say in order to validate the client’s feelings and help them feel comfortable and heard.

SSRIs

drugs that reduce depression by blocking reuptake and increasing the level of serotonin in the synapses.

antipsychotic drugs

drugs used to gradually reduce psychotic symptoms by cutting the level of dopamine in the brain

behavioral therapy

therapy that focuses on the modification of behaviors in order to treat disorders.

systematic desensitization

a behavioral therapy technique used to help patients overcome phobias and anxiety by gradual exposure to the feared object or situation while employing relaxation techniques.

progressive relaxation

a technique used to help individuals reduce muscle tension and anxiety by systematically tensing and then relaxing parts of the body.

biofeedback

a technique that teaches individuals to control physiological processes by providing real-time data about their body, often used to help manage stress, anxiety, and chronic pain.

aversion therapy

an aversive stimulus is paired with another stimulus that elicits an undesired response in order to reduce a behavior