Treatment of Disorders

What are the two main categories of psychological treatments?

Biological treatments and psychological treatments.

What are biological treatments?

Treatments that act on the body, such as medications, injections, and neural stimulation.

What are psychological treatments?

Treatments involving therapist-client interaction aimed at changing thoughts, emotions, or behaviors.

Why is the biological vs psychological distinction considered shallow?

Because both ultimately affect the brain and neural processes.

What are transdiagnostic factors?

Common underlying factors that contribute to multiple psychological disorders.

Why are disorder boundaries unclear?

Because disorders overlap, co-occur (comorbidity), and share underlying causes.

What are risk factors for psychological disorders?

Environment, society, relationships, thoughts, behaviors, and brain/body factors.

What are SSRIs?

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, a common class of antidepressant medications.

How effective are SSRIs compared to placebo?

Most benefits (70–80%) are due to placebo, ~15% true drug effect, ~10% regression to the mean.

When are SSRIs most effective?

In cases of severe depression and at higher doses.

What are common side effects of SSRIs?

Cardiovascular issues, emotional numbing, metabolic changes, and sexual dysfunction.

What is the placebo effect in treatment?

Improvement due to expectations and belief in treatment rather than active ingredients.

Why are placebos considered “real medicine”?

Because they can produce real psychological and physiological improvements.

What role do clinicians play in placebo effects?

Listening, caring, and building expectations contribute to treatment effectiveness.

What is an open-label placebo?

A placebo given without deception where patients know it is a placebo.

Do open-label placebos work?

Yes, they can still produce significant improvements.

What are key points when explaining placebos to patients?

Placebos are powerful, may work via conditioning, require openness, and must be taken consistently.

What is neural stimulation?

A biological treatment involving direct stimulation of brain areas.

What is deep brain stimulation (DBS)?

A procedure that implants electrodes in the brain to treat severe disorders like depression or Parkinson’s.

When is DBS used?

For severe, treatment-resistant depression.

What are risks of DBS?

It is invasive and potentially dangerous.

What is psychodynamic therapy?

A therapy focused on uncovering unconscious drives and conflicts.

What techniques are used in psychodynamic therapy?

Free association and dream analysis.

What is the goal of psychodynamic therapy?

To gain insight into unconscious processes and regain control.

What is humanistic therapy?

A therapy focused on personal growth and self-understanding.

What are techniques used in humanistic therapy?

Reflective listening and motivational interviewing.

What is the goal of humanistic therapy?

To treat the whole person and promote self-growth.

What is the basis of cognitive and behavioral therapies?

That behavior is learned and can be unlearned.

What is cognitive restructuring?

Identifying and replacing maladaptive thoughts with more realistic ones.

What is exposure therapy?

Repeated exposure to anxiety-provoking stimuli to reduce fear.

What is CBT?

Cognitive-behavioral therapy combining cognitive and behavioral techniques.

How effective is CBT compared to medication?

It has similar effectiveness to antidepressants.

What is often the most effective treatment approach?

A combination of medication and therapy.

How does exercise help with depression?

It increases neurochemicals, promotes neurogenesis, and improves brain structure and memory.

What brain area benefits from exercise?

The hippocampus increases in volume.

Why must treatments be scientifically tested?

To ensure they are effective and not harmful.

What is an example of a harmful treatment?

Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD).

Why is CISD harmful?

It can worsen trauma symptoms by forcing immediate processing.

What is another ineffective intervention example?

Scare programs for teens, which can increase risky behavior.

Why did programs like DARE fail?

They unintentionally normalized drug use.

Why is hypnosis for memory recovery problematic?

It can create false memories.

What is regression to the mean?

The tendency for extreme states to return to average over time.

How does regression to the mean affect therapy outcomes?

People improve naturally after crises, regardless of treatment.

Why do people often improve after starting therapy?

Because they begin treatment at peak distress and naturally recover over time.

Why are control groups important in treatment studies?

To determine whether improvement is due to treatment or natural recovery.

What is the role of placebo in treatment studies?

It serves as a control condition to isolate true treatment effects.

What is a key takeaway about SSRIs?

Most benefits are due to placebo, but they still improve outcomes compared to no treatment.

What percentage of people benefit beyond placebo with SSRIs?

About 15%.

What are the main focuses of different therapies?

Psychodynamic: unconscious drives; CBT: thoughts and behaviors.

What must all treatments demonstrate?

Efficacy and safety through proper testing.

Why must regression to the mean be considered?

To avoid falsely attributing natural improvement to treatment.