AP Psychology- Unit 10: Treatment of Psychological Disorders

4/28 - 4/29}

Psychotherapy

A treatment involving psychological techniques to help people overcome mental health issues or emotional problems.

(In other words} Talking to a therapist to deal with feelings or problems.

Example: A person goes to therapy to work through their anxiety about public speaking.

Biomedical Therapy

Treatment that uses medications or medical procedures to treat psychological disorders.

(In other words} Using medicine or other medical treatments to help with mental health problems.

Example: A doctor prescribes SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) to treat someone’s severe anxiety.

Eclectic Approach

A therapy approach that combines different types of therapy techniques.

(In other words} Using different methods to help solve a problem in therapy.

Example: A therapist uses both cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy techniques depending on the client’s needs.

Psychoanalysis

A therapeutic method that aims to treat mental disorders by exploring the unconscious mind.

(In other words} A way to understand and fix emotional problems by talking about feelings and thoughts.

Example: A person talks about their dreams and past experiences to understand why they have certain fears.

Insight Therapy

A therapy that helps individuals gain an understanding of their thoughts and emotions to improve their mental health.

(In other words} Therapy that helps someone understand why they feel or think the way they do.

Example: A person discovers that their anxiety stems from childhood experiences and learns to address it.

Client-centered Therapy

A therapy developed by Carl Rogers that emphasizes providing a supportive environment for clients to explore their feelings and self-concept.

(In other words} A therapy where the therapist listens and supports the client without judging them.

Example: A client talks about their issues, and the therapist reflects back what the client says, showing understanding.

Active Listening

A communication technique where the listener fully concentrates, understands, and responds to the speaker’s message.

(In other words} Listening carefully to someone, making sure you understand them, and responding appropriately.

Example: In therapy, a therapist nods and asks clarifying questions to show they understand the client’s concerns.

Behavior Therapy

A treatment that focuses on changing undesirable behaviors through reinforcement or punishment.

(In other words} Therapy that helps change bad habits or behaviors.

Example: A child gets rewarded for completing homework on time, encouraging them to continue the behavior.

Exposure Therapies

A type of therapy where a person is gradually exposed to the thing they fear in a controlled way to reduce their anxiety.

(In other words} Therapy that slowly introduces a feared object or situation to help reduce fear.

Example: A person with a fear of dogs is gradually exposed to dogs in a safe environment.

Systemic Desensitization

A type of exposure therapy where a person is taught relaxation techniques and then gradually exposed to anxiety-provoking stimuli.

(In other words} A method where you relax while facing your fear step by step.

Example: A person with a fear of flying practices relaxation while imagining being on a plane.

Aversive Conditioning

A type of behavior therapy where an unpleasant stimulus is paired with a behavior to reduce that behavior.

(In other words} Using something unpleasant to stop a bad habit or behavior.

Example: A person trying to stop smoking may wear a device that gives them a mild shock every time they smoke.

Token Economy

A behavioral therapy technique where individuals earn tokens for desirable behaviors, which can later be exchanged for rewards.

(In other words} Earning tokens or points for good behavior, which can be traded for prizes.

Example: In a school, students earn tokens for completing their homework, which they can trade for extra recess time.

Cognitive Therapy

A type of therapy that focuses on changing negative thought patterns to improve mood and behavior.

(In other words} Therapy that helps change negative thoughts into more positive ones.

Example: A person learns to challenge their belief that they are worthless and replaces it with a more realistic view.

Rational-emotive behavior Therapy

A type of cognitive therapy that focuses on changing irrational beliefs that cause emotional distress.

(In other words} Therapy that helps you change unrealistic or illogical beliefs that cause problems.

Example: A person believes they must be perfect at everything, and REBT helps them realize this is unrealistic.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

A type of therapy that combines cognitive therapy and behavior therapy to change negative thought patterns and behaviors.

(In other words} Therapy that helps you change both your thinking and behavior to improve mental health.

Example: A person with anxiety learns to challenge irrational thoughts while also engaging in relaxation exercises.

Group Therapy

A form of therapy where a group of people with similar issues meets to share experiences and support each other under the guidance of a therapist.

(In other words} Therapy where a group of people talks about their problems together with a therapist’s help.

Example: A group of individuals with depression meets weekly to share their struggles and coping strategies.

Family Therapy

A therapy that involves family members working together to improve communication and resolve conflicts within the family.

(In other words} Therapy that helps families work through issues and improve their relationships.

Example: A family seeks therapy to address communication problems between parents and their teenage children.

Psychopharmacology

The study of how medications affect the mind and behavior.

(In other words} The study of how drugs impact mental health.

Example: A psychiatrist prescribes antidepressants to treat depression.

Antipsychotic Drugs

Medications used to treat severe mental health disorders like schizophrenia by affecting brain chemicals.

(In other words} Drugs that help manage symptoms of severe mental health disorders.

Example: A person with schizophrenia is prescribed antipsychotic drugs to reduce hallucinations.

Antianxiety Drugs

Medications that reduce anxiety by calming the nervous system.

(In other words} Medications that help reduce feelings of anxiety. 

Example: A doctor prescribes anti anxiety medication to help someone with panic attacks.

Antidepressant Drugs

Medications used to treat depression by affecting neurotransmitters in the brain.

(In other words} Drugs that help improve mood in people with depression.

Example: A person with depression starts taking antidepressant medications to help manage their symptoms.

Electroconvulsive Therapy

A medical treatment for severe mental disorders where small electrical currents are passed through the brain to trigger a brief seizure.

(In other words} A treatment for severe mental health conditions that involves sending electrical currents through the brain.