Ch 16 Therapy and Treatment

Psychology

History of Treatments and Therapy

For much of history, people with mental illness have been treated very poorly. It was believed that mental illness was caused by demonic possession, witchcraft, or an angry god. From the late 1400s to the late 1600s, a common belief perpetuated by some religious organizations was that some people made pacts with the devil and committed horrible acts, such as eating babies

Asylums

institution created for the specific purpose of housing people with psychological disorders. The first asylums back in the 18th century were bad. People were kept in windowless dungeons, beaten, chained to their beds and had little contact with caregivers.

Philippe Pinel

French physician who argued for more human treatment of people with mental illness. He suggested that they be unchained and talked to.

Dorothea Dix

A reformer and pioneer in the movement to treat the insane as mentally ill, beginning in the 1820's, she was responsible for improving conditions in jails, poorhouses and insane asylums throughout the U.S. and Canada. She succeeded in persuading many states to assume responsibility for the care of the mentally ill. She served as the Superintendant of Nurses for the Union Army during the Civil War.

Involuntary Treatment

therapy that is mandated by the courts or other systems

Voluntary Treatment

therapy that a person chooses to attend in order to obtain relief from her symptoms

Types of Therapy

Psychoanalysis, free association, dream analysis, transference, play therapy, behavioral therapy, counter conditioning, aversive conditioning, exposure therapy, systematic desensitization.

psychoanalysis

therapeutic orientation developed by Sigmund Freud that employs free association, dream analysis, and transference to uncover repressed feelings

systematic desensitization

A type of exposure therapy that associates a pleasant relaxed state with gradually increasing anxiety-triggering stimuli. Commonly used to treat phobias.

free association

technique in psychoanalysis in which the patient says whatever comes to mind at the moment

dream analysis

technique in psychoanalysis in which patients recall their dreams and the psychoanalyst interprets them to reveal unconscious desires or struggles

transference

process in psychoanalysis in which the patient transfers all of the positive or negative emotions associated with the patient's other relationships to the psychoanalyst

behavioral therapy

Uses conditioning to shape a client's behaviors in the desired direction. Commonly used to desensitize anxiety patients to phobias or anxiety-provoking stimuli

play therapy

therapeutic process, often used with children, that employs toys to help them resolve psychological problems

counter conditioning

classical conditioning therapeutic technique in which a client learns a new response to a stimulus that has previously elicited an undesirable behavior

aversive conditioning

counterconditioning technique that pairs an unpleasant stimulant with an undesirable behavior. Therapists apply this technique to eliminate addictive behaviors, such as smoking, nail biting, and drinking.

exposure therapy

counterconditioning technique in which a therapist seeks to treat a client's fear or anxiety by presenting the feared object or situation with the idea that the person will eventually get used to it.

cognitive therapy

form of psychotherapy that focuses on how a person's thoughts lead to feelings of distress, with the aim of helping them change these irrational thoughts

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

form of psychotherapy that aims to change cognitive distortions and self defeating behaviors

humanistic therapy

Focuses on removing obstacles that block personal growth and potential. therapeutic orientation aimed at helping people become more self-aware and accepting of themselves

Client centered therapy (Rogerian)

non-directive form of humanistic psychotherapy developed by Carl Rogers that emphasizes unconditional positive regard and self-acceptance

unconditional positive regard

fundamental acceptance of a person regardless of what they say or do; term associated with humanistic psychology

nondirective therapy

therapeutic approach in which the therapist does not give advice or provide interpretations but helps the person identify conflicts and understand feelings

Biomedical treatment

treatment that involves medication and/or medical procedures to treat psychological disorders

Antipsychotics

a class of psychotropic medications used for the treatment of schizophrenia and other disorders that involve psychosis. Block the neurotransmitter dopamine. Some side effects: tardive dyskinesia

anti-anxiety

Depresses central nervous system activity. Ex: Xanax, Valium. Side effects: drowsiness, dizziness, headache, fatigue.

anti-depressants

alter levels of serotonin and norepinephrine. Ex: Prozac, Zoloft. Side effects: headache, nausea, weight gain, reduced sex drive, dry mouth, constipation, drowsiness

mood stabilizers

drugs used to control mood swings in patients with bipolar mood disorders. Ex: Lithium, Depakote, Lamictal. Side effects: excessive thirst, irregular heartbeat, itching/rash, swelling and nausea.

stimulants

Drugs that excite neural activity, improves ability to focus on a task and maintain attention. Used on ppl diagnosed with ADHD. Ex: Adderall, Ritalin. Side effects: decreased appetite, difficulty sleeping

ECT

electroconvulsive therapy- It involves using an electrical current to induce seizures to help alleviate the effects of severe depression.

Individual Counseling

the client and clinician meet one-on-one (usually from 45 minutes to 1 hour). These meetings typically occur weekly or every other week, and sessions are conducted in a confidential and caring environment.

Group Counseling

treatment modality in which 5-10 people with the same issue or concern meet together with a trained clinician

Family Counseling

therapy to restore healthy relationships in a family

Couples Counseling

a therapeutic approach that brings both members of a committed relationship together to work with a counselor.