unit 8: types of therapy and treatment

interpersonal psychotherapy

treats depression; focuses on symptom relief here and now, not overall personality change

person centered therapy (humanistic)

therapist listens to needs in non-judgmental way, addresses problems in productive way and builds self esteem

behavior therapy

don’t delve deeply below the surface for causes; eliminates unwanted behaviors

Counterconditioning

A procedure that conditions new responses to stimuli that trigger unwanted behaviors; based on classical conditioning, including exposure therapy and aversive conditioning

Exposure Therapy

Exposes patients to things they fear and avoid. Through repeated exposures anxiety lessens, because they habituate to the things feared; also called flooding

systematic Desensitization

Type of exposure therapy that associates a pleasant, relaxed state with gradually increasing anxiety-triggering stimuli commonly used to treat phobias; Joseph Wolpe

Aversive Conditioning

Type of counterconditioning that associates an unpleasant state with an unwanted behavior. Temporary conditioned aversion to alcohol has been reported ; ex: negative stimuli to smoking cigs

Token Economy

A patient exchanges a token of some sort, earned for exhibiting desired behavior, for various privileges or treats

Cognitive Therapy

Teaches people adaptive ways of thinking and acting based on the assumption that thoughts intervene between events; controls thoughts and self talk; allows for emotional and behavioral change to take place; fixing internal beliefs

rational emotive behavior therapy

Believes that most problems come from irrational thought. Therapy involves showing the patient their distorted thinking so they can eliminate it

cognitive behavioral therapy

aims to alter how people act and the way they think

group therapy

Normally consists of 6-9 people and 90 minute session which can help more people and cost less. Clients benefit from knowing others have similar problems

family therapy

guides family members towards positive relationships and improved communication

antipsychotic drugs

treats schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depresssion

most block dopamine receptors

antimanic drugs

treats bipolar disorder

stabilizes mood by controlling symptoms of abnormal psychological state of excitement

downfall: lithium is powerful and can reach toxic

antidepressant drugs

treats depression, social anxiety, anxiety

SSRIs inhibit reuptake of serotonin (more serotonin is available to pass further messages between nearby nerve cells); SNRIs inhibit serotonin and norepinephrine

antianxiety drugs

reduces intensity of responses to stimuli (that signal frustration)

electroconvulsive therapy

treats depression, bipolar disorder

electrical current through two electrodes placed on scalp - seems to reset the “hypothalamus” (readjusts hormone levels)

lobotomy

severs nerves between frontal lobe and centers of inner brain structures to treat mental illness