Unit 5: Modes of Therapy, Biological Therapies

group therapy

clients meet together with a therapist as an interactive group

biological therapies

medical approaches to behavioral problems, typically used in conjunction with another form of treatment

psychopharmacology

the treatment of psychological and behavioral maladaptions with drugs

psychotropic drugs

divided into three broad classes: antipsychotics, antidepressants, and antianxiety drugs

antipsychotics

reduce the symptoms of schizophrenia by blocking the neural receptors for dopamine

antidepressants

grouped into three types: monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO), tricyclics, and selective reuptake inhibitors

MAO inhibitors

increase the amount of serotonin and norepinephrine in the synaptic cleft by blocking monoamine oxidase, effective but toxic, requires dietary modifications, ex. Eutron

tricyclics

increase the amount of serotonin and norepinephrine

selective reuptake inhibitors / SSRIs

increase the amount of neurotransmitter at the synaptic cleft by blocking the reuptake mechanism, few side effects, most frequently prescribed in US, ex Prozac (Fluoxetine), Effexor, Cymbalta, Wellbutrin

antianxiety drugs

depress the central nervous system and reduce anxiety while increasing feelings of well-being and reducing insomnia, ex Xanax

benzodiazepines

cause muscle relaxation and feelings of tranquility, Valium and Librium

tardive dyskinesia

a movement disorder related to the regulation of dopamine

electroconvulsive therapy / ECT

form of treatment in which high voltages of electricity are passed across a patient’s head, causes temporary amnesia and can result in seizures

transcranial magnetic stimulation / TMS

treatment using a magnet to stimulate nerve cells, effective in cases of treatment-resistant depression