Psychotherapy, Biomedical Treatments, and Mental Health History

What is the historical view of mental hospitals in the 18th century?

Visitors paid to observe patients as if they were zoo animals.

Who were Philippe Pinel and Dorothea Dix?

Reformers who advocated for humane treatment of the mentally ill and the construction of psychiatric hospitals.

What has deinstitutionalization contributed to?

Increased homelessness and incarceration of individuals with mental illness.

What percentage of Americans receive mental health therapy annually?

One in five Americans.

What are the two main types of therapy?

Psychotherapy and biomedical therapy.

What does psychotherapy involve?

Psychological techniques used by trained therapists to assist individuals in overcoming difficulties or achieving personal growth.

What is biomedical therapy?

Prescribed medications or procedures that act directly on a person's physiology.

What is the primary goal of psychoanalysis?

To bring repressed feelings into conscious awareness and resolve id-ego-superego conflicts.

What does psychodynamic therapy focus on?

Understanding current symptoms and exploring defended-against thoughts and feelings.

What is unconditional positive regard according to Carl Rogers?

A caring, accepting, and non-judgmental attitude that helps clients develop self-awareness and self-acceptance.

What are the three main themes of humanistic therapies?

Growth, the present, and the conscious mind.

What is person-centered therapy?

A humanistic therapy where the client directs the discussion and the therapist uses active listening in an accepting environment.

What is active listening?

Empathic listening where the listener echoes, restates, and seeks clarification of what the person expresses.

What is behavior therapy?

A therapy that uses learning principles to reduce unwanted behaviors and increase desirable ones.

What is counterconditioning?

A technique that pairs a trigger stimulus with a new response that is incompatible with fear.

What is systematic desensitization?

A method that associates a pleasant, relaxed state with gradually increasing anxiety-triggering stimuli.

What is virtual reality exposure therapy?

A treatment that uses simulations to help people safely face their greatest fears.

What is aversive conditioning?

A technique that creates a negative response to a harmful stimulus to help individuals learn what to avoid.

What is operant conditioning therapy?

A therapy where consequences drive behavior, influencing voluntary behaviors.

What is behavior modification?

A technique where desired behaviors are reinforced while undesired behaviors are not reinforced or punished.

What is a token economy?

A system where individuals earn tokens for exhibiting desired behaviors, which can be exchanged for privileges or treats.

What do cognitive therapies aim to teach?

New, more adaptive ways of thinking.

What is Aaron Beck's cognitive therapy focused on?

Revealing irrational thinking and persuading individuals to change their negative perceptions.

What is catastrophizing in cognitive therapy?

A cognitive distortion where individuals expect the worst possible outcome.

What is stress inoculation training?

A cognitive therapy technique that prepares individuals to handle stress by changing their thought patterns.

What is the role of cognitive therapy in treating depression?

To correct negative thinking patterns and alleviate psychological stress.

What is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?

An integrative therapy that combines cognitive therapy with behavior therapy to change self-defeating thinking and behavior.

What are the aims of CBT?

To alter the way people think and act, helping them make more realistic appraisals.

Name one 'third-wave' variation of CBT.

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), mindfulness meditation, or acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).

What common problem do anxiety, depressive, and bipolar disorders share?

Unhealthy emotion regulation.

What does an effective CBT program train people to do?

Replace catastrophizing thinking with more realistic appraisals and practice incompatible behaviors.

What is group therapy?

Therapy conducted with groups rather than individuals, providing benefits from group interaction.

List one benefit of group therapy.

Saves therapists' time and clients' money.

What does family therapy treat?

It treats the family as a system and views an individual's unwanted behaviors as influenced by other family members.

What is the goal of family-focused treatments?

To build healthier and more supportive family interactions.

What is the focus of couples therapy?

How romantic partners' ways of relating to each other create problems and how they might change their interactions.

What is a self-help group?

A group where individuals share mutual emotional support, often focusing on stigmatized problems.

What is psychodynamic therapy primarily used for?

To treat depression and anxiety.

What is the role of confirmation bias in evaluating psychotherapies?

It is the tendency to search for information that supports preconceptions while ignoring contradictory evidence.

Which therapies are effective for anxiety and panic disorders?

Cognitive and cognitive-behavioral therapies.

What are common symptoms that may lead someone to seek psychotherapy?

Feelings of hopelessness, self-destructive behavior, disruptive fears, and thoughts of suicide.

What should you consider when finding the right psychotherapist?

Comfort with the therapist, their treatment approach, values, credentials, and fees.

What ethical principles should therapists follow?

Seek to benefit clients, establish trust, be honest, promote justice, and respect dignity and privacy.

What is psychopharmacology?

The study of drug effects on mind and behavior.

What are the most widely used biomedical treatments?

Drug therapies, including antipsychotic, antianxiety, antidepressant, psychedelic, and mood-stabilizing medications.

What is the placebo effect?

A phenomenon where patients experience improvements in their condition due to their expectations rather than the treatment itself.

What is the purpose of double-blind procedures in drug research?

To evaluate drug effectiveness without bias from participants or researchers.

What is one challenge faced by individuals released from psychiatric hospitals?

Experiencing homelessness instead of liberation.

What is the goal of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)?

To help individuals accept their thoughts and feelings rather than fighting or feeling guilty for them.

What is the benefit of feedback in group therapy?

It helps clients try out new ways of behaving and understand their feelings around others.

How does family therapy improve communication?

By helping family members identify their roles and discover new ways to prevent or resolve conflicts.

What is the significance of emotional intimacy in couples therapy?

It often leads to increased relationship satisfaction and healthy communication.

What neurotransmitters do antipsychotic drugs mimic?

They mimic neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin.

What is the primary use of Thorazine?

It is used to help people with schizophrenia experiencing auditory hallucinations and paranoia.

Name two second-generation antipsychotic drugs.

Clozapine (Clozaril) and olanzapine (Zyprexa).

What are some side effects of antipsychotic drugs?

Sluggishness, tremors, twitches, and tardive dyskinesia.

What is the main action of antianxiety drugs?

They depress central nervous system (CNS) activity.

List two examples of antianxiety drugs.

Xanax and Klonopin.

What disorders are antianxiety drugs commonly used to treat?

Anxiety disorders, agitation, PTSD, and OCD.

What is a potential risk of using antianxiety drugs?

They can be addictive and may lead to withdrawal symptoms.

How do antidepressants generally work?

They increase the availability of norepinephrine or serotonin.

What is the typical time frame for antidepressants to show full psychological effects?

About 4 weeks.

What are SSRIs?

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors that block the reuptake of serotonin.

What is norepinephrine's role as a neurotransmitter?

It regulates attention and arousal, helping to keep you alert.

What are some negative side effects of antidepressant drugs?

Increased appetite, nausea, fatigue, and reduced sex drive.

What is the purpose of mood-stabilizing medications?

To control manic episodes associated with bipolar disorder.

What is ECT and its primary use?

Electroconvulsive therapy is used for severe and treatment-resistant depression.

What is a significant benefit of ECT?

It can alleviate suicidal thoughts and is often life-saving.

What is the role of community psychologists in mental health?

They focus on creating supportive environments to enhance psychological health.

What is resilience in the context of mental health?

Personal strength that helps individuals cope with stress and recover from adversity.

What are psychedelic drugs used for?

To treat depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, PTSD, and substance use disorders.

Name one psychedelic drug mentioned in the notes.

Ketamine.

What is the effect of aerobic exercise on mental health?

It can aid mental health and boost drug-aided relief from depression.

What is neurogenesis?

The birth of new brain cells, potentially reversing stress-induced neuron loss.

What are the effects of SNRIs?

They block the reuptake of both serotonin and norepinephrine, improving mood and energy.

What is the primary goal of preventive mental health programs?

To prevent psychological disorders by changing oppressive environments.

What is the relationship between lithium and bipolar disorder?

Lithium helps level emotional highs and lows and reduces suicide risk.

How does blocking reuptake of neurotransmitters affect mood?

It keeps more neurotransmitters available, stabilizing mood and anxiety.

What is the significance of serotonin in antidepressant action?

Increased serotonin promotes neural changes that elevate mood.

What is a common misconception about antidepressants?

That they resolve underlying problems rather than just alleviating symptoms.