Untitled Flashcards Set

Psychosurgery

Surgical removal or destruction of brain tissue to treat mental illness.

Example: Prefrontal lobotomy (rarely used now due to severe side effects).

Antipsychotic Medications (Neuroleptics)

Used to treat schizophrenia and severe bipolar disorder by blocking dopamine.

Typical Antipsychotics – Older drugs like Thorazine and Haldol; risk of tardive dyskinesia (involuntary movements).

Antidepressants

Medications that boost serotonin and/or norepinephrine to improve mood.

Used for: Depression, OCD, panic disorder

MAOIs – Stop breakdown of serotonin/norepinephrine (e.g., Nardil).

Tricyclics – Block reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine.

SSRIs – Block only serotonin reuptake (e.g., Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro).

SNRIs – Block serotonin & norepinephrine reuptake (e.g., Effexor, Cymbalta).

Bupropion (Wellbutrin) – Atypical antidepressant that affects dopamine.

Mood Stabilizers

Drugs used to control mood swings in bipolar disorder.

Lithium – Effective but has dangerous side effects.

Anticonvulsants – Originally for seizures; help stabilize mood (e.g., Depakote, Lamictal).

Atypical Antipsychotics – Sometimes used with mood stabilizers (e.g., Zyprexa, Abilify).

Counterconditioning – Teaches a new, positive response to something that used to cause fear or discomfort.

Gestalt Therapy – Encourages people to face past problems and take control of their life now. Therapists are direct and ask challenging questions.