anti-anxiety drugs
tranquilizing medications used in the treatment of anxiety
antidepressants
drugs that relieve depression by increasing the supply of norepinenphrine, serotonin, or dopamine
antipsychotic drugs
drugs that are used to control the positive symptoms of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders
aversion therapy
a behavioral therapy technique for classically conditioning people to react with aversion to alcohol and other harmful substance
behavioral therapies
techniques used to modify disordered thoughts, feelings, and behaviors through the principles of learning
biofeedback
an operant procedure in which people learn to control physiological responses with the help of "feedback" about their internal states
cognitive therapy
a form of psychotherapy in which people are taught to think in more adaptive ways
electroconvulsive therapy
electric shock treatments that often relieve severe depression by triggering seizures in the brain
family therapy
form of psychological treatment that treats the members of a family as an interactive system
flooding
a behavioral therapy technique in which the patient is saturated with a fear provoking stimulus until the anxiety is extinguished
free association
a basic technique of psychoanalysis in which the patient says whatever comes to mind-freely and w/o censorship
Gestalt therapy
A humanistic form of psychotherapy in which clients are aggressively prompted to express their feelings
group therapy
the simultaneous treatment of several clients in a group setting
lithium
a drug used to control mania and mood swings in people with bipolar disorder
person-centered therapy
a humanistic psychotherapy in which a warm and accepting environment is created to foster self-insight and acceptance
placebo effect
the curative effect of an inactive treatment that results simply from the patient's belief in its therapeutic value
psychopharmacology
the study of the effects of drugs on psychological processes and disorders
psychosurgery
the surgical removal of portions of the brain for the purpose of treating psychological disorders
psychotherapy
a term used to describe any treatment in which a trained professional uses psychological techniques to help someone in need of assistance
rational-emotive-behavior therapy (REBT)
a form of cognitive therapy in which people are confronted with their irrational, maladaptive beliefs
resistance
in psychoanalysis, the tendency for patients to actively block, or "resist" psychologically painful insights
social-skills training
a form of behavioral therapy used to teach interpersonal skills through modeling, rehearsal, and reinforcement
systematic desensitization
a behavioral therapy technique used to treat phobias and other anxiety disorders by pairing gradual exposure to an anxiety-provoking situation with relaxation
token economy
a large scale behavior change program in which the participants earn valuable tokens for engaging in desired target behaviors
transference
in psychoanalysis, the tendency of patients to displace intense feelings for others onto the therapist