Unit Thirteen: Treatment of Psychological Disorders

Chapter 17: Therapy

Unit Thirteen: Treatment of Psychological Disorders

the treatment of disease or disorders, as by some remedial, rehabilitating or curative process

a curative power or quality

any act, hobby, task, program, etc. that relieves tension

What is therapy?

Treatment then…

Treatment now…

Categories of Mental Health Therapies:

1.psychological- used to treat learned disorders

psychotherapy: emotionally charged, confiding interaction between a trained therapist and someone who suffers from psychological difficulties

2. biomedical- used to treat biologically rooted disorders

biomedical therapy: prescribed medications or medical procedures that act directly on the patient’s nervous system

The Psychological TherapiesPsychoanalysis

according to Freud, the patient‘s free associations, resistances, dreams and transferences—and the therapist’s interpretations of them—release previously repressed feelings, allowing the patient to gain self-insight

therapists try to bring the patient’s repressed feelings to conscious awareness so the patients can “deal” with them

resistance- blocking from consciousness of anxiety-laden material

interpretation- analyst’s noting supposed dream meanings, resistances, and other significant behaviors and events in order to promote insight

transference- patient’s transfer to the analyst of emotions linked with other relationships

Key parts of psychoanalysis:

try to understand current symptoms by focusing on themes across relationships

Today, psychodynamic therapy

has replaced traditional psychoanalysis.

interpersonal psychotherapy

goal is relief of present symptoms

The Psychological TherapiesHumanistic Therapies

client-centered therapy (Carl Rogers)-focuses on the person’s self-perceptions; therapist uses techniques like active listening in an accepting environment

active listening- empathic listening in which the therapist echoes, restates, and clarifies

focuses on self-fulfillment…

The Psychological TherapiesBehavior Therapies

applies learning principles to the elimination of unwanted/troubling behaviors

behavior therapy:

counterconditioning- procedure that conditions new responses to stimuli that trigger unwanted behaviorsexposure therapies: behavioral

techniques (like systematic desensitization) that treat anxieties by exposing people to the things they fear and avoid

systematic desensitizationaversive conditioning: associates an

unpleasant state with an unwanted behavior

Classical Conditioning Techniques

behavior modification: reinforce desired behaviors and withhold reinforcement for undesired behaviors

Criticisms:1. What happens when the

reinforcement stops?2. Is it right for one human to control

another’s behaviors?

Operant Conditioning Techniques

The Psychological TherapiesCognitive Therapies

teaches people new, more adaptive ways of thinking and acting

cognitive-behavior therapy: integrated therapy that combines cognitive therapy with behavior therapy

The Psychological TherapiesGroup and Family Therapies

saves time and moneyallows patient to recognize he/she is

not aloneallows patient to receive feedback on

new strategies or behaviors tried as a part of therapy

The Biomedical TherapiesDrug Therapies

psychopharmacology- study of the effects of drugs on mind and behaviorProgress in this area has enabled many

to leave hospitals and live on their own.

chlorpromazine (Thorazine), clozapine (Clozaril)

“dampen responsiveness to irrelevant stimuli”

can produce severe side effects

dosage levels vary from person to person

antipsychotic drugs

Xanax; Ativan

depress central nervous system activity

criticisms:don‘t resolve underlying problemscan produce dependence

antianxiety drugs

fluoxetine (Prozac); Zoloft; Paxil

increases the availability of norepinephrine or serotonin and sometimes block the reuptake process

pairing drugs with exercise or drugs with cognitive therapy can be effective

antidepressant drugs

Mood-stabilizing medications are also an option, particularly for leveling out bipolar mood

swings.

The Biomedical TherapiesBrain Stimulation

brief electric current is sent through the brain of an anesthetized patient

electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

The Biomedical TherapiesPsychosurgery

psychosurgery- surgery that removes or destroys brain tissue in an effort to change behavior

lobotomy- cut the nerves that connect the frontal lobes to the emotion-controlling centers of the inner brain

The goal is to prevent psychological disorders by identifying and addressing their causes:povertymeaningless workconstant criticismunemployment racismsexism

preventing psychological disorders?