Chapter 17: Therapy

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

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

Psychoanalysis

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

try to understand current symptoms by focusing on themes across relationships goal is relief of present symptoms

Humanistic 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

Behavior Therapies

applies learning principles to the elimination of unwanted/troubling behaviors

counterconditioning- procedure that conditions new responses to stimuli that trigger unwanted behaviors exposure therapies: behavioral techniques (like systematic desensitization) that treat anxieties by exposing people to the things they fear and avoid systematic desensitization aversive conditioning: associates an unpleasant state with an unwanted behavior

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?

Cognitive Therapies

teaches people new, more adaptive ways of thinking and acting cognitive-behavior therapy: integrated therapy that combines cognitive therapy with behavior therapy

Group and Family Therapies

saves time and money allows patient to recognize he/she is not alone allows patient to receive feedback on new strategies or behaviors tried as a part of therapy

Drug Therapies

psychopharmacology- study of the effects of drugs on mind and behavior Progress 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

Xanax; Ativan depress central nervous system activity criticisms: don‘t resolve underlying problems can produce dependence

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

Brain Stimulation

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

Psychosurgery

The goal is to prevent psychological disorders by identifying and addressing their causes: poverty meaningless work constant criticism unemployment racism sexism