Psychiatry Terminology – Flashcards
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affect
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external expression of emotion, or emotional response
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amnesia
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loss of memory
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anorexia nervosa
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eating disorder with excessive dieting and refusal to maintain a normal body weight
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anxiety disorders
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characterized by unpleasant tension, distress, and avoidance behavior; examples are panic disorder , phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder
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apathy
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absence of emotions; lack of interest or emotional involvement
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autism
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pervasive developmental disorder characterized by inhibited social interaction and communication and by restricted, repetitive behavior
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bipolar disorder
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mood disorder with alternating periods of mania and depression
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bulimia nervosa
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eating disorder with binge eating followed by vomiting, purging, and depression
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cannabis
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substance (cannabis plant) from which marijuana is made
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conversion disorder
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condition marked by physical symptoms with no organic basis, appearing as a result of anxiety and unconscious inner conflict
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defense mechanism
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unconscious technique (coping mechanism) a person uses to resolve or conceal conflicts and anxiety. It protects the individual against anxiety and stress; examples are acting out, denial, and repression
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delirium
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confused thinking, disorientation, changes in alertness, difficulty paying attention, and fearfulness. This is usually a reversible impairment in thinking. Delirium Tremens is associated with alcohol withdrawal.
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delusion
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fixed, false belief that cannot be changed by logical reasoning or evidence
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dementia
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loss of intellectual abilities with impairment of memory, judgment, and reasoning as well as changes in personality
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depression
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major mood disorder with chronic sadness, loss of energy, hopelessness, worry, and discouragement and, commonly, suicidal impulses and thoughts
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dissociative disorder
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chronic or sudden disturbance in memory, identity, or consciousness; examples are multiple personality disorder, psychogenic disorders, amnesia, and fugue
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ego
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central coordinating branch of the personality or mind
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fugue
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flight from customary surroundings; dissociative disorder
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gender identity disorder
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strong and persistent cross-gender identification with the opposite sex
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hallucination
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false sensory perception (hearing voices and seeing things)
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id
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major unconscious part of the personality; energy from instinctual drives and desires
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labile
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unstable; undergoing rapid emotional change
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mania
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extreme excitement, hyperactive elation, and agitation. Don't confuse with the suffix -mania, meaning obsession
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mood disorders
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prolonged emotion dominates a person's life; examples are bipolar and depressive disorders
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mutism
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nonreactive state with inability to speak (aphonia)
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obsessive-compulsive disorder
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anxiety disorder in which recurrent thoughts and repetitive acts dominate behavior
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paranoia
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overly suspicious system of thinking; fixed delusions that one is being harassed, persecuted, or unfairly treated
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paraphilia
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recurrent intense sexual urge, fantasy, or behavior that involves unusual objects, activities, or situations
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personality disorders
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lifelong personality patterns marked by inflexibility and impairment of social functioning
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pervasive developmental disorders
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group of childhood disorders characterized by delays in socialization and communication skills; autism and Asperger syndrome are examples
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phobia
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irrational or disabling fear (avoidance) of an object or situation
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post-traumatic stress disorder
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anxiety-related symptoms appear after a personal experience of a traumatic event
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projective (personality) test
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diagnostic personality test using unstructured stimuli (inkblots, pictures, abstract patterns, incomplete sentences) to evoke responses that reflect aspects of an individual's personality
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psychiatrist
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(MD) Physician with medical training in the diagnostics, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders
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child psychiatrist
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diagnosing and treating children
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forensic psychiatrist
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specializing in legal considerations such as criminal responsibility, guardianship, and competence to stand trial
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psychologist
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nonmedical professional (often a PhD) specializing in mental processes and how the brain functions in health and disease
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clinical psychology
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providing testing and counseling services to patients with mental and emotional disorders
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experimental psychology
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performing laboratory tests and experiments in a controlled environment to study mental processes
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social psychology
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study of the effects of group membership on behavior and attitudes of individuals
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psychosis
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a disorder marked by loss of contact with reality; often with delusions and hallucinations
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reality testing
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psychological process that distinguishes fact from fantasy; severely impaired with psychosis
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repression
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defense mechanism by which unacceptable thoughts, feelings, and impulses are automatically pushed into the unconscious, out of awareness
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schizophrenia
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chronic psychotic disorder that may include hallucinations, disorganized speech and behavior, flat affect, and lack of initiative
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sexual disorders
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paraphilias and sexual dysfunctions
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somatoform disorder
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presence of physical symptoms that cannot be explained by an actual physical disorder or other well-described mental disorder such as depression
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substance-related disorder
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regular overdose of psychoactive substances (alcohol, amphetamines, cannabis, cocaine, hallucinogens, opioids, and sedatives) that affect the CNS
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superego
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internalized conscience and moral part of the personality
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amphetamines
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central nervous system stimulants that may be used to treat attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder and depression
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atypical antipsychotics
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drugs that treat psychotic symptoms and behavior (schizophrenia, bipolar disease, and other mental illnesses)
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benzodiazepines
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drugs that lessen anxiety, tension, agitation, and panic attacks
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cognitive behavioral therapy
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focuses on the connection between behavior and thoughts. Conditioning (changing behavior patterns by training and repetition) is used to relieve anxiety and improve symptoms of illness
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electroconvulsive therapy
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electric current is used to produce changes in brain wave patterns with resulting convulsions and loss of consciousness; effective in the treatment of major depression. Modern techniques use anesthesia, so the convulsion is not observable
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family therapy
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treatment of an entire family to resolve and shed light on conflicts
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free association
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psychoanalytic technique in which the patient verbalizes, without censorship, the passing content of his or her mind
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group therapy
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group of patients with similar problems gain insight into their personalities through discussion and interaction with each other
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hypnosis
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trance (state of altered consciousness) is used to increase the pace of psychotherapy
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insight-oriented therapy
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face-to-face discussion of life problems and associated feelings. The patient tells his or her story and has the opportunity to connect emotional patterns in his or her life history with present concerns. Also called psychodynamic therapy
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lithium
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medication used to treat the manic stage of manic-depressive illness
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neuroleptic drug
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any drug that favorably modifies psychotic symptoms. Examples are phenothiazines such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine)
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phenothiazines
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antipsychotic (neuroleptic) drugs
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play therapy
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treatment in which a child, through use of toys in a playroom setting, expresses conflicts and feelings unable to be communicated in a direct manner
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psychoanalysis
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treatment that allows the patient to explore inner emotions and conflicts so as to understand and change current behavior
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psychodrama
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group therapy in which a patient expresses feelings by acting out family and social roles with other patients
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psychopharmacology
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treatment of psychiatric disorders with drugs
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sedatives
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drugs that lessen anxiety
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supportive psychotherapy
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offering encouragement, support, and hope to patients facing difficult life transitions and events
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transference
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psychoanalytic process in which the patient relates to the therapist as though the therapist were a prominent childhood figure
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tricyclic antidepressants
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drugs used to treat severe depression; three-ringed fused structure
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IQ test
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a standardized test to determine mental age of an individual. The average person is considered to have an IQ of between 90 and 110. Those who score below 70 are considered mentally retarded.
