Download Module 36 Chapter 110 Essentials of Understanding

Module 42
Biomedical Therapy: Approaches to
Treatment
Chapter 13
Essentials of Understanding Psychology- Sixth Edition
PSY110 Psychology
© Richard Goldman
June 13, 2006
Biomedical Therapy
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Many psychological abnormalities are caused by
chemical or physical problems and may be
treated with drugs, electroconvulsive, or
psychosurgical techniques.
Drug Therapy
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The Stimulation or Inhibiting of neurotransmitters
Antipsychotic Drugs (Zyprexa , clozapine, and others)
Used to treat schizophrenia
 Requires continual use
Antidepressant Drugs (Prozac and others)
 May be able to reduce or eliminate dose over time
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Lithium
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Used to treat manic phases of bipolar disorders
Preventive treatment
Antianxiety (Valium, Xanax, and others)
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May mask underlying cause of anxiety
May develop a dependency
Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
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Brain is shocked with 70-150 volts
Used to treat depression and some other
disturbances
May result in short term memory loss
Often used as a last resort
May require follow-up treatments
Psychosurgery
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Surgery used reduce the symptoms of mental
disorders
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Prefrontal lobotomy – Damaging the frontal lobe to
change a person’s personality (obsolete)
Cingulotomy – Used to treat rare cases of obsessivecompulsive disorder, personality disorders, & pain
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Bilateral cingulotomy consists of disabling the cingulate gyrus, a
small section of brain that connects the limbic region of the
brain with the frontal lobes.
Pain Control – Used on dying patients with severe pain
Community Psychology:
Focus on Prevention
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Prevent or minimize psychological disorder in our
society
Provide services for deinstitutionalized patients
Hot Line support
Crisis Centers
Seeking Help
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Go to:
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helping.apa.org (Find a psychologist – National)
opa.org (Find a psychologist – Oregon)
saferchild.org (Suicide Hot-line)
911
When you visit a psychologist:
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Set goal for treatment
Insure personal chemistry is right
Check credentials (use online referral services)
Review fees
Review progress – you should be getting better
end
Limbic System