Psychological problems

• Mental health


  Refers to difficulties in thinking, feeling, and behaving
• Clinical depression


  A mental disorder characterized by low mood and energy levels
• Neurotransmitters


  Brain chemicals sending signals between neurons
• Serotonin


  Neurotransmitter regulating mood, low levels linked to depression
• Attribution


  Unconscious explanations for behavior
• Nurture


  Behavior acquired through experience
• Schema


  Mental structure containing information about the world
• Antidepressant medications


  Drugs reducing symptoms of depression, e.g., SSRIs
• Holistic


  Belief in considering the 'bigger picture' of human behavior
• Nature


  Belief in explaining human behavior by breaking it into biological parts
• Reductionist


  Explaining behavior by breaking it into smaller parts
• Addiction


  Compulsive behavior with harmful consequences
• Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)


  Treatment combining cognitive and behavior techniques
• Dependence


  Compulsion to continue a behavior or drug use
• Substance abuse


  Using a drug for pleasure with harmful consequences
• Substance misuse


  Using a drug inappropriately or for the wrong purpose
• Genes


  DNA strands transmitting physical and behavioral traits
• Genetic vulnerability


  Increased risk of a disorder due to genetic factors
• Heredity factors


  Genetic information passed from one generation to the next
• Twin studies


  Research conducted using both identical and non-identical twins
• Peer influence


  Effects peers have on behavior, stronger in adolescence
• Social norms


  Standard behaviors typical of a group
• Aversion therapy


  Treatment pairing a stimulus with discomfort to avoid behavior
• Classical conditioning


  Learning by association of two stimuli
• 12 step recovery program


  Self-help group following 12 principles to overcome addiction
• Self-help group


  Group sharing a common problem providing support
• Mental health


  Refers to difficulties in thinking, feeling, and behaving
• Self-management program


  Program where members manage activities and support each other
• Clinical depression


  A mental disorder characterized by low mood and energy levels
• Negative self-schemas


  Beliefs causing negative self-interpretation
• Neurotransmitters


  Brain chemicals sending signals between neurons
• Learned helplessness


  Developing negative attributional styles
• Serotonin


  Neurotransmitter regulating mood, low levels linked to depression
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI)


  Medication increasing serotonin levels
• Attribution


  Unconscious explanations for behavior
• Presynaptic neuron


  Neuron releasing serotonin into synaptic cleft
• Nurture


  Behavior acquired through experience
• Synaptic cleft


  Space where serotonin transmits signals
• Schema


  Mental structure containing information about the world
• Reuptake


  Process blocked by SSRIs to increase serotonin