Glossary

antidepressant : Drug that combats depression by altering the availability of neurotransmitters in the brain. anxiety : Emotional state characterized by body arousal, feelings of nervousness or tension, or a sense of apprehension about the future. anxiety disorders : Category of psychological disorders involving excessive or inappropriate anxiety reactions. behavior therapy : Type of therapy involving the systematic application of learning-based techniques to help people change problem behaviors. bipolar disorder : Type of mood disorder characterized by mood swings between severe depression and mania. chromosomes : Rod-shaped structures in the cell’s nucleus that house the organism’s genes. cognitive therapy : Type of psychotherapy developed by Aaron Beck that helps clients identify and correct dysfunctional thinking patterns. delusions : False, unshakable beliefs. deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) : The chemical substance in chromosomes that carries the organism’s genetic code. dream analysis :Technique used in psychoanalysis in which the symbolic meaning of dreams s believed to reflect upon unconscious material. ego identity :The sense of who one is and what one stands for. electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) : Form of therapy for severe depression involving the administration of brief pulses of electricity to the patient’s brain. free association :Technique used in psychoanalysis in which the patient is encouraged to verbalize any thoughts that come to mind, free of conscious efforts to censure or edit them. gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) :A neurotransmitter that helps calm anxiety reactions by inhibiting excess firing of neurons. gene : The basic unit or building block of heredity that contains the genetic code. generalized anxiety disorder : Type of anxiety disorder characterized by high levels of anxiety that is not limited to particular situations and by general feelings of worry, dread, and foreboding. hallucinations : Perceptual distortions that occur in the absence of external stimuli and are confused with reality, such as “hearing voices” or seeing things that are not there. hormones : Chemicals that are secreted by endocrine glands and are involved in the regulation of a wide range of body processes, including reproduction and growth. ideal self : The mental image corresponding to what we believe we ought to be like. identity crisis :A period of serious soul-searching and self-examination in an effort to achieve ego identity. manic episode : Episode of extremely inflated mood and excitability. mood disorder : Disturbances of mood that affect the individual’s ability to function effectively, are unduly prolonged or severe, or are out of keeping with the events the person has encountered. neuron : A nerve cell. neurotransmitter : Chemical substance that transfers neural impulses from one neuron to another. obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) : Type of anxiety disorder characterized by obsessions (nagging, intrusive thoughts or images) and/or compulsions (repetitive behaviors that the person feels compelled to perform). panic disorder : Type of anxiety disorder characterized by episodes of sheer terror, called panic attacks, and by the resultant fear of such attacks occurring again. phobia : An excessive or irrational fear. psychoanalysis Type of therapy developed by Sigmund Freud that helps people achieve insight into unconscious processes and