Chapter 15 Introduction

15Treatment of Psychological Disorders

476

© 2008 Lívia Fernandes/Getty Images

477

  • Treatment: Getting Help to Those Who Need It

    • Why Many People Fail to Seek Treatment
    • THE REAL WORLD Types of Psychotherapists
    • Approaches to Treatment
    • CULTURE & COMMUNITY Treatment of Psychological Disorders around the World

  • Psychological Treatments: Healing the Mind through Interaction

    • Psychodynamic Therapy
    • Humanistic and Existential Therapies
    • Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies
    • HOT SCIENCE “Rebooting” Psychological Treatment
    • Group Treatments: Healing Multiple Minds at the Same Time

  • Medical and Biological Treatments: Healing the Mind by Physically Altering the Brain

    • Antipsychotic Medications
    • Antianxiety Medications
    • Antidepressants and Mood Stabilizers
    • Herbal and Natural Products
    • Combining Medication and Psychotherapy
    • Biological Treatments beyond Medications
    • OTHER VOICES Diagnosis: Human

  • Treatment Effectiveness: For Better or for Worse

    • Treatment Illusions
    • Treatment Studies
    • Which Treatments Work?
Exposure-based treatments, in which people learn to face the source of their fears and anxiety, have proven to be an effective way to treat anxiety disorders.
Keith Binns/Getty Images

“TODAY WE’RE GOING TO BE TOUCHING A DEAD MOUSE I SAW IN THE ALLEY OUTSIDE MY OFFICE BUILDING,” Dr. Jenkins said. “OK, let’s do it, I’m ready,” Christine responded. The pair walked down to the alley and spent the next 50 minutes touching, then stroking, the dead mouse. They then went back upstairs to plan out what other disgusting things Christine was going to touch over the next 7 days before coming back for her next therapy session. Yes, this is all part of the psychological treatment of Christine’s obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It is an approach called exposure and response prevention (ERP), in which people are gradually exposed to the content of their obsessions and prevented from engaging in their compulsions. Christine’s obsession is that she is going to be contaminated by germs and die of cancer; her compulsive behavior involves several hours per day of washing her body and scrubbing everything around her with alcohol wipes. After dozens and dozens of exposures, without performing the behaviors that they believe have been keeping them safe, people eventually learn that their obsessive thoughts are not accurate and that they don’t have to act out their compulsions. ERP can be a very scary treatment, but it has proven to be one of the most effective treatments available for this condition (Foa, 2010). ERP is just one of many approaches currently being used to help people overcome the mental disorders you learned about in the last chapter.

478

In this chapter, we will explore the most common approaches to psychological treatment. We will examine why people need to seek psychological help in the first place, and then we will explore how psychotherapy for individuals is built on the major theories of the causes and cures of disorders, including psychoanalytic, humanistic, existential, behavioral, and cognitive theories. We also will look into biological approaches to treatment that focus on directly modifying brain structure and function. We will discuss whether treatment works and also look to the future by exploring some exciting new directions in the assessment and treatment of disorders using innovative technologies.