My Psychology Glossary 

February 16, 2018



Hi, my name is Annabelle Desfonds-Hénault and I have been interested in psychology since I was in high school. I live in Montreal and I plan to go at University of Montreal to study psychology and eventually become a therapist. The glossary that I have made could be useful for students who study psychology or even people who are simply interested in learning more about that field of study. My glossary is a little more specific because I am particularly fascinated and interested in anxiety, drugs and mood/personality disorders. You will hear those words often if you study psychology so, you must know about them and practice the vocabulary. I was diagnose when I was younger with generalized anxiety disorder so, I really want to help people who suffer from this. I really hope that this glossary will be useful for you and I hope that I make you want to study this amazing field of study.

addiction
A condition in which the body requires a drug in order to function without physical and psychological reactions to its absence; often the outcome of tolerance and dependence.
anxiety
An abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by physical sings (such as tension, sweating, and increased pulse rate), by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt about one's capacity to cope with it.
behavior
The actions by which an organism adjusts to its environment.
behavior therapies
Treatments involving complex conversations between therapists and clients that are aimed at directly influencing maladaptive behaviors through the use of learning principles.
benzodiazepine
A class of anti-anxiety drugs. They are also called tranquilizers.
cognitive therapies
Therapies aimed at identifying and changing maladaptive thinking patterns that can result in negative emotions and dysfunctional behavior.
compulsions
Repetitive behaviors that help to prevent or relieve anxiety.
defense mechanism
An often unconscious mental process (such as denial) that makes possible compromise solutions to personal problems.
diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM)
A reference book used by psychologists and psychiatrists to diagnose psychological disorders.
dopamine
A neurotransmitter involved in voluntary movement, learning, memory, and emotion.
drug therapy
Treatment that involves the use of medications. It is also called pharmacotherapy.
emotion
A complex pattern of changes, including physiological arousal, feelings, cognitive processes, and behavioral reactions, made in response to a situation perceived to be personally significant.
emotional intelligence
Type of intelligence defined as the abilities to perceive, appraise, and express emotions accurately and appropriately, to use emotions to facilitate thinking, to understand and analyze emotions, to use emotional knowledge effectively, and regulate one's emotions to promote both emotional and intellectual growth.
empathy
The action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner.
endorphins
A group of neurotransmitters involved in pain relief, pleasure, and modulating the action of other neurotransmitters.
eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
A type of exposure therapy in which clients move their eyes back and forth while recalling memories that are to be desensitized. It helps with post-traumatic stress disorder.
fear
A rational reaction to an objectively identified external danger that may induce a person to flee or attack in self-defense.
mood disorders
Disorders characterized by marked disturbances in emotional state, which affect thinking, physical symptoms, social relationships, and behavior. (ex: Depression)
pain
An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pain has both physical and emotional components. The physical part of pain results from nerve stimulation. Pain may be contained to a discrete area, as in an injury, or it can be more diffuse, as in disorders like fibromyalgia. Pain is mediated by specific nerve fibers that carry the pain impulses to the brain where their conscious appreciation may be modified by many factors.


panic attack
A period in which a person has uncomfortable and frightening physical and psychological symptoms, including heart palpitations, trembling, fear of dying, and a perceived loss of control.
personality
The unique collection of characteristic thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that make up a person.
personality disorders
A chronic, inflexible, maladaptive pattern of perceiving, thinking, and behaving that seriously impairs an individual's ability ti function in social of other settings. (ex: Borderline personality disorder) 
phobia
A persistent and irrational fear of a specific object, activity, or situation that is excessive and unreasonable, given the reality it the threat.
physical dependence
Addiction based on a need to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
psychological dependence
Addiction based on cravings for a drug.
psychoactive drugs
Drugs that have effects on sensory experience, perception, mood, thinking, and behavior.
psychology
The scientific study of the behavior of individuals and their mental processes.
psychotherapy
The treatment of psychological problems through confidential verbal communications with a mental health professional.
relapse
A return to a state of illness after a period of being healthy, "disease-free", without symptoms, or in a state of remission.
self-esteem
A generalized evaluative attitude toward the self that influences both moods and behavior and that exerts a powerful effect on a range of personal and social behaviors.
serotonin
A neurotransmitter involved in sleep, wakefulness, appetite, aggression, impulsivity, sensory perception, temperature regulation, pain suppression, and mood.
stress
The pattern of specific and nonspecific responses an organism makes to stimulus events that disturb its equilibrium and tax or exceed its ability to cope.
stabilization
The process of safely removing addictive substances from the body. Medically-assisted stabilization, also called detoxification, aims to reduce discomfort and potential physical harm for individuals who are experiencing withdrawal.

Sources

Last modified: Wednesday, 7 February 2018, 04:30 PM

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