Unit 9: Vocabulary

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anorexia
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an eating disorder characterized by refusal to maintain a normal minimal body weight, fear of gaining weight
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"Many people worry that the pressure on teenage girls to look like models causes anorexia."
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anxiety
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a state of apprehension, uncertainty and fear
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"John had suffered from anxiety for several years before he sought treatment."
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asylum
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an institution specializing in the care of people with physical or mental impairments
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"Nowadays, people usually say 'psychiatric hospital' instead of 'asylum' as it sounds better."
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autism
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a disorder characterized by a limited ability to communicate and interact normally with other people
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"The film 'Rainman' did a lot to educate people on the effects of autism."
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compulsion
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a strong inner drive that causes a person to perform repetitive actions, often of a trivial nature
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"At first his compulsion to count the M&M's seemed strange, but we all got used to it quickly."
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creative therapy
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any non-standard process which focuses on the action instead of the result as a means of therapy
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"Some coma clinics use color therapy as a creative therapy to try and stimulate the patients' brains."
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delusion
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a belief held with strong conviction despite superior evidence to the contrary
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"When his delusion became so strong that he lost touch with reality, he had to be sent to a psychiatric hospital for his own safety."
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dementia
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a state of serious emotional and mental deterioration
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"It can be very distressing to see the effects of dementia on elderly relatives."
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ECT (electroconvulsive therapy)
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the treatment of certain psychotic conditions by passing an electric current through the brain to induce coma or convulsions
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"Electroconvulsive therapy is usually the last resort when treating major depressive disorders."
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frontal lobotomy
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incision into the frontal lobe of the brain to sever one or more nerve tracts
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"Although now viewed as barbaric, the frontal lobotomy was one of the only options available to surgeons at the time."
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mood stabilizers
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a psychiatric medication used to treat mood disorders characterized by intense and sustained mood shifts
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"Jane would become extremely sad if she didn't take her mood stabilizers."
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OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder)
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a mental condition characterized by persistent, intrusive, and senseless thoughts to perform repetitive behaviors
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"The main sign that he was suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder, was his need to wash his hands three times after going to the toilet."
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panic attack
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an episode of acute and disabling anxiety associated with such physical symptoms as hyperventilation and sweating
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"Having a panic attack while driving can result in the complete loss of control of the vehicle."
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phobia
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an abnormal intense and irrational fear of a given situation, organism, or object
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"As a result of his phobia of crowds, John refused to go to the supermarket and did all his shopping online."
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PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
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a disorder that occurs among survivors of severe environmental stress such as a tornado, an airplane crash, or military combat
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"Thousands of soldiers returning from the Gulf War suffered from post traumatic stress disorder so badly that it was impossible for them to go back to a normal life."
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psychiatrist
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a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders
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"During her time at medical university, Jane developed an interest in mental health and decided to become a psychiatrist."
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psychoactive drug
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a chemical substance that affects the processes of the mind
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"Although most people think of LSD when talking about psychoactive drugs, it is worth remembering that they can play a key role in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses."
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psychologist
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a person trained and educated to perform psychological research, testing, and therapy
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"John had been seeing his psychologist for several years before he realized the cause of his anxiety."
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psychotherapy
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treatment of mental disorders and behavioral disturbances using verbal and nonverbal communication
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"Some people don't see the value of psychotherapy, because they think that just talking about feelings cannot help a patient."
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schizophrenia
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any of a group of psychotic disorders usually characterized by withdrawal from reality, illogical patterns of thinking, delusions, and hallucinations
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"People suffering from schizophrenia often find it hard to live in the real world."
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