Psychiatric Terms Questions and Answers with
100% Complete Solutions
abreaction - ANSWER a process by which repressed material,
particularly a painful experience or a conflict, is brought back to
consciousness; in this process the person not only recalls but
also relives the repressed material, which is accompanied by
the appropriate affective response
abstract thinking - ANSWER thinking characterized by the ability
to grasp the essentials of a whole, to break a whole into its
parts, and to discern common properties. To think symbolically.
acalculia - ANSWER loss of ability to do calculations not caused
by anxiety or impairment in concentration. Occurs with
neurological deficit and learning disorder.
aculalia - ANSWER nonsense speech associated with marked
impairment of comprehension. Occurs in mainia, schizophrenia,
and neurological defecit
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affect - ANSWER the subjective and immediate experience of
emotion attached to ideas or mental representations of objects.
Affect has outward manifestations that can be classified as
restricted, blunted, flattened, broad, labile, appropriate, or
inappropriate.
aggression - ANSWER forceful, goal-directed action that can be
verbal or physical; the motor counterpart of the affect of rage,
anger, or hostility. Seen in neurological deficit, temporal lobe
disorder, impulse-control disorders, mania, and schizophrenia
agitation - ANSWER severe anxiety associated with motor
restlessness
agnosia - ANSWER inability to understand the importance of
significance of sensory stimuli; cannot be explained by a defect
in sensory pathways or cerebral lesion the term has also been
used to refer to the selective loss or disuse of knowledge of
specific objects because of emotional circumstances, as seen in
certain schizophrenic, anxious, and depressed patients. Occurs
with neurological deficit.
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agoraphobia - ANSWER morbid fear of open places or leaving
the familiar setting of the home. may be present with or
without panic attacks
agraphia - ANSWER loss or impairment of a previously
possessed ability to write
ailurophobia - ANSWER dread of cats
akathisia - ANSWER subjective feeling of motor restlessness
manifested by a compelling need to be in constant movement
may be seen as an extrapyramidal side effect of antipsychotic
medication. May be mistaken for psychotic agitation. Another
form of EPS characterized by a subjective sense of restlessness
accompanied by fidgeting,
inability to sit still, nervousness, muscle discomfort, and
agitation. Generally, antiparkinson agents are
not effective in managing akathisia. Use of Inderal
(propranolol), a beta-blocker, may be helpful to treat this.
a state of agitation, distress, and restlessness that is an
occasional side-effect of antipsychotic and antidepressant drugs