Psychotropic: meaning, definitions and examples

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psychotropic

 

[ ˌsaɪ.kəˈtrɒp.ɪk ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

mental health treatment

Relating to or denoting drugs that affect a person's mental state, such as anxiolytics, antidepressants, or antipsychotics.

Synonyms

mind-altering, psychiatric, psychoactive.

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Word Description / Examples
psychotropic

Commonly used in medical or pharmacological contexts to describe drugs that affect the mind, behavior, and emotions. It generally refers to prescription medications.

  • The doctor prescribed a psychotropic medication to help manage her anxiety.
  • Researchers are studying the effects of various psychotropic substances on mental health.
psychoactive

Primarily used in scientific or medical contexts to refer to substances that affect the brain's functioning, mood, or perception. This term can be applied to both recreational drugs and prescribed medications.

  • Caffeine is a common psychoactive substance that many people consume daily.
  • The study focuses on the effects of psychoactive drugs on brain chemistry.
mind-altering

Often used in casual or informal settings to denote substances that change the natural state of the mind. It can refer to both legal and illegal substances.

  • Mind-altering drugs like LSD can have profound effects on perception.
  • She was curious but cautious about trying any mind-altering substances.
psychiatric

Typically used in clinical or medical discussions pertaining to mental health conditions and treatments. Refers to anything related to psychiatry.

  • He sought psychiatric help after experiencing severe depression.
  • The hospital has a dedicated psychiatric ward for mental health patients.

Examples of usage

  • Many patients with severe mental illnesses are prescribed psychotropic medications.
  • The doctor recommended a combination of therapy and psychotropic drugs for the patient.
Context #2 | Adjective

psychology

Affecting the mind or behavior.

Synonyms

cognitive, emotional, mental.

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Word Description / Examples
psychotropic

Psychotropic drugs are often mentioned when discussing treatments for mental disorders or brain-related disorders. They affect a person's mind, mood, or behavior.

  • The doctor prescribed a psychotropic medication to help with her anxiety
mental

Mental pertains to the mind or intellectual processes. It can refer to mental health, mental activities, or the capacity of the mind.

  • He has been dealing with mental health issues for a few years
emotional

Emotional is used to describe feelings and expressions related to one's emotional states. It can apply to both positive and negative emotions.

  • She gave an emotional speech that brought tears to many eyes
cognitive

Cognitive relates to processes of thought such as memory, problem-solving, and decision-making. It is often used in educational or psychological contexts.

  • The study focused on the cognitive development of children

Examples of usage

  • His psychotropic behavior alarmed his friends.
  • The psychotropic effects of the drug were evident in the test results.

Translations

Translations of the word "psychotropic" in other languages:

🇵🇹 psicotrópico

🇮🇳 मनोदैहिक

🇩🇪 psychotrop

🇮🇩 psikotropik

🇺🇦 психотропний

🇵🇱 psychotropowy

🇯🇵 向精神薬

🇫🇷 psychotrope

🇪🇸 psicotrópico

🇹🇷 psikotropik

🇰🇷 향정신성

🇸🇦 نفساني التأثير

🇨🇿 psychotropní

🇸🇰 psychotropný

🇨🇳 精神药物

🇸🇮 psihotropen

🇮🇸 geðlyf

🇰🇿 психотроптық

🇬🇪 ფსიქოტროპული

🇦🇿 psixotrop

🇲🇽 psicotrópico

Etymology

The term 'psychotropic' originates from the Greek words 'psyche', meaning 'mind', and 'tropos', meaning 'turning'. It was first used in the mid-20th century to describe drugs that have an effect on the mind or behavior. Psychotropic medications play a crucial role in the treatment of various mental health disorders, helping individuals manage symptoms and improve their quality of life.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #24,058, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.