psychotropic

What it means

1. medicineAffecting the mind or mental processes.

   “Medication can be part of a psychotropic arsenal,” he said, discussing one therapist who urged him to stop taking Xanax so he could address his anxiety directly and not mask the physical symptoms.

   2014 January 28, Kat Kinsman, “10 things we learned about surviving anxiety”, in CNN

   Synonyms: psychoactive, mind-altering

In a sentence

“Medication can be part of a psychotropic arsenal,” he said, discussing one therapist who urged him to stop taking Xanax so he could address his anxiety directly and not mask the physical symptoms.

2014 January 28, Kat Kinsman, “10 things we learned about surviving anxiety”, in CNN

Where it comes from

1. Ancient Greekψῡχή (psūkhḗ)
2. Ancient Greekψῡχο- (psūkho-)
3. Englishpsycho-
4. Proto-Indo-European*trep-
5. Ancient Greekτρέπω (trépō)
6. Ancient Greekτροπή (tropḗ)
7. Ancient Greekτροπῐκός (tropĭkós)
8. Englishpsychotropic

From psycho- + -tropic.