PsychologyJuly 5, 2026

chlorpromazine

/ˌklɔːrˈproʊməziːn/

Definition

A groundbreaking psychiatric medication introduced in the 1950s that serves as a powerful antipsychotic to manage symptoms of severe mental disorders.

Etymology

The name is a chemical compound term derived from the prefix 'chloro-' (indicating the presence of chlorine) and 'promazine' (a chemical base). It reflects the naming conventions of 20th-century pharmaceutical science where descriptive chemical identifiers were used for newly synthesized drugs.

In the news

In the article, it is mentioned as the medication Teddy had been taking to manage his mental health; his withdrawal symptoms occurred when he was taken off it. It represents the 'new school' shift in 1950s psychiatry toward chemical treatment rather than invasive surgery.

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