Chapter 15: Flashcards
What is a psychological Disorder?
An varation on normal cognitive or behavioral responses that is..
Exaggerated (more intense or extreme)
Maladaptive ( in conflict with healthy functioning)
What are the two models for psychological disorders?
- The medical approach: psychological conditions as a form of disease. ( chemical or electrical imbalance within the brain)
- The psychological approach: disorders are the interaction of biological, cognitive, social, and behavioral factors.
T/F: unusual behaviors alone are inherently a sign of diagnosable psychological disorders?
false, they a not inherently a sign of diagnosable psychological disorders.
Clinicians look for an individual to exhibit signs of psychological disturbances such as:
- Distress: experiencing unusual or prolonged levels of anxiety.
- Maladaptiveness: acting or thinking in ways that interfere with the well-being of him/herself.
- Irrationality: acting or speaking in ways that do not make sense to others
- Unpredictability: Erratic or inconsistent behavior across situations or over time.
- Unconventionality/Undesirability: Behaving in ways that violate social norms or laws in disruptive or dangerous ways.
How are psychological disorders classified?
The diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders.
- most widely used and accepted system of classification in the United States
- The current edition is the DSM-5
What is comorbidity?
When an individual is experiencing multiple disorders occurring simultaneously in one individual.
- Ex: substance abuse is often comorbid with depression
Major depressive disorder?
Severe form of depressive disorder involving deep depression that impairs regular functioning:
- Depressed mood ( prolonged sadness)
- Loneliness
- Apathy, or loss of interest in pleasurable activates
- Rumination on negative thoughts
- May involve suicidal thoughts or behaviors
Seasonal affective disorder?
Depression believed to be caused by deprivation of sunlight.
- sunlight causes the release of neurotransmitters which in the fall and winter is repressed and can lead to depressive thoughts.
Bipolar disorder?
A disorder involving alternating periods of depression and mania ( extreme elation or excitement)
- periods of frantic activity and productivity
- often occurs delusions of grandeur
- suicidal or self-harming behavior can occur during manic periods.
Anxiety disorders?
-Generalized anxiety disorder:
persistent, pervasive feelings of anxiety:
- intense, negative, and persistent worry
- occurs without external stimulus
- Anxious outburst can occur out of proportion to external stressors
Panic Disorders?
- Experiencing frequent panic attacks with no obvious external trigger.
- generally anxiety-free between panic attacks
- Often involves anticipatory anxiety
- Occasional panic attacks do not mean a person has panic disorder
What is a panic attack?
Sudden burst of ( short burst) disabiling anxiety.
- SOB
- inability to control thoughts or actions
- Out of body experiencing
- may mistake for a heart attack
Phobias:
Agoraphobia?
Social Anxiety disorder:
- Specific phobias: Disorder involving a pathological fear of a specific stimulus ( e.g., an object or situation)
- Some phobias are very common and may even be evolutionary
- Phobias are debilitating and prevent you from doing general things.
- Agoraphobia- fear of public places or open spaces
- Social anxiety disorder: A common form of phobia that affects million of people
What is Obsessives-Compulsive-Disorder?
A disorder involving patterns of persistent, unwanted thoughts or behaviors
- Obsession’s: repetitive thoughts, images, and impulses
- Compulsion: repetitive, purposeful behaviors
- Appears to have genetic basis ( can run in families)
- Also evidence that OCD can be learned via rein enforcement.
What are the Somatic symptom disorders talked about in lecture?
Illness anxiety disorder: excessive debilitating concern about personal health or disease.
- pervasive concern that one is suffering from serious maladies
- commonly known as hypochondriasis
