Psychological Disorders

Normal or Abnormal? There is no clear dividing line between normal and abnormal behavior. Definitions of normal vary depending upon culture, location, and historical time period.

Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety Disorders Anxiety is vague feeling of apprehension or nervousness Every person experiences anxiety (big tests, school projects, work environment, relationship problems, etc.); anxiety disorders differ from these feelings in that anxiety begins to take control and dominate life. There are five types of anxiety disorders: generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. How might anxiety begin to dominate life?

Major Symptoms of Anxiety Nervous habits Muscle tension Feeling on edge Restlessness Difficulty concentrating Irritability Sleep disturbance Why do people who have severe anxiety have trouble sleeping?

PHOBIA More than just a fear! Person becomes disabled and overwhelmed in the presence of certain objects or situations. Must be disruptive and irrational to be considered a phobia. Why do phobias have to be irrational to be considered a disorder?

Types of Phobias Social Phobia Simple Phobia Agoraphobia Fear in social situations Extreme difficulty speaking in public Simple Phobia Fear of a particular object or situation Agoraphobia Fear of situations the person views as difficult to escape if panic begins to build up May end up being “trapped” in their own home Why would people end up trapped in their house? What is this called?

Phobia Examples Name Phobia of Why are some people scared of blood? hematophobia Blood nyctophobia Darkness claustrophobia Enclosed Space spermophobia Germs acrophobia Heights musophobia Mice ophidiophobia Snakes arachnophobia Spiders spheksophobia Wasps aerophobia Air ommatophobia Eyes sciophobia Shadows phagophobia Swallowing Why are some people scared of blood?

OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER Obsession = thoughts that intrude into a person’s mind repeatedly (usually negative) Compulsion = repetitive actions (checking and rechecking, required steps to follow, hand washing, counting) Someone with obsessive thoughts may feel compelled to complete a ritualized behavior in order to reduce feelings of anxiety.

Most common obsessions are: Concern with dirt, germs, or toxins Something terrible happening (fire, death, illness) Symmetry, order, or exactness Excessive hand washing Most common compulsions are: Excessive hand washing, bathing, tooth brushing, or grooming Repeating rituals (in/out of a door, up/down from a chair) Checking doors, locks, appliances, car brake, homework Why do you think that order is important? Why do you think that checking things is important?

PTSD first identified during Vietnam conflict. Symptoms include: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is characterized by reliving a severely upsetting event in unwanted, recurring memories and dreams PTSD first identified during Vietnam conflict. Symptoms include: Nightmares Persistent fear Troubling memories Flashbacks Why do you think that PTSD is such an issue in the modern military?

Causes of Anxiety Disorders Heredity – some of us inherit a predisposition, or likelihood, for developing anxiety disorders. The specific fear is not inherited, but the predisposition to be fearful is. Brain Function – brain-scanning techniques show that people with anxiety disorders have brains that literally function differently from those of people who do not

Evolution – we are likely to fear situations that posed danger to the earliest humans. Anxiety disorders may be a malfunctioning of this mechanism. Conditioning – Anxieties may be learned either by observation or through experience. Does this picture of the snake cause you anxiety? Why? Have you picked up a fear by observing someone being scared?

MOOD DISORDERS Mood disorders are characterized by extreme disturbances in emotional states

Major Symptoms of Mood Disorders Mood change or disturbance Irritability Changes in eating habits Sleep problems Difficulty concentrating Feelings of worthlessness Fatigue or loss of energy Why do we eat less or more when we are depressed? Why do we have difficulty concentrating when we are depressed?

Major Depression Extreme mood disorder in which the person experiences depression not otherwise explained by outside circumstances Feels like an inescapable weight Can lead to suicide Diminished interest in activities What things might people stop caring about? Brainstorm a list.

Dysthymia Chronically depressed mood that occurs for most of the day, more days than not, for at least two years Lasts longer, but is less severe than major depression Sometimes called the “common cold” of mental illness Should Dysthymia be medicated?

Two out of every three people who are depressed are women.

Before the age of 11, girls and boys have the same rates of depression Before the age of 11, girls and boys have the same rates of depression. By age 18 girls have twice the depression rate of boys. What is your theory? Why are women twice as likely to be depressed than men?

Bipolar Disorder Bipolar Disorder – previously known as manic depressive disorder – is mood disorder in which the person alternates between the hopelessness of depression and the overexcited and unreasonably optimistic state of mania Also known as manic-depression Why do you think it is called bipolar disorder?

Mania It’s good to be optimistic, but these manic phases are well beyond normal. During mania, a person may go long periods without sleeping, may experience racing thoughts, may be easily distracted, and may set impossible goals. Mania is sometimes associated with bursts of creative energy. Many well-known creative people, from Mark Twain to Vincent van Gogh, are believed to suffered from bipolar disorder. Why do you think that Mania is associated w/ creative work?

It is common for people with Major Depression, Dysthima and Bipolar disorders to self-medicate. Why do you think that self-medication is so common for mood disorders?

Causes of Depression Heredity – many disorders run in families, and mood disorders are no exception Brain function – depressed people have depressed brains. The two neurotransmitters that are most important for depression are serotinin and norepinephrine, which are lacking during times of depression. Do you think that depression is really just a biochemical imbalance?

Learned helplessness – people develop a sense of helplessness when subjected to unpleasant events over which they have little or no control Attributions – when things go wrong, we try to explain them. It turns out that depressed people are likely to blame internal characteristics rather than external influences. Why did the rat give up?

Attributions You failed a test. Think of possible attributions that you could make. Internal: External:

Learned Helplessness Can you think of a time when you have just given up? Discuss w/ a partner & please share some example w/ the class.