Lec 9

Defining Psychological Disorders Psychological Disorder: What Makes a Behavior “Abnormal”?

Psychological disorder Psychological disorder is “a clinically set of symptoms or behaviors associated in most cases with distress and with interference with personal functions” The biopsychosocial model of illness is a way of understanding disorder that is caused by biological, psychological, and social factors

The biopsychosocial model

To consider one example, the psychological disorder of schizophrenia has a biological cause because it is known that there are patterns of genes that make a person vulnerable to the disorder psychological factors such as how the individual responds to the stress he experiences, as well as social stressful environments in adolescence and whether or not he has support from people who care about him

Deviance, Distress and Dysfunction Because there are no clear biological diagnoses for most mental disorders, psychological disorders are instead diagnosed on the basis of clinical observations of the individual's behaviors. These observations find that emotional states and behaviors operate on a continuum, ranging from more “normal” and “accepted” to more “abnormal,” and “unaccepted.”.

Deviance refers to behaviors that are outside the expectations The behaviors that are associated with disorder are in many cases the same behaviors that we do in our “normal” everyday life, but they are at an extreme level For example, washing one’s hands is a normal healthy activity, but it can be overdone by those with an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Dysfunction refers to the extent to which the behavior causes impairment in one or more important areas of functioning. An intense fear of spiders, for example, would not be considered a psychological disorder unless it has a significant negative impact on the sufferer’s life, for instance by causing him or her to be unable to step outside the house.

Distress refers to the behavior causing the individual physical or emotional harm. Abusing substances & suicide attempts

Diagnosing Disorders: The DSM The American Psychiatric Association publishes the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) to help therapists, researchers, drug companies, health insurance companies and policy makers in the United States determine whether behavior should be considered a psychological disorder. The DSM is a book that provides standard criteria for the classification of mental disorders

The DSM lists the symptoms that typically must be present to make a diagnosis as well as clinical features, demographic and statistical information. Each revision of the DSM takes into consideration new knowledge as well as changes in cultural norms about disorder

Anxiety, OCD, and PTSD Anxiety: is the nervousness or agitation, often about something that is going to happen, is a natural part of life. We all feel anxious at times, maybe when we think about our upcoming visit to the dentist or exams. anxiety disorders, which are psychological disturbances marked by irrational fears, often of everyday objects and situations

generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), a psychological disorder diagnosed in situations in which a person has been excessively worrying about money, health, work, family life, causing significant distress and dysfunction.

panic attack panic attack is a psychological disorder characterized by sudden attacks of anxiety and terror that have led to significant behavioral changes in the person’s life. Symptoms :- shortness of breath, heart palpitations,, dizziness, nausea, and an intense feeling of terror. panic attacks can often be mistaken for heart attacks last s for about 20 minutes

phobias A phobia which is a specific fear of a certain object, situation, or activity that adversely affects an individual’s functioning. Specific phobias are unreasonable fears of a clearly identified object or situation Symptoms :- range from a sense of unease to a full- blown panic attack

Name Description of some phobias :- Acrophobia Fear of heights Arachnophobia Fear of spiders Claustrophobia Fear of closed-in spaces Mysophobia Fear of germs or dirt Social phobia Fear of social situations Trypanophobia Fear of injections Zoophobia Fear of small animals

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders is a psychological disorder that is diagnosed when an individual continuously have distressing or frightening thoughts, (repetitive thoughts) or (repetitive behaviors) . Symptoms disturbing thoughts behaviors cause distress or interfere with functioning in a person’s everyday life For example repeated washing hands , Going back inside the house once more to be sure that we really did turn off the stove.

posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) It is a psychiatric disorder that follow major accidents or trauma such as battles, sexual violence, Imprisonment, abuse, natural disasters, or the death of someone close. begin months or even years after the event symptoms:- flashbacks or high levels of anxiety alterations in mood a strong desire to avoid any reminders of the event.

The symptoms may be felt especially when approaching the area where the event took place or when the anniversary of that event is near.

Write the scientific term is a way of understanding disorder that is caused by biological, psychological, and social factors (…………………………) behaviors that are outside the expectations (………………………) 3. behavior causes impairment in one or more important areas of functioning. (…………………)

4. is a book that provides standard criteria for the classification of mental disorders (………..) A specific fear of a certain object, situation, or activity that adversely affects an individual’s functioning. (……………..) Write the name of the psychological disease that cause the following symptoms. ………… Fear of heights …………shortness of breath, heart palpitations,, dizziness, nausea, and an intense feeling of terror

3………………. repeated washing hands , Going back inside the house once more to be sure that we really did turn off the stove. 4………………. range from a sense of unease to a full- blown panic attack 5……………… flashbacks or high levels of anxiety & a strong desire to avoid any reminders of the event.