Study of psychological disorders

Difficult to define due to situation/culture/time 4 COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF ABNORMALITY: 1. Maladaptive: affects ability to live everyday 2. Disturbing: to person and others 3. Unusual: not shared by many people 4. Irrational: it doesn’t make sense to the average person

Legal term, not a psychological one -not guilty and can’t be held responsible for actions because of a mental illness-rare

-each psychological perspective has a different point of view -Biological: genetic, chemical imbalances, brain structure -Psychodynamic: unconscious repression -Behavioral: learning-normal or abnormal -Cognitive: maladaptive, illogical thinking -Humanistic: poor self-esteem, self-concept

Combines biological, psychological, and sociocultural and they interact with one another to cause disorders Mental illness=a combination of the 3 Genetically predisposed Poor impulse control Sent to war Substance use disorder

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) American Psychiatric Association -handbook to diagnose disorders -diagnosis based on symptoms -about 250 disorders edia/en/d/db/DSM-IV-TR.jpg

Assess a person on all 5 axes: Contains almost all major disorders including: anxiety, depression, schizophrenia Axis I: Clinical Disorders Enduring, relatively stable disorders Axis II: Personality Disorders and Mental Retardation Illnesses that may have impact on mental health Axis III: General Medical Conditions Problems person may have that might affect diagnosis or treatment, like employment, living situation Axis IV: Psychosocial and Environmental Problems Scale of on overall functioning. 100=functioning well Axis V: Global Assessment of Functioning

Purpose is to provide consistency and accuracy to diagnosing of disorders-controversial -no tests prove disorder-like cancer/diabetes -Labeling creates some consistency, but also stigma -once have one, creates preconceived bias in others and self David Rosehan Study: pretend to hear voices, when hospitalized, stopped pretending, but still seen as ill by hospital staff

CATEGORIES TO BE DISCUSSED: -Anxiety disorders -Somatoform disorders -Dissociative disorders -Affective disorders -Schizophrenic disorders -Personality disorders -Developmental disorders

Excessive or unrealistic anxiety -tension, agitation, apprehension, sweating, muscle tension, increased heart rate and blood pressure, worry, distractibility, rumination

OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER (OCD): Obsession: persistent, unwanted thoughts Compulsion: ritualistic behaviors performed repeatedly, done to reduce anxiety created by obsessions ritualistic behaviors ia.org/wiki/File:OCD_handwash.jpg

ptoms_of_Anxiety,_Wikiversity_Motivation_and_emotion,_Slide_3.jpg

Irrational, intense fear of specific stimuli that causes a compelling desire to avoid that stimuli Common phobias: agoraphobia: public spaces arachnophobia: spiders acrophobia: heights claustrophobia: tight spaces social phobia: embarrassing self in social situation

PANIC DISORDER: repeated attacks of intense anxiety with no apparent cause and can happen at any time. -can last minutes or hours -associated with agoraphobia GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER: less intense but persistent (at least 6 months) anxiety -no specific situation, difficulty concentrating and sleeping, irritability

Physical symptoms caused by psychological problems, and cannot have a physiological cause CONVERSION DISORDER: loss of bodily function, blind or deaf or paralyzed, without any physical damage-patient indifferent HYPOCHONDRIASIS: unrealistic interpretation of physical symptoms as a serious illness

Involves a break in consciousness, memory or a person’s sense of identity DISSOCIATIVE AMNESIA: loss of memory -must be psychological/not physical in cause -traumatic event DISSOCIATIVE FUGUE: loss of personal memory, flight from home, and establish new identity -caused usually by major stress, or immediate danger of embarrassing news

2 or more distinct personalities are present in the same individual each with their own memories, behaviors and relationships -most common with severe childhood abuse -controversial-many don’t believe it is real edia.org/wikipedia/ commons/thumb/7 /78/Dr_Jekyll_and _Mr_Hyde_poster _edit2.jpg

Inappropriate or extreme moods DYSTHYMIC DISORDER: mild depression that lasts for 2 years or more SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER (SAD): type of depression that reoccurs usually during the winter months-treated with light therapy umb/b/b8/Mood_dice.svg/640px- Mood_dice.svg.png

MAJOR DEPRESSION: Intensely sad, hopeless, reduced energy, change in sleeping and eating patterns, suicidal thoughts - “common cold of disorders” - 2x more women than men

Mood swings alternating between periods of depression and mania (inflated ego, excessive energy, impulsivity, little need for sleep, euphoria) wney_Jr-2008.JPG _at_VMA_2011.png

Loss of contact with reality and distorted thinking (psychosis) -onset of disorder is young adulthood Positive symptoms: (symptom added by disease) hallucinations(false sensory perceptions), delusions(false beliefs) Negative symptoms: (things lost because of disease) flat affect (no emotion), social withdrawal, apathy, lack of communication

DISORGANIZED SCHIZOPHRENIA: incoherent speech, inappropriate mood, delusions, childlike behavior PARANOID SCHIZOPHRENIA: delusions of grandeur, persecution CATATONIC SCHIZOPHRENIA: disordered movement patterns, sometimes immobility in odd positions UNDIFFERENTIATED SCHIZOPHRENIA: doesn’t fit into any other category but have thought/behavior disturbances

Longstanding, maladaptive thought and behavior patterns -part of personality, affects all aspects of life -Axis II disorders 3 types: 1.Odd/eccentric: paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal 2. Dramatic/emotionally problematic: histrionic, narcissistic, borderline, antisocial 3. Chronic fearfulness: avoidant, dependent, obsessive-compulsive

DISORDERSYMPTOMS PARANOIDExtreme suspicion, mistrust SCHIZOIDLoners, shy, withdrawn SCHIZOTYPALOdd, eccentric, may hold magical beliefs HISTRIONICExcessively dramatic, attention seeking NARCISSISTICExtremely vain and self-involved BORDERLINEEmotionally unstable, lack sense of self ANTISOCIALLack conscience, morals, guilt AVOIDANTFearful of social relationships DEPENDENTNeedy, want others to make decisions OBSESSIVE- COMPULSIVE Controlling, focused on neatness and rules

Disorders of infancy, childhood and adolescence ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER: (ADHD) unable to focus attention, easily distracted, impulsive -10x more frequent in boys EATING DISORDERS: -Anorexia: 85% of body weight, not eating -Bulimia: binge and purge

Lack of responsiveness to others, impairment in communication, limited activities and interests, repetitive behaviors -evident early-usually by 2-3 years old -range from severe to mild symptoms -1/88 kids are diagnosed with an ASD -3-4x more likely in boys on png