1 Flashcards
How can statistically rare behaviors be considered abnormal?
You can’t base you consideration of abnormal solely on statistics. You have to look at different factors that would make your assumption more valid. Those factors are like distress, dysfunction, harm to self / others, the duration of symptoms and the diagnostic criteria. The cultural context needs to be taken in account since abnormality is different from one to another (although there are some similarity.).
What are the various advantages and disadvantages of classifications of disorders.
advantages:
- common language, easier to communicate
-makes diagnostic and treatment easier
-Makes research easier as we can study stuff more systematically.
-better access to resources. (e.g., insurance company)
disadvantages of classifications:
lose details about the person with the disorder
it can faciliate stigma, stereotyping and labeling.
it can cause fear of being rejected or discriminated.
What is epidemiology?
It’s the study of distribution and frequency of disorders.
Explain the difference between incidence and prevalence
Incidence is the number of new cases that appear on a given period of time.
Prevalence is the number of total cases in specific period of time.
What are the 4 D’s
Deviance - (statistically)
distress (self)
dysfunction (physiologically, mentally or socially)
danger (to self and others)
Do you agree with Thomas szazz or not? Explain
Thomas disregards the scientific evidence of biological and neurological factors since research has shown that mental illness involves brain chemistry change. (look at depression)
Leads to greater stigmatization
Downplays the suffering of others and there invalidating them.
he only looks at the social level to defend his points but forgets that mental illness is a multifaceted problem.
What does stigma leads to?
It removes people from the social realm, it excarbates the symptoms, so you lose power at the same time. you don’t get hired. You are victims of stereotypes. Words can even hurt you. (schizophrenic vs person with sch.)
How can we de-stigmatize
Value differences, promote contribution and participation
portay mental health as normal
include the people and listen to them also
What are the most important lessons from the history of psychopathology?
Cultural differences / relativsm - what is considered normal or abnormal varies across cultures and time periods.
Historically, people with mental illness have been subjects to inhumane treatment which leads to a lot stigmatization. Therefore it is important to reduce stigma of the past.
Treatment can evolve, back then there used to be trepanning as a method of relieving psychological pain. Now, we got psychotherapy, community psychology and pharmacology plus research.
Finally, it is important to highlight the ethical side of psychology has also evolved into a better thing.
What are some negative consequences of deinstitutionalization?
Homelessness
Jailing of the mentally ill
readmissions
What does the humoral theory implies?
separated medicine from religion, magic and superstition. Rejects that gods are the cause of suffering. Rejects that gods are the cause of suffering
Explain the concept of somatogenesis and psychogenesis
Soma: Mental disorders are caused by aberrant functioning in the soma (i.e., physical body) and this disturbs thought and action
Psycho: Mental disorders have their origin in psychological malfunctions
How were Hippocrates treatments different from tthe violent exorcism?
Hippy treatments were about tranquiliity, eat healthy food, no sex
Rise in blood, black bile, yellow bile and phlegm cause what
blood - changeable temperament
black bile - melancholia
yellow bile - irritability and anxiousness
phlegm (flemme) - sluggishness and dullness.
What were the asylums used for?
Put people with mi. there. For social control, forced labor, inhumane treatment. A form of prison people have to work for minimal wages or nothing at all. .way of controlling people with m.i
Who pioneered in the development of the DSM and ICD
Kraepelin! he developed a classification system which looked at the neurobiological nature of mental illness. He saw that there were clusters of symptoms.
Past 1900, what were the main points of interest ?
genetics, eugenics, non-physiological interpretations.
Critiques of biomedical model
It solves the symptoms without solving the source of the problems. It puts the professional in a position of the expert which disempowers the client.
-It’s a reductionist standpoint, which means that it reduces the patient to a passive target of therapy and not an active actor in healing. it’s basically a lack of agency.
number of patients are over-medicalised, over-diagnosed, become chronically ill,
people do not find a place in the health system, or feel that they are not met as whole person in the healthcare system.
What are some advantages of the biomedical model though?
-Diagnosing someone can help them have a sense of what is the real problem, and knowing that it’s not entirely their fault can be great for recovery.
-Provides access to help and support that can help to alleviate some of the things that trouble the individua
why is the use of psychoactive drugs have been increasing for over the years?
It’s a quick and easy solution instead of waiting for a therapist. There is also stigma around MH. People are less to talk to their family and friends. It’s also the way we educated people on we deal with illness.
What are the pros and cons of the electrodes in the brain?
In the short term, it can be great for relieving symptoms for 50 % of the people. but what about the other 50%? often times they are left alone, there are no follow ups and there is a potential for harm and complication.
In depression, you see reduced volume of the amygdala and the hippocampus, with drugs and with ECT, you can observe an increase of the size. Name the possible reasons that account for that 10% growth or not account for.
1- increase in neurogenesis. in the hipppocampus
2- increase in number of synapses
3- ITS’ MORE LIKELY THIS: increase in number of glial cells.
Beck disliked ____ the depression is self-directed aggression
psychoanalytic theory
Ellis’s REBT works with mainly anxiety. He postulates that we _____ having shoulds and musts leads us to ____
drive ourselves mad
unrealistic expectations
DBT was specifically developed for what?
BPD
Explain BDP in a few words.
frantic effort to avoid abandonment
unstable and volatile interpersonal relationships.
Volatility in identity, in emotions and feelings of emptiness and anger.
What are some defusing techniques in ACT
Just Noticing. Saying to yourself “I notice I’m having a thought of…”
Thanking the Mind. Telling your mind “Thanks for the feedback,” or “Thank you for this interesting thought” when having difficult thoughts. …
Repeating the Though
What are some alternatives to the classical psychoanalysis framwork
Group psychoanalytic therapy, ego analysis, Interpersonal therapy.
what is epigenetics
Epigenetics is the study of how your behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes wor
what has epigenetics shown us
It has shown us, it’s empowering – we can create ourselves by exposing to different environments / stress or not. We change genes expression therefore, we change. Thus, may influence your mental health. The epigenome can be passed on your children. It’s not totally deterministic – there is plasticity
Frontal lobe
involved in mental activity, personality, insight, regulation of emotion
Parietal lobe involved in what?
integration and processing info, may be related to body dysmorphia / body integrity disorders.
The Capgras syndrome is affecting which part of the brain?
the temporal lobe.
It’s the most abundant neurotransmitter in the brain - it plays a key role in cognitive function like thinking, learning, memory.
Glutamate
Low serotonin consequence
depression, mood problems, anxiety, sleep problems ,
OCD, DEPRESSION
low dopamine consequence
tired, memory difficulty, depressed, hopeless, bad sleep, lack motivation.
CAN PLAY A ROLE IN ADHD.
Too much dopamine is associated with
psychosis
Too much serotonin is associated with
reduction of a person’s motivation
Acetylcholine is involved in the process of storing new information in memory. also FF response in ANS
too little or too much consequence?
too little: formation of delulu
too much: can spasms, tremors, and panic responses
Glutamate is responsible for neuroplasticity, memory and pain reception.
too little and too much consequence
Too little: associated with schizophrenia
Too much: association with substance abuse.
Too little and too much consequence of Epinephrine and norepinephrine
Too little - depression, fatigue,
Too much - over arousal, feelling of aprehension, implicated in Schizophrenia and anxiety disorders
in the roman empire, Cicero’s questionnaire assessed 3 things, what were they?
appearance
speech
significant life events
What were the asylums for at first ?
for social control of the beggars
purely for confinement - than forced labor
Who was considered as the father of psychiatry
Benjamin Rush
who developed techniques such as drowning
and drawing large quantities of blood.
What did Philipe Pinel Do?
primary figure in movement for humanitarian treatment
removed the chains
patients treated as human beings with dignity & compassion
light and airy rooms
walks around the grounds were allowed
What factors are associated with mental health problems
Stress, childhood trauma, social support.
diagnostic labeling is related to perceived …?
dangerousness, unpredictability, dependency
pessimism about recovery.
