Abnormal Psychology Practice Test 2 Flashcards
Psychodynamic Explanation
Give explanation:
Give examples:
What’s this explanation for MDD?
Treatment:
Overall: Unconscious conflicts and forces at work under the surface
Psychoanalysis (Freud) is an offshoot of this
(Think about the stressed out monkey experiment…)
Example: Somebody who can’t commit probably had loss issues early on (father leaving at young age etc.)
Example: Alcoholism can be explained by filling a void by something lost, a means of escape
MDD Explanation: The person is depressed because of some type of loss they suffered (fired from job, bad break up, did not get into law school; THEY ALL INVOLVE LOSS
Somebody who follows the pyschodynamic approach would argue that it was the loss that cause the decrease in neurotransmitters (exogenous).
Physiological or Biological Explanation
Give explanation:
Give Depression explanation
Give Treatments:
Overall: There is a problem w/ neurotransmitter levels, genetics, or brain structure/function issue
Ex. Anorexia would be explained by in inbalance in neurotransmitters or chemical inbalance with appetite etc.
MDD Example: Low levels of serotonin or genetics or both
Treatment: SSRI (aka bicyclics)
What does SSRI stand for?
Serontin Reuptake Inhibitor
Explain reuptake process
Natural process in brain when some of the NT that is released gets reabsorbed by presynpatic cell. SSRI inhibits reuptake, less NT is absorbed in cells and more stay in the synapse ; more serontin is available across all nerves
What are some common side effects to SSRIs?
Sexual issues and weight gain.
What class of drugs do SSRI belong to?
2nd Generation anti-depressants. There is a 1st generation call Tricyclics (back in the 70’s that people still take, ex: Anafranil)
How long does medication for depression take to work?
Usually 3-4 weeks
What is ECT?
Shock Therapy. This is another effective treatment for depression under the Biological approach that is not medication (not an SSRI). Side effects are memory loss prior to event.
Cognitive Explanation
Examples?
MDD explanation?
Treatment?
Overal: Irrational or maladaptive thoughts (thoughts that work against you)
Ex. Anorexia would be explained by the person having feelings that they are fat
Ex. Fear of dogs would be explained by thoughts that the dog is going to kill me or does not like me
MDD would be explained by thoughts that nobody likes me, pessismistic thoughts, worthless thoughts “She did not call me back because she hates me..”
pessismistic or exaggerated negativity and automatic negative thoughts about cognitive triad/
Treatment: Cognitive Therapy (gets you to replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts
What does the Cognitive Triad refer to?
Represents three types of negative thoughts present in depression. The triad involve negative thoughts around:
- Self
- World
- Future
Learning Explanation
Overall: Operant and Classical Conditions (things you were exposed to)
Operant conditioning is when we act in a certain way based on consequences (Ex. you get a ticket when you don’t feed the meter)
MDD explanation: a person becomes depressed when they don’t have enough rewarding experiences and relationships. Ex: a bad marriage, not enough friends, job you hate, basically you don’t have enough positive experiences.
Treatment; Go play soccer, encourage more pleasurable activities
Name the four big etiology models (the cause explanations)
(every disorder has an explanation…)
- Psychodynamic
- Physiological (aka Biological)
- Cognitive
- Learning
Name the four minor explanation models?
- Learned Helplessness Model
- Attributional Model
- Attachment Model
- ?
Discuss the depression research with fraternal and identical twins
Researh shows that if parents have depression, much likier that child has depression. It’s genetic.
We know it’s genetic when we look at the twin research. It’s consistenly the case that identical twins are both more likely to have depressions than in fraternal twins. You would always place the bet that identical twins both have it over fraternal twins both having it.
Explain the Attributional Model
People who blame themselves when something goes wrong
- It’s my fault
- It’s in every area of my life
- It will always continue
The attributional model tends to be:
Internal vs. External
Global vs. Specific (only this case)
Stable vs. Unstable (not going to keep happening)
Why is the etiology of Bipolar easier to explain than Depression?
How do we prove this?
Bipolar is explained almost entirely biologically whereas depression has a ton of explanations.
Proof 1: 8-9% of first degree relatives of people with Bipolar are Bipolar vs. 2% in the general population
Proof 2: There is an increase in norepiphrin during manic states, serontin is low during manic states
Proof 3: Loads of research to show disturbances in sleep cycles
Proof 4: Neuroimaging studies show differences in areas of the brain (Thalamus, Hypothalamus and Amygdala (it lights up diring manic episodes)
BIPOLAR IS THE 2ND MOST BIOLOGICAL IN ORIGIN; SCHIZOPHRENIA IS THE FIRST
What triggers a manic state in somebody with Bipolar?
Emotional expression at home (sreaming and drama etc) will set it off
What are the three classification treatments for people with Bipolar and their corresponding drugs?
- Mood Stabalizers (Example: Lithium)
- Anti Pyschotics (Example: Abilify)
- Anticonvulsants (Example: Depakote)
What are some common side effects to Lithium
Tremors, thirsty, and sometimes kidney problems (after ten years)
Name some common disorders that can lead to suicide?
- Schizophrenia
- Bipolar
- Depression
- Anorexia
- Substance Abuse
It’s NOT just depression that causes suicide
What are some reasons the suicide rate is probably higher than reported?
People cover up suicides for lots of reasons: don’t want the stigman, life insurance does not pay out, religious implications etc.
Is suicide considered a disorder in the DSM?
No
Who is more likely to comitt suicide? Men or Women
Men.
Men choose more lethal forms of killing themselves (firearms,hanging, jumping etc.) Less chance of being saved.
Women take pills slit wrists, they can be revived.
What age group has the highest rate of suicide?
70+ age group.
Illness sets in, people lose their friends etc., usually premidated and thought out.
What time period had the highest suicide rates for men and women?
Men: 1990s (Curt Cobain)
Women: 1975 (no idea)
In seasonal areas, which season do we see the most suicides?
Spring.
Two reasons:
- Sometimes people get depressed in winter and wait to see if it gets better. Then off themsleves when it does it.
- If depression hits in winter, they might be too weak to act. They get their stengh back in Spring and do it then. It takes energy and thinking to pull it off. ..
List the diagnostic criteria for Mania
- Person has to have high or elevated or irritable mood that has to last for 1 week/ 4days. We cal this Euphora
- Person feels they can accomplish anything, inflated sense of self esteem. We call this Grandiosity
- Decreased need for sleep (they feel rested after only a few hours)
- They talk much more than usual
- Racing thoughts
- Easily distracted
- Goal directed behavior (lots of list)
- Excessive involvement is pleaurable activities with high risk of painful consequences. Ex. shopping, string of one night stands, etc.
Define Mania
Mania is a high mood that is clearly excessive; inappropriate behavior, irritablity; a feeling you can accomplish anything
What’s another word for Bipolar?
Manic Depressive Disorder
Is Mania a disorder?
No. It represents the underyling disorder.
In Bipolar seen as a highly neurological/physiological disorder?
Absofuckinglutely. It’s higly genetic and once you have it you have it for life, it’s chronic.
How do you treat somebody who is bipolar?
Mostly with medication, not talk therapy. Patient must take medication during all three states!!
- Depression
- Normal
- Manic
