Chap 7 : psychological disorders and treatment techniques Flashcards
what is psychopathology ?
its the study of mental, emotional and behavioral disorders (schizophrenia or depression) that make people unhappy and impair their personal growth, their symptoms , causes and treatment.
what is abnormality ?
it the deviation from the average or societal norm.
it refers to the behaviors’ that rarely occur in a specific society.
it could be acts such as violating norms and regulations of the society
it causes them distress and prevents them from functioning in their daily lives
1. distressing to self or others
2. violates social norms
3. dysfunctional for person or society
what is Maladaptiveness?
its a behavior that creates social , personal and occupational problem on those who exhibit the behaviors, that start after a major life change ( illness, traumatic event)
they stop the individual from adapting to new or difficult circumstances.
what is personal distress
refers to feelings of extreme and dangerous anxiety, stress, tension and other unpleasant emotions determine whether we have a psychological disorder, they can arise by the problem itself or by events that happened to us.
what are the causes of psychological disorders ?
- the biological perspective
- psychoanalytic perspective
- learning perspective
- cognitive perspective
what is the biological perspective ?
it focuses on the nervous system, hormones and genetics. it sees psychological disorders as linked to biological phenomena, such as genetic factors, chemical imbalances and brain abnormalities
what is dopamine and what is serotonin ?
- dopamine controls voluntary movements and is associated with the reward mechanism in the brain
- serotonin controls pain, sleep cycle and digestion, it stables mood, if its too low = depression, too much = excessive nerve cell activity
what is the psychoanalytic perspective
by: freud sigmund
he believes in the interaction of the id, the ego and the superego in the mind.
so abnormal behavior is caused by the ego’s inability to manage the conflict between the id and the super ego.
symptoms: extreme anxiety , obsessive thoughts, compulsive behavior, depression, distorted perceptions and patterns of thinking and paralysis or blindness for which there is no physical cause
what is the learning perspective
it states that most mental and emotional disorders arise from inadequate or inappropriate learning. people acquire abnormal behaviors through the various sources of learning like parents or kids on the street or classmates
what is the cognitive perspective ?
the main idea is that self deating thoughts lead to development of negative emotions and self destructive behaviors , a disturbance in our thinking will manifest in emotions and behaviors as well, so it is recommended to switch negative thoughts with positive ones
what are the 3 types of psychological disorders?
- Mood disorder
- anxiety disorder
- and personality disorder
what are mood disorders?
they are psychological disorders in which there is a primary disturbance of mood.
they are characterized by serious change in mood that causes disruption to life activities
it can include cognitive, behavioral and physical symptoms
therapy, antidepressants and self care can help treat mood disorders
what is clinical depression
its a mood disorder where the individual suffers from lack of pleasure in life.
its characterized by diminished interest in activities previously enjoyed, weight disturbance, sleep disturbance, loss of energy
what is Dysthymia
its a lesser but more persistent form of depression, the feeling of sadness lasts a longer time.
it begins in childhood or early adulthood.
what is bipolar disorder ?
its a mood disorder characterized by extreme mood swings , where the individual alternates between hopelessness, depression and overexcited feelings ,that include episodes of mania.
there are sub types:
1. extreme hyper manic episodes
2. moderate hypomanic episodes
what is Cyclothymia
its a lesser form of bipolar disorder, its common for people with this to go untreated since the symptoms are mild enough that they do not seek treatment.
what are anxiety disorders
they involve an emotional state of excessive fear and worry. Its a very common disorder and treatable.
an individual who is diagnosed must:
- be our of proportion to the situation or age inappropriate
- hinder your ability to function normally
what is a panic disorder
its characterized by a series of panic attacks of intense fear or discomfort.
the symptoms can include:
heart palpitations, trembling, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness and a feeling of helplessness
what is Agoraphobia
its an anxiety disorder involving intense fear of being in places from which escape might be difficult if a panic attack might occur.
the limitations are that individuals restrict their normal activities , and have a tendency to avoid public places and prefer to stay at home where they feel safe
what is phobia , specific phobia and social phobia
phobia: it represents an intense fear and often avoidance of a specific situation , person, place etc..
specific phobia: involves the fear of specific things like of an object, or situation
social phobia: involves the fear of being humiliated or embarrassed in social situations
what is OCD
its an anxiety disorder in which compulsive thoughts lead to obsessive behaviours
the subtypes of ocd are:
1. cleaning compulsions
2. obsessions without visible compulsions
3. checking compulsions
4, hoarding
5. symmetry obsessions
what is ptsd
its a type of anxiety disorder triggered by exposure to a catastrophic event that posed serious harm or threat.
once exposed it develops into an intense , fear of related situations, avoidances, reoccurring nightmares , flashbacks and heightened anxiety
The symptoms are :
1. re-experiencing trauma
2.avoiding activities which leads to distancing and emotional numbing
2. difficulty sleeping, irritability
Generalized anxiety disorder
its the state of a person being pervasive and excessive anxiety lasting at least 6 months , its not tied to a specific threat
what are personality disorders
it refers to a pattern of behavior that leads to significant impairment in social functioning. its also a type of mental disorder in which you have a rigid and unhealthy pattern of thinking functioning and behaving , they have trouble relating
