Module 10 Depression Anxiety Schizophrenia Flashcards
Defining mental disorder
- Deviance: thoughts and feelings that are unusual in the population or a particular context
- Distressful: Subjective feeling that something is wrong (causes the individual to suffer)
- Dysfunctional: Individual’s ability to work and live is clearly, often measurably impaired (interferences with social/occupational functioning)
Fight or flight response
respond to imminent danger , originates in the hypothalamus; sends signal to the adrenal gland by way of sympathetic division of the autnomic nervous system
Stimulation of adrenal medulla; leads to relase of adrenalin and noradrenalin
Hormones dramatically increase immediate energy reserves
HPA stress response (Hypothalamus – pituitary gland – adrenal gland)
originates in the hypothalamus; signal travel to Adrenal cortex by way of pituitary gland and endocrine system
Stimulation of this pathway leads to secretion of a stress hormone called cortisol (increasing metabolic rate to boost energy reserves)
Cope with long term psychological stress
Ex. Studying for finals, relationship conflict, major projects
Anxiety disorders:
are psychological conditions in which individuals experience excessive apprehension, anxiety, fear
Generalized anxiety disorder:
chronic, prolonged, high-level anxiety tied to no specific threat , condition develops slowly, gradual building over several weeks
Multiple sources of low-grade stress
Eventually, anxiety plateaus and remains at an elevated level
more in women
Anxiety is lower than the experienced in some other disorders
Panic disorder:
involved discreet, recurrent, sudden and unexpected attacks of overwhelming anxiety
Discreet; attacts are acute, with recognizable onset and offset
Attacks; sudden because no single stimulus is responsible for provoking the response
More in women ; adolescence or early adulthood
Agoraphobia; fear of experiencing panic attack in public/driving a vehicle alone
Panic attack; tied to no specific stimulus
Phobic disorder:
persistent and irrational fear of an object or situation
Irrational: fear response is disproportionate to the threat posed (rational to fear of snakes because of venom)
Phobic response; involved a discreet and sudden onset of overwhelming anxiety; only occurs in the presence of a specific stimulus or situation
Common phobias reflect real dangers in ancestral environment: Acrophobia (heights), Claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces), Hydrophobia (fear of deep water)
Two principles of Obsession Compulsive disorder
- Obsessions
- Compulsions
Obsessions in OCD
persistent, uncontrollable intrusions of unwanted thoughts that produce anxiety
Unpleasent, anxiety provoking thoughts that impose themselves on the indvidual – rather not think about them, but happen anyways
Symmetry
Compulsions in OCD
ritualistic behaviours (rigid set of repetitive actions/mental performances) that relieve anxiety
Hand washing
Safety/checking, contamination and cleaniness, symmetry
Hoarding disorder
3 coping mechanisms of PTSD
Avoidance of cues related to the event: avoid thinking about or participating in activities associated with the event, sometimes struggle to recall important aspects of the event
Numbing of general responsiveness; diminished interest in activities involving family, work or school unrelated to the traumatic event; experience reduced intensity of emotions and become estranged from their social network
Increased autonomic arousal: Insomnia, irritability, difficulty concentrating, hyper-vigilance, and an exaggerated startle response
Elements of depression
Major depressive episode: experience cognitive retardation (slowed mental processes) and psychomotor retardation (slowed motor activity)
Anhedonia: the absence of pleasure or the inability to experience pleasure
Negative cognitive evaluations: unrealistic negative thoughts in depressed state
Suicidal ideation:
First stage: thoughts about death but with no intention of taking own life
Second stage: contemplate suicide but have no plan on how to do so
Third stage: develop a plan
Fourth stage: attempt suicide
Antidepressant and the types
Antidepressant: increase activity of serotonin and norepinephrine
Mono-amine Oxydase: dirtiest drug, affecting all the mono-amines (dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, serotonin)
Tricyclics: inhibit reuptake of both serotonin and norepinephrine ; neurotransmitter molecules hang around activating additional receptor sites
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors; cleanest because they only affect serotonin levels; also delay reuptake of serotonin which leads to greater activation of receptor sites
Schizophrenia and the types of symptoms
heterogeneous collection of psychotic disorders characterized by severe disruptions to normal thought processes, perception, behaviour and emotion
- Negative symptoms: those that reflect behavioural deficits
- Positive symptoms: those that reflect behavioural excesses or peculiarities
Respond to treatment for schizophrenia
Patients with more positive symptoms is more likely respond to treatment
Indications of good prognosis:
More positive and fewer negative symptoms
Later onset rather than earlier onset
Rapid decent into the first psychotic episode rather than a slow, gradual descent
Good adjustment prior to the first psychotic episode in terms of their ability to socialize and be successful at work/school
Diathesis-stress model: combination of genetic and environmental stressors that occur before you can get schizophrenia
Antipsychotics: decrease dopamine activity
