Psychological Disorders Flashcards
psychological disorders
patterns of thoughts or behaviours that interfere with lives or cause suffering
relate the term “culture-bound” to psychological disorders
what we consider a disorder in our culture may actually be considered normal in another culture
- > i.e. anorexia is more of a western concept
prevalence of psychological disorders in canadian
- > 7 million of Canadians have mental health issue
- > 51% of ppl experience MH issues in their life
- > #1 most common is substance use
- > #2 is anxiety
- > #3 is depression
medical model of abnormal psychology
view abnormal behaviour as disease
- > illness, disorder, pathology, diagnoses are used to explain mental problem
- > relates abnormal behaviour to genetic and biological causes
- your issues are more legitimate if you say all the symptoms of depression vs I’m really depressed rn*
how would we determine if behaviour is abnormal
we typically ask does the behaviour veer from average in society
maladaptive behaviour
is the behaviour harmful to self or others
emotional discomfort
does a person suffer or do those around them suffer
socially unacceptable behaviours
do the actions violate society’s norms? “at odds”
epidemiology
determine the distribution of mental r physical disorders in the population
prelavence
the % of ppl with the disorder
lifetime prevalence
% of population that have ever had the disorder
etiology
apparent cause of the disorder
prognosis
the forecast; how likely this is a lifelong issue/ what are we going to expect
- > i.e. prognosis of extreme depression is suicide
- > prognosis is rarely
incidence
the rate of new cases (per year/per month)
DSM-IV
a system for classifying disorders for diagnosis and treatment that psychologists and psychiatrist (MD with specialization in psych) use
- > Diagnosis and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: 5th edition
- > lists 297 diagnostic categories
- > does not attempt to address cause or treatment, just symptoms
- > attempts to be as objective as possible
limitations to diagnoses
- > many people don’t meet all criteria of diagnosis
- > high rate of misdiagnosis (diagnostic clarity is distal goal) - > wrong medications, inappropriate treatment, medical records reflect that label
- > prejudice and discrimination
major diagnostic classifications
percentage of those with a mental health related disability consider themselves housebound
24%
percentage of those with mental health related disabilities consider themselves disadvantaged in employment because of their condition
52%
male and female trends in seeking help
- > women are more likely to report requiring counselling and support group services
- > men are more likely to report requiring addiction services
anxiety disorders
a general state of uneasiness or dread that occurs in response to a vague or imagined danger
- > a problem when this happens all the time and is out of proportion of the situation
physical signs of anxiety disorders
- > trembling, sweating, rapid HR, incr BP
- > nervousness, inability to relax, concerns about losing control
types of anxiety disorders
- > phobic disorder
- > panic disorder
- > generalized anxiety disorder
- > OCD
- > compulsive hoarding disorder
- > PTSD
phobic disorder
persistent and excessive fear of some object, activity, situation that consistently leads a person to avoid it
- > specific (i.e. animal, blood, storms, tunnels)
- > social (i.e. public speaking)
panic disorders
recurrent, unpredictable, unprovoked onset of sudden intense anxiety
- > 1/75 ppls have this disorder
- > can last seconds-hours, no particular stimulus brings it on
- > more acute than GAD
- > initial attacks associated with stress
GAD
generalized anxiety disorder
- > unrealistic, excessive, persistent worry
- > “free-floating anxiety” or “anxious misery”
- > chronic (persistent)
- > intense worry about everything, no clear insight into what is causing the anxiety
OCD
Obsessions
- > unwanted thoughts or mental images that constantly intrude into awareness
- often senseless, violence, disease, danger - “stove?”*
Compulsions
- > repetitive, ritual behaviours; often involve checking and cleaning
- > usually know obsessions and compulsions are irrational
compulsive hoarding syndrome
excessive collecting of items and inability to discard them
- > creates cramped living conditions, with only narrow pathways through the clutter
- > leads to limited interaction with others
PTSD
distressing feelings following a highly traumatic event (experienced or witnessed)
- > response involves intense fear, helplessness or horror
Symptoms:
- > flashbacks, nightmares, numbness of feeling, violence, increased tension and jumpiness
biological factors of anxiety disorders
- > genetic predisposition
- > anxiety sensitivity
- > neurotransmitters
relate conditioning and learning to anxiety disorders
- > we can aquire them through classical condition or observational learning
- > they are maintained through operant conditioning
- > key:AVOIDANCE
cognitive factors that lead to/cause anxiety disorders
- > misinterpret or over interpret harmless situations as threatening
- > focus excessive attention on perceived threats
threat sensitive: selectively recall information that seems threatening
how can stress lead to anxiety disorders
significant stress may cause onset of anxiety disorders
- > i.e. panic disorder
characteristics of dissociative disorders
- > dissociation means to separate from consciousness or memory
- > involves loss of identity
- > controversial
- > dissociation removes stress or lesses anxiety… escape
dissociative amnesia
- > a sudden loss of memory
- > inability to recall important information
- > often after a traumatic event
- > may last few hours or several years; doesn’t really occur after the initial occurrence
- > returns to normal with little notice
dissociative identity disorder
- > also know as multiple personality disorder
- > two or more distinct personalities exist in one person
- > history of severe child abuse (physical, sexual, or psychological) is common
GID
gender identity disorder
symptoms of GID in children
- > disgusted by own body parts
- > often rejected by peers, feels alone
- > high depression or anxiety rates
- > sat that they want to or will be different from the natal sex
symptoms of GID in adults
- > severe dysphoria regarding assigned gender
- > dress like or live the life of the opposite sex
- > feel alone; significant distress
- > have depression or anxiety
treatment of GID
counseling
hormonal therapy
- > give them the hormones that correspond with the gender they were born with
sex reassignment surgery
- > sex change
somatoform disorders
- > expression of psychological distress through physical symptoms
- > this disorder is NOT intentional
- > some cases go unreported because the focus is on medical tests
- your brain is in distress and produces physical symptoms*
conversion disorders
- > experience a change in or loss of physical functioning in a major part of the body with no medical reason (i.e. loss sight or paralysis due to stress)
- > some ppl are notably unconcerned about these symptoms
hypochondriasis
also known as hypochondria
- > unrealistic preoccupation with the feat they have a serious disease
- > some ppl will see several doctors until one gives them any form of treatment
factors that contribute to the formation of somatoform disorders
Reactive ANS
- > genetic factors do not appear to contribute to development
Personality factors
- > histrionic and neurotic personalities
Cognitive factors
- > over-interpret minor bodily changes or complains
The sick role
- > if a
impulse control disorders
- > defined primarily by loss of control
- > inability to resist impulse to perform an action that is harmful to one’s self or others or causes distress
- > i.e. uncontrollable urge to go on gambling app
intermittent explosive disorder
- > inability to control violent impulses
- > results in serious damage to ppl or property
- > degree of aggressiveness is not in proportion to cause
trichotillomania
- > hair loss caused by compulsive pulling or twisting of the hair until it breaks off
- > sense of relief, pleasure, or gratification after the hair pulling
- > usually seen in children
kleptomania
- > compulsive stealing of items that aren’t needed
- > usually a feeling of tension before stealing
- > sense of pleasure at the time of the theft
pathological gambling
- > uncontrollable impulse to gamble
- > often results in disrupted relations, financial problems, and/or criminal behaviour
- > obsessed with gambling and need to increase the amount of money gambled to experience the same rush
pyromania
- > setting fires for pleasure
- > significant fascination with fire
- > sense of relief or gratification from the experience
treatment of impulse control disorders
some of the disorders are helped by behaviour therapy
- > reduce stress and help the patient develop other habits
there may also be a neurological explanation
- > treat with anti depressants
mood disorders
mood changes refers to being “up” or “down” depending on life experiences
- > becomes a disorder when changes are extreme, inappropriate, or inconsistent
major depression
- > one of the most common disorders (over 100 million worldwide)
- > a person must have five of the nine symptoms which must occur every day for two weeks
bipolar disorder
also know as manic depression
- > characterized by draumatic ups and downs; changes quickly for no reason at all
- > depressive characteristics are the same as major depression
- > just need 1+ episode of mania ever (how it differs from maj depr)
5 characteristics of the manic stage of bipolar disorder
- > inflated self-esteem
- > inability to sit still or sleep
- > racing thoughts/ideas
- > pressure to talk to switch topics
- > difficulty concentrating
season affective disorder
- > experience recurrent depressive episodes in a season pattern
- > believed to be related to decreased light exposure in winter
- > newer research looking into temperature’s impact
postpartum depression
better term: peripartum depression (during preg. or after baby arrives)
- > <70% of new mothers experience “baby blues” (short lasting condition) that lasts a week or two
- > peripartum depression is different: emotionally and physically debilitating
- > may continue for months or more
- > father can experience it too
gender difference in suicide
women are 3x more likely to attempt
men are 4x more likely to complete suicide
suicide prevention
there is no guarantee to prevent suicide, can only reduce risk
- > take suicide talk seriously
- > provide empathy and support
- > identify problems
- > make no promises (i.e. keep it a secret)
- > stay with individual (acute crisis)
- > consult a professional
what are the interpersonal roots of a person contemplating suicide
- > conflicts with others that leads to frequent rejection
- > poor social skills; few reinforcers; isolation
- > precipitating stress
biological, psychological, cognitive views/explanation for suicide
Psych
- > learned helplessness
- > pessimistic
Bio
- > heredity
- > a chemical imbalance; due to low levels of seratonin
Cognitive factors
- > beck: negative view of self, world, future
- > negative automatic thoughts (NAT’s)
schizophrenia
- > most serious disorder; very rare
- > characterized by a loss of contact with reality
- > can develop gradually or very quickly
- > worsens over time and difficult to treat
- > 20% of schizophrenia will attempt suicide
- > starts at 18-25
Positive symptoms of schizophrenia
positive in the sense as they are a colourful expression of our behaviour compared to the loss of behaviour
hallucinations
- > sensory perceptions in absence of real stimulus
Delusions
- > false beliefs
Irrational thought
- > organization: skip around
- > content: repetition
- > word salad
etiology of schizophrenia
- > structural abnormalities in the brain
- > the neurodevelopmental hypotheses
- > expressed emotion
- > precipitating stress
- > viral infection during infancy
negative symptoms of schizophrenia
- > social withdrawal
- > disturbed or flat affect
- > apathy
- > poor attention
prognostic factors of schizophrenia
- > onset is sudden
- > onset occurs later
- > good social and work adjustment prior to onset
- > few negative symptoms
- > good social support system
prognosis = predicting
4 subtypes of schizophrenia
Paranoid type
- > delusions of persecution, along with delusions of grandeur
Catatonic type
- > striking motor disturbances, ranging from muscular rigidity to random motor activity
Disorganized type
- > a particularly severe deterioration of adaptive behaviour (i.e. unable to bath, brush your teeth; laughing when things are sad)
Undifferentiated type
- > don’t necessarily fit into one of theses subtypes; still schizophrenic
DSM’s cluster of personailty disorders
people with a personality disorder are often….
Odd or eccentric
Dramatic, emotional or erratic
Anxious or fearful
paranoid personality disorder
people are..
- > distrustful and suspicious
- > belief without reason that others are trying to exploit, harm, or deceive them
- > belief in hidden messages
- > unforgiving, grudge holding
schizoid personality disorder
- related to schizophrenics*
- > limited range of emotion (experience, expression)
- > indifferent to social relationships
- > prefer to be alone
schizotypal personality disorder
Peculiarities of thinking
- > odd beliefs (i.e. telepathy, magical powers)
Eccentricities of appearance, behaviour, style, thought
antisocial personality disorder
- > lack of regard for moral or legal standards (no conscience, can fake it)
- > inability to get along with others or abide by societal rules/laws
- > “psychopaths” or “sociopaths”
- > show disregard for others
- > no guilt or remoure
borderline personality disorder
- > extreme instability of emotions and self image
- > intense unstable relationships
- > impulsivity; rage/outbursts
- > intense fear of abandonment
- > crave reassurement; can’t take rejection
- > over-share; clingy; then dump
histrionic personality disorder
Overly dramatic and attention seeking
- > exaggerated or inappropriate emotional display
- > theatrical
- > unusual clothing hairstyle, make-up
overly concerned with physical appearance
- > uncomfortable when they are not the centre of attention
explaination for personality disorders
- > not clearly explained until the 1980s
- > were rejected by adults as children, severely punished
- > reinforced negative behaviours
- > genetics
narcissistic
Fantasy of grandiosity
- > need to be admired
- > inability to see other’s viewpoints
- > interpret everything as reflecting their superiority
disturbed relationship because of lack of empathy
hypersensitive to opinions of other, especially criticism
- > hyper-reactive to criticism; hold grudges and gets even
avoidant personality disorder
- > social inhibition
- > feelings of inadequacy
- > extremely sensitive to criticism (withdraw, shit down)
dependant personality disorder
- > extreme need of others
*unable to make decisions or stand up on their own
- > fear of separation
- > submissive behaviour
- > lack self-confidence
obsessive compulsive PERSONALITY disorder
- > characterized by being inflexible and perfectionism (high level need to do anything your way, has to be done their way)
- > no actual compulsions or obsessions
