Psychological Disorders Flashcards
biomedical approach
interventions that rally around symptom reduction of psychological disorders
bio-psychosocial approach
assumes there are biological, psychological, and social components to an individual’s disorder
direct therapy
aims to increase social support by educating and empowering family and friends of the affected individual
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)
manual of mental disorders
schizophrenia
prototypical psychotic disorder, need to show continuous signs of the disturbance for at least six months, at least one month of active symptoms
psychotic disorder
suffer from delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thought, disorganized behavior, catatonia, and negative symptoms
positive symptoms
behaviors, thoughts, or feelings added to normal behavior ex. delusions and hallucinations, disorganized thought, and disorganized or catatonic behavior
negative symptoms
those that involve the absence of normal or desired behavior, such as disturbance of affect and avolition ( a term used to describe the severe lack of initiative to accomplish purposeful tasks)
delusions
false beliefs discordant with reality
delusions of reference
belief that common elements in the environment are directed at the individual
ex. think characters in TV are talking to you directly
thought broadcasting
the belief that one’s thoughts are being broadcast directly from one’s head to the external world
thought insertion
belief that thoughts are being placed in one’s head
hallucinations
perceptions that are not due to external stimuli but have a compelling sense of reality, auditory is the most common form
disorganized thought
characterized by loosening of associations, speech in which ideas shift from one subject to another in a way that doesn’t make much sense, “word salad”–> words put together randomly, and may create new words “neologisms”
neologisms
new words, sometimes seen with schizophrenics
disorganized behaviors
inability to carry out activities of daily living, like paying bill and staying clean
catatonia
certain motor behaviors of some people with schizophrenia, could look like spontaneous movement being greatly reduced, or useless and bizarre movements like echolalia (repeating another’s words) or echopraxia (imitating another’s actions)
disturbance of affect
negative symptom of schizophrenia, affect is the experience and display of emotions
Blunting
severe reduction in the intensity of affect expression
Flat affect (emotional flattening)
virtually no signs of emotional expression
inappropriate affect
affect is clearly discordant with the content of the individual’s speech, laugh hysterically when describing a parent’s death
avolition
marked by decreased engagement in purposeful, goal-driven action
prodromal phase
clear evidence of deterioration, social withdrawal, role functioning impairment, peculiar behavior, inappropriate affect, and unusual experiences, followed by active phase of symptomatic behavior
depressive disorder
meet certain severity and duration requirements for diagnosis
Major depressive disorder
mood disorder characterized by at least one major depressive episode
Major depressive episode
period fo at least two weeks with at least 5 of the following symptoms SIG E.CAPS Sadness + Sleep Interest Guilt Energy Concentration Appetite Psychomotor symptoms Suicidal thoughts
(at least one symptom must be depressed mood or anhendonia)
anhedonia
loss of interest in all or almost all formerly enjoyable activities
persistent depressive disorder
given to individuals who suffer from dysthymia, a depressed mood that isn’t severe enough to meet the criteria of a major depressive episode, most of the time for at least two years
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
major depressive disorder with seasonal onset, often only in winter months, can treat with bright light therapy
Bipolar disorder (formerly known as manic depression)
mood disorder characterized by both depression and mania
Manic episodes
characterized by abnormal and persistently elevated mood lasting at least one week with at least three of the following - DIG FAST Distractible Insomnia (decreased sleep) Grandiosity Flight of ideas (racing thoughts) Agitation Speech (pressured) Thoughtlessness (risky behavior)
Bipolar I disorder
manic episodes with or without major depressive episodes
Bipolar II disorder
hypomania with at least one major depressive episode
Hypomania
typically does not significantly impair functioning, nor are there psychotic features, although the individual may be more energetic and optimistic
Cyclothymic disorder
combination of hypomanic episodes and periods of dysthymia that are not sever enough to qualify as major depressive episodes
Monoamine or catecholamine theory of depression
Theory holds that too much norepinephrine and serotonin in the synapse leads to mania, while too little leads to depression
depression- low norepinephrine and serotonin levels
manic episodes- high levels of those neurotransmitters
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
common, defined as disproportionate and persistent worry about many small things
Hyperthyroidism
excessive levels of thyroid hormones T3 and T4 will increase the body’s metabolic rate and create anxiety-like symptoms (has to be ruled out for anxiety disorders)
Specific phobia
one in which anxiety is produced by a specific object or situation
Social anxiety disorder
anxiety that is due to social situations
Agoraphobia
anxiety disorder that is characterized by a fear of being in places or in situations where it might be hard for the individual to escape
Panic disorder
another type of anxiety disorder, consists of repeated panic attacks, include fear and apprehension, trembling, sweating, hyperventilation, and a sense of unreality, sense of impending doom
Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD)
characterized by obsessions (persistent, intrusive thoughts and impulses), which produce tension, and compulsions (repetitive tasks) that relieve tension but cause significant impairment in a person’s life
obsessions raise the individual’s stress level and the compulsions relieve this stress
Body dysmorphic disorder
a person has an unrealistic negative evaluation of his or her personal appearance and attractiveness, usually directed toward a certain body part
Post-traumatic stress disorder
occurs after witnessing a traumatic event, such as war, home invasion, rape or a natural disaster. Consists of intrusion symptoms (recurrent reliving of the event), avoidance symptoms (deliberate attempts to avoid the memories), negative cognitive symptoms (inability to recall key features of the event), and arousal symptoms (increased startle response, irritability, anxiety, self-destructive or reckless behavior)
Dissociative disorders
The person avoids stress by escaping from their identity, ex. amnesia, dissociative identity disorder (formerly multiple personality disorder), and depersonalization/ derealization disorder
Dissociative amnesia
inability to recall past experiences, may also experience dissociative fugue: a sudden, unexpected move or purposeless wandering away from one’s home or location of usual daily activities
dissociative fugue
a sudden, unexpected move or purposeless wandering away from one’s home or location of usual daily activities
Dissociative identity disorder (DID)
formerly multiple personality disorder, there are two or more personalities that recurrently take control of a person’s behavior, results when the components of identity fail to integrate, in most cases, patients have experienced severe physical or sexual abuse as children
Depersonalization/derealization disorder
Individuals feel detached from their own mind and body (depersonalization) or from their surroundings (derealization), ex. out of body experience
Somatic symptom disorder
have at least one somatic symptom, which may or may not be linked to an underlying medical condition, that is accompanied by disproportionate concerns about its seriousness, devotion of an excessive amount of time and energy to it, or elevated levels of anxiety
Illness Anxiety Disorder
characterized by being consumed with thoughts about having or developing a serious medical condition
Conversion disorder
characterized by unexplained symptoms affecting voluntary motor or sensory functions, ex. Devi in Never Have I Ever when she is in the wheelchair, generally begin after a traumatic event
La belle indifference
when a person is unconcerned with a symptom in a conversion disorder (historically a conversion disorder was called hysteria)
Personality disorder
a pattern of behavior that is inflexible and maladaptive, causing distress or impaired functioning in at least two of the following: cognition, emotions, interpersonal functioning, or impulse control
Clusters A, B, and C
Ego-syntonic
if the individual perceives her behavior as correct, normal, or in harmony with her goals
Ego-dystonic
The individual sees the illness as something thrust upon her that is intrusive and bothersome
Cluster A
paranoid, schizotypal, and schizoid personality disorders
marked by behavior that is labeled as odd or eccentric by others
Paranoid personality disorder
marked by a pervasive distrust of others and suspicion regarding their motives
Schizotypal Personality Disorder
Refers to a pattern of odd or eccentric thinking may have ideas of reference (like delusions of reference but not as extreme) as well as magical thinking (superstitiousness or belief in clairvoyance)
Schizoid personality disorder
pervasive pattern of detachment from social relationships and a restricted range of emotional expression; little desire for social interactions
Cluster B
antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic personality disorders
Marked by behavior that is labeled as dramatic, emotional, or erratic by others
Antisocial personality disorder
three times more common in males, disregard for and violation of the rights of others, many serial killers and career criminals have this
Borderline personality disorder
two times more common in females, pervasive instability in interpersonal behavior, mood, and self image; interpersonal relationships are often intense and unstable; fear of abandonment, use splitting (view others as all good or all bad) as a defense mechanism, self-mutilation is common
Histrionic personality disorder
Characterized by constant attention-seeking behavior
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
one has a grandiose sense of self-importance, preoccupation with fantasies of success, a need for constant admiration and attention, people who are too into themselves
Cluster C
avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders
marked by behavior that is labeled as anxious or fearful by others
avoidant personality disorder
individual has extreme shyness and fear of rejection
Dependent personality disorder
characterized by a continuous need for reassurance, remain dependent on a parent or SO to make decisions
Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD)
individual is perfectionistic and inflexible, tending to like rules and order, lifelong, ego-syntonic (I just like rules and order!)
different than OCD, which is marked by obsessions and compulsions
Schizophrenia
excessive weed in adolescence is associated with increased risk, associated with an extremely high amount of dopamine within the brain
can be treated with neuroleptics–> block dopamine receptors, also known as an antipsychotic, side effect can include sedation
Depression markers
high glucose metabolism in the amygdala, hippocampal atrophy after a long duration of illness, high levels of glucocorticoids (cortisol), decreased norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine
Bipolar disorder markers
increased norepinephrine and serotonin (monoamine theory), higher risk if parent has bipolar disorder, high risk for persons with MS
Alzheimer’s disease
type of dementia characterized by gradual memory loss, disorientation to time and place, problems with abstract thought, and a tendency to misplace things; later stage can have mood changes, poor judgement, loss of initiate, common is people 65+
biological markers: B-amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, diffuse atrophy in the brain, etc.
Parkinson’s Disease
characterized by bradykinesia (slowness in movement),, resting tremor (a tremor that appears when muscles are not being used), pill-rolling tremor (flexing and extending the fingers while moving the thumb back and forth), masklike facies (a facial expression consisting of static and expressionless facial features, staring eyes, and a partially open mouth), cogwheel rigidity (muscle tension that intermittently halts movement as an examiner attempts to manipulate a limb), and a shuffling gait
DECREASED dopamine production in the substantia nigra, a layer of cells in the brain that functions to produce dopamine to permit proper functioning of the basal ganglia
L-DOPA
a precursor that is converted to dopamine once in the brain, replacing that which is lost due to Parkinson’s disease
