Psychological/Psychiatric Disabilities

Question 1

Psychological or psychiatric disabilities

Answer 1

Encompass a vast range of emotional and mental conditions. When a mental illness disorder impacts daily major life activities, it then becomes a disability. Eg. Depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, schizophrenia.

Question 2

Treatment for psychological or psychiatric disabilities

Answer 2

1. Counseling
2. Psychotherapy
3. Medications
4. Self-help methods

Question 3

Anxiety Disorders

Answer 3

The most common group of psychological disabilities. People with anxiety disorders persistently fear or worry about certain situations or objects.

Question 4

Panic disorder

Answer 4

An anxiety disorder that causes feelings of terror and doom. May experience panic attacks that closely resemble a heart attack at any time: a fast heart rate, difficulty breathing (hyperventilation), chest pain, and dizziness.

Question 5

Phobias

Answer 5

Strong, excessive, paralyzing fears of particular objects or situations. Those who experience phobias may experience one or a combination of panic symptoms like a strong need to run away, rapid heart rate, or difficulty breathing.

Question 6

PTSD

Answer 6

An anxiety disorder that may occur after a person has been exposed to a terrifying or traumatic event.

Question 7

OCD

Answer 7

An anxiety disorder where a perpetually upsetting, distressing thoughts called obsessions. To alleviate the obsessions, a person will perform repeated, intentional acts called compulsions.

Question 8

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Answer 8

General anxiety for months or possibly years. It is different from the regular, occasional anxiety experienced in daily life or due to stressful life events.

Question 9

Social Anxiety Disorder

Answer 9

Involves having an intense or persistent fear of being watched or judged by other people. It can be so intense that it interferes with daily activities like going to work or school.

Question 10

Mood disorders

Answer 10

Aka Affective Disorders or Depressive Disorders, cause erratic changes in a person’s mood.

Question 11

Depression

Answer 11

A brain disorder. People may experience prolonged sadness, loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities, worthless feelings, or suicidal thoughts. Causes of depression can be genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological.

Question 12

Bipolar Disorder

Answer 12

A mood disorder that consists of cycling periods of feeling mania, or high and happy feelings, and depression, or low, sad feelings.`

Question 13

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Answer 13

A mood disorder that affects individuals in the fall and winter months. During these months, people with SAD experience depression possibly due to shortened daylight. Depression tends to lift during the spring and summer months.

Question 14

Schizophrenia

Answer 14

Experiences with this disorder are generally categorized into two groups, “positive” and “negative.” Positive schizophrenia experiences involve hallucinations and delusions. Negative schizophrenia experiences involve a lack of motivation, a dreary mood, and isolating oneself from society. People with schizophrenia experience difficulty expressing themselves, attention and memory deficits, and trouble controlling their movements.

Question 15

ADHD

Answer 15

A behavioral disorder where a person has difficulty focusing, paying attention, and controlling their behavior. The person may also be hyperactive.

Question 16

Inattentive ADHD

Answer 16

Experiences that are mainly inattentive involved difficulty focusing and processing new information, being distracted easily, daydreaming, difficulty organizing and completing a task, and difficulty following instructions.

Question 17

Hyperactive ADHD

Answer 17

Experiences that mainly involve hyperactivity include continuous talking, running around, fidgeting, touching things, and difficulty completing quiet tasks.

Question 18

Impulsive ADHD

Answer 18

Experiences that are mostly impulsive involve lack of patience and difficulty waiting on things, shouting unsolicited remarks, difficulty controlling emotions, and interrupting activities or conversations.

Question 19

Personality Disorders

Answer 19

When a person’s behavior and experiences persistently deviate from cultural expectations, they may have a personality disorder. May develop in adolescence and continue well into adulthood. The person perceives their behavior as appropriate, so personality disorders are considered pervasive and inflexible.

Question 20

Antisocial Personality Disorder

Answer 20

A personality disorder where a person exhibits a pattern of behavior that shows no regard for the rights of others and violates the rights of others. Those with antisocial personality disorder may fail to conform to social norms and laws, exhibit deceptive behaviors, habitually lie, and act impulsively and recklessly.

Question 21

Borderline Personality Disorder

Answer 21

A personality disorder where a person experiences long-term instability in mood, behaviors, relationships, and self-image. May experience lingering feelings of loneliness, boredom, and anger. Reactions to situations may be extreme and range from panic to depression and rage. May partake in impulsive activities like substance or alcohol abuse and exhibit self-harming or suicidal behaviors.

Question 22

Eating Disorders

Answer 22

Mental disorders that cause severe concern over food and weight.

Question 23

Anorexia Nervosa

Answer 23

An eating disorder that causes a person to eat very little food and keep weight at an unhealthy low. People may cut their food into very small pieces to eat, refuse to eat in front of people, exercise excessively, and may have a distorted perception of their body image.

Question 24

Bulimia Nervosa

Answer 24

An eating disorder where a person eats a lot of food and then purges the food through vomiting, laxatives or diuretics, excessively exercising, or fasting.

Question 25

Compulsive, or binge, eating

Answer 25

An eating disorder characterized by eating a much larger amount of food in a shorter period of time than the amount that would normally be eaten. A person may feel out of control during an episode. May involve eating much faster than normal, eating when there is no indication of hunger, eating between daily meals, and eating more than 5000 calories in one sitting.

Question 26

ICT/General Challenge: Challenges with managing emotions or stress.

Answer 26

Solutions:
1. Apps to manage mood, stress, and anxiety.
2. Guided meditation.

Question 27

General Challenge: Challenges displaying appropriate behavior.

Answer 27

Solutions:
1. Behavior chart
2. Point sheets
3. Goal tracking
4. Positive reinforcement rewards

Question 28

General Challenge: Experiencing difficulty with mental functions and cognition.

Answer 28

Solutions:
1. Memory aids
2. Text-to-speech software
3. Reminder devices