Psychopathology Flashcards
What is depression?
Mood disorder
What is a phobia?
Anxiety disorder- instances of irrational fears that produce a conscious avoidance of the feared object or situation.
Agoraphobia
fear of being trapped in a public place where escape is difficult
What is OCD?
Anxiety disorder with two components:
1) compulsions (repetitive behaviours)
2) obsessions (persistent thoughts)
Cognitive characteristics of depression
A diminished ability to concentrate and a tendency to focus on the negative.
Recurrent thoughts of self-harm, death or suicide.
Often slower in making decisions as they may find it difficult to pay attention.
Behavioural characteristics of depression
Loss of energy- sufferers often experience a reduction in energy and constantly feel tired.
Sleep disturbance- hypersomnia or insomnia
Changes in appetite- either eat more or eat less, resulting in weight loss or weight gain
Emotional characteristics of depression
Depressed mood, feelings of worthlessness and lack of interest and pleasure in all activities.
Some sufferers experience anger, either directed at others or themselves, which can result in self-harming behaviours
Cognitive characteristics of phobias
- An irrational nature of the person’s thinking
- Resistance to rational arguments
- Recognises fear is excessive or irrational (this may be absent in children). This distinguishes a phobia from a delusional mental illness where the person isn’t aware of its irrationality, like schizophrenia.
- Selective attention towards the phobic stimulus
Behavioural characteristics of phobias
- freeze or faint
- avoidance of the feared situation interferes with the person’s life- their occupation, routine and relationships
- this distinguishes phobias from every day fears which don’t interfere with normal day-to-day living
Emotional characteristics of phobias
- persistent fear, likely to be excessive and unreasonable
- anxiety and panic
- these are caused by the anticipation of a specific object/situation and are out of proportion to the actual danger posed.
Cognitive characteristics of OCD
- Obsessive thoughts may include: fear of safety, by leaving doors or windows open; religious fears, from being immoral and fear of contamination, by dirt or germs.
- Sufferers may adopt cognitive strategies, for example those with religious obsessions may pray over and over, to reduce their feelings of being immoral.
- Sufferers are aware their obsessions and compulsions are irrational and experience selective attention towards the anxiety-generating stimuli
Behavioural characteristics of OCD
Compulsions- repetitive behaviours that sufferers feel compelled to complete. They are used to manage or reduce anxiety and are a response to the obsessions.
Emotional characteristics of OCD
- Anxiety caused by the obsessions which are forbidden/persistent thoughts and ideas
- Some sufferers experience depression as the anxiety experienced can result in a low mood and loss of pleasure in daily activities due to being constantly interrupted by obsessive thoughts and repetitive compulsions.
- Irrational guilt