Psychopathology - Characteristics Flashcards
What’s a phobia
An extreme , or irrational fear of objects (specific phobia) or to a certain situation
Behavioural characteristics of phobias
Panic - uncontrollable physical response - screaming, hyperventilating, running
Avoidance - adapting behaviours to avoid phobic object - crossing the road
Failure to function - difficulty taking part in activities - going to work
Emotional characteristics of phobias
Anxiety - an uncomfortably high state of arousal - difficult to relax or feel pleasure
Fear - intense emotional state linked to the fight or flight response - sensation of extreme and unpleasant alertness in presence of phobia - only decreases once phobic stim is removed
Cognitive characteristics of phobias
Irrational thoughts - negative and irrational mental processes that include an exaggerated belief in the harm the object could cause them
Reduced cognitive capacity - people w phobia - can’t concentrate on day to day activities such as work due to excessive focus on phobic objects and constant concern of potential danger
Behavioural characteristics of depression EAR
- reduced activity levels - lethargy - lack of energy to perform everyday activities ; washing
Anhedonia - lack of pleasure usually felt in doing enjoyable activities - reduces social behaviour - aggression - towards others or themselves - self harm
- eating behaviour - may increase or decrease significantly
Emotional characteristics of depression
G and S
- sadness : persistent, very low mood
- guilt : linked to helplessness and a feeling that they have no value in comparison to others
Cognitive characteristics of depression : PC AND NS
Poor concentration - difficulty concentrating on tasks and making decisions can be difficult - indecisiveness
Negative schemas - negative biases towards : themselves , the world, future
What’s depression
Mood disorder defied by consistent, long lasting sense of sadness
What’s OCD
Defined by obsessions, constant intrusive thoughts that cause high anxiety levels.
Also have compulsions which are behaviours that are meant to deal with the continuous invasive thoughts
Behavioural - OCD
CAS
Compulsions - repeated behaviours to reduce anxiety - reduction = temporary
Avoidance - taking or resisting actions to avoid being in presence of objects/situations that trigger obsessions
Social impairment - not partaking in sociable events, often due to difficulty leaving the house without triggering obsessions or the need to carry out obsessions becomes too time consuming
Emotional - OCD
A and D
Anxiety - high state of arousal - hard to relax , the anxiety comes from the obsession and constant worse case scenario thinking
Depression - comes as a result of not being able to control the anxiety causing thoughts and OCD symptoms take over sufferers life
Cognitive - OCD
O H SA
Obsessions - intrusive , irrational and recurrent thoughts that tend to be unpleasant
Hyper vigilance - permanent state of alertness where sufferer is looking for source of obsessive thought
ie germ phobia - looking at every surface, looking for potential threat of exposure to germs
Selective attention - attentional bias - so focused on objects related to obsessions - can’t focus on other things in the environment or conversations
