Psychopathology: Depression, phobias and OCD

Question 1

What is depression and what are the 2 types

Answer 1

• a mood disorder.
• mood disorders are characterised by strong emotions
  -> influences ability to function normally.
  -> perceptions, thinking and behaviour.
  -> depression is one of the most common mood disorders:
  1. major depression
  2. manic depression

Question 2

what is major depression

Answer 2

• episode of depression that occurs suddenly.
  -> can be reactive -> caused by external factors, e.g. death of loved one.
  -> can be endogenous -> internal facts, e.g. neurological factors.

Question 3

What is manic depression (bipolar disorder)

Answer 3

• alternation between 2 mood extremes (mania and depression).
  -> mood changes occur in consistent cycles of days/weeks.
  -> mania episodes involve overactivity, rapid speech and extremely happy or agitated emotions.
  -> episodes of depression involve: behavioural, cognitive and emotional symptoms.

Question 4

What are the physical/behavioural symptoms depression (clinical characteristics)

Answer 4

• insomnia (unable to sleep) or hypersonic (sleeping much more than usual).
• change in appetite -> people may eat more/less than usual and gain or lose weight.
• lack of activity -> social withdrawal or loss of sex drive.

Question 5

what are the cognitive symptoms of depression (clinical characteristics)

Answer 5

• negative beliefs about selves and abilities.
• suicidal thoughts.
• slow thought processes -> difficulty concentrating, making decisions.

Question 6

what are the affective/emotional symptoms of depression (clinical characteristics)

Answer 6

• Extreme, sadness and despair.
• diurnal mood variation -> changes in mood during the day. e.g. feeling worse in the morning.
• anhedonia -> no longer enjoying activities/hobbies that used to be pleasure.

Question 7

What does the DSM state about major depression

Answer 7

• states at least 5 clinical symptoms must have been present almost every day for 2 weeks for someone to be diagnosed with major depression.

Question 8

what are phobias

Answer 8

• an example of an anxiety disorder -> extreme irrational fear of an object or situation -> DSM classifies several:
• specific phobias
• agoraphobia
• social anxiety disorder (social phobia)

Question 9

What are specific phobias

Answer 9

fear of specific objects/situations -> 5 subtypes:
1) animal type (also called zoo phobia, e.g. fear of spiders).
2) environmental dangers type (e.g. fear of water).
3) blood injection injury type (e.g. fear of needles).
4) situational type (e.g. fear of enclosed spaces or heights).
5) ‘other’ (any phobia not covered in above categories).

Question 10

What is agoraphobia

Answer 10

• fear of open spaces, being in a crowd, an enclosed space or using public transport -> not being at home.
• fear of not being able to escape/find help if embarrassing situation arises.
• sufferer avoids the situation to avoid stress.
• may develop as a result of other phobias -> afraid of coming across the source of fear if they leave the house.

Question 11

What is social anxiety disorder (social phobias)

Answer 11

• fear of social situations (e.g. eating in public, talking in front of people).
  -> fear of being judged / embarrassed.

Question 12

What are the cognitive symptoms (clinical characteristics of phobias)

Answer 12

• cognitive symptoms: irrational beliefs about the stimulus which causes fear -> hard to concentrate -> preoccupied by anxious symptoms.

Question 13

What are the behavioural symptoms of phobias (clinical characteristics)

Answer 13

• avoiding social situations / objecting to them as it causes anxiety.
  -> especially the case with social anxiety disorder or agoraphobia.
  -> altering behaviour to avoid the feared object/situation -> trying to escape if it’s encountered.
  -> ppl are often restless/easily startled.

Question 14

what are the physical symptoms of phobias (clinical characteristics)

Answer 14

• fight/flight response -> adrenaline, increased heart and breathing, muscle tension.

Question 15

what are the emotional symptoms of phobias (clinical characteristics)

Answer 15

• emotional symptoms -> Anxiety and a feeling of dread.

Question 16

what is the diagnostic criteria for phobias

Answer 16

• significant/prolonged fear of an object/situation which lasts more than 6 months.
• experience of anxiety response (e.g. increased heart rate) if exposed to the stimulus.
• the phobia is out of proportion to any real danger.
• sufferers intentionally avoid the phobic stimulus.
• phobia disrupts their lives, e.g. avoid social situations.

Question 17

Summarise what OCD is

Answer 17

• split into 2 parts: obsessions and compulsions.
  -> most obsessions and compulsions are linked to each other.
  -> E.g. worry of catching germs (obsessions) may lead to excessive hand-washing (a compulsion).
• Obsessions: the cognitive aspect.
• Compulsions: the behavioural aspect.
• also has an emotional aspect -> anxiety.
• usually developed in the late teens or early 20s.

Question 18

What is the cognitive aspect of OCD

Answer 18

• obsessions: intrusive and persistent thoughts, images and impulses.
• persistent + reoccurring thoughts that are unwanted and cause distress.
  -> e.g. imagining the door was left unlocked and burglars rampaged through the house.
• the person tries to ignore thoughts/impulses but is unable to.
• Obsessions not caused by other substances such as drugs.

Question 19

What are compulsions (OCD)

Answer 19

• the repetition of physical behaviours or mental acts that relate to an obsession.
  -> e.g. checking door is locked multiple times or repeating certain prayer to neutralise an unwanted thought.
• meant to reduce anxiety or prevent a feared situation.
  -> in reality they are excessive -> only reduced anxiety for a short time.
• DSM: if obsessions/compulsions last at least one hour each day -> a clinical case of OCD.
  -> Interference with ability to work a job or take part in social situations.

Question 20

List the different types of OCD behaviours

Answer 20

• checking: checking the lights are off/door is locked.
• contamination: fear of catching germs -> going to the restaurant, shaking hands, touching door handles etc.
• Hoarding: keeping useless or worn-out objects, e.g. old newspapers or junk mail.
• symmetry and orderliness: getting objects lined up ‘just right’, e.g. having everything on a desk arranged in a neat order.