Psychopathology & Stress Flashcards
patterns of thinking and behaving that are maladaptive, disruptive, or uncomfortable for the affected person or for others
psychopathology
viewing mental disorders as resulting from a combination of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors
biopsychosocial approach
a view in which mental disorder is seen as arising from psychological processes
psychological model
explaining mental disorders in ways that emphasize the role of factors such as gender and age, physical situations, cultural values and expectations, and historical era
sociocultural perspective
characteristics or conditions that can influence the appearance and form of maladaptive behavior
sociocultural factors
the notion that psychological disorders arise when a predisposition for a disorder combines with sufficient amounts of stress to trigger symptoms
diathesis-stress model
a condition in which intense feelings of fear and dread are long-standing and disruptive
anxiety disorder
an anxiety disorder that involves strong, irrational fear of an object or situation that does not objectively justify such a reaction
phobia
phobias that involve fear and avoidance of specific stimuli and situations, such as heights, blood, and certain animals
specific phobias
strong, irrational fears related to social situations
social phobias
a strong fear of being alone or away from the safety of home
agoraphobia
a condition that involves long-lasting anxiety that is not focused on any particular object or situation
generalized anxiety disorder
anxiety in the form of severe panic attacks that come without warning or obvious cause
panic disorder
an anxiety disorder in which a person becomes obsessed with certain thoughts or feels a compulsion to do certain things
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
persistent, upsetting, and unwanted thoughts that interfere with daily life and may lead to compulsions
obsessions
repetitive behaviors that interfere with daily functioning but are performed in an effort to prevent dangers or events associated with obsessions
compulsions
psychological problems in which a person shows the symptoms of a physical disorder for which there is no physical cause
somatoform disorders
a somatoform disorder in which a person appears to be (but actually is not) blind, deaf, paralyzed, or insensitive to pain
conversion disorder
a strong, unjustified fear of physical illness
hypochondriasis
a somatoform disorder in which there are numerous physical complaints without verifiable physical illness
somatization disorder
a somatoform disorder marked by complaints of severe, often constant pain with no physical cause
somatoform pain disorder
a somatoform disorder characterized by intense distress over imagined abnormalities of the skin, hair, face, or other areas of the body
body dysmorphic disorder
conditions involving sudden and usually temporary disruptions in a person’s memory, consciousness, or identity
dissociative disorders
a psychological disorder involving sudden loss of memory and the assumption of a new identity in a new locale
fugue reaction (dissociative fugue)
a psychological disorder marked by a sudden loss of memory for one’s own name, occupation, or other identifying information
dissociative amnesia
a dissociative disorder in which a person appears to have more than one identity, each of which behaves in a different way
dissociative identity disorder (DID)
a condition in which a person experiences extremes of moods for long periods, shifts from one extreme mood to another, and experiences moods that are inconsistent with events
affective disorder (mood disorder)
a condition in which a person feels sad and hopeless for weeks or months, often losing interest in all activities and taking pleasure in nothing
major depression (major depressive disorder)
false beliefs such as those experienced by people suffering from schizophrenia or severe depression
delusions
a pattern of depression in which the person shows the sad mood, lack of interest, and loss of pleasure associated with major depression, but to a lesser degree and for a longer period
dysthymic disorder
a condition in which a person alternates between the two emotional extremes of depression and mania
bipolar disorder
an elated, active emotional state
mania
an affective disorder characterized by an alternating pattern of mood swings that is less extreme than that of bipolar disorder
cyclothymic personality (cyclothymic disorder)
a pattern of severely disturbed thinking, emotion, perception, and behavior that constitutes one of the most serious and disabling of all mental disorders
schizophrenia
false or distorted perceptions of objects or events
hallucinations
long-standing, inflexible ways of behaving that become styles of life that create problems, usually for others
personality disorders
a long-term persistent pattern of impulsive, selfish, unscrupulous, even criminal behavior
antisocial personality disorder
problems involving the use of psychoactive drugs for months or years in ways that harm the user or others
substance-related disorders
development of a physical need for a psychoactive drug
addiction
a pattern of drinking that may lead to addiction and that almost always causes severe social, physical, and other problems
alcoholism
a field focused on understanding how psychological factors affect health and illness and which interventions help maintain health and combat illness
health care psychology (health psychology)
the process of adjusting to circumstances that disrupt or threaten to disrupt a person’s daily functioning
stress
events or situations to which people must adjust
stressors
physical and psychological reactions to stressors
stress reactions
physical reactions triggered by the sympathetic nervous system that prepare the body to fight or run from a threatening situation
fight-flight reaction
a three-stage pattern of responses triggered by the effort to adapt to stressors
general adaptation syndrome (GAS)
illnesses caused or worsened by stressors
diseases of adaptation
the friends and social contacts on whom one can depend for help and support
social support
the field that examines the intersection of psychological and physiological processes affecting the body’s ability to defend itself against disease
psychoneuroimmunology
the body’s first line of biological defense against invading substances and microorganisms
immune system
an immune system response that combats infectious agents and helps to heal injuries
inflammation
the process of altering or eliminating behaviors that pose risks to health and, at the same time, fostering healthier behavior patterns
health promotion
