Topic 3 : Psychological Problems

Question 1

What do mood disorders do?

Answer 1

Mood disorders affect how people feel.

Question 2

What are the 3 main symptoms of unipolar depression?

Answer 2

Lowering mood
Lack of energy, even when rested
Lack of motivation

Question 3

What is the official diagnosis of unipolar depression?

Answer 3

At least one of the main symptoms, most of the time for most days for at least 2 weeks.

Question 4

Name a feature of unipolar depression.

Answer 4

• 1 in 15 people suffer from an episode of serious depression every year.
• Depression affects females twice as much as males.
• Depression also seems to affect females for longer periods of time than males.

Question 5

What are the 3 levels of depressive episodes?

Answer 5

Mild, Moderate and Severe

Question 6

How many symptoms are displayed in each level of depressive episode?

Answer 6

Mild - 4
Moderate - 5 or 6
Severe - 7

Question 7

Which level of depressive episode would you expect to have serious problems doing day to day activities?

Answer 7

Moderate.

Question 8

Name 5 of the other symptoms of unipolar depression.

Answer 8

Feeling suicidal 
Lack of self-esteem 
Poor appetite 
Extreme tiredness 
Feeling guilty 
Poor sleep 
Struggle enjoying usually pleasurable activities 
Acting nervously

Question 9

Which group in society saw a large increase in diagnosis of unipolar depression? Why?

Answer 9

Teenagers.
Scientists have found that modern day life is more stressful for teens which could be as a result of the high use of social media.

Question 10

How does depression affect the individual?

Answer 10

Increased risk of suicide
Feelings of worthlessness and sadness
(Reduces quality of life)

Question 11

How does depression affect society?

Answer 11

High cost to treat -drugs, counselling
In one year it cost the NHS £1.7 billion to treat depression
Estimated 9.9 million days of work are missed due to stress and depression in 2 years

Question 12

What is addiction?

Answer 12

Addiction is a psychological problem where people feel they need to ‘have’ or ‘do’ something regularly to avoid negative feelings.

Question 13

What are the 5 symptoms of addiction?

Answer 13

• A feeling of need for the substance/activity
• Reducing the substance/activity is difficult
• Ignore arguments that substance/activity is harmful
• Replacing fun things with the substance/activity
• Increasing amount or strength of substance or activity for the same effect.
• Withdrawal symptoms when substance/activity isn’t taken/done.

Question 14

Give examples of withdrawal symptoms

Answer 14

Shaking, sweating, vomiting

Question 15

What is the difference between dependence disorders and behavioural addictions?

Answer 15

Dependence disorders are addictions to substances while behavioural addictions are addictions to activities.

Question 16

State some features of addiction.

Answer 16

• 141,646 adults being treated for addiction in 2015

* About 6% of the worlds population have problematic internet use which could be classified as an addiction.

Question 17

What are some of the newly classified addictions?

Answer 17

Internet, Video games, behavioural addictions

Question 18

What is the diagnosis for addiction?

Answer 18

At least 3 of the symptoms must be shown at the same time for 1 month or repeated occasions over a year.

Question 19

What is the name of the book that contains the symptoms and diagnosis for most medical conditions?

Answer 19

The ICD-10.

Question 20

What does the genetic explanation of depression argue?

Answer 20

That depression is controlled by our genes and that if someone in our family is diagnosed with depression you have a higher chance of being diagnosed too.

Question 21

What is the scientific name for identical twins and what percentage of their genes are shared?

Answer 21

Monozygotic twins share 100% of their genes. Usual twins (Dizygotic) share only 50%.

Question 22

What do twin studies tell us about depression?

Answer 22

That depression must have some genetic cause seeing as people with more shared genes have a higher risk of both being diagnosed with depression.

Question 23

What is genetic predisposition?

Answer 23

When you have a greater risk of getting something due to your genes.

Question 24

What is the diathesis stress model?

Answer 24

A model that combines both nature and nurture by factoring both genetics and environment into the risk.

Question 25

Name two strengths for the genetic explanation of depression.

Answer 25

It will remove the stigma of depression .

Supporting evidence from Caspi (2003).

Question 26

Name two weaknesses of the genetic explanation of depression.

Answer 26

It is very deterministic.

It could be considered reductionist.

Question 27

What gene has been found to be related to addiction?

Answer 27

The DDR2 gene

Question 28

State three strengths for the genetic explanation of addiction.

Answer 28

Scientific evidence to support the theory
Twin studies and adoption studies support the theory
Explains why only some people become addicted.