Abnormal Psychology: Traumatic Stress, Mood, Eating, and Substance Use Disorders

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the biological and cognitive explanations, symptoms, and clinical treatments for PTSD, Mood Disorders, Eating Disorders, and Substance Use Disorders.

Hypothalamus

The brain structure that sets the features of arousal in motion when the brain interprets a dangerous situation.

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

An extensive network of nerve fibers connecting the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) to all other body organs to control involuntary activities such as breathing, heartbeat, and blood pressure.

Endocrine System

A network of glands located throughout the body that release hormones into the bloodstream and onto body organs to produce arousal.

Sympathetic Nervous System

A group of ANS fibers activated in the presence of threat that dilates pupils, inhibits salivation, accelerates heartbeat, stimulates glucose release, and triggers the secretion of epinephrine and norepinephrine.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

The division of the ANS activated when perceived danger passes that contracts pupils, slows heartbeat, stimulates digestive activity, and returns the body to homeostasis.

Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis

A brain-body stress pathway where the hypothalamus signals the pituitary gland to secrete ACTH, which stimulates the adrenal cortex to release corticosteroids such as cortisol.

Corticosteroids

A group of stress hormones, including cortisol, released by the adrenal cortex in response to stimulation by ACTH during ongoing stress.

Acute Stress Disorder

A disorder resulting from trauma with symptoms lasting less than one month; $50\%$ of cases develop into post-traumatic stress disorder.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

A stress disorder characterized by persistent re-experiencing of trauma, avoidance of reminders, reduced responsiveness/dissociation, and increased arousal/negative emotions lasting longer than one month.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

A therapy where clients move their eyes rhythmically from side to side while flooding their minds with images of trauma-related objects and situations they ordinarily avoid; its exposure feature accounts for its success.

Psychological Debriefing

A crisis intervention approach where survivors are helped to talk about their feelings and reactions to traumatic incidents shortly after they occur, though it may unintentionally prolong dwell time or suggest problems.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

A mood disorder requiring five symptoms from different categories lasting for a two-week period, which must include either sad mood or anhedonia.

Persistent Depressive Disorder

A chronic unipolar depressive condition characterized by repeated and long-standing major depressive episodes.

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

A diagnosis characterized by repeated episodes of significant depression and related symptoms occurring specifically during the week before menstruation.

Monoamine Oxidase (MAO) Inhibitors

Antidepressant drugs that block the enzyme monoamine oxidase, increasing serotonin and norepinephrine activity, but requiring a rigid tyramine-free diet to prevent dangerous spikes in blood pressure.

Tricyclics

Antidepressants featuring a three-ring molecular structure (such as imipramine) that block the reuptake mechanisms of key neurons to increase the presence of serotonin and norepinephrine.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

Second-generation antidepressants that increase serotonin activity without substantially affecting norepinephrine or other neurotransmitters, producing fewer undesired side effects.

Maintenance Therapy

Also called continuation therapy; the practice of keeping patients on antidepressant medications for at least $6$ months after depressive symptoms have resolved to prevent relapse.

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

A biological treatment for depression in which an electric current is passed through electrodes attached to the forehead to trigger a brain seizure.

Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS)

A biomedical treatment in which an implanted pulse generator sends regular electrical signals to the vagus nerve, which in turn stimulates the brain.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

A noninvasive treatment that uses an electromagnetic coil placed on the scalp to send electrical currents into the prefrontal cortex, increasing neuronal activity in depression-related circuits.

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)

A biological procedure in which a pacemaker powers implanted electrodes located in the subgenual cingulate to recalibrate the brain circuit associated with depression.

Cognitive Triad

Aaron Beck's concept that depressed individuals repeatedly interpret (1) their experiences, (2) themselves, and (3) their futures in negative ways.

Automatic Thoughts

A steady, reflex-like stream of unpleasant thoughts that repeatedly suggests to an individual that they are inadequate and their situation is hopeless.

Learned Helplessness Theory

Martin Seligman's theory proposing that people become depressed when they believe they have no control over the reinforcements in their lives and that they are responsible for this helpless state.

Attribution-Helplessness Theory

A revision of learned helplessness positing that people feel helpless and depressed when they attribute an uncontrollable event to an internal, global, and stable cause.

Behavioral Activation

A therapeutic approach that systematically introduces constructive and pleasurable activities, rewards non-depressive behaviors, and helps clients improve their social skills.

Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT)

A family-social treatment for depression that focuses on resolving interpersonal losses, role disputes, role transitions, and interpersonal deficits.

Rumination Theory

A theory suggesting that women are more vulnerable to depression than men because they are more likely to ruminate and focus on their negative feelings when low moods occur.

Bipolar I Disorder

A diagnosis characterized by the occurrence of at least one manic episode; hypomanic or major depressive episodes may precede or follow it.

Bipolar II Disorder

A diagnosis marked by the presence or history of major depressive episodes and hypomanic episodes, with no history of a full manic episode.

Cyclothymic Disorder

A mood disorder marked by numerous periods of hypomanic symptoms and mild depressive symptoms.

Lithium

A metallic element used as an effective mood-stabilizing drug for bipolar disorder, requiring careful dosage monitoring to avoid toxicity.

Anorexia Nervosa

An eating disorder characterized by purposeful maintenance of an abnormally low body weight, an intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted perception of body shape.

Bulimia Nervosa

An eating disorder marked by recurrent binge eating episodes followed by compensatory behaviors to prevent weight gain occurring at least weekly for $3$ months.

Binge Eating Disorder (BED)

An eating disorder marked by recurrent binge eating episodes that occur weekly over $3$ months, accompanied by significant distress and an absence of excessive compensatory behaviors.

Amenorrhea

The medical condition involving the absence or failure to begin regular menstrual cycles, commonly seen in females with anorexia nervosa.

Lanugo

Fine, silky hair that covers the trunk, extremities, and face of individuals with severe anorexia nervosa, resembling the hair found on newborns.

Compensatory Behaviors

Maladaptive actions used to offset calories consumed during a binge, such as forced vomiting, misusing laxatives, diuretics, enemas, fasting, or exercising excessively.

Lateral Hypothalamus (LH)

The area of the hypothalamus that produces sensations of hunger when it is activated.

Ventromedial Hypothalamus (VMH)

The area of the hypothalamus that reduces hunger when it is activated.

Weight Set Point

An internal biological thermostat maintained by the hypothalamus and related chemicals that works to keep an individual at a specific body weight.

Enmeshed Family Pattern

A family system characterized by overinvolvement and lack of personal boundaries, where parents may enforce a 'sick role' to keep children dependent.

Nutritional Rehabilitation

A clinical intervention to restore proper weight in anorexia using supportive nursing care, nutritional counseling, and a high-calorie diet ($1500$ calories per day, increasing over time).

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for Bulimia

A behavioral technique where clients eat forbidden foods under therapeutic supervision and are prevented from engaging in compensatory purging behaviors.

Tolerance

The brain's adaptation to repeated substance use wherein natural neurotransmitter production decreases, requiring progressively larger doses of the drug to achieve the desired effect.

Withdrawal

Unpleasant and potentially dangerous symptoms that occur when an individual stops using a substance as the brain takes time to resume normal neurotransmitter production.

Reward Deficiency Syndrome

A neurological condition where a person's reward circuit is not readily activated by standard everyday events, leading them to use substances to stimulate it.

Aversion Therapy

A behavioral conditioning procedure where clients are repeatedly presented with unpleasant stimuli (e.g., electric shock, nausea) while performing undesirable behaviors like substance use.

Contingency Management

A behavioral treatment that offers incentives such as vouchers, prizes, cash, or privileges contingent upon clients providing drug-free urine samples.

Relapse Prevention Training

A cognitive-behavioral approach in which clients are taught to identify high-risk situations, plan ahead, and apply coping strategies to prevent the return of substance use.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

A mindfulness-based psychotherapy that guides clients to observe and accept their drug cravings, worries, and depressive thoughts as mere mental events without acting on them.

Antagonist Drugs

Medications that block or change the effects of an addictive drug, such as disulfiram (Antabuse) for alcohol or naltrexone for opioids and alcohol.

Disulfiram (Antabuse)

An antagonist drug that causes violent vomiting and adverse symptoms if alcohol is ingested, used to temporarily interrupt drinking patterns.

Naltrexone

An endorphin-receptor antagonist that blocks the pleasure-producing effects of alcohol and opioids, particularly beneficial for drinkers with severe cravings.

Methadone

A synthetic opioid agonist taken orally once daily under safe medical supervision to replace heroin, eliminating needle use and reducing overdose risks and withdrawal symptoms.

Gambling Disorder

An addictive disorder characterized by persistent gambling despite financial, social, and health consequences, marked as the first non-substance related addiction in the DSM.

Internet Gaming Disorder

A proposed condition involving an uncontrollable drive to spend waking hours online gaming, texting, or tweeting; not yet an official diagnosis but slated for possible future inclusion.