Psych 105 Chapter 15

Mental Disorder

Persistent disturbances in behavior, thoughts, or emotions that lead to significant distress or impairment in functioning.

THE DSM

is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which categorizes and provides criteria for diagnosing mental health conditions.

Comorbidity

The occurrence of two or more mental disorders in an individual simultaneously, which can complicate diagnosis and treatment.

Kessler WHO Surveys

Indicate major mental disorders are prevalent across many cultures, including North America

Cultural Syndromes

patterns of symptoms or behaviors recognized within specific cultural contexts, which may not be classified as mental disorders in the DSM.

Impact of Culture on Mental Health

refers to how cultural beliefs, practices, and values can influence the perception, experience, and treatment of mental health issues across different populations. Important to understand idioms of distress and culturally specific expressions of mental illness.

The Biopsychosocial Perspective

A holistic approach to understanding mental health that considers biological, psychological, and social factors influencing an individual's well-being.

The diathesis-stress model

Assumes individuals have a predisposition to a mental disorder that remains dormant until triggered by stress or environmental factors.

Oversimplification of mental disorders

refers to the tendency to reduce complex mental health issues to simple explanations or categories, ignoring the multifaceted nature of these disorders.

The Research Domain Criteria Project

A new initiative developed by the National Institute of Mental Health to classify mental disorders based on measurable behaviors and biological markers rather than traditional diagnostic categories.

Dangers of Labelling

refers to the negative consequences that can arise from categorizing individuals with mental disorders, which may lead to stereotypes, stigmatization, and reduced self-esteem.

Anxiety disorders

Class of mental disorders where anxiety is the predominant feature. Can manifest through various symptoms, including physical (heart palpitations)

Phobic disorders

A type of anxiety disorder characterized by intense, irrational fears of specific objects or situations, leading to avoidance behavior.

Panic Disorders

characterized by recurrent, intense panic attacks that involve sudden episodes of overwhelming fear and discomfort.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

A psychological condition characterized by excessive, uncontrollable worry about multiple aspects of life, often accompanied by physical symptoms such as restlessness and fatigue.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

• Persistent intrusive thoughts and ritualistic behaviors that interfere with daily routines

• separate from anxiety disorders because of district causes and neural circuitry involvement

• strong heritability, higher in women

PTSD

• Physiological arousal, recurrent intrusive thoughts about a traumatic event and avoidance of reminders of the trauma

• Includes heightened amygdala activity and decreased medial pre-frontal cortex activity

Mood disorders

• Significant mood disturbances, primarily depression and bipolar disorder

Unipolar depression

a mood disorder characterized by a persistent feeling of sadness or loss of interest, without the manic episodes associated with bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder

a mood disorder characterized by alternating periods of depression and mania, with significant fluctuations in mood, energy, and activity levels.

Early treatments of mental disorders

included bloodletting, trepanation, and the use of herbal remedies. These methods often reflected the limited understanding of mental health issues at the time.

Shizophrenia

• Profound disruption of psychological processes, including distorted perceptions and altered emotions.

• Symptoms are either positive (hallucinations or delusions) or negative (emotional withdrawal and apathy)

Cognitive symptoms

of schizophrenia refer to difficulties with attention, memory, and decision-making, impacting a person's ability to function effectively in daily life.

The dopamine hypothesis

• suggests that schizophrenia involves excess dopamine activity, but theory is incomplete

• Many patients don’t respond to dopamine blocking medications

Schizophrenia symptoms

• Emotional and social withdrawal

• Apathy

• Poverty of speech

• Disorganized symptoms

• Catatonic Behavior

• more common in men

• onset between the ages of 20-29

Social and Psychological Factors

• A disturbed family environment negatively impacts development of recovery of people with schizophrenia

• Extreme conflict, poor communication or chaotic relationships exacerbate symptoms

Elyn Saks

• an author and law professor who has been open about her struggles with schizophrenia, advocating for mental health awareness.

• Attributes success to a combination of medication, therapy and personal strategies like journaling and sensory management

• Her approach helps counteract stigmatization and pessimism that comes with mental illnesses

Autism Spectrum Disorder

• Persistent communication deficits and restricted, repetitive behaviors starting in early childhood

• Higher in boys

  • Highly heritable, genetic component in its development

Importance of early intervention

Critical for improving outcomes in children with developmental disorders, enabling better communication, social skills, and behavior management.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

• Persistent patterns of inattention or hyperactivity/impulsivity that impair functioning

• More common in boys

• Symptoms persist for at least six months and occur in various settings (school and home)

• Face challenges in academic settings, can perssit into adulthood

• High heritability

Conduct Disorders

• Persistent pattern of deviant behavior, including aggression and deceitfulness

• Usually co-occurs with other disorders and is influenced by a combo of genetic, biological and environmental factors