psych unit 3 - mental disorders

deviant thoughts

actions/behaviors that violate social norms

• vary by context & culture

• can change over time

• like schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder

distressful thoughts

actions, thoughts, or feelings that cause significant emotional pain, discomfort, or suffering

dysfunctional thoughts (maladaptive)

• any impairment, disturbance, or deficiency in behavior that interferes w ability to function in daily life

• maladaptive = cannot adapt properly

goals of psychopathology

1. understand causes, symptoms, stigmas & treatments

2. understand what life is like for those ppl

3. understand common misused words (triggers, coping, capacity)

who is most vulnerable?

low socioeconomic status

ancient treatments

• trephination (drill a hole into ur skull)

• exorcism

• being caged like animals

• castrated

• transfused w animal blood

biopsychology

• based on interaction of nature and nurture (genes & env)

• assumes that biological, socio-cultural & psychological factors combine & interact to produce psychological disorders

• recognizes the mind & body are inseparable

Rosenhan’s study “Being Sane in Insane Places”

if youre sane in a mental hospital, how do u convince them that youre not insane?

• purpose was to determine the validity of psychiatric diagnoses

• fake patients pretended to hallucinate to get into the hospital

• were only freed after admitting the psychiatrists were correct

• dehumanization, verbal/physical abuse

• Type-2 Error

  • failure to recognize a mental illness when its actually present

“insane” and “crazy” are _____ terms

legal, NOT psychological

insanity please

“not guilty by reason of insanity”

• legal defense in which a defendant admits committing the crime but argues they are not legally responsible for the act due to a mental illness

comorbid

2 or more conditions in a patient

psychological disorder

marked by a clinically significant disturbance in cognition, emotional regulation, or behavior

• maladaptive (impairs ability to function; destructive to oneself or others)

• unjustifiable

• disturbing

• atypical (violates norms)

are anxiety disorders permanent?

no

general anxiety disorder (GAD)

• excessive, worrisome thoughts & prolonged feelings of apprehension & tenseness

  • not triggered by smth specific/trauma - umbrella term

• more common in women

• symptoms: excessive worry, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, irritability, fatigue, muscle tensions, sleep problems, unexplained aches/pains

• ppl w GAD have an aversion to uncertainty

  • are not certain whats going on

• treatments: CBT, selfcare strategies, medications

social anxiety disorder

irrational/intense fear of social situations, worry abt being judged

• causes: medical experiences, life conditions, events, etc

• treatments: CBT, selfcare strategies, medications

specific phobias

experience disruptive, persistent, & irrational fears of specific objects/situations

• fear is unreasonable & interfering; disproportionate to actual danger

• causes: genetic, env, learned factors

• treatments: exposure therapy (expose the person to the fear), CBT

obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

anxiety disorder characterized by unwanted, repetitive thoughts (obsessions) followed by actions (compulsions)

• causes: biologically-based problem

• symptoms: fatigue, no concentration, muscle aches, difficulty sleeping, irritability, restlessness

• treatments: medications that target serotonin system (antidepressants), exposure & response prevention, acceptance & commitment therapy, CBT

exposure & response prevention (OCD)

lean how to stick w a situation that produce doubt/uncertainty instead of engaging w compulsions

acceptance & commitment therapy (OCD)

accept intrusive thoughts & feelings, committing to actions that align w their values instead of following obsessions/compulsives

post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

characteristic symptoms following exposure to one or more traumatic events that threatened death, injury, sexual violence

• causes: traumatic events

• symptoms: flashbacks, distressing dreams, memories of event, avoiding distressing thoughts (4+ weeks of symptoms = ptsd)

• treatments: TMS therapy, EMDR, group therapy, service animals, exposure therapy, CBT, counselling, mindfulness/relaxation, medications

TMS therapy (ptsd)

transcranial magnetic stimulation

• metal coil is attached to the brain, uses magnetic pulses to stimulate nerve cells

EMDR (ptsd)

eye movement desensitization & reprocessing

• processing traumatic memories while engaging bilateral stimulation/eye movements

• helps process memories in a way that reduces distress/emotional impact

schizophrenia

psychotic disorder that affects a person’s ability to think, feel, & act → disconnect from reality

• 3% of ppl

• causes: genetics, biological, env factors

• positive symptoms: delusions, hallucinations, paranoia, disorganized thought/speech

  • patient does not realize they're experiencing psychosis

• negative symptoms: lack of emotional expression, loss of ability to experience pleasure, poverty or speech, lack of selfcare or general interest in life, inability to carry a convo, catatonic immobility (Cant move)

• treatment: pharmacotherapy, hospital stays, antipsychotic medication, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), CBT, group therapy, art therapy, social skills training, vocational therapy, family oriented therapy

• comorbity

psychosis

term to describe conditions that affect the mind causing loss of contact with reality

3% of ppl experience a psychotic episode

which disorders experience comorbity?

• GAD, schizophrenia, DID, BPD, ASPD

dissociative identity disorder (DID)

presence of multiple personalities (alters) and recurrent memory gaps

• only 1% of pop

• more common in women

• symptoms show up between 5-10 yo

• 70% attempt suicide

• causes: childhood trauma

• symptoms: losing sense of self, becoming depersonalized observers, perceptions of voices, bodies feel different, recurrent gaps in recall of everyday events (recurrent dissociative amnesia)

• treatments: CBT, DBT, EMDR (to process trauma), Hypnotherapy (access repressed memories), medications for comorbidity

  • overall goal: gain control over dissociative symptoms & integrate diff identities into one cohesive sense of self

  • focuses on creating sense of self & stability, coping skills, reducing risk of self-harm/suicide

overt vs covert DID

overt = distinct personality shifts that are easily recognized

covert = more subtle & less dramatic → harder to diagnose

major depressive disorder

mood disorder that can cause near-daily distress or impairment

• 29% of adults

• women are 2x more likely than men

• causes: genetics, brain chemistry, life events, personality traits, chronic illnesses

• symptoms: sad, irritable, empty, change in appetite, losing interest, sleeping too much/little, decreased energy, worthless, guilty, lack of concentration, forgetfulness, thoughts of suicide

• treatments: medication (antidepressants), psychotherapy (talk therapy like CBT, group therapy), Electroconvulsive therapy (stimulate brain electrically to induce a brief seizure)

grief

• grief comes in waves, mixed w positive memories of the deceased

• in grief, self-esteem is maintained

• thoughts of death to “join” deceased loved on, rather than due to worthlessness in depression

bipolar disorder

mood disorder where a person alternates between hopelessness & lethargy of depression and the overexcited state of mania

• causes: genetics (80-90% have a relative w a disorder), environmental factors (stress, drugs, alcohol), comorbidity

• symptoms: manic episodes (bipolar i, 1+ week), hypomanic episodes (bipolar ii, 4+ days), depressive episodes

• treatments: psychotherapy (CBT, family therapy), medications (mood stabilizers), ECT

personality disorders

lifelong pattern of problematic behavior, hard time understanding emotions & tolerating distress

• cluster B: dramatic or impulsive behaviors

borderline personality disorder

severely impacts ability to regulate emotions

• 0.5-1.7% of americans

• causes: childhood abuse or neglect, brain abnormalities & chemistry, genetics/traits

• symptoms: impulsivity, rage, identity diffusion, abandonment reaction, suicidal behavior, emptiness, paranoia, dissociation

• treatments; psychotherapies (CBT, DBT)

antisocial personality disorder

also known as sociopathy; where someone shows pattern of disregard for rights/safety, lacks empathy

• 0.5-1% (?)

• diagnosed

• causes: genetics, env factors

• symptoms: aggressiveness, exploitation, manipulation, lack of remorse/guilt, superiority, disregard rules, impulsivity & irritability

• treatments: CBT, DBT, Mentalization-based therapy (MBT - focuses on catching ones mental state before they lose it), family therapy, support groups, meds for comorbid conditions

sociopath

• can form connections w others

• transactional relationships

• manipulative (but not as smooth as psychopaths)

psychopathy

• cold blooded

• calculating

• manipulative

• detachment

• very good social skills

• pathological liar

• huge sense of self-worth

• profound lack of empathy & remorse

• callousness