ALL Disorders

Specific Phobia

An intense, irrational fear of a specific object or situation that causes significant distress and avoidance, even though the danger is minimal or nonexistent.

Acrophobia

An irrational and excessive fear of heights that can cause significant distress and avoidance of situations involving heights

Arachnophobia

An intense, irrational fear of spiders and other arachnids

Agoraphobia

An intense fear of specific social situations, including using public transportation, being in open spaces, being in enclosed spaces, standing in line or being in a crowd, or being outside of home alone.

Panic Disorder

A disorder marked by unpredictable, minutes-long episodes of intense dread in which a person may experience terror and accompanying chest pain, choking, or other frightening sensations; attacks are recurrent and strike suddenly

ataque de nervios

A culturally-bound syndrome, primarily associated with Hispanic cultures, characterized by a sudden outburst of intense emotional distress, often including symptoms like trembling, shouting, and feelings of loss of control. 

Social Anxiety Disorder

Disorder characterized by an intense fear and avoidance of social situations; extreme anxiety in social settings where others might judge them; may avoid going out at all

Taijin Kyofusho

A culture-bound anxiety disorder experienced mainly by japanese people in which people fear others are judging their bodies as undesirable, offensive, or unpleasing.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

A chronic mental health condition characterized by excessive, persistent, and uncontrollable worry and anxiety about a wide range of everyday situations. 

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

A disorder characterized by recurrent and persistent thoughts that are intrusive followed by repetitive behaviors or mental acts the individual feels driven to perform.

Hoarding Disorder

A mental health condition characterized by an excessive accumulation of items and an inability to discard them, despite their lack of value or utility

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

a disorder characterized by haunting memories, nightmares, social withdrawal, insomnia, and/or jumpy anxiety that continues for four weeks or more after a traumatic event.

Major Depressive Disorder

disorder characterized by extreme sadness, loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyable, and hopelessness for at least two weeks.

Persistent Depressive Disorder

disorder characterized by continually feeling extreme sadness or having a loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyable, for at least 2 years.

Bipolar I Disorder

A mood disorder in which someone experiences episodes of mania and depression in alternating periods.

Bipolar II Disorder

A mood disorder in which someone experiences episodes of hypomania and depression in alternating periods.

Mania

a period of abnormally elevated or irritable mood and activity, often characterized by increased energy, racing thoughts, poor judgement and a decreased need for sleep.

Schizophrenia

A psychotic disorder characterized by symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking.

hallucination

a false perception; sensory experiences that occur without an external stimulus. (Someone hears, sees, smells, tastes, or feels something that appears to be real but only exists in their mind)

delusions

firmly held, false beliefs that are not based in reality

catatonia

abnormal movements (often seen as a symptom of Schizophrenia)

catatonic stupor

profound immobility & unresponsiveness (a rare negative symptom of Schizophrenia)

Positives symptoms of Schizophrenia

Symptoms that are added to a person’s normal experience (hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thoughts, catatonia-abnormal movement)

Negative symptoms of Schizophrenia

Symptoms that show a lack or absence of normal behaviors such as flat affect, social withdrawal, catatonic stupor, and lacking interest in everyday interactions

flat affect

a lack of emotional expression (such as reduced facial expression, monotone voice, limited body language)

Dissociative Amnesia

Disorder with an inability to recall autobiographical information such as an event or period of time, specific aspect of an event or identity, and life history; may involve purposeful travel or bewildered wandering (fugue).

Dissociative Identity Disorder

Disorder characterized by the presence of two or more distinct personality states that alternate in controlling the individual's behavior and thoughts

Fugue

a rare mental health condition characterized by sudden, unexpected travel away from home

Paranoid Personality Disorder

A disorder characterized by a pattern of distrust and suspiciousness that others’ motives are interpreted as malevolent.

Schizoid Personality Disorder

A disorder characterized by a pattern of detachment from social relationships and a restricted range of emotional expression.

Schizotypal Personality Disorder

A disorder characterized by a pattern of discomfort in close relationships, cognitive or perceptual distortions, and odd/ eccentric behavior

Antisocial Personality Disorder

A disorder characterized by a disregard for social norms and the rights of others, often exhibiting manipulative or aggressive behaviors; does not feel guilty.

Histrionic Personality Disorder

A disorder characterized by excessive emotionality and a need for attention, often displaying dramatic and attention-seeking behaviors.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

A disorder characterized by a grandiose sense of self-importance, a need for admiration, and a lack of empathy.

Borderline Personality Disorder

A disorder characterized emotional instability and difficulty with interpersonal relationships, self-image, and emotions; is often impulsive

Avoidant Personality Disorder

A disorder characterized by poor self-esteem and an intense fear of rejection. People with this condition will often try to stay away from social situations to avoid these feeling of inadequacy.

Dependent Personality Disorder

A disorder characterized by a submissive and clinging behavior related to an excessive need to be taken care of.

Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder

A disorder characterized by a preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and control

Anorexia Nervosa

Eating disorder marked by having very low body weight, an intense fear of gaining weight, severe restriction of calorie intake and a flawed way of seeing their body.

Bulimia

Eating disorder characterized by consistent episodes of binge eating and then purging with an intense fear of gaining weight

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Disorder characterized by difficulties with social communication and social interaction along with restricted and repetitive patterns in behaviors, interests, and activities.

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder

Disorder characterized by impairing levels of inattention, disorganization, and/or hyperactivity & impulsivity.

Dysfunction

This indicator for a psychological disorder refers to a situation in which a person's behavior or thoughts cause difficulties in their daily functioning, relationships, or other areas of life.

Distress

This indicator for a psychological disorder refers to the emotional suffering or pain experienced by the individual

Deviation

This indicator for a psychological disorder refers to thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that significantly depart from what's considered normal or culturally acceptable

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM 5)

A handbook published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), widely used for diagnosing and classifying mental disorders

International Classification of Mental Disorders (ICD)

A global standard for classifying diseases and health conditions created by the World Health Organization

Eclectic Approach

Uses more than one psychological perspective to diagnose and treat clients, rather than using one single method.

The Behavioral Perspective

This perspective proposes that the causes of mental disorders focus on maladaptive learned associations between or among response to stimuli.

The Psychodynamic Perspective

This perspective proposes that the causes of mental disorders focus on unconscious thoughts and experiences, often developed during childhood.

The Humanistic Perspective

This perspective proposes that the causes of mental disorders focus on a lack of social support and being unable to fulfill one’s potential.

The Cognitive Perspective

This perspective proposes that the causes of mental disorders focus on maladaptive thoughts, beliefs, attitudes or emotions.

The Evolutionary Perspective

This perspective proposes that the causes of mental disorders focus on behaviors and mental processes that reduce the likelihood of survival.

The Sociocultural Perspective

This perspective proposes that the causes of mental disorders focus on maladaptive social and cultural relationships and dynamics.

The Biological Perspective

This perspective proposes that the causes of mental disorders focus on psychological or genetic issues.

The Biopsychosocial model

This model assumes that any psychological problem potentially involves a combination of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors.

The diathesis-stress model

This model assumes that psychological disorders develop due to a genetic vulnerability (diathesis) in combination with stressful life experiences (stress).