Psychopathology Specific Disorders

panic disorder symptoms

increased heart rate, sweating, shaking, shortness of breath, choking, chest pain, nausea, dizziness, derealization/depersonalization, fear of going crazy, fear of dying, paresthesias, and chills/hot flushes; have at least 4

panic attack

sudden, expected or unexpected firing of the fight-flight response

unexpected panic attacks

occur when there’s no present danger; symptoms reported because the body is preparing for a situation it will not encounter; alarm gets redirected internally, so the danger becomes the body’s response

agoraphobia

fear of places in which escape or help is difficult; avoid two or more: public transportation, open spaces, enclosed spaces, being in crowds, and being out of the home

generalized anxiety disorder symptoms

restlessness, easily fatigued, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, and sleep disturbance; have at least three

generalized anxiety disorder worry

type 1 is external threats and noncognitive internal triggers; type 2 is meta-worry, or worrying about worrying; maladaptive coping mechanism that serves as avoidance

social anxiety disorder

marked and persistent fear of situations where embarrassment may occur; fear is out of proportion to the threat; avoiding performing activities in the presence of others or situations where one may do something that will cause humiliation

specific phobias

marked and persistent fear of clearly discernible, circumscribed objects/situations; avoiding animals, natural environment, blood-injection-injury, situations, or other

blood-injection-injury phobia

activates the parasympathetic nervous system, so blood pressure drops as the body prepares to lose blood

anxiety disorders biological considerations

HPA axis inappropriately triggered without present danger; amygdala hyperactivity

anxiety disorders heritability

30-50% of variance due to genetic factors

obsessions

recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges, or images of an intrusive nature and that are suppressed, ignored, or neutralized

compulsions

repetitive behaviors or mental acts that individuals engage in to prevent or reduce anxiety

ocd symptom dimensions

symmetry (counting, repeating), cleaning, and forbidden thoughts

body dysmorphic disorder

excessive preoccupation with a slight or imagined defect related to physical appearance not apparent to others

bdd common repetitive behaviors

camouflaging (concealing clothing), mirror checking, grooming, touching body areas, seeking reassurance, dieting, and excessive exercising

hoarding

persistent difficulty in parting with possessions, causing distress or impairment; acquiring possessions that aren’t need and for which there is no space

trichotillomania (hair-pulling)

recurrent hair pulling that results in hair loss, attempts to stop, and distress; scalp, eyelids, and eyebrows

excoriation (skin-picking)

recurrent skin picking which results in skin lesions, attempts to stop, and distress; face, arms, and hands

traumatic event

directly experiencing or witnessing event, experiencing actual/near death of family or friend that was violent or accidental, and repeated and extreme exposure to aversive details of event

intrusion symptoms

repetitive and involuntary; intrusive memories, traumatic nightmares, and flashbacks

flashbacks

re-living traumatic event with same sensory experience and without recognizing it was in the past

avoidance symptoms

avoidance of trauma-related thoughts, people, places, and activities that cue distressing feelings

negative alterations in cognition and mood symptoms

persistent and distorted sense of self or the world, blame self or others, trauma-related emotions, lack of interest in hobbies, difficulty remembering aspects of event

alterations in arousal and reactivity symptoms

aggressiveness, self-destructive or reckless behavior, sleep difficulty, hypervigilance, and startle response

ptsd

one intrusion, one avoidance, two cognition and mood, and two arousal and reactivity; 1 month or longer

acute stress disorder

adjustment disorders