Psych Unit 5- Personality Disorders

Abnormal psychology

The study of unusual patterns of behavior, emotion, and thought, which may or may not be understood as precipitating a mental disorder; explores causes, symptoms, and treatments of psychological disorders to understand and improve mental health.

Clinical psychology

The branch of psychology that assesses, diagnoses, treats, and prevents mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders, utilizing various therapeutic methods and interventions to improve individuals' mental health and well-being.

Psychology student syndrome

The phenomenon where psychology students studying abnormal behavior become convinced that they themselves have some mental disorder.

DSM-5-TR

A comprehensive classification system used by mental health professionals to diagnose and categorize mental disorders, providing standardized criteria and descriptions for consistent use across clinical settings; updated regularly to be responsive to new research and practice advances

ICD

The International Classification of Mental Disorders (11th edition); a global standard for reporting and categorizing diseases, including mental and behavioral disorders, used by healthcare professionals to diagnose conditions and track health trends worldwid

Deviation

A significant departure from accepted social behaviors and cultural expectations, used as a criterion to identify and diagnose abnormal behaviors and psychological disorders in clinical settings

Distress

Intense and prolonged emotional suffering that impairs an individual's ability to function in daily life, often used as a key criterion for diagnosis

Dysfunction

The disruption in cognitive, emotional, or behavioral functioning that significantly impairs an individual's ability to perform normal daily activities

Stigma

The negative stereotypes and social disapproval directed at individuals with mental disorders, often leading to discrimination and barriers to seeking or receiving mental health care

Cultural/societal norms

The shared expectations and standards of behavior within a culture or society, used as a reference point when determining whether a behavior deviates enough to be considered abnormal.

Racism

A form of discrimination and bias based on race that can influence diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders, contributing to disparities in mental health care.

Sexism

Prejudice or discrimination based on gender that can affect the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders and shape societal perceptions of mental illness

Ageism

Discrimination or prejudice based on a person's age that can affect how psychological disorders are diagnosed and treated across different age groups.

Discrimination

Unfair treatment directed at individuals with mental health conditions, leading to social exclusion and reduced opportunities.

Biological perspective

The view that mental disorders are caused by physiological and genetic factors, focusing on how brain function, neurochemistry, and genetics contribute to psychological conditions.

Behavioral perspective

The view that our actions are determined largely by our experiences in life; believes that stimulus, response, and reward influence abnormal behavior, and that causes of mental disorders focus on maladaptive learned associations between responses to stimuli.

Psychodynamic perspective

The view that a person's behavior, whether normal or abnormal, is determined largely by underlying psychological forces of which they are not consciously aware; abnormal symptoms result from conflict between these forces.

Humanistic perspective

The view that mental disorders arise when individuals' innate potential for self-fulfillment and personal growth is blocked, often due to failures in achieving self-acceptance and meaningful personal goals.

Cognitive perspective

The view that cognitive processes are at the center of behaviors, thoughts, and emotions; abnormal behavior is caused by faulty and irrational cognitions, and individuals can overcome mental disorders by learning to use more appropriate cognitions.

Evolutionary perspective

The view that mental disorders can arise from behaviors and mental processes that are maladaptive, reducing an individual's chances of survival and reproduction in a given environment.

Sociocultural perspective

The view that mental disorders stem from maladaptive social and cultural relationships and dynamics, emphasizing the influence of societal norms and interactions on mental health.

Eclectic approach

Combining techniques and theories from multiple therapeutic orientations to tailor treatment to the unique needs of individual clients, enhancing flexibility and effectiveness in therapy.

Biopsychosocial model

The view that psychological disorders result from a complex interaction of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors, emphasizing the comprehensive and interconnected nature of influences on mental health.

Diathesis-stress model

The view that psychological disorders arise from a predisposing genetic vulnerability (diathesis) combined with stressful environmental factors (stress), triggering the onset of mental health issues

Anxiety disorders

Psychological disorders characterized by excessive fear and anxiety that lead to significant disturbances in behavior; very common, typically situational, and involve a combination of physical, cognitive, and psychological symptoms.

Specific phobia

Intense, irrational fear responses to specific stimuli; people may go to great lengths to avoid the phobic stimulus and generally enter a state of panic when confronted with it.

Acrophobia

Classified as a specific phobia in the DSM-5-TR; characterized by an intense and persistent fear of heights, causing significant anxiety and avoidance behavior that can interfere with daily activities and functioning.

Arachnophobia

Classified as a specific phobia in the DSM-5-TR; characterized by an intense and irrational fear of spiders, leading to excessive anxiety and avoidance behaviors that disrupt normal functioning.

Agoraphobia

Fear of being in public situations from which escape might be difficult or help unavailable; involves pronounced, disproportionate, and repeated fear about being in situations such as public transportation, open spaces, enclosed places, crowds, or being outside alone; typically causes significant distress or impairment lasting at least 6 months.

Panic disorder .

Recurrent and unexpected panic attacks — sudden episodes of intense fear or discomfort that peak within minutes — accompanied by physical symptoms like heart palpitations, and ongoing concern about having additional attacks or their consequences

Panic attacks

Unanticipated and overwhelming biological, cognitive, and emotional experiences of fear/anxiety; typical symptoms include shortness of breath, racing heart, and an unfocused feeling of being out of control; attacks come on rapidly and are debilitating.

Ataque de nervios

Culturally-bound episodes of intense emotional distress, dramatic expressions of emotion such as screaming or crying, and sometimes uncontrollable physical symptoms like shaking or feeling as if one is suffocating; commonly observed among individuals from Caribbean and Iberian backgrounds.

Social anxiety disorder

Intense fear and avoidance of social situations where others might judge the individual, such as parties, class presentations, or eating in public.

Taijin kyofusho

Predominantly observed in Japan; characterized by an intense fear of offending or embarrassing others through one's bodily functions or appearance, leading to significant social anxiety and avoidance behaviors.

Generalized anxiety disorder

An anxiety disorder in which a person is continually tense, apprehensive, and in a state of autonomic nervous system arousal; involves free-floating anxiety with no definite trigger, and the person experiences little relief; anxiety and worry must be excessive and difficult to control, occurring more days than not for at least 6 months.

Obsessive-compulsive and related disorders

A category of disorders characterized by the presence of obsessions and/or compulsions; includes OCD, hoarding disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, trichotillomania, and excoriation disorder.

Obsessions

Unwanted, repetitive thoughts that are so persistent they may seem they will never go away; examples include fear of contamination, fear of harming oneself or others, and intrusive sexual or violent thoughts.

Compulsions

Repetitive behaviors or mental acts that an individual feels driven to perform in response to an obsession, typically aimed at reducing anxiety; examples include excessive washing, repeatedly checking locks, or collecting/hoarding items

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

A disorder characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) that an individual feels driven to perform, typically aimed at reducing anxiety but causing significant distress and interference in daily functioning.

Hoarding disorder

Persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value, due to a perceived need to save them, resulting in excessive accumulation that compromises the use of living areas and significantly impairs daily functioning.

Trauma and stressor-related disorders

Disorders involving psychological distress following exposure to a traumatic or stressful event, characterized by symptoms such as hypervigilance, severe anxiety, flashbacks, insomnia, emotional detachment, and hostility, which impair daily functioning.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Persistent mental and emotional stress following exposure to a traumatic event, featuring symptoms such as intrusive memories (flashbacks), avoidance of reminders of the trauma, heightened reactivity (e.g., exaggerated startle response), and emotional numbness; symptoms last more than one month.

Hypervigilance

A state of being extremely alert and sensitive to potential threats, commonly experienced as a symptom of PTSD and other trauma-related disorders.

Severe anxiety

An intense and overwhelming level of anxiety that significantly impairs functioning, listed as a symptom of trauma and stressor-related disorders.

Flashbacks Intrusive

Involuntary re-experiencing of a traumatic event as if it is happening again in the present; a hallmark symptom of PTSD.

Insomnia

Persistent difficulty falling or staying asleep; listed as a symptom of PTSD and trauma-related disorders, often involving recurring nightmares about the traumatic event.

Emotional detachment

t A state of numbness or disconnection from one's emotions or from others; a symptom of trauma and stressor-related disorders including PTSD.

Hostility

Persistent feelings of anger, irritability, or aggression toward others; listed as a symptom of trauma and stressor-related disorders.

Depressive disorders

Disorders characterized by a persistent sad, empty, or irritable mood accompanied by physical and cognitive changes, significantly impairing a person's ability to function in daily activities.

Major depressive disorder

A pervasive and persistent low mood accompanied by low self-esteem and a loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities, significantly impacting daily functioning; to be diagnosed, at least five signs of depression (including depressed mood or loss of interest) must last two or more weeks.

Persistent depressive disorder

Also called dysthymia; similar to major depressive disorder but with milder depressive symptoms that last a much longer period of time; adults must experience a mildly depressed mood more often than not for two years or more, along with at least two additional symptoms.

Bipolar disorders

Disorders characterized by alternating periods of mania and depression, with bipolar cycling involving shifts between these mood states that can vary in duration and intensity.

Bipolar cycling

The experience of alternating periods of depression and mania that can last various amounts of time.

Depression

A mood state characterized by persistent sadness, fatigue, insomnia or excessive sleeping, difficulty concentrating, feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt, diminished interest in activities, and sometimes suicidal thoughts.

Mania

A mood state characterized by elevated, expansive, or irritable mood, increased energy, decreased need for sleep, racing thoughts, inflated self-esteem or grandiosity, and excessive involvement in risky activities.

Bipolar I disorder.

Characterized by at least one manic episode, which may be preceded or followed by hypomanic or major depressive episodes, causing significant impairment in daily functioning; more severe than Bipolar II due to the presence of full manic episodes.

Bipolar II disorder

Characterized by at least one hypomanic episode and one major depressive episode, without ever having a full manic episode, leading to significant distress or impairment.

Neurodevelopmental disorders

A group of disorders that begin in the developmental period, characterized by symptoms that affect behavior, learning, and development, focusing on whether behaviors are appropriate for the person's age or maturity level.

ADHD Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder;

characterized by persistent patterns of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interfere with functioning or development, leading to difficulties in maintaining focus, controlling behavior, and staying organized.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

Characterized by persistent challenges in social communication and interaction, along with restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, varying widely in severity and impact on daily functioning.

Feeding and eating disorders.

Disorders characterized by altered consumption or absorption of food, leading to significant impairment in health or psychological functioning.

Anorexia nervosa

A psychological disorder characterized by restricted food intake, an intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted body image, leading to significant weight loss and health complications.

Bulimia nervosa

Characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating followed by inappropriate compensatory behaviors, such as vomiting or excessive exercise, to prevent weight gain, causing significant physical and psychological distress.

Schizophrenic spectrum disorders

Disorders characterized by delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking or speech, disorganized motor behavior, and negative symptoms; can be experienced as either acute or chronic conditions.

Schizophrenia

A psychological disorder characterized by persistent delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking or speech, disorganized motor behavior, and negative symptoms, significantly impairing daily functioning and lasting for at least six months.

Positive symptoms

Additional behaviors or experiences not typically present in healthy individuals, such as delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking/speech, and disorganized motor behavior; these add behaviors to what is normal.

Negative symptoms.

Deficits in normal emotional and behavioral functions, such as flat affect, alogia, anhedonia, and avolition; these subtract behaviors from what is normal.

Delusions

False beliefs strongly held despite clear evidence to the contrary.

Delusions of persecution

The false belief that one is being targeted, monitored, or harassed by others.

Delusions of grandeur

The false belief in one's exceptional abilities, wealth, or fame.

Hallucinations

False sensory experiences or perceptions, such as seeing or hearing something in the absence of an external stimulus; research suggests people with auditory hallucinations actually produce the nerve signals of sound in their brain and then believe external sources are responsible.

Disorganized thinking or speech

Incoherent or nonsensical speech patterns, such as jumping between unrelated topics or using words inappropriately, reflecting disordered thought processes

Word salad

A jumble of words and phrases that are incoherent and lack logical connection, making speech nearly impossible to understand; a manifestation of disorganized thinking or speech.

Disorganized motor behavior

Abnormal or erratic movements, such as excessive agitation or bizarre postures, significantly impacting daily functioning.

Catatonia

A form of disorganized motor behavior involving disordered movement; can manifest as excitement (a positive symptom — excessive, purposeless motor activity) or stupor (a negative symptom — lack of movement or response and immobility).

Stupor

A negative symptom manifestation of catatonia involving lack of movement or response, including unresponsiveness to the environment and immobility.

Flat affect

A severe reduction in emotional expressiveness where the individual shows little or no facial expression, voice tone, or emotional reaction.

Dopamine hypothesis

The theory that schizophrenia is linked to an imbalance of dopamine activity in the brain, with excessive dopamine activity contributing to symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations.

Dissociative disorders

Disorders characterized by disruptions or discontinuities in consciousness, memory, identity, or perception, leading to significant impairment in daily functioning; controversial and rare.

Dissociation

The separation of conscious awareness from previous memories, thoughts, and feelings; may result in a fugue state, sudden loss of memory, or change in identity, often in response to an overwhelmingly stressful situation.

Dissociative amnesia

Involves an inability to recall important autobiographical information, usually of a traumatic or stressful nature; when accompanied by fugue, it includes sudden, unexpected travel away from home or work with an inability to recall one's past and confusion about personal identity.

Dissociative identity disorder (DID)

Characterized by the presence of two or more distinct personality states or identities, each with its own pattern of perceiving and interacting with the world, resulting in gaps in memory and a disrupted sense of self.

Personality disorders

Enduring patterns of internal experience and behavior that deviate markedly from cultural expectations, are pervasive and inflexible, begin in adolescence or early adulthood, are stable over time, and lead to significant personal distress or impairment.

Cluster A personality disorders

Characterized by odd or eccentric behaviors and thinking; includes paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorders.

Paranoid personality disorder

Characterized by pervasive distrust and suspicion of others, interpreting their motives as malevolent, leading to significant interpersonal difficulties and isolation.

Schizoid personality disorder

Characterized by a pervasive pattern of detachment from social relationships and a restricted range of emotional expression, leading to a preference for solitary activities and limited interest in forming close relationships.

Schizotypal personality disorder

Characterized by acute discomfort in close relationships, cognitive or perceptual distortions, and eccentric behaviors, often leading to significant social and interpersonal difficulties.

Cluster B personality disorders

Characterized by dramatic, emotional, or erratic behaviors; includes antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic personality disorders.

Antisocial personality disorder

Characterized by a pervasive pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others, often involving deceitful, manipulative, and unlawful behaviors, and a lack of remorse for these actions.

Histrionic personality disorder

Characterized by excessive emotionality and attention-seeking behavior, including a need for approval and inappropriate seductiveness, often leading to difficulties in maintaining deep and meaningful relationships.

Narcissistic personality disorder

Characterized by a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, a need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for others, often resulting in exploitative behavior and difficulties in maintaining healthy relationships.

Borderline personality disorder

Characterized by instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image, and emotions, along with impulsive behaviors and intense fear of abandonment, often leading to significant distress and difficulties in daily functioning.

Cluster C personality disorders

Characterized by anxious and fearful behaviors; includes avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders, which involve patterns of social inhibition, submissiveness, and perfectionism.

Avoidant personality disorder

A pervasive pattern of social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation, leading to avoidance of social interactions and a reluctance to engage in new activities.

Dependent personality disorder

Characterized by an excessive need to be taken care of, leading to submissive and clinging behavior and fears of separation, resulting in difficulty making decisions without reassurance from others.

Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD)

Characterized by a pervasive pattern of preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and control, at the expense of flexibility, openness, and efficiency, leading to significant distress or impairment in functioning.

Fugue State

a rare, temporary state of "dissociative amnesia" where an individual unexpectedly wanders or travels away from home, forgetting their identity and past.