Psychological Disorder

Psychological Disorder

A condition marked by abnormal thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that cause significant distress or impairment.

Deviant

Behavior that violates societal norms.

Distressful

Causes emotional or physical suffering.

Dysfunctional

Interferes with daily life.

Medical Model

Views disorders as diseases with biological causes.

Biopsychosocial Approach

Considers biological, psychological, and social factors.

Primary Prevention

Aims to prevent disorders before they develop.

Secondary Prevention

Early detection and intervention.

Tertiary Prevention

Reduces impact of existing disorders.

DSM-5

Manual for diagnosing mental disorders.

People-First Language

Emphasizes the person, not the disorder (e.g., 'person with schizophrenia').

Rosenhan Study

Demonstrated flaws in psychiatric diagnosis (fake patients admitted to hospitals).

Anxiety Disorders

Excessive fear or anxiety that disrupts functioning.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Chronic, excessive worry.

Phobic Disorder

Irrational fear of specific objects/situations.

Panic Disorder

Sudden, intense panic attacks.

Separation Anxiety Disorder

Fear of being apart from attachment figures.

Agoraphobia

Fear of open/public spaces.

Social Anxiety Disorder

Fear of social scrutiny.

Selective Mutism

Inability to speak in specific social situations.

Depressive Disorders

Persistent sadness and loss of interest.

Major Depressive Disorder

Severe, long-lasting depression.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Depression linked to seasonal changes.

Bipolar Disorder

Alternating episodes of depression and mania (extreme euphoria/energy). Bipolar 1: longer mania state. Bipolar 2: longer depressive state.

Dissociative Disorders

Disruptions in memory, identity, or consciousness.

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

Multiple distinct identities.

Dissociative Amnesia

Memory loss due to trauma.

Dissociative Fugue

Sudden travel + amnesia about identity.

Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder (DDD)

Feeling detached from oneself/reality.

Feeding and Eating Disorders

Disruptive eating behaviors.

Pica Disorder

Eating non-food items.

Anorexia Nervosa

Self-starvation due to body image distortion.

Bulimia Nervosa

Binge-eating followed by purging.

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

A group of conditions that affect the development of the brain and nervous system

Intellectual Disability

Limited intellectual functioning/adaptive skills.

ADHD

Inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity.

Tourette’s Syndromes

involuntary, repetitive movements (motor tics) and/or sounds

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Social/communication deficits, repetitive behaviors.

Specific Learning Disorder

Difficulty in specific academic skills (e.g., dyslexia).

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Intrusive thoughts (obsessions) + repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Such as fear of germs or the need to arrange objects in a specific manner.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)

Preoccupation of worrying about flaws in their appearance

Hoarding Disorder

Inability to discard possessions.

Excoriation

Skin-picking.

Trichotillomania

Hair-pulling.

Schizophrenia

A chronic mental disorder characterized by a disconnection from reality, including hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that don't exist), delusions (false beliefs), and disorganized thinking and behavior

Positive Symptoms

Added behaviors (hallucinations, delusions, word salad).

Negative Symptoms

Reduced behaviors (flat affect, catatonia).

Chronic Schizophrenia

Long-term, gradual onset.

Acute Schizophrenia

Sudden, severe episodes of schizophrenia.

Personality Disorders

Inflexible, maladaptive personality traits.

Antisocial Personality Disorder

Disregard for others’ rights.

Avoidant Personality Disorder

Social inhibition due to fear of rejection.

Borderline Personality Disorder

Significant instability in mood, self-image, and interpersonal relationships, often accompanied by impulsivity and a fear of abandonment

Dependent Personality Disorder

Excessive reliance on others.

Histrionic Personality Disorder

Excessive emotionality/attention-seeking.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

inflated sense of self-importance, a deep need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for others.

Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders

Physical symptoms without medical causes.

Conversion Disorder

abnormal sensory experiences and movement problems during periods of high psychological stress.

Illness Anxiety Disorder

Preoccupation with having a serious illness.

Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders

Disorders stemming from trauma or stress.

PTSD

Lingering distress after trauma.

Adjustment Disorder

unhealthy emotional or behavioral reaction to a stressful event or change in a person's life.

Reactive Attachment Disorder

difficulties forming emotional attachments due to neglect.

Behavioral Therapy

Treatment focusing on changing maladaptive behaviors through conditioning.

Exposure Therapy

Gradual exposure to feared stimuli to reduce anxiety.

Token Economy

Rewards desired behaviors with tokens (exchangeable for privileges).

Biomedical Therapy

Biological treatments for psychological disorders.

Psychopharmacology

Use of medications to treat mental illness.

Antipsychotic Drugs

Reduce hallucinations/delusions.

Tardive Dyskinesia

Side effect of antipsychotics (involuntary movements).

Antidepressants

Boost serotonin/norepinephrine.

Lithium

Stabilizes mood in bipolar disorder.

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

Induces seizures to treat severe depression.

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS)

Magnetic pulses to stimulate brain areas.

Psychosurgery

Brain surgery to alter behavior (rare).

Lobotomy

Disconnects prefrontal cortex (historically used, now obsolete).

Cognitive Therapy

Focuses on changing irrational thought patterns.

Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)

Challenges irrational beliefs to reduce distress.

Group Therapy

Multiple patients meet with a therapist to share experiences and provide support.

Family Therapy

Treats family systems to improve communication and resolve conflicts.

Humanistic Therapy

Emphasizes personal growth and self-actualization.

Insight Therapy

Encourages self-awareness.

Client-Centered Therapy (Carl Rogers)

Non-directive, empathetic approach.

Active Listening

Therapist reflects and clarifies the client’s words.

Unconditional Positive Regard

Nonjudgmental acceptance of the client.

Psychoanalytic Therapy

Explores unconscious conflicts from childhood.

Interpretation

Therapist deciphers hidden meanings in thoughts/behaviors.

Resistance

Patient’s unconscious blocking of sensitive topics.

Transference

Patient projects feelings about others onto the therapist.