Unit 5: Mental and Physical Health

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V)

Publication by the American Psychiatric Association used by mental health professionals to diagnose and classify mental disorders, providing a standard set of criteria for each disorder; essentially, it's the primary reference guide for identifying psychological disorders in clinical practice.d by mental health professionals to diagnose and classify mental disorders, providing a standard set of criteria for each disorder; essentially, it's the primary reference guide for identifying psychological disorders in clinical practice.

Health psychology

The subfield of psychology that studies how psychological factors like thoughts, emotions, and behaviors interact with biological and social factors to influence health and illness, focusing on how these elements can be used to promote healthy behaviors and prevent disease; essentially, it examines the relationship between mind and body in terms of health outcomes.

Stress

A psychological and physiological response to a perceived threat or demanding situation, where an individual appraises a stressor (the event causing stress) and reacts with physical and mental changes, often involving the 'fight-or-flight' response, triggered by hormones like adrenaline and cortisol; essentially, it's the process of evaluating and responding to a challenging situation, not just the event itself.

Stressors

Any event, situation, or stimulus that is perceived as challenging or threatening, causing a stress response in an individual; essentially, it's the factor that triggers stress within someone.

Eustress

A positive type of stress, considered 'good stress,' that can be beneficial to a person's well-being, often arising from challenging but attainable tasks that promote feelings of accomplishment and motivation.

Distress

A negative state of psychological stress, characterized by unpleasant emotions like anxiety, sadness, or discomfort, often caused by a stressful or traumatic event, leading to impaired functioning in daily life.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

A range of potentially traumatic events that occur during childhood, including physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction, which can significantly impact a person's development and health later in life; essentially, negative experiences in early life that can have long-lasting consequences.

General Adaptation Syndrome

A three-stage physiological process the body goes through when exposed to stress, including an initial 'alarm' stage, a 'resistance' stage where the body attempts to adapt, and finally an 'exhaustion' stage if the stressor persists for too long.

Alarm Reaction

The initial stage of the body's response to stress, also known as the 'fight-or-flight' response, where the body experiences physiological changes like increased heart rate, adrenaline release, and heightened alertness when faced with a perceived threat, preparing it to either confront or escape the danger.

Resistance Phase

The second stage of the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), where the body attempts to adapt to an ongoing stressor by maintaining elevated levels of stress hormones while trying to return physiological functions closer to normal, essentially 'resisting' the initial shock of the alarm reaction stage; if the stressor persists, the body remains on high alert, ready to respond further.

Fight-Flight-Freeze Response

An automatic physiological reaction to a perceived threat, where an organism chooses to either confront the danger ('fight'), flee from it ('flight'), or become immobile and seemingly unresponsive ('freeze'), all triggered by the body's stress response system to protect itself from harm; essentially, it's a survival mechanism allowing for quick action in dangerous situations.

Exhaustion Phase

The final stage of the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), a model describing the body's response to stress, where prolonged exposure to a stressor leads to depleted energy reserves, causing physical and mental breakdown, characterized by fatigue, lowered resistance to illness, and potential burnout; essentially, the body is no longer able to effectively cope with the stressor and experiences a decline in functioning.

Tend-and-Befriend Theory

The idea that, when faced with a stressful situation, individuals, particularly females, may respond by nurturing and protecting others ('tending') and seeking social support by forming close connections with others ('befriending'), as a coping mechanism compared to the traditional 'fight-or-flight' response.

Problem-Focused Coping

A stress management strategy where an individual actively attempts to address the source of a stressor by directly tackling the problem itself, rather than just managing the emotional response to it; essentially, it involves finding practical solutions to alleviate the stressor causing the issue.

Emotion-Focused Coping

A coping strategy where an individual attempts to manage and regulate their negative emotional responses to a stressful situation, rather than trying to directly change the stressor itself; essentially, focusing on how they feel about a problem instead of trying to solve the problem directly.

Positive Psychology

A field of study within psychology that focuses on the positive aspects of human experience, such as strengths, virtues, happiness, and well-being, aiming to understand what factors contribute to a fulfilling life, rather than solely focusing on mental illness and negative behaviors.

Resilience

The ability of an individual to adapt and 'bounce back' from challenging life experiences, such as trauma, adversity, or significant stress, by maintaining psychological well-being through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility, essentially adjusting to internal and external demands effectively.

Gratitude

A positive emotion that involves recognizing and appreciating the good things in life, acknowledging that these positive experiences come from sources outside oneself, and expressing a sense of thankfulness for them; essentially, it's a feeling of appreciation for what one has received, whether tangible or intangible, and recognizing the source of that benefit as external to oneself.

Signature strengths/ signature virtues

The most prominent and essential positive character traits that an individual possesses.

Wisdom

The ability to make sound judgments and decisions in complex life situations, drawing upon accumulated knowledge and experience to provide good advice and navigate difficult challenges, often characterized by a balanced perspective that considers multiple viewpoints and the ability to understand the broader context of life situations.

Courage

The ability to act despite fear.

Humanity

The collective characteristics, behaviors, and mental processes that define what it means to be human, encompassing aspects like emotions, thoughts, motivations, and social interactions across individuals within a society.

Justice

The concept of fairness and impartiality, often involving the idea of treating individuals equally or proportionally according to established rules or standards, essentially meaning everyone should receive what they deserve in a given situation.

Temperance

The virtue of moderation and self-restraint, essentially meaning the ability to control one's impulses and behaviors, avoiding excesses in things like eating, drinking, emotions, or any other potentially harmful indulgence; it's about finding balance and acting with appropriate restraint in various situations.

Transcendence

A state where an individual moves beyond their own self-interests and concerns to focus on a larger perspective, including a deep connection to others, nature, and a sense of higher purpose

Posttraumatic Growth

The positive psychological changes a person experiences following a traumatic event, where they develop beyond their previous level of functioning by struggling with the challenges presented by the trauma, often leading to a deeper appreciation for life, stronger relationships, and a new perspective on themselves and the world.

Dysfunction

A significant impairment or breakdown in a person's thinking, emotional regulation, or behavior, indicating a failure of normal psychological processes, often impacting their ability to function effectively in daily life.

Deviance from social norm

A behavior that violates the unwritten rules or expectations considered acceptable within a society or culture, essentially meaning an action that goes against what is generally considered 'normal' behavior within a particular social group.

International Classification of Mental Disorders (ICD)

A globally recognized system published by the World Health Organization (WHO) that categorizes and defines all diseases, including mental disorders, used for diagnosis, research, and statistical reporting across different countries; essentially, it's the international standard for classifying mental health conditions.

Eclectic Approach

A therapeutic style where a therapist integrates techniques and theories from various psychological schools of thought, tailoring their treatment plan to the specific needs of each individual client, rather than strictly adhering to one particular approach.

Behavioral Perspective

A psychological approach that focuses solely on observable behaviors, explaining actions as learned responses to environmental stimuli through conditioning (classical or operant), essentially stating that all behavior is a result of past learning and interactions with the environment, rather than internal mental processes.

Psychodynamic Perspective

A psychological approach that emphasizes the influence of unconscious thoughts, desires, and early childhood experiences on an individual's behavior and personality.

Humanistic Perspective

A psychological approach that views individuals as whole beings with inherent potential for growth, emphasizing free will, personal choice, and the pursuit of self-actualization.

Cognitive Perspective

A psychological approach that emphasizes how a person's internal thoughts, perceptions, and mental processes (like memory and attention) influence their behavior.

Evolutionary Perspective

A theoretical approach that explains human behavior and thought processes by considering how they might have evolved over time through natural selection.

Sociocultural Perspective

The viewpoint that examines how an individual's behavior and thoughts are influenced by their surrounding culture, social norms, and group dynamics.

Biological Perspective

A psychological approach that examines how biological factors like brain chemistry, genetics, and nervous system activity influence human behavior and mental processes, essentially viewing behavior as a result of underlying physical processes within the body.

Biopsychosocial Model

A perspective that explains human behavior and health by considering the complex interplay between biological factors (genetics, brain chemistry), psychological factors (thoughts, emotions, behaviors), and social factors (culture, family, socioeconomic status) as interconnected elements influencing an individual's well-being.

Diathesis-Stress Model

A theory that suggests psychological disorders develop from a combination of a genetic or biological predisposition ('diathesis') and environmental stressors ('stress'), meaning someone with a vulnerability to a disorder is more likely to develop it when faced with significant stress in their life.

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

A group of conditions that affect brain development during childhood, leading to impairments in cognitive, communication, behavioral, and/or motor skills, often manifesting with symptoms like difficulties in learning, social interaction, and self-regulation; examples include Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and intellectual disability.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

A neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent patterns of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that significantly interfere with daily functioning; symptoms can include difficulty focusing, excessive fidgeting, impulsivity, and trouble staying organized.

Autism Spectrum Disorders

A neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent challenges with social communication and interaction, alongside restricted interests and repetitive behaviors, which can manifest across a spectrum of severity, meaning individuals with ASD may exhibit varying levels of symptoms.

Schizophrenic Spectrum Disorders

A range of mental health conditions that share symptoms with schizophrenia, including delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, and negative symptoms, but may present with varying degrees of severity, encompassing both mild psychotic experiences and full-blown schizophrenia itself; essentially, it's a spectrum where individuals can exhibit some, but not all, key characteristics of schizophrenia.

Delusions

A firmly held false belief that is not based in reality, despite evidence to the contrary, often significantly impacting a person's thoughts and behaviors.

Delusions of persecution

A type of delusion where a person firmly believes that others are actively plotting against them, trying to harm them, or are out to get them, even when there is no evidence to support this belief; essentially, a persistent conviction that they are being persecuted by others.

Delusions of grandeur

A false belief held by an individual where they believe they have exceptional power, wealth, knowledge, or abilities far exceeding reality, essentially thinking they are superior to others; it is a type of delusion often associated with mental health disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Hallucinations

Vivid sensations that seem real even though they are not. Hallucinations can occur in any of the five primary senses, although they are most commonly experienced through the auditory system.

Disorganized Thinking/Speech

Thought disorders that disrupt the structure of thought and lead to abnormal speech patterns.

Positive symptom

A symptom of a psychological disorder, like schizophrenia, that represents an excess or distortion of normal function, meaning it's a behavior, thought, or feeling that is abnormally present and not usually seen in healthy individuals, like hallucinations or delusions; essentially, it 'adds' something to the person's experience rather than taking something away (unlike a negative symptom).

Word salad

A type of severely disorganized and incomprehensible speech or writing, characterized by a jumbled mixture of words and phrases with little to no logical connection, often seen as a symptom of a mental disorder like schizophrenia; essentially, speaking in a way that makes no sense to the listener due to a breakdown in thought organization.

Disorganized Motor Behavior

Unusual or erratic physical movements, often characterized by purposeless repetitive actions, odd facial expressions, sudden changes in activity level, or childlike silliness, typically seen as a symptom of a severe mental illness like schizophrenia.

Catatonia

A psychological state characterized by extreme motor behavior disturbances, including muscular rigidity, bizarre postures, and a marked reduction in movement, often seen in individuals with schizophrenia.

Stupor

A state of greatly reduced consciousness where a person is barely responsive to stimuli, but can be aroused briefly with vigorous stimulation, often characterized by minimal movement and verbal communication.

Negative Symptoms

A category of mental health symptoms characterized by a decrease or absence of normal behaviors, emotions, or thoughts that are typically present in a healthy individual, often seen in conditions like schizophrenia.

Flat affect

A noticeable lack of emotional expression, characterized by a monotone voice, minimal facial expressions, and a general absence of body language that conveys any emotion.

Catatonic stupor

A severe symptom of catatonia, a psychomotor disturbance often associated with schizophrenia, where an individual exhibits a state of extreme unresponsiveness.

Acute

A sudden, intense, or sharp experience, often used in the context of a psychological state like an 'acute stress response' which means a short-term, severe reaction to a traumatic event.

Chronic

A persistent, long-term condition, usually applied to mental disorders, meaning symptoms of a psychological issue are ongoing and not easily resolved.

Depressive Disorders

A category of mental health conditions characterized by persistent low mood, loss of interest in activities, feelings of worthlessness, fatigue, and other symptoms.

Major Depressive Disorder

A mood disorder characterized by a persistent depressed mood, accompanied by physical symptoms like loss of appetite, fatigue, and decreased interest in activities, lasting for at least two weeks in the absence of a clear cause.

Persistent Depressive Disorder

A chronic, long-term form of depression characterized by a persistently low mood, lasting for at least two years, where symptoms may not be as severe as major depressive disorder but are continuous and significantly impact daily life.

Bipolar Disorders

A mental illness characterized by extreme mood swings, alternating between periods of elevated energy and euphoria (mania) and periods of depression, with significant impacts on daily functioning; essentially, experiencing both manic and depressive episodes within the same timeframe.

Mania

A distinct period of abnormally elevated mood, energy, and activity level, characterized by symptoms like inflated self-esteem, decreased need for sleep, rapid speech, and impulsive behavior.

Hypomania

A distinct period of elevated mood, energy, and activity that is less severe than a full manic episode, lasting at least four days and noticeable to others, but not causing significant impairment in daily functioning.

Bipolar I Disorder

A mental health condition characterized by extreme episodes of mania and depression. Manic episodes: Last at least a week, or are so severe that immediate medical care is needed. Depressive episodes: Typically last at least two weeks.

Bipolar II Disorder

A mood disorder characterized by experiencing at least one episode of hypomania (a milder form of mania) alongside at least one major depressive episode, but without ever experiencing a full-blown manic episode; essentially, a pattern of depressive episodes with occasional periods of hypomania.

Anxiety Disorders

A group of mental health conditions characterized by excessive and persistent fear or anxiety, often manifesting as worry, apprehension, or nervousness that is significantly disruptive to daily life, and can include various types like generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and specific phobias.

Specific Phobia

An intense, irrational fear of a particular object, situation, or activity that poses little to no actual danger, causing significant anxiety and avoidance behavior when exposed to the feared stimulus; essentially, a strong, persistent fear of something that is disproportionate to the real threat it presents.

Agoraphobia

An anxiety disorder characterized by a significant fear of being in situations or places where escape might be difficult or embarrassing, often including open spaces, crowded areas, public transportation, or standing in line, leading individuals to actively avoid these situations due to the fear of experiencing a panic attack or feeling trapped.

Panic Disorder

An anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent, unexpected episodes of intense fear, often accompanied by physical symptoms like heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and dizziness, which occur 'out of the blue' without a clear trigger or danger present; essentially, repeated panic attacks that significantly disrupt daily life.

Culture-bound disorder

A collection of psychological symptoms or behaviors that are unique to a specific culture and are not readily understood or recognized outside of that cultural context, often linked to particular beliefs, stressors, or social norms within that culture; essentially, a mental health condition that appears primarily within a certain cultural group due to its specific social and environmental factors.

Ataque de nervios

A culturally bound syndrome, primarily seen in Hispanic cultures, that describes a sudden episode of intense emotional distress triggered by overwhelming stress, often manifesting with physical symptoms like crying, shouting, trembling, and feeling out of control, similar to a panic attack but with a strong cultural context; essentially translating to 'attack of nerves' in English.

Social Anxiety Disorder

A persistent and intense fear of social situations, often stemming from a fear of being judged or scrutinized by others, leading to significant distress and avoidance of social interactions that can interfere with daily life; essentially, it's a chronic anxiety disorder characterized by overwhelming anxiety in social or performance situations.

Taijin Kyofusho

A culture-bound syndrome, primarily found in Japanese culture, characterized by an intense fear of offending others through one's appearance, body odor, facial expressions, or body movements, essentially a form of social anxiety focused on causing discomfort to others rather than oneself; it is considered a culturally specific manifestation of social anxiety disorder.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

A mental health condition characterized by excessive, persistent, and often unrealistic worry about various aspects of life, leading to significant distress and impairment in daily functioning, where the individual finds it difficult to control their worry and experiences physical symptoms like muscle tension and restlessness.

Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders

A group of mental health conditions characterized by intrusive, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) that often lead to repetitive, ritualistic behaviors (compulsions) aimed at reducing anxiety, causing significant distress and interfering with daily life; examples include Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), and Hoarding Disorder.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

A mental health condition characterized by recurrent, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) that cause significant distress, leading individuals to perform repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) aimed at reducing that anxiety, even if they recognize these behaviors as unreasonable.

Hoarding Disorder

A mental health condition characterized by a persistent difficulty discarding possessions, even those with little value, due to a perceived need to save them, resulting in excessive clutter that significantly disrupts living spaces and causes distress or impairment in daily functioning; this often involves compulsive acquisition of new items and extreme anxiety when attempting to discard items.

Dissociative Disorders

A group of mental health conditions characterized by a disruption in the normal integration of consciousness, memory, and identity, leading to a feeling of disconnection from oneself, often triggered by traumatic experiences, and can manifest as symptoms like amnesia, depersonalization, or the development of multiple distinct personalities (Dissociative Identity Disorder) depending on the specific disorder.

Dissociative Amnesia

A mental disorder characterized by a significant inability to recall important personal information, usually triggered by a traumatic or stressful event, resulting in memory gaps that are beyond normal forgetting and not caused by a medical condition; essentially, a person cannot remember key details about their life due to psychological trauma.

Dissociative Fugue

A rare psychological state where a person suddenly and unexpectedly travels away from home, experiencing amnesia about their identity and sometimes assuming a new one, essentially 'forgetting who they are' and wandering to a new location with no memory of how they got there; it is considered a subtype of dissociative amnesia and is characterized by sudden memory loss and unplanned travel, often triggered by severe stress or trauma.

Dissociative Identity Disorder

A mental health condition where a person experiences two or more distinct personalities, each with its own behaviors, thoughts, and memories, that take control of the individual at different times, often caused by severe childhood trauma and resulting in memory gaps between personality shifts; previously known as Multiple Personality Disorder.

Trauma and Stressor-related disorders

A category of mental health conditions characterized by significant psychological distress stemming from exposure to a traumatic or highly stressful event, such as a natural disaster, violent crime, abuse, or major life change.

Posttraumatic stress disorder

A mental health condition that develops after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event, characterized by intrusive thoughts or flashbacks related to the trauma, avoidance of reminders of the event, negative mood changes, and heightened arousal, leading to significant distress and impairment in daily functioning.

Hypervigilance

A state of abnormally heightened alertness, particularly to potentially threatening or dangerous stimuli, essentially meaning a person is constantly on guard and overly sensitive to their surroundings, often as a result of trauma or anxiety disorders.

Feeding and Eating Disorders

A persistent disturbance of eating patterns that leads to poor physical and/or psychological health. The major eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, pica, and rumination disorder.

Anorexia Nervosa

characterized by a distorted body image, with an unwarranted fear of being overweight. Symptoms include trying to maintain a below-normal weight through starvation or too much exercise.

Bulimia Nervosa

a potentially life-threatening eating disorder. People with this condition binge eat. They then take steps to avoid weight gain. Most commonly, this means vomiting (purging). But it can also mean excessive exercising or fasting.

Personality Disorders

A mental health condition characterized by enduring patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that significantly deviate from cultural expectations, are inflexible and pervasive, and cause distress or impairment in a person's life, often impacting their relationships and ability to function in society; these patterns typically begin in adolescence or early adulthood.

Cluster A

A group of personality disorders characterized by odd or eccentric behaviors, including paranoia, social isolation, and unusual thought patterns, encompassing Paranoid Personality Disorder, Schizoid Personality Disorder, and Schizotypal Personality Disorder; essentially, people with Cluster A disorders may appear strange or withdrawn to others and struggle to maintain relationships due to their unique behaviors.

Paranoid Personality Disorder

A pervasive and long-term pattern of distrust and suspicion of others, where individuals with this disorder consistently believe that others are trying to harm or deceive them, even without evidence, leading to significant social isolation and strained relationships.

Schizoid Personality Disorder

A mental health condition characterized by a pervasive pattern of detachment from social relationships, exhibiting little interest in forming connections with others, and displaying a limited range of emotional expression, often appearing emotionally cold and distant; essentially, a strong preference for solitude and minimal social interaction.

Schizotypal Personality Disorder

A mental health condition characterized by a pervasive pattern of odd or eccentric thoughts, behaviors, and perceptions, often leading to significant discomfort in close relationships, including distorted views of reality, unusual beliefs, and social anxiety; essentially, exhibiting 'odd' behaviors while not fully experiencing psychosis like hallucinations or delusions as seen in schizophrenia.

Cluster B

A group of personality disorders characterized by dramatic, emotional, and erratic behaviors, including antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, histrionic personality disorder, and narcissistic personality disorder; essentially, people with Cluster B disorders often display intense emotions and impulsive actions that can appear unpredictable to others.

Antisocial Personality Disorder

A pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of others' rights, characterized by manipulative behavior, lack of empathy, and a consistent failure to feel remorse for actions, often manifesting in impulsive, irresponsible, and sometimes criminal behavior; essentially, people with ASPD show a persistent lack of concern for societal norms and the feelings of others.

Histrionic Personality Disorder

A personality disorder characterized by a pattern of attention-seeking behaviors and exaggerated emotional displays.

Symptoms of Histrionic Personality Disorder

A strong need for attention, Be dramatic and emotionally expressive, Be overly concerned with their physical appearance, Act inappropriately sexual, Have difficulty maintaining relationships, Be gullible and easily influenced by others.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

A mental health condition characterized by an inflated sense of self-importance, an excessive need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for others, often manifesting as grandiose fantasies about one's achievements and a sense of entitlement, leading to interpersonal difficulties and impaired relationships.

Borderline Personality Disorder

A mental health condition characterized by extreme instability in mood, relationships, self-image, and behavior, often leading to impulsive actions, intense fear of abandonment, and difficulty regulating emotions; people with BPD may experience rapid mood swings, unstable interpersonal relationships, and self-destructive behaviors.

Cluster C

A group of personality disorders characterized by prominent anxiety and fear, including Avoidant Personality Disorder, Dependent Personality Disorder, and Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder; essentially, individuals with Cluster C disorders display pervasive patterns of anxious or fearful behaviors in their interactions with others and in their daily lives.