AP Psych : Unit 7 : Mental and Physical Health

Abnormality

Behavior that is maladaptive, disturbing, irrational, or outside social/cultural norms.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5)

A manual used by psychologists to diagnose mental disorders based on symptoms.

International Classification of Diseases, Eleventh Revision (ICD-11)

the World Health Organization’s (WHO) global standard for diagnosing and classifying mental, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental disorders

Etiology

The cause or origin of a psychological disorder.

Biopsychosocial Model

Explains disorders as a mix of biological, psychological, and social factors.

Anxiety

A feeling of fear or impending doom with physical, emotional, and cognitive symptoms.

Social Anxiety Disorder

Intense fear and avoidance of social situations.

Panic Disorder

Repeated, sudden panic attacks with no clear trigger.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Chronic, excessive anxiety not linked to a specific cause.

Phobia

An intense, irrational fear of a specific object or situation.

Agoraphobia

Fear of being in public or open spaces.

Claustrophobia

Fear of enclosed spaces.

Acrophobia

Fear of heights.

Arachnophobia

Fear of spiders.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Unwanted intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions).

Obsession

Persistent, intrusive, uncontrollable thoughts.

Compulsion

Repetitive behaviors done to reduce anxiety.

Hoarding Disorder

Difficulty discarding possessions due to distress and perceived need to save them.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Disorder caused by trauma, involving flashbacks, nightmares, and hyperarousal.

Dissociative Disorders

Disorders involving memory loss or changes in identity.

Dissociative Amnesia

Loss of memory for a traumatic event.

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

Presence of two or more distinct personalities with memory gaps.

Depressive Disorders

Disorders marked by persistent sadness and loss of energy.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Severe depression lasting at least two weeks with emotional, physical, and cognitive symptoms.

Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD)

Chronic depression lasting at least two years.

Learned Helplessness

Belief that one has no control over negative situations.

Cognitive Triad

Negative view of self, world, and future.

Rumination

Repeatedly focusing on negative thoughts or events.

Bipolar Disorder

Alternating periods of depression and mania.

Mania

Elevated mood, high energy, impulsivity, and little need for sleep.

Hypomania

Less severe form of mania.

Bipolar I

Severe manic episodes (may not include depression).

Bipolar II

Hypomania plus depressive episodes.

Psychosis

Loss of contact with reality.

Schizophrenia

Disorder involving hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking, and negative symptoms.

Positive Symptoms

Excesses like hallucinations and delusions.

Negative Symptoms

Deficits like flat affect, apathy, and social withdrawal.

Delusions

Fixed false beliefs.

Hallucinations

False sensory perceptions.

Catatonia

Abnormal motor behavior, including immobility or agitation (irritability).

Diathesis-Stress Model

Disorders develop from genetic vulnerability plus stress.

Personality Disorders

Long-term maladaptive patterns of behavior that harm self or others.

Cluster A

Odd or eccentric behaviors.

Paranoid

Pervasive, unwarranted suspiciousness and mistrust; overly sensitive; often envious (more common in males)

Schizoid

Poor capacity for forming social relationships; shy; withdrawn behaviour; considered ‘cold’ (more common in males)

Schizotypal

Odd thinking; often suspicious and hostile

Cluster B

Dramatic, emotional, or erratic behaviors.

Histrionic

Excessively dramatic; seeking attention and tending to overreact; egocentric (more common in females)

Narcissistic

Unrealistically self-important; manipulative; lacking empathy; expects special treatment; can’t take criticism (more common in males)

Borderline

Emotionally unstable; impulsive; unpredictable; irritable; prone to boredom (more common in females)

Antisocial

Used to be called sociopaths or psychopaths. Violate other people’s rights without guilt or remorse. Manipulative; exploitive;, self-indulgent; irresponsible; can be charming. Commit disproportionate number of violent crimes (more common in males)

Cluster C

Anxious or fearful behaviors.

Avoidant

Excessively sensitive to potential rejection; humiliation; desires acceptance but is socially withdrawn

Dependent

Excessively lacking in self-confidence; subordinates own needs; allows others to make all decisions (more common in females)

Obsessive-compulsive

Usually preoccupied with rules, schedules, details; extremely conventional; serious; emotionally insensitive

ADHD

Disorder marked by inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Neurological disorder involving social deficits, communication issues, and repetitive behaviors.

Anorexia Nervosa

Starvation and extreme weight loss despite being underweight.

Bulimia Nervosa

Binge eating followed by purging behaviors.

eclectic approach

hey accept and use ideas from a number of different perspectives.

Humanists

Explains behaviour as shaped by free will and the drive for self-actualisation; abnormal behaviour results from conditions of worth and a poor self-concept.

behavioral approach

Explains behaviour as learned through conditioning.

Cognitive approach

Explains behaviour as the result of thought processes; focuses on how irrational or distorted thinking and beliefs influence emotions and actions.

Compulsions

ritualistic behaviours performed repeatedly, which the person does to reduce the tension created by the obsession.

psychodynamic therapy

A therapy that aims to uncover unconscious conflicts and unresolved childhood experiences through techniques like free association and dream analysis.

free association

A technique where the patient says whatever comes to mind without filtering, used to reveal unconscious thoughts and conflicts.

dream interpretation

figuring out what a dream might mean, often showing hidden thoughts, feelings, or desires

client-centered or person-centered therapists.

therapy where the therapist listens and supports you so you can solve your problems and grow on your own.

unconditional positive regard

accepting and supporting someone no matter what they do.

Self-actualisation

reaching your full potential and being the best version of yourself.

active listening

really paying attention to someone and showing you understand them.

Systematic desensitisation

a therapy technique that helps people slowly get over their fears by facing them step by step.

fear hierarchy

a list of fears arranged from least scary to most scary.

Flooding

a therapy method where someone faces their biggest fear all at once to get over it quickly.

aversive conditioning

a type of learning where you link something bad or unpleasant to a behavior to stop it.

token economies

a system where people earn tokens for good behavior, which they can trade for rewards.

Biofeedback

using signals from your body (like heart rate) to help you control stress or other bodily responses.

Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT)

therapy that helps you change negative thoughts and behaviors into positive ones.

cognitive restructuring

changing negative or unhelpful thoughts into more positive, realistic ones.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

a type of therapy that teaches skills to manage emotions, handle stress, and improve relationships.

Rational Emotive Therapy (RET)

a therapy that helps you change irrational or unhealthy thoughts into logical, positive ones.

Maladaptive thoughts

unhelpful or negative thoughts that make problems worse instead of better.

psychopharmacotherapy

treating mental disorders with medicine.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

a treatment that uses electric shocks to the brain to help with severe depression or other mental illnesses.

Psychosurgery

surgery on the brain to try to treat mental disorders (rarely used today).

psychotropic drugs

medicines that affect the mind, emotions, or behavior.

Antianxiety meds

reduce anxiety. depress CNS. EX: Xanax

Antidepressants

improve mood. SSRI's such as EX: prozac

Antipsychotics

help with psychosis or severe thought problems

-Side effect: tardive dyskinesia

tardive dyskinesia

a side effect of some antipsychotic drugs that causes involuntary movements, like grimacing or shaking.

Mood Stabilising drugs

medicines that help keep your emotions steady, often used for bipolar disorder.

Hypnosis

Influencing the brain's response to alleviate feelings of pain or anxiety. 

Transcranial Electrical Stimulation

a treatment that uses small electrical currents on the brain to change brain activity.

Lobotomies

a type of brain surgery that was used to treat mental illness by cutting connections in the brain.

leisoning

damaging or removing a part of the brain to study its effects or treat certain disorders.

Group therapy

therapy where several people meet together to talk about their problems and support each other.

Nonmaleficence

the principle of “do no harm”—making sure your actions don’t hurt others.

Fidelity

being honest and keeping your promises or commitments.

Integrity

being honest and doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.

Respect for people's rights and dignity

treating everyone fairly, valuing their choices, and protecting their privacy.