Unit 10 Psychological Disorders & Therapy and Treatment

“Abnormal behavior”

consists of patterns of emotions, thoughts, and actions considered pathological (diseased or disordered).

Infrequent occurence

use the normal curve to determine the frequency of the suspected abnormal behavior with the frequency of that behavior in the population.

Problem with Infrequent occurrence

problem telling if that extreme of behavior is “abnormal”

Personal distress

use individual’s judgement of their current level of functioning. If they feel their behavior (excessive levels of anxiety/depression) is abnormal, then it is

Problem with personal distress

people often deny they have a problem and other just might not care.

Dysfunction

individual’s behavior is abnormal if their behavior is interfering with their ability to function in they own life and in society.

Problem with dysfunction

not everyone who have psychological disorders will have behaviors that interfere with their life or society.

Unexpectedness

behavior is unusual, given the circumstances. Many symptoms can be found unusual by others.

Problem with unexpectedness

just because a behavior os unexpected doesn’t necessarily male it abnormal.

Violation of norms

behavior is considered abnormal if it goes against society’s rules, norms, or standards.

Problem with violation of norms

what would be considered abnormal in one point in time doesn’t mean that it would be in another. different cultures also have different norms.

Culture-bound syndromes

mental disorders that exist on one (or similar) culture(s)

• koro - southeast Asia (fear of penises)

• anorexia middle- to upper- class westernized adolescents and young-adults

Psychological Disorder

condition characterized by abnormal thoughts, feelings, and behavior

Medcial Model

physiological cause: we use this today which says that abnormal behavior is usually caused by problems in the body or brain

Trephining

in old times, creating holes in the skill to let out “evil spirits” or “demons”.

Diathesis-stress model

there is a biological reason for a disorder, and stressful life events activate it.

Neurosis

a condition involving excessive anxiety, but still in touch with reality

Psychosis

a condition involving a loss of contact with reality

DSM-5 abbreviation

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

DSM-5

the current classification system, developed by the American Psychological Association (APA), used to describe mental disorders

According to the DSM-V, a mental dissorder must:

(all 3 must be present)

1. be a clinically-significant detriment - cause real problems in yiur life that you should probably seek professional intervention

2. derives from an internal source (biology, thoughts, learning) and not just immediate environment like a bad day

3. have an involuntary manifestation - you don’t choose to act that way…it just happens

Difficulty with diagnosing…

• DSM-5 only describes what the disorder looks like

• two doctors might look at the ame person and say different things

• once someone gets a diagnosis, the label can stick, and often has a negative connotation in society

Medial Student’s Disease

diagnosing yourself with disorders that you learn about.

• everyone has some traits of some disorders- it is normal

• what matters is the degree of disruption it brings to your life- not the presence of absence of characteristics

Classifications of Disorders

6 major classifications:

1. anxiety disorders

2. obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

3. posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

4. major depressive disorder

5. bipolar disorder

6. schizophrenia

7. dissociative disorders

8. antisocial personality disorder

9. childhood disorders

Anxiety DIsorders

are persistent, unrealistic, irrational fears and anxiety that often run in families (genetic)

Phobias

type of anxiety disorder thta is characterized by irrational fear + avoidance of objects or situations

Agoraphobia

fear of open/unfamiliar places; often happens after panic attacks because the person doesn’t want to have a panic attack in public

Social Anxiety Disorder

severe anxiety in social situations because of fear of social judgement

Specific phobia

fear of a specific thing

• i.e. clowns, elevators

Panic Diroder

type of anxiety disorder characterized by sudden panic attacks with physical symptoms. linked to catastrophizing (worst-case scenario thinking)

• heart pounding

• shaking

• dizziness

• feelings of doom

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

constant, excessive worry about many things- not tied to one specific object/situation

OCD abbreviation for

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) location now

moved out of anxiety disorders into its own category in the DSM-5

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is characterized by

• obsessions: intrusive thoughts (repetitive thoughts)

• compulsion: urges to perform repetitive, ritualistic behavior (repetitive behavior)

OCD has been linked to

• overactivity in the caudate nucleus

• hypoactivity (underactivity) in the orbitofrontal cortex

treated with drugs that raise serotonin, which helps reduce compulsions

2 related disorders to OCD

• body dysmorphia

• hoarding

Body Dysmorphia

obsessed with a flaw in appearance

Hoarding

can’t get rid of possessions, even trash

PTSD abbreviation for

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder location now

also moved out of anxiety disorders into its own classification

PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) i characterized by

a type of anxiety disorder where you’re uncontrollably “re-living” a traumatic event(s)

also:

• sleeplessness

• guilt

• irritability

PTSD statistics after traumatic events

90% of individuals experience PTSD after severely traumatic events

Problem with PTSD

many individuals feel that this response shouldn’t be considered “abnormal” behavior.

Theoretical causes of Anxiety, OCD, & PTSD Disorders

1. behavioral & social learning theory

2. biological

3. sociocultural

Behavioral & Social Learning theoretical cause

we learn fears through experience

• fears can be learned through:

  • classical conditioning (pairing events)

  • operant conditioning (reward/punishment)

• hypervigilant

Hypervigilant individuals

constantly on alert for signs of danger in their environment

Biological theoretical cause

genetically inherited overactive nervous system

Biological theory brain parts

• Amygdala = fear response

• Prefrontal Cortex = decision making/control

Sociocultural theoretical cause

western life = fast-paced + high stress

• the constant stress may explain why anxiety is more common now than 50 years ago

Our bodies respond to stress by activating the

sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight)

Depressive Disorder are

a type of abnormal behavior that is characterized by persistent depressive states.

Depressive Disorders strong component

genetic component

Major depressive disorder

long-lasting depressive mood that interferes with the ability to function, feel pleasure, or maintain interest in life

Major depressive disorder cause

feeling xeem to come from nowhere and are excessive for the given situation

Major depressive disorder treatment

anti-depressants that boost:

• serotonin

• norepinephrine

SAD abbreviation for

seasonal affective disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

mood disorder that is triggered by lack of sunlight (winter depression)

SAD treatment

sitting in front of a bank of dull-spectrum lights for a couple of hours a day.

Cause of depressive disorders

1. biological

2. psychosocial

Biological cause of depressive disorders

changes in brain function and the available neurotransmitters.

• imbalance of serotonin and norepinephrine

Right vs. Left frontal lobe during biological reason of depressive disorders

• right frontal lobe = more active (negative emotions)

• left frontal lobe = less active

Psychosocial cause of depressive disorders

different psychological persepctives seet the cause of depression as coming from various areas.

Psychoanalytic cause of depressive disorders

depression = anger turned on slef

Humanistic cause of depressive disorders

blocked personal growth

• we want to be our best selves so when we can’t, we get depressed

Behaviorism/Cognitive Psych cause of depressive disorders

learned helplessness: repeated exposure to unavoidable negative events → person gives up and becomes listless, apathetic, withdrawn

• attributions

Attributions in Behavior/Cognitive psych cause of depressive disorders

humans can think about their lack of ability to affect their environment and thus intensify learned helplessness.

Bipolar Disorders location now

moved into its own DSM-5 category

Bipolar disorders

characterized by episodes of mania followed by longer episodes of depression

Mania

excessive and unreasonable amount of excitement/joy and hyperactivity

Bipolar I

• full manic episodes

• mania episodes may be followed by major depressive episodes or hypomania

Hypomanie

mild mania

Bipolar II

• hypomania (mood elevation that is not as extreme as mania)

• always include major depressive episodes

Bipolar disorders treatment

• strong genetic component

• lithium = a salt that stabilizes mood

Schitzophrenia

a psychotic disorder where people lose touch with the shared reality of others

Schizophrenia affects the population

affects ~ 1% of people worldwide, usually starts in young adulthood

Schizophrenia includes major disturbances in 4 categories:

1. perception

2. language

3. thought

4. emotion

Perceptual Disturbances

hallucinations: sensory experiences without stimuli

What kind of Hallucinations in Perceptual Disturbances

• most common: auditory (hearing voices)

• can also be visual or haptic (touch)

Language Disturbances (2 types)

words lose their usual meanings and associations

• word salad

• neologisms

Word Salad in language disturbances

real words in wrong order

Neologism in language disturbances

non-existant/fake words that have been made up by stringing together other words

Thought Disturbances

delusions: fake beliefs despite evidence

3 most common delusions in thought disturbances

1. persecution: “people are out to get me”

2. grandeur: “I am god”

3. being controlled: “The vaccine is going to brain wash me”

Emotional Disturbances (2 types)

• flattened affect: almost no emotional response

• inappropriate emotions: laughing at a funeral, etc.

Behavioral Disturbances (3 types)

• catatonic:frozen, unmoving

• waxy flexibility: hold whatever position you put them in

• hebephrenic: wild, random movements

Just plain weird mannerism

Classifications of Schizophrenia (+ and -)

• positive symptoms: excessive/distorted movements

• negative symptoms: behavior deficits/loss of activity

Positive symptoms of classifications of schizophrenia (list)

1. delusions

2. hallucinations

3. inappropriate emotions

4. mord salad

5. excessive or bizare movements

Negative symptoms of classifications of schizophrenia (list)

1. flattened affect

2. social withdrawal

3. poverty of speech

4. catatonic posture

Causes of schizophrenias

1. biological

2. psychosocial

Biological causes of schizophrenias (5 causes)

1. dopamine hypothesis

2. brain function

3. genetics

4. prenatal and perinatal conditions

5. marijuana exposure

Dopamine hypothesis in causes of schizophrenia

symptoms of schizophrenia are caused by overactivity of dopamine = positive symptom

Brain function in cause of schizophrenia

• enlarged ventricles = linked to negative symptoms

• low activity in frontal/temporal lobes

Genetics in cause of schizophrenia

inherited risk (not the disorder itself)

Prenatal and Perinatal conditions in cause of schizophrenia

• viral infections during 5th month of pregnancy

• complicated birth can increase risk

Marijuana exposure in cause of schizophrenia

text suggests a possible link, but it’s not confirmed

Psychosocial causes of schizophrenia (2 causes)

1. stress

2. family communication

Stress in cause of schizophrenia

severe stress can trigger acute episodes

Dissociative Disorders

stress related disorder where someone disconnects from reality in some way to escape the memory of a painful experience

Dissociative Amnesia

can’t recall personal information due to psychological trauma

Dissociative Fugue

person leaves their past life and starts a new identity, often unexpectedly