AP Psychology - Mental and Physical Heath Vocab

eustress

moderate or normal psychological stress, interpreted as being beneficial (like a new job or challenging workout)

debilitating stress

an intense, overwhelming level of stress or fear that severely impairs daily functioning (like financial struggle or grief)

ACES or adverse childhood experiences

abuse or other traumas that can influence long-term stress responses and negatively impact health and well-being (like abuse, neglect, and mental illnesses)

GAS or general adaptation system

Selye’s concept of the body’s adaptive response to stress in three phases - alarm, resistance, and exhaustion

alarm

your sympathetic nervous system is activated, heart rate increases, blood is diverted, you are now ready to fight back (REACTION)

resistance (fight or flight)

temperature, blood pressure, and nervous system are high; endocrine pumps epinephrine and norepinephrine, you are fully activated for a challenge (ADAPTATION)

exhaustion

the body’s reserves dwindle and become vulnerable to illness or even collapse/death (DEPLETED)

tend-and-befriend

under stress, people (typically women) may nurture themselves by befriending others

problem-focused coping

attempting to alleviate stress directly, by challenging the stressor or the way we interact with the stressor (can change the situation, tackle directly)

emotion-focused coping

attempting to alleviate stress by avoiding or ignoring a stressor and attending to emotional needs related to our stress reaction (stressors are uncontrollable, manage feelings)

positive psychology

the scientific study of resilience, positive emotions, strengths, and virtues that help individuals and communities thrive

gratitude

an appreciative emotion people often experience when they benefit from the actions of others or recognize their own good fortune

signature strengths or virtues

a classification system to identify positive traits; organized into categories of wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence

posttraumatic growth

a positive psychological change that some individuals experience as a result of the struggle with a major life crisis or traumatic event

psychological disorder

a disturbance in people’s thoughts, emotions, or behaviors that causes distress or suffering and impairs their daily lives

dysfunction

impairment or deficiency in behavior, thought, or feeling that interferes with an individual’s normal, healthy functioning

perception of distress

one’s subjective experience of negative emotions (anxiety, overwhelm) and physical symptoms when unable to cope with life’s pressures

deviation from the social norm

behaving in a way that goes against a society’s unwritten rules or expectations

american psychiatric association (APA)

an organization that has made the DSM, provided clinical guidelines, and advocated for patients and the profession

diagnostic statistical manual of mental illness (DSM)

the guide for mental health professionals to diagnose mental illnesses, such as classifying depression, anxiety, or schizophrenia

world health organization (WHO)

a leadership group that directs and coordinates international health policy and responds to health crises

eclectic approach

an approach to psychotherapy that uses techniques from various forms of therapies

behavioral perspective

maladaptive learned associations (learned actions via conditioning)

psychodynamic perspective

unresolved childhood conflicts and unconscious thoughts (unconscious drives)

humanistic perspective

lack of social support and the inability to fulfill one’s potential (growth/free will)

cognitive perspective

maladaptive thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, or emotions (mental processes)

evolutionary perspective

maladpative forms of behaviors that enabled human survival (natural selection)

sociocultural perspective

problematic social and cultural contexts (culture/society)

biological perspective

genetic or psychological predispositions (brain/genes)

biopsychosocial model

the idea that health and illness arise from the complex interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors (biological - genetic, physiological ~ psychological - thoughts, behaviors ~ social - culture, environment, family)

genetic vulnerability (diathesis)

the concept that genetic predispositions (diathesis) combine with environmental stressors (stress) to influence psychological disorders

neurodevelopmental disorders

central nervous system abnormalities (usually in the brain) that start in childhood and alter thinking and behavior (as in intellectual limitations or a psychological disorder)

attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

a psychological disorder marked by extreme inattention and/or hyperactivity and impulsivity

autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

a disorder that appears in childhood and is marked by limitations in communication and social interaction, and by rigidly fixated interests and repetitive behaviors

schizophrenia spectrum disorder

a chronic brain disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves, often causing them to lose touch with reality (including delusions, hallucinations, disordered thinking or speech, disorganized motor behavior, and negative symptoms)

schizophrenia spectrum disorder: delusions

a false belief, often of persecution or grandeur, that may accompany psychotic disorders

schizophrenia spectrum disorder: hallucinations

sensory experiences that seem real but are created by the mind, most commonly hearing voices or seeing things

schizophrenia spectrum disorder: disorganized thinking or speech

fragmented thoughts and incoherent speech that impair daily functioning; word salad, shifting topics, or irrelevant answers

schizophrenia spectrum disorder: disorganized motor behavior

unusual, unpredictable, or purposeless movements, ranging from silliness, inappropriate emotions, fidgeting, catatonia, or pacing

schizophrenia spectrum disorder: negative symptoms

when appropriate behaviors are absent (such as an absence of emotion in voice, an expressionless face, or a mute and rigid body)

schizophrenia spectrum disorder: acute schizophrenia

symptoms sometimes begin at any age; occurs in response to trauma and recovery is more likely

schizophrenia spectrum disorder: chronic schizophrenia

symptoms developed by late adolescence or early adulthood; psychotic episodes last longer and recovery periods shorten as people age

depressive disorders

a group of disorders where one feels an enduring sad, empty, or irritable mood, and no longer functions properly due to cognitive and physical changes

persistent depressive disorder

a disorder in which one experiences a depressed mood on more days than not for at least two years

bipolar disorders

a group of disorders were one switches between hopelessness and lethargy/depression to the overexcited state of mania

bipolar disorders: mania

a hyperactive wildly, optimistic state in which dangerously poor judgment is common

bipolar disorders: depression

a persistent, low mood, sadness, and loss of interest in pleasurable activities

bipolar I

the most severe form of bipolar disorder where one experiences a euphoric, high-energy, overly-ambitious state that lasts a week or longer

bipolar II

a less severe form of bipolar disorder where one moves between depression and a milder hypomania

anxiety disorders

a group of disorders categorized by excessive fear and anxiety and related maladaptive behaviors

anxiety disorders: specific phobia

when a person is intensely and excessively afraid of something

anxiety disorders: agoraphobia

fear or avoidance of situations, such as crowds or wide open places, where one may experience a loss of control and panic

anxiety disorders: panic disorder

where a person experiences panic attacks -sudden episodes of intense dread and physical arousal- and fears the next attack

anxiety disorders: social anxiety disorder

intense fear and avoidance of social situations

anxiety disorders: generalized anxiety disorder

where a person, for no reason, worries about many things they cannot control and is continually tense and uneasy

obsessive compulsive and related disorders

disorder (a disorder) characterized by unwanted repetitive thoughts (obsessions), actions (compulsions), or both

obsessive compulsive and related disorders: obsessions

repetitive thoughts: concern with cleanliness; symmetry, order, and exactness

obsessive compulsive and related disorders: compulsions

repetitive behaviors: excessive bathing/washing; checking locks on doors and breaks in car

hoarding disorder

a persistent difficulty parting with possessions, regardless of their value

dissociative disorders

a rare, controversial group of disorders characterized by disruption of or discontinuity in the normal integration of consciousness, memory, identity, emotion, perception, body representation, motor control, and behavior

dissociative disorders with fugue

a sudden loss of memory or change in identity, often in response to an overwhelmingly stressful situation

dissociative disorders: dissociative identity disorder

a rare dissociative disorder in which a person exhibits two or more distinct and alternating personalities

trauma and stressor-related disorders

a group of disorders in which exposure to a traumatic or stressful event is followed by psychological distress

trauma and stressor-related disorders: hypervigilance

a state of heightened, excessive alertness and scanning of the environment for potential threats, even when none exist

trauma and stressor-related disorders: severe anxiety

intense fear, hyperarousal, and reactivity following a traumatic event

trauma and stressor-related disorders: flashbacks

intense, involuntary re-experiencing of a traumatic event, making it feel like it’s happening now, not in the past

trauma and stressor-related disorders: insomnia

persistent difficulty falling/staying asleep, early waking, and non-restorative sleep, stemming from a traumatic event

trauma and stressor-related disorders: emotional detachment

where individuals mentally distance themselves from overwhelming emotions or memories of a traumatic event, feeling numb and unreal

trauma and stressor-related disorders: hostility

a persistent negative attitude towards others with a tendency toward anger and aggression in interpersonal relationships

trauma and stressor-related disorders: posttraumatic stress disorder

lingering hypervigilance, social withdrawal, jumpy anxiety, insomnia, numbness of feeling, and much more after experiencing a traumatic event

feeding and eating disorders

a group of disorders characterized by altered consumption or absorption of food that impaired health or psychological functioning (feeding disorders typically occur in infants and young children, whereas eating disorders affect people who self-feed)

feeding and eating disorder: anorexia nervosa

an eating disorder in which a person (typically a female) maintains a starvation diet despite being significantly underweight, and has an inaccurate self-perception; sometimes accompanied by excessive exercise

feeding and eating disorders: bulimia nervosa

an eating disorder in which a person’s binge eating (typically of high-calorie foods) is followed by inappropriate weight-loss-promoting behavior, such as vomiting, laxative use, fasting, or excessive exercise

personality disorders

a group of disorders characterized by enduring inner experiences or behavior patterns that differ from someone’s cultural norms and expectations, are pervasive and inflexible, begin in adolescence or early adulthood, are stable over time, and cause distress or impairment

personality disorders: cluster a (odd and eccentric)

the suspiciousness of paranoid personality disorder; the social detachment of schizoid personality disorder; or the magical thinking of schizotypal personality disorder

personality disorders: cluster b (dramatic, emotional, and erratic)

the unstable, attention-getting borderline personality disorder; the self-focused and self-inflating narcissistic personality disorder; the excessively emotional histrionic personality disorder; and the callous, and often dangerous, antisocial personality disorder

personality disorders: cluster c (anxious or fearful)

the fearful sensitivity to rejection that predisposes the withdrawn avoidant personality disorder; the clinging behavior of dependent personality disorder; and the preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and control that characterizes obsessive-compulsive personality disorder

meta analysis

a statistical procedure for analyzing the results of multiple studies to reach an overall conclusion

psychotherapy

treatment involving psychological techniques; between a trained therapist and someone seeking to overcome psychological difficulties or achieve personal growth

ethical principle: nonmaleficence

a therapist cannot harm their patient

ethical principle: fidelity

a therapist must establish a feeling of trust, uphold a professional standard of conduct, and be of service to the therapeutic community

ethical principle: integrity

a therapist must be honest, truthful, and accurate

ethical principle: respect for people’s rights and dignity

respect the dignity and worth of you and others, recognizing the right to privacy, confidentiality, and self-determination

psychodynamic therapies: free association

where a patient has the freedom to speak whatever comes to mind to uncover unconscious conflicts and hidden emotions to increase self-awareness

psychodynamic therapies: dream interpretation

in psychoanalysis, the analyst’s noting of supposed dream meanings (and other significant behaviors/events) in order to promote insight

cognitive therapies: cognitive restructuring

the process of identifying, challenging, and changing negative or irrational thought patterns into more realistic and balanced ones

cognitive therapies: fear hierarchies

a kind of ladder of certain situations that trigger increasing levels of fear

behavior analysis: exposure therapies

behavior techniques that treat anxieties by exposing people (in real or imaginary situations) to the things they fear and avoid

behavior analysis: systematic desensitization

a type of exposure therapy that associates a pleasant relaxed state with gradually increasing anxiety-triggering stimuli; commonly used to treat specific phobias

behavior analysis: aversion therapies

associating an unpleasant state with an unwanted behavior to learn what you should not do (associate nausea with drinking alcohol by using a nauseating drug)

behavior analysis: token economies

an operant conditioning procedure in which people earn a token for exhibiting a desired behavior and can later exchange tokens for privileges

person-centered therapy: active listening

empathetic listening in which the listener echoes, restates, and seeks clarification

person-centered therapy: unconditional positive regard

a caring, accepting, non-judgmental attitude, which Carl Rogers believed would help clients develop self-awareness and self-acceptance

hypnosis

a state of heightened focus and deep relaxation where attention narrows and a patient is more receptive to therapeutic suggestions

psychoactive medications: antipsychotic drugs

used to treat schizophrenia and other forms of severe thought disorders

psychoactive medications: antianxiety drugs

used to control anxiety and agitation

psychoactive medications: antidepressant drugs

used to treat depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, OCD, and PTSD

psychoactive medications: lithium

effectively levels the emotional highs and lows of bipolar disorder

tardive dyskinesia

a movement disorder related to the regulation of dopamine in the nervous system - producing involuntary movements of facial muscles and limbs (such as the tongue, limbs, neck, facial muscles, and trunk muscles)

psychosurgery

surgery that removes or destroys brain tissue in an effort to change behavior