General Psychology 15.1-15.6

psychological disorder

a syndrome characterized by clinically significant disturbance in an individual's cognition, emotion regulation, or behavior

psychopathology

the study of psychological disorders

etiology

the study of the causes of psychopathological disorders

atypicial

to deviate from the norm

hallucinations

seeing or hearing things that are not physically present

diagnosis

appropriately identifying and labeling a set of defined symptoms

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

the most common classification system used by US health professionals

comorbidity

the co-occurence of two disorders

International Classif ication of Diseases (ICD)

classification system published by the World Health Organization (WHO)

diathesis-stress model

model which assumes that both factors, diathesis and stress, are necessary in the development of a disorder

agoraphobia

“fear of the marketplace,” is characterized by intense fear, anxiety, and avoidance of situations in which it might be difficult to escape or receive help if one experiences symptoms of a panic attack

safety behaviors

mental or behavioral acts that reduce anxiety in social situations by reducing the chance of negative social outcomes

panic disorder

experience recurrent (more than one) and unexpected panic attacks, along with at least one month of persistent concern about additional panic attacks, worry over the consequences of the attacks, or self-defeating changes in behavior related to the attacks

panic attack

a period of extreme fear or discomfort that develops abruptly and reaches a peak within 10 minutes; not a mental disorder

locus coeruleus

the brain’s major source of norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter that triggers the body’s fight-or-flight response; within the brain stem

generalized anxiety disorder

a relatively continuous state of excessive, uncontrollable, and pointless worry and apprehension

obsessive-compulsive and related disorders

a group of overlapping disorders that generally involve intrusive, unpleasant thoughts and repetitive behaviors

obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

thoughts and urges that are intrusive and unwanted (obsessions) and/or the need to engage in repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions)

body dysmorphic disorder

perceived flaw in physical appearance that is either nonexistent or barely noticeable to other people

hoarding disorder

cannot bear to part with personal possessions

orbitofrontal cortex

an area of the frontal lobe involved in learning and decision-making

posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

extremely stressful or traumatic events, such as combat, natural disasters, and crimes, place the people who experience them at an increased risk for developing this

flashbacks

states that can last from a few seconds to several days, during which the individual relives the event and behaves as if the event were occurring at that moment