PSYC 405 - TEST 2 REVIEW

What are the requirements for an MDD diagnosis?

5/9 symptoms for at least 2 weeks

What are some characteristics of a manic episode?

no sleep, high energy, grandiose, etc.

How do we decide if someone actually has a psychiatric problem?

clinical impairment

What are some potential causes for a depressive episode?

1st episode — normally driven by environment

2nd episode — happens bc brain is wired to react this way

What is the stress hormone?

cortisol

in high levels chronically, it is damaging

What are the components of Beck’s cognitive triad?

thoughts about self, world, and future

What is resource conservation theory?

when we become depressed, we pull back to conserve resources and prepare for whatever will come

What is ECT and when is it used?

electroconvulsive therapy — sending electric currents through the brain; used for severe and resistant depression; “last resort”

What is CBT?

cognitive behavioral therapy — treatment that focuses on thinking patterns

What is the difference between bipolar I and bipolar II diagnoses?

bipolar I — manic episode; true mania

bipolar II — manic episode and depressive episode; hypomania

How many criteria are needed to meet the mania checklist?

3

What is the difference between mania and hypomania?

duration and intensity (hypomania is shorter and less severe)

How many days are required for mania?

hypomania — 3-4 days

mania — 1 week or hospitalization

What is cyclothymia?

lesser than hypomania; mood fluctuations are lower grade

What is the first treatment for bipolar disorder?

stabilize with medications

Why do more men commit suicide than women?

they use more violent methods

What are some protective factors for suicide?

social support, effective coping, reason to live, etc.

* on the test, choose which is not a protective factor

What are the strongest risk factors for suicide?

if they have tried before or if they have a family member who completed suicide

How do most people respond to a stressor?

psychological distress, then regulation

Adrenal glands release ___ that activates flight-or-flight.

epinephrine and norepinephrine

What does the hypothalamus do?

releases corticotrophin to tell pituitary gland to do stuff

What are the components of the HPA axis?

hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal gland

* on test, choose which one does not belong

Which system is in charge of fight-or-flight?

sympathetic nervous system

What happens when fight-or-flight is activated?

heart rate increases, blood vessels dilate, pupils dilate, etc.

What is allostatic load?

the body’s ability to handle stress; increased by chronic exposure to stressors, not coping well, slow return to baseload, etc.

What are adjusting disorders?

when someone has difficulty adjusting to a stressor

What is the difference between acute stress disorder and PTSD?

duration (acute stress disorder only applies up to 4 weeks)

What are some intrusive PTSD symptoms?

dreams, flashbacks, etc.

* on test, choose which is not

What are some dissociative PTSD symptoms?

can’t remember chunks of memory, depersonalization, etc.

* on test, choose which is not

What are some arousal PTSD symptoms?

irritability, angry outbursts, hypervigilance, etc.

* on test, choose which is not

How is PTSD treated?

exposure treatments, trauma-focused CBT, etc.

What is exposure treatment?

exposing a patient to trauma

EMDR — eye movement desensitization and reprocessing

What happens during a panic attack?

heart rate increases, shortness of breath, shaking, sweaty, numbness, dizzy, etc.

What is social anxiety?

fear of judgement

What is the amygdala used for?

mood and emotion regulation

hypersensitivity/overactivation can cause disorders like anxiety or depression

What is the cognitive bias on anxiety disorders?

we focus on danger, bad outcomes, challenges in the future, etc.

What are benzodiazepines?

medication for anxiety; activates GABA system (inhibitor)

What is the earliest anxiety disorder to see?

separation anxiety disorder

What is separation anxiety disorder?

developmentally inappropriate and excessive fear or anxiety related to separation from those the individual is attached; 4 weeks in children, 6 months in adults

* on test, pick which is not involved in SAD`

What is GAD?

generalized anxiety disorder — excessive anxiety and worry occurring for more days than not about a number of events or activities; at least 6 months

What is comorbid with GAD?

depression

What diagnosis would someone have if they have difficulty performing actions in front of people?

GAD with performance only specifier

What is specific phobia and what are its categories?

SPD — marked fear or anxiety about a specific situation or object; fear is excessive given the actual danger posed; at least 6 months

SPECIFIERS: animal, natural environment, blood-injection-injury, situational, other

How do we treat phobias?

exposure therapy

What diagnosis would someone who has panic attacks have?

panic disorder

What is OCD?

presence of obsessions, compulsions, or both

What is an obsession?

recurrent, persistent thoughts, urges, and/or images that are intrusive and unwanted and cause marked anxiety or distress

What is a compulsion?

repetitive behaviors or mental acts that the person feels compelled to perform in response to an obsession or according to rules that must be applied rigidly

What are some disruptions of OCD?

can’t move on bc can’t let obsession go, can’t move forward

What is excoriation?

recurrent skin picking resulting in skin lesions

What is trichotillomania?

recurrent pulling out of hair on the body resulting in hair loss

What is agoraphobia?

fear of open spaces; fear that escape will be difficult or help might not be available