AP Psych: Unit 5 - Psychological Disorders

psychological disorder

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

medical model

the concept that diseases - in this case psychological disorders - have physical causes that can be diagnosed, treated, and, in most cases, cured, often through treatment in a hospital.

diathesis-stress model

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

epigenetics

"above" or "in addition to" (epi) genetics; the study of the molecular mechanisms by which environments can influence genetic expression (without a DNA change)

DSM-5-TR

the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition; a widely used system for classifying psychological disorders.

anxiety disorders

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

social anxiety disorder

intense fear and avoidance of social situations

generalized anxiety disorder

an anxiety disorder in which a person is continually tense, apprehensive, and in a state of autonomic nervous system arousal

panic disorder

an anxiety disorder marked by unpredictable, minutes-long episodes of intense dread in which a person experiences terror and accompanying chest pain, choking, or other frightening sensations.

agoraphobia

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

specific phobia

an anxiety disorder marked by a persistent, irrational fear, and avoidance of a specific object, activity, or situation

obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

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

hoarding disorder

a persistent difficulty parting with possessions, regardless of their value

posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

a disorder characterized by haunting memories, nightmares, hypervigilance, avoidance of trauma-related stimuli, social withdrawal, jumpy anxiety, numbness of feeling, and/or insomnia that lingers for 4 weeks or more after a traumatic experience

trauma- and stressor-related disorders

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

depressive disorders

A group of disorders characterized by an enduring sad, empty, or irritable mood, along with physical and cognitive changes that affect a person's ability to function

bipolar disorders

a group of disorders in which a person alternates between the hopelessness and lethargy of depression and the overexcited state of mania

major depressive disorder

a disorder in which person experiences five or more symptoms lasting two or more weeks, in the absence of drug use or a medical condition, at least one of which must be either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of interest or pleasure

persistent depressive disorder

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

bipolar I disorder

the most severe form, in which people experience a euphoric, talkative, highly energetic, and overly ambitious state that lasts a week or longer.

mania

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

bipolar II disorder

a less severe form of bipolar in which people move between depression and a milder hypomania

rumination

compulsive fretting; overthinking about our problems and their causes

schizophrenia spectrum disorders

a group of disorders characterized by delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking or speech, disorganized or unusual motor behavior, and negative symptoms (such as diminished emotional expression); includes schizophrenia and schizotypal personality disorder.

psychotic disorders

a group of disorders marked by irrational ideas, distorted perceptions, and a loss of contact with reality

delusion

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

chronic schizophrenia

a form of schizophrenia in which symptoms usually appear by late adolescence or early adulthood. As people age, psychotic episodes last longer and recovery periods shorten

acute schizophrenia

a form of schizophrenia that can begin at any age, frequently occurs in response to an emotionally traumatic event, and from which recovery is much more likely

dissociative disorders

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

dissociative identity disorder (DID)

a rare dissociative disorder in which a person exhibits two or more distinct and alternating identities. Formerly called multiple personality disorder.

dissociative amnesia

a disorder in which people with intact brains reportedly experience memory gaps

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

antisocial personality disorder

A personality disorder in which the person (usually a man) exhibits a lack of conscience for wrongdoing, even toward friends and family members. May be aggressive and ruthless or a clever con artist.

feeding and eating disorders

a group of disorders characterized by altered consumption or absorption of food that impairs health or psychological functioning.

anorexia nervosa

an eating disorder in which a person (usually an adolescent female) maintains a starvation diet despite being significantly underweight, and has an inaccurate self-perception

bulimia nervosa

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

neurodevelopment 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)

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

attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

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