unit 5 (mental and physical health)

DOES NOT INCLUDE 5.5

health psychology

an examination of the different ways in which mental process affect bodily functions and how an individual’s physical health impacts their mental state

eustress

also called positive stress; stress that is perceived as motivating for an individual, and can help increase their performance

distress

also called negative stress; stress that is perceived as overwhelming, often as a result of too much stress

chronic stress

heightens susceptibility to disorders and disease, including hypertension, headaches, and immune suppresion

types of stressors

traumatic events, daily hassles that build up over time, and adverse childhood experiences

general adaptation syndrome (GAS)

describes the process of experiencing stress by simplifying it into three stages, each focusing on different parts of stress and how the body reacts to that stress

alarm reaction stage

the first stage of general adaptation syndrome, and it is the immediate response an individual experiences when they encounter a stressor; typically the individual reacts during this stage with a fight-flight-freeze response

fight-flight-freeze response

an initial response to a stressor; fight prepares an individual to confront the stressor, flight prepares the individual to run away from the stressor, an freeze results in an individual becoming stuck and unable to act due to the stressor

resistance stage

the second stage of general adaptation syndrome, during which an individual tries to stabilize and adapt to the stressor as a result of its continuation

exhaustion stage

the third stage of general adaptation syndrome, during which an individual’s body’s resource have become depleted, leading to the greatest susceptibility to illness

tend-and-befriend theory

a theory that proposes that some people respond to stress by taking care of their own and others’ needs, as well as seeking out others and providing support

some research suggests that this theory can be more common in women

problem-focused coping

a focus to coping that involves viewing stress as a problem that can be solved, and the process involves identifying the problem and working solutions until a solution is reached

emotion-focused coping

a focus to coping that involves managing an individual’s emotional reactions to a stressor

examples: deep breathing, meditation, and taking medication aimed at reducing stressful emotional responses

positive psychology

a branch of psychology that focuses on understanding positive human experiences, seeking to identify factors that can lead to an individual’s well-being, resilience, positive emotions, and psychological health

signature strengths

personal attributes, qualities, and virtues that are essential to who an individual is; utilizing these traits often leads to more fulfilling experiences

wisdom

a signature strength made up of creativity, curiosity, judgement, love or learning, and perspective

courage

a signature strength made up of bravery, perseverance, and honesty

humanity

a signature strength made up of love, kindness, and social intelligence

justice

a signature strength made up of teamwork, fairness, and leadership

temperance

a signature strength made up of forgiveness, humility, and self-regulation

transcendence

a signature strength made up of appreciation of beauty, gratitude, hope, humor, and spirituality

posttraumatic growth

positive psychological changes that occur as a result of struggling with challenging or traumatic events

psychological disorders

conditions that are characterized by cognitive and emotional disturbances, abnormal behaviors, or impacted functioning; identified by the level of dysfunction, perception of distress, and deviation from the social norm

dysfunction

the amount of impairment in an individual’s ability to perform daily tasks and activities

deviation from social norms

instances when behaviors and thoughts differ significantly from what is considered typical or acceptable in society

diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM)

developed by the APA; provides a comprehensive classification of mental disorder as it provides statistical data on disorders, not just the symptoms and criteria for diagnosis

international classification of disease (ICD)

developed by the WHO; creates a global standard for classifying all health conditions, including mental and behavioral disorders

eclectic approach

the utilization of techniques and ideas from multiple psychological perspectives when diagnosing and treating clients

behavioral perspective

a perspective that proposes that the causes of mental disorders relate to maladaptive learned associations between or among responses to stimuli

maladaptive learned association

the connection between a stimulus and response that leads to a harmful, or unhelpful, behavior

psychodynamic perspectives

a perspective that proposes that the causes of mental disorders relate to an individual’s unconscious thoughts and experiences, often developed during one’s childhood

humanistic perspective

a perspective that proposes that the causes of mental disorders relate to a lack of social support and being unable to fulfill one’s potential

cognitive perspective

a perspective that proposes that the causes of mental disorders relate to maladaptive thoughts, emotions, attitudes, or beliefs

evolutionary perspective

a perspective that proposes that the causes of mental disorders relate to behaviors and mental process that reduces one’s likelihood of survival, typically originating from one’s genetics

sociocultural perspective

a perspective that proposes that the causes of mental disorders relate to maladaptive social and cultural relationships and dynamics

biological perspective

a perspective that proposes that the causes of mental disorders relate to physiological factors and genetic issues

biopsychosocial model

a model that proposes that any psychological problem arises from a combination of biological , psychological, and sociocultural factors

diathesis-stress model

a model that proposes that disorders develop as a result of a combination of genetic vulnerability and stressful life experiences

diathesis

the genetic predispositions that an individual may have; typically used to describe genetic vulnerabilities in the diathesis-stress model

neurodevelopmental disorders

a group of disorders that generally have an onset during the developmental period and diagnosis involves determining if a person is displaying behaviors and attitudes that are appropriate for their age and maturity range

can be caused by exposure to genetic, environmental, or physiological factors

attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

a neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by difficulties with focus, impulsivity, and hyperactivity

autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects communication and behavior, however there are a range of symptoms that one an individual experience

schizophrenic spectrum disorders

a group of disorders characterized by delusions, disorganized thinking or speech, hallucinations, disorganized motor behavior, and negative symptoms; can be acute or chronic in nature

can be caused by a genetic link to the disorder, prenatal imbalances or virus exposures, and the dopamine hypothesis

dopamine hypothesis

a theory that proposes that schizophrenia can be linked to an imbalance of dopamine, including excess dopamine in the limbic system and minimal dopamine in the prefrontal cortex

positive symptoms

behaviors or experiences of schizophrenic spectrum disorders that add to an individual’s behavior

negative symptoms

behaviors or experiences of schizophrenic spectrum disorders that are absent or reduced from an individual’s behavior

delusions

a positive symptom; false beliefs that aren’t based in reality, can manifest as false beliefs of persecution or grandeur

delusions of persecution

the false belief that others mean to harm you

delusions of grandeur

the false belief that you have exceptional abilities and have wealth or fame

hallucinations

a positive symptom; false perceptions that cause an individual to sense something that isn’t present

disorganized thinking or speech

a positive symptom; can manifest as speaking in ways that involve stringing words in nonsensical ways, or a word salad

disorganized motor behavior

a positive or negative symptom; involves erratic movements and can manifest as catatonia

catatonia

a movement disorder that can be experienced as excitement, or sudden movements and positive symptoms, and stupor, or slow to no movements and negative symptoms

flat affect

a negative symptom; the display of little to no emotions by an individual

depressive disorders

a group of disorders characterized by the presence of a sad, empty, or irritable mood, along with physical and cognitive functions that affect an individual’s ability to function

major depressive disorder

a severe form of depression, during which symptoms interfere with an individual’s ablitiy to perform their daily activities

persistent depressive disorder

a chronic form of depression, during which symptoms are moderate to severe but can last for years at a time

bipolar disorders

a group of disorders characterized by significant mood swings, between periods of depression to period of mania

can be caused by imbalances in neurotransmitters and a genetic predisposition

bipolar cycling

when an individual alternates between manic and depressive episodes in alternate periods for varying amounts of time

bipolar I disorder

involves at least one manic episode that lasts at least seven days, followed by depressive episodes that last around two weeks

bipolar II disorder

involves at least one major depressive episode and at least one hypomanic episode generally lasting around four days each

hypomanic episode

a manic episode that is typically less severe than traditional manic episodes

anxiety disorders

a group of disorders characterized by excessive fear and/or anxiety-related disturbances in behavior

caused by learned associations between and among stimuli, maladaptive thinking or emotional responses, or a genetic predisposition

specific phobia

fear or anxiety towards a specific object or situation

agoraphobia

an intense fear of specific social situations, including using public transportation, being in open or enclosed spaces, standing in line or in a crowd, and being outside alone

panic disorders

involve the experience of panic attacks, but can also manifest as ataque de nervios, a culture-bound anxiety disorder

panic attack

unanticipated and overwhelming biological, cognitive, and emotional experiences of fear or anxiety, and can often involve a variety of physical symptoms

culture-bound anxiety disorder

a psychological or behavioral condition that is specific to a particular cultural group or society

ataque de nervios

a culture-bound anxiety disorder that is experienced mainly by people of Caribbean or Iberian descent

social anxiety disorder

an intense fear of social situations as a result of a fear of being judged or watched by others; it is distinct from agoraphobia as it considers social scrutiny

taijin kyofusho

a culture-bound social anxiety disorder experienced by japanese people, in which people fear others judging their actions as unpleasant, undesirable, or offensive

generalized anxiety disorder

prolonged experiences of nonspecific fear or anxiety

obsessive-compulsive disorders

a group of disorders characterized by obsessions, or intrusive thoughts, and compulsions, or intrusive and repetitive behaviors that intend to address obsessions

caused by learned associations due to reinforcement or obsessions, maladaptive thinking or emotional responses, and biological or genetic sources

obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

involves the experience of obsessions, compulsions, or both; can causes significant amounts of distress for an individual and are time-consuming

hoarding disorder

involves situations where an individual struggles with discarding possessions, regardless of value

selective dissociative disorders

a group of disorders characterized by dissociations from consciousness, memory, identity, emotion, perception, body representation, motor control, and behavior; can cause an individual to feel detached from themselves

caused by trauma, specifically childhood trauma, or stress as a coping strategy

dissociative amnesia

involves a person being unable to recall important personal information, and can result in dissociative fugue

dissociative fugue

involves a person forgetting key details about themselves, or dissociative amnesia, and travelling to a new location, where they may take on a new identity

dissociative identity disorder (DID)

involves the presence of two or more distinct identity or personality states, which may take control of a person’s behaviors at different times

trauma and stress-related disorders

a group of disorders characterized by exposure to traumatic or stressful events, with subsequent psychological distress

symptoms include hypervigilance, flashbacks, severe anxiety, insomnia, emotional detachment, and hostility

posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

a disorder that can develop after exposure to a specific traumatic event, and is heavily characterized by flashbacks and severe anxiety

feeding and eating disorders

a group of disorders that are characterized by abnormal eating habits, which can impair health or psychological functioning

caused by hormonal shifts or neurotransmitter imbalances, genetic predisposition, or peer pressure or family dynamics

anorexia nervosa

a disorder that is characterized by extreme food restriction, an intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted body image

bulimia nervosa

a disorder that is characterized by a cycle of binge eating and purging, which can be throwing up, excessive exercise, or taking laxatives

personality disorders

a group of disorders characterized by enduring patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that deviate significantly from societal norms; can be pervasive and inflexible for significant periods of time, leading to personal distress

cluster a

also called the odd or eccentric cluster; includes paranoid-, schizoid-, and schizotypal-personality disorders

paranoid personality disorder

involves the distrust and suspicion of others, often without justification

schizoid personality disorder

involves detachment from social relationships and limited emotional expression

schizotypal personality disorder

involves eccentric behaviors, a discomfort in close relationships, and perceptual distortions

cluster b

also called the dramatic, emotional, or erratic cluster; includes antisocial-, histrionic-, narcissistic-, and borderline-personality disorders

antisocial personality disorder

involves an individual’s disregard for the rights of others

histrionic personality disorder

involves excessive emotionality and attention-seeking behavior

narcissistic personality disorder

involves an individual’s feelings of superiority, uniqueness, and invulnerability and thus also involves the need of admiration from others

borderline personality disorder

involves instability in relationships, self image, and emotions

cluster c

also called the anxious or fearful cluster; includes avoidant-, dependent-, and obsessive-compulsive-personality disorders

avoidant personality disorder

involves an extreme sensitivity to rejection and feelings of inadequacy

dependent personality disorder

involves an extreme reliance on others, a constant need for help when making decisions, and always following others

obsessive-compulsive personality disorder

involves perfectionism, or the constant need to control aspects of an individual’s life and wanting certain things to be in a set order