Psychopathology from MS

behavioural characteristic of OCD?

compulsion element of the disorder, where a behaviour is performed repeatedly in order to alleviate anxiety

cognitive characteristic of OCD?

obsessive element of the disorder, where the sufferer experiences unwanted/intrusive thoughts or images that cause distress

3 marks on what FFA is?

Failure to function adequately (FFA) refers to abnormality that prevent the person from carrying out the range of behaviours that society would expect from them, such as getting out of bed each day, holding down a job etc. Rosenhan & Seligman suggested a range of criteria that are typical of FFA. These include observer discomfort, unpredictability and irrationality among others

Briefly outline how flooding might be used to treat a phobia

• immediate/direct/full exposure

• prevention of avoidance

• until they are calm/anxiety has receded/fear is extinguished

Limitations to systematic desensitisation

• One weakness of SD is that it relies on the client’s ability to be able to imagine the fearful situation. Some people cannot create a vivid image and thus SD is not effective.

• Another weakness is that while SD might be effective in the therapeutic situation, it may not work in the real world.

Use of SSRIs

prevent the reuptake of serotonin and prolong its activity in the synapse in order to reduce anxiety / normalise the ‘worry circuit’

Use of tricyclics

block the transporter mechanism that re-absorbs both serotonin and noradrenaline, again prolonging their activity