Personality

Personality Disorders

pervasive patterns of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and the self that interfere with long-term functioning of the individual and are not limited to isolated episodes

Cluster A

paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal

Paranoid

person is inappropriately suspicious and mistrustful of others

Schizoid

long-term emotional coldness, absence of tender feelings for others, lack of desire for and enjoyment of close relationships, and indifference to praise or criticism and to the feelings of others

Schizotypal

oddities of thought, perception, speech, and behavior that are not severe enough to warrant a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Symptoms may include perceptual distortions, magical thinking, social isolation, vague speech without incoherence, and inadequate rapport with others due to aloofness or lack of feeling

Cluster B

antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic

Anti-social

involves a pattern of violent, criminal, or unethical and exploitative bx and an inability to feel empathy for others

Narcissistic

an exaggerated sense of self-importance (grandiosity), lacks empathy, arrogant

Histrionic

exaggerated expression of emotion, needs to be center of attention, easily influenced by others, suggestible

Borderline

marked instability in self- image, mood and interpersonal relationships

Cluster C

avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive

Dependent

unable to make choices and decisions independently and cannot tolerate being alone

Avoidant

hypersensitivity to rejection and criticism a desire for uncritical acceptance, social withdrawal in spite of a desire for affection and acceptance, low self-esteem

Obsessive-Compulsive

pervasive pattern of excessive perfectionism, orderliness, mental and interpersonal control, inability to compromise, and an exaggerated sense of moral responsibility

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

prolonged vague but intense fears that are not attached to any particular object or circumstance

Panic Disorder

recurrent panic attacks in which the person suddenly experiences intense fear or terror without any reasonable cause

Panic Attack

sudden onset of intense apprehension and fearfulness in the absence of actual danger, accompanied by the presence of such physical symptoms as heart palpitations, difficulty breathing, chest pain or discomfort, choking or smothering sensations, sweating, and dizziness

Specific Phobia

intense, paralyzing fear of something

Acrophobia

irrational fear of heights

Arachnophobia

irrational fear of spiders

Social Phobia

excessive, inappropriate fears connected with social situations or performances in front of other people

Agoraphobia

involves multiple, intense fear of crowds, public places, and other situations that require separation from a source of security such as the home

Culture-Bound (Anxiety Disorder)

describing attitudes, practices, or behaviors that are the products of a particular culture and that are not widely found in other cultures

Ataque de Nervios

found among Latinos, characterized by shaking, uncontrollable shouting or crying, a sense of rising heat, loss of control, and verbal or physical aggression, followed by fainting or seizurelike episodes. Symptoms often occur following a stressful event related to the family, and most individuals quickly return to their previous level of functioning

Taijin Kyofusho

phobia, similar to social phobia and unique to Japan, that is characterized by an intense fear that one’s body parts, bodily functions, or facial expressions are embarrassing or offensive to others (e.g., in appearance, odor, or movement).

Dissociation

experiences a disconnect from their thoughts, feelings, memories, or sense of self

Dissociative amnesia

loss of memory for past events without organic cause

Dissociative Fugue

(traveling amnesia) - involves flight from home and the assumption of a new identity, with inability to recall past identity and events

Dissociative Identity Disorder

person has two or more distinct personalities that emerge at different times (Multiple Personality)

Anorexia nervosa

persistent refusal of food, excessive fear of weight gain, refusal to maintain minimally normal body weight, disturbed perception of body image, and amenorrhea (absence of at least three menstrual periods)

Bulimia nervosa

recurrent episodes of binge eating (i.e., discrete periods of uncontrolled consumption of abnormally large quantities of food) followed by inappropriate compensatory behaviors (e.g., self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives, fasting, excessive exercise)

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

feels driven to think disturbing thoughts and/ or to perform senseless rituals

Obsessions

persistent thought, idea, image, or impulse that is experienced as intrusive or inappropriate and results in marked anxiety, distress, or discomfort

Compulsions

type of behavior (e.g., hand washing, checking) or a mental act (e.g., counting, praying) engaged in to reduce anxiety or distress

Hoarding

perceived need to save items; extreme anxiety about discarding items

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

restlessness, irritability, sleep impairment, loss of concentration, nightmares and flashbacks after a deeply troubling event

Hypervigilance

state of abnormally heightened alertness, particularly to threatening or potentially dangerous stimuli

Flashbacks

reliving of a traumatic event; may be triggered by words, sounds, smells, or scenes that are reminiscent of the original trauma

Insomnia

difficulty in initiating or maintaining restorative sleep

Emotional Detachment

struggle to connect with or express their own emotions, or to engage with the emotions of others

Hostility

overt expression of intense animosity or antagonism in action, feeling, or attitude

Major Depressive Disorder

feelings of worthlessness, lack of energy, disturbances in eating and sleep, suicidal ideations (clinical depression)

Persistent depressive disorder (formerly dysthymia)

mild-moderate depression that persists for two or more years

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

depression during the darker months; treated with light therapy

Bipolar Disorders

alternating periods of mania and depression

Mania

emotional disturbance characterized by elated, reckless moods with a heightened sense of confidence and power

Depression

negative affective state, ranging from unhappiness and discontent to an extreme feeling of sadness, pessimism, and despondency, that interferes with daily life

Bipolar I

individual fluctuates between episodes of mania or hypomania and major depressive episodes or experiences a mix of these

Bipolar II

individual fluctuates between major depressive and hypomanic episodes

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

significant deficits in social communication and interaction

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

impulsivity, inattention, limited focus

Tourette’s Disorder

sudden, rapid, recurrent, non-rhythmic motor movements or vocalizations

Psychotic Disorders

severe mental disorders, characterized by impairment in reality testing; specific symptoms may include delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, thought, or behavior

Schizophrenia

split from reality; including major symptoms of…

Hallucinations

sense things that do not actually exist

Delusions

false beliefs (i.e., grandiose, paranoid)

Delusions of persecution

thoughts that others are threatening or conspiring against one

Delusions of grandeur

false attribution to the self of great ability, knowledge, importance or worth, identity, prestige, power, accomplishment

Disorganized Thinking or Speech

thoughts are loosely connected, sometimes speech is incomprehensible

Word Salad

severely disorganized and virtually incomprehensible speech or writing; associations appear to have little or no logical connection

Disorganized Motor Movement

unusual movements and/or lack of coordination

Catatonia

state of muscular rigidity or other disturbance of motor behavior, such as catalepsy (sustained unresponsiveness in which a fixed body posture or physical attitude is maintained over a long period of time)

Stupor

state of lethargy and impaired consciousness, in which an individual is disoriented, unresponsive, and immobile

Catatonic Stupor

significantly decreased reactivity to environmental stimuli

Negative Symptoms

deficit in the ability to perform the normal functions of living

Flat Affect

absence of appropriate emotional responses to situations and events

Avolition

lack of initiative

Positive Symptoms

an excess or distortion of normal function (i.e., delusions or hallucinations)

Acute Schizophrenia

sudden and severe onset of psychotic symptoms, including delusions, hallucinations, and/or disorganized speech and thought

Chronic Schizophrenia

refers to the long-term, persistent nature of the illness

Dopamine-hypothesis

relationship between schizophrenia and heightened dopamine activity

Biological model

organic problems, biochemical imbalances, or genetic predispositions cause psychological disorders

Psychoanalytic model

internal, unconscious conflicts cause psychological disorders

Cognitive model

irrational, dysfunctional, maladaptive thoughts or ways of thinking cause psych disorders

Behavioral model

reinforcement history and the environment cause psychological disorders

Sociocultural model

a dysfunctional society causes psychological disorders

Humanistic model

failure to strive towards one’s potential or being out of touch with one’s feelings causes psychological disorders

Diathesis-stress model

a combination of genetics and early learning cause psychological disorders

Diathesis

a genetic predisposition to a particular disorder

Systems model/Biopsychosocial Model

view that biological, psychological, social risk factors combine to produce psych disorders

Eclectic Approach

applying two or more approaches

Maladaptive Behaviors/Thoughts

condition in which behavior/thought patterns are counterproductive, or otherwise interfere with optimal functioning

Evolutionary Perspectives

theory all human behaviors reflect the influence of physical and psychological predispositions that helped human ancestors survive and reproduce

Psychological Disorders

characterized by a clinically significant disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotional regulation, or behavior; usually associated with distress or impairment in functioning

Dysfunction

any impairment, disturbance, or deficiency in behavior

Distress

negative stress response, often involving negative affect and physiological reactivity: a type of stress that results from being overwhelmed by demands, losses, or perceived threats

Stigma

negative social attitude attached to a characteristic of an individual that may be regarded as a mental, physical, or social deficiency

American Psychological Association

scientific and professional organization founded in 1892

World Health Organization

directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations; founded in 1948; providing leadership on global health matters

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)

Provides operational definitions of disorders – describing characteristics, frequency and duration of the symptoms

International Classification of Diseases (ICD)

global standard for diagnostic classification of all health conditions as compiled by the World Health Organization (WHO)