Abnormal Psychology

Criteria that distinguish normal from disordered behavior

Deviance, dysfunction, and distress

Deviance

Behavior that violates the standards of conduct or expectations of a society

Dysfunction

Impaired or abnormal functioning

Distress

Serious emotional discomfort

Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)

most widely used tool to classify and diagnose psychological disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA).

Anxiety Disorders

A class of disorders marked by feelings of excessive apprehension/dread and anxiety

Phobias

A group of anxiety disorders involving a pathological fear of a specific object or situation

Panic Disorder

Characterized by relatively short period of intense fear of discomfort characterized by shortness of breath, dizziness, rapid heart rate, trembling or shaking, sweating, choking, nausea, and other distressing physical symptoms

Generalized anxiety disorder

an excessive or unrealistic worry about life circumstances that last at least 6 months

obsessive-compulsive disorder

an anxiety disorder characterized by unwanted repetitive thoughts (obsession) and/or actions (compulsions)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

marked emotional disturbance after experiencing or witnessing a severely stressful event

Acute stress disorder

an anxiety disorder in which fear and related symptoms are experienced soon after a traumatic event and last less than a month

mood disorders

the experiencing of mood changes that are inappropriate or inconsistent with the situations to which they are responding

categories of mood disorders

unipolar/depression and bipolar depression

depression

a prolonged feeling of helplessness, hopelessness, and sedness

bipolar disorder

involves a cycle of mood changes from depression to wild elation and back again

personality disorders

psychological disorders characterized by inflexible and enduring behavior patterns that impair social functioning

paranoid personality disorder

type of personality disorder characterized by extreme suspicion or mistrust of others

antisocial personality disorder

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

Narcissistic personality disorder

these individuals believe that they desire excessive admiration. They may become preoccupied with fantasies of their own success, power, intelligence, or beauty

obsessive-compulsive personality disorder

a personality disorder characterized by preoccupation with orderliness, perfection, and control

somatic disorders

a psychological problem in which a person shows the symptoms of some physical disorder, even thought there is no physical cause

conversion disorder

a neurological condition that causes physical symptoms—like a paralyzed arm— even though doctors can’t find any injury of other physical condition to explain them.

hypochondriasis

a somatic disorder characterized by excessive preoccupation with health concerns and incessant worry about developing physical illnesses.

schizophrenia

a psychological disorder characterized by delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, and/or diminished, inappropriate emotional expression.

delusions

false beliefs, often of persecution or grandeur, that may accompany psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia

hallucinations

false sensory experiences, such as seeing something in the absence of an external visual stimulus can be a symptom of schizophrenia

obsession

a persistent, unwanted thought or idea that keeps recurring

compulsion

uncontrollable urge to preform an act repeatedly

catanoia

disorganized behavior; reduce spontaneous movement or freeze in position

biological approach to treating psychological disorders

drug treatment

cognitive approach to treating psychological disorders

cognitive restructing and rational-emotive therapy

psychoanalytical approach to treating psychological disorders

psychotherapy/talk therapy

learning approach to treading psychological disorders

behavior modification; counter-conditioning and systematic desensitization