Overview of Psychological Disorders

A collection of flashcards covering terms and definitions related to psychological disorders and their characteristics.

Anxiety Disorders

A category of mental health disorders characterized by significant feelings of anxiety and fear.

Agoraphobia

An anxiety disorder involving intense fear and avoidance of places or situations where escape might be difficult.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

A disorder characterized by unwanted, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions).

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

A mental health condition triggered by experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event.

Mood Disorders

A category of disorders that primarily affect a person's emotional state, including conditions such as depression and bipolar disorder.

Persistent Depressive Disorder

A chronic form of depression that lasts for at least two years, formerly known as dysthymia.

Bipolar Disorder

A mental health condition marked by extreme mood swings, including emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression).

Rumination

The process of continuously thinking about the same thoughts, typically negative, which can compound feelings of distress.

Schizophrenia

A severe mental disorder characterized by disturbances in thought, perception, emotion, and behavior, often including psychosis.

Dissociative Disorders

Mental disorders characterized by a disconnection from thoughts, identity, consciousness, and memory.

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

A complex psychological condition that is characterized by the presence of two or more distinct personality states.

Dual Diagnosis

The coexistence of both a mental health disorder and a substance use disorder.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder

A mental disorder characterized by an obsessive focus on a perceived flaw in appearance.

Hoarding Disorder

A persistent inability to part with possessions, leading to clutter that disrupts living spaces.

Conversion Disorder

A condition in which a person presents with neurological symptoms that cannot be explained by medical evaluation, often related to psychological factors.

Secondary Gains

Benefits obtained from symptoms or behaviors that are not related to the condition itself, often influencing the maintenance of psychological disorders.

Semantic Disorders

Disorders that involve difficulty with understanding or using language, impacting communication abilities.