Psychology Unit 5: Mental and Physical Health

psychological disorder

deviant, distressful, and dysfunctional behavior patterns

medical model

view of mental illness as due to a physical disorder requiring medical treatment

biopsychosocial approach

an integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis

disthesis-stress model

a diagnostic model that proposes that a disorder may develop when an underlying vulnerability is coupled with a precipitating event

DSM-5

the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition; a widely used system for classifying psychological disorders.

Epigenetics

the study of environmental influences on gene expression that occur without a DNA change

attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

a psychological disorder marked by extreme inattention and/or hyperactivity and impulsivity

anxiety disorders

disorders in which the main symptom is excessive or irrational worry and fearfulness

social anxiety disorder

an anxiety disorder involving the extreme and irrational fear of being embarrassed, judged, or scrutinized by others in social situations

generalized anxiety disorder

an anxiety disorder in which a person is continually tense, apprehensive, and in a state of autonomic nervous system arousal

panic disorder

An anxiety disorder marked by unpredictable minutes-long episodes of intense dread in which a person experiences terror and accompanying chest pain, choking, or other frightening sensations.

agoraphobia

fear or avoidance of situations, such as crowds or wide open places

specific phobia

a disorder that involves an irrational fear of a particular object or situation that markedly interferes with an individual's ability to function

obsessive-compulsive disorder

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

obsession

an unwanted thought or image that takes control of the mind

compulsion

an unreasonable need to behave in a certain way to prevent a feared outcome

post-traumatic stress disorder

an anxiety disorder characterized by haunting memories, nightmares, social withdrawal, jumpy anxiety, and/or insomnia that lingers for four weeks or more after a traumatic experience

major depressive disorder

severe form of lowered mood in which a person experiences feelings of worthlessness and diminished pleasure or interest in many activities

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter that affects hunger,sleep, arousal, and mood.

bipolar disorder

mood disorder in one experiences both manic and depressed episodes

mania

a mood disorder marked by a hyperactive, wildly optimistic state

Schizophrenia

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

positive symptoms

symptoms of schizophrenia that are excesses of behavior or occur in addition to normal behavior; hallucinations, delusions, and distorted thinking

negative symptoms

symptoms of schizophrenia that are marked by deficits in functioning, such as apathy, lack of emotion, and slowed speech and movement

Hallucinations

false sensory experiences, such as seeing something in the absence of an external visual stimulus

Delusions

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

flat affect

a lack of emotional responsiveness

dopamine hypothesis

the idea that schizophrenia involves an excess of dopamine activity

somatic symptom disorder

psychological disorder in which the symptoms take a somatic (bodily) form without apparent physical cause

conversion disorder

A rare somatoform disorder in which a person experiences very specific genuine physical symptoms for which no physiological basis can be found.

illness anxiety disorder

a disorder in which a person interprets normal physical sensations as symptoms of a disease

dissociative disorders

disorders in which conscious awareness becomes separated (dissociated) from previous memories, thoughts, and feelings

dissociative identity disorder (DID)

the occurrence of two or more distinct identities in the same individual

dissociative amnesia

Dissociative disorder characterized by the sudden and extensive inability to recall important personal information, usually of a traumatic or stressful nature.

dissociative fugue

disorder in which one travels away from home and is unable to remember details of his past, including often his identity

personality disorders

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

anti-social personality disorder

A personality disorder characterized by a pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others.

paranoid personality disorder

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

schizoid personality disorder

a personality disorder characterized by persistent avoidance of social relationships and little expression of emotion

schizotypal personality disorder

Person has several traits that causes interpersonal problems, including inappropriate affect, paranoid/magical thinking, off beliefs

borderline personality disorder

condition marked by extreme instability in mood, identity, and impulse control

histrionic personality disorder

a personality disorder characterized by excessive emotionality and preoccupation with being the center of attention; emotional shallowness; overly dramatic behavior

narcissistic personality disorder

characterized by a grandiose sense of self-importance, a preoccupation with fantasies of success or power, and a need for constant attention or admiration

dependent personality disorder

A personality disorder characterized by a pattern of clinging and obedience, fear of separation, and an ongoing need to be taken care of.

avoidant personality disorder

A personality disorder characterized by consistent discomfort and restraint in social situations, overwhelming feelings of inadequacy, and extreme sensitivity to negative evaluation.

obsessive-compulsive personality disorder

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

anorexia nervosa

an eating disorder in which an irrational fear of weight gain leads people to restrict their food consumption

bulimia nervosa

an eating disorder characterized by episodes of overeating, usually of high-calorie foods, followed by vomiting, laxative use, fasting, or excessive exercise

binge eating disorder

significant binge-eating episodes, followed by distress, disgust, or guilt, but without the compensatory purging, fasting, or excessive exercise that marks bulimia nervosa

resilience

the personal strength that helps most people cope with stress and recover from adversity and even trauma

catatonia

a state of unresponsiveness to one's outside environment, usually including muscle rigidity, staring, and inability to communicate

Psychotherapy

treatment involving psychological techniques; consists of interactions between a trained therapist and someone seeking to overcome psychological difficulties or achieve personal growth

biomedical therapy

prescribed medications or medical procedures that act directly on the patient's nervous system

eclectic therapy

an approach to treatment in which the therapist uses whichever techniques seem most useful and relevant for a given patient

Psychoanalysis

Sigmund Freud's therapeutic technique. Freud believed the patient's free associations, resistances, dreams, and transferences - and the therapist's interpretations of them - released previously repressed feelings, allowing the patient to gain self-insight.

resistance

in psychoanalysis, the blocking from consciousness of anxiety-laden material

Transference

in psychoanalysis, the patient's transfer to the analyst of emotions linked with other relationships (such as love or hatred for a parent)

humanistic therapy

Focuses on removing obstacles that block personal growth and potential.

insight therapies

a variety of therapies that aim to improve psychological functioning by increasing a person's awareness of underlying motives and defenses

client-centered therapy

a humanistic therapy, developed by Carl Rogers, in which the therapist uses techniques such as active listening within a genuine, accepting, empathic environment to facilitate clients' growth.

active listening

Empathic listening in which the listener echoes, restates, and clarifies. A feature of Rogers' client-centered therapy.

unconditional positive regard

according to Rogers, an attitude of total acceptance toward another person

behavior therapies

action therapies based on the principles of classical and operant conditioning and aimed at changing disordered behavior without concern for the original causes of such behavior

counterconditioning

behavior therapy procedures that use classical conditioning to evoke new responses to stimuli that are triggering unwanted behaviors; include exposure therapies and aversive conditioning

flooding therapy

A behavioral treatment for phobias that involves prolonged exposure to a feared stimulus, thereby providing maximal opportunity for the conditioned fear response to be extinguished.

systematic desensitization

A type of exposure therapy that associates a pleasant relaxed state with gradually increasing anxiety-triggering stimuli. Commonly used to treat phobias.

aversive conditioning

a type of counterconditioning that associates an unpleasant state (such as nausea) with an unwanted behavior (such as drinking alcohol)

behavior modification

the use of operant conditioning techniques to bring about desired changes in behavior

cognitive therapy

therapy that teaches people new, more adaptive ways of thinking and acting; based on the assumption that thoughts intervene between events and our emotional reactions

rational emotive behavior therapy

a confrontational cognitive therapy, developed by Albert Ellis, that vigorously challenges people's illogical, self-defeating attitudes and assumptions

cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)

a popular integrative therapy that combines cognitive therapy (changing self-defeating thinking) with behavior therapy (changing behavior)

meta-analysis

a procedure for statistically combining the results of many different research studies

evidence-based practice

clinical decision making that integrates the best available research with clinical expertise and patient characteristics and preferences

psychopharmacology

the study of the effects of drugs on mind and behavior

therapeutic alliance

a bond of trust and mutual understanding between a therapist and client, who work together constructively to overcome the client's problem

tardive dyskinesia

involuntary movements of the facial muscles, tongue, and limbs; a possible neurotoxic side effect of long-term use of antipsychotic drugs that target certain dopamine receptors

antipsychotic drugs

medications that are used to treat schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders-block dopamine receptors

mood stabilizing drugs

used to treat mood instability and bipolar disorders; an example is lithium

anti-depressant drugs

drugs used to treat depression; also increasingly prescribed for anxiety. Different types work by altering the availability of various neurotransmitters

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

a group of second-generation antidepressant drugs that increase serotonin activity specifically, without affecting other neurotransmitters

electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

a biomedical therapy for severely depressed patients in which a brief electric current is sent through the brain of an anesthetized patient

transcraniel magnetic stimulation

Alters activity of neurons in the brain

Psychosurgery (lobotomy)

surgery that removes or destroys brain tissue in an effort to change behavior

deep brain stimulation

electrical stimulation applied through surgically implanted electrodes; used to treat some anxiety and mood disorders

light exposure therapy

Treats seasonal affective disorder (SAD); scientifically proven to be effective, exposure to daily doses of intense light. Increases activity in the adrenal gland and the superchiasmatic nucleus.

family therapy

therapy that treats the family as a system. Views an individual's unwanted behaviors as influenced by, or directed at, other family members

group therapy

therapy conducted with groups rather than individuals, permitting therapeutic benefits from group interaction

virtual reality exposure

Use of computer-generated images to present fear stimuli. The virtual environment responds to a viewer's head movements and other inputs.

token economy

an operant conditioning procedure in which people earn a token of some sort for exhibiting a desired behavior and can later exchange the tokens for various privileges or treats

health psychology

the subfield of psychology concerned with ways psychological factors influence the causes and treatment of physical illness and the maintenance of health

Psychoneuroimmunology

the study of how psychological, neural, and endocrine processes together affect the immune system and resulting health

Stress

the process by which we perceive and respond to certain events, called stressors, that we appraise as threatening or challenging

Hypertension

higher than normal blood pressure

immune suppression

Any factor that prevents the immune system from working efficiently.

Eustress

A positive stress that energizes a person and helps a person reach a goal

distress

negative stress

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Stressful or traumatic experiences, including abuse, neglect, and a range of household dysfunction, such as witnessing domestic violence or growing up with substance abuse, mental disorders, parental discord, or crime in the home.

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

Selye's concept of the body's adaptive response to stress in three phases—alarm, resistance, exhaustion.

alarm

the first phase of the stress response, in which the person faces a challenge and starts paying attention to it.

resistance

The second stage of the general adaptation syndrome, when there are intense physiological efforts to either resist or adapt to the stressor.