Final Study Guide

Mental Disorders

Any behavior or emotional state that causes great suffering, is self-destructive, impairs ability to work or interact socially, or leads to danger to oneself or others.

DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)

APA’s standard reference manual used to diagnose mental disorders.

Critics of DSM

Concerns include overdiagnosis, power of diagnostic labels, confusion of serious mental disorders with normal problems, and the illusion of objectivity.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

A continuous state of anxiety characterized by worry, dread, apprehension, concentration difficulties, and motor tension.

Panic Disorder

An anxiety disorder with recurring panic attacks, intense fear, feelings of doom, and physiological symptoms.

Phobia

An exaggerated, unrealistic fear of a specific situation, activity, or object.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

A disorder characterized by nightmares, flashbacks, insomnia, and reliving of trauma after experiencing a life-threatening event.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

An anxiety disorder marked by persistent thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions) to reduce anxiety.

Major Depression

A disorder involving disturbances in emotion, behavior, cognition, and body function, including sadness, loss of interest, hopelessness, and fatigue.

Bipolar Disorder

A mood disorder characterized by episodes of both depression and mania.

Personality Disorder

Impairments in personality causing significant distress and difficulties in interpersonal relationships.

Antisocial Personality Disorder

A personality disorder with a lifelong pattern of irresponsible or antisocial behavior, often involving law-breaking and impulsivity.

Psychopathy

A personality disorder marked by fearlessness, lack of empathy, deceit, and coldheartedness.

Dissociative Identity Disorder

A controversial disorder characterized by the presence of two or more distinct personalities within one individual.

Schizophrenia

A psychotic disorder featuring symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, and cognitive impairments.

Dorothea Dix

A social reformer who advocated for the creation of the first American mental asylums.

Antidepressant Drugs

Medications primarily used to treat depression, anxiety, phobias, and OCD.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

A type of therapy focused on changing irrational thoughts and behaviors to reduce negative emotions.

Therapeutic Alliance

The bond of trust and mutual understanding established between therapists and clients.

Integrative Approach

Therapeutic practice that combines techniques from various treatment modalities.

Placebo Effect

The improvement of symptoms due to the patient's expectations rather than the actual treatment.

Electroconvulsive Therapy

A treatment in which brief electrical stimulation is used to induce seizures in the brain.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

A non-invasive procedure using magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain.