AP Psych Unit 5: Mental and Physical Health

Health psychology: A field of psychology that focuses on how biological, social, and psychological factors influence health and illness.

Eustress: A positive form of stress that can motivate and energize a person, contributing to feelings of fulfillment or other positive feelings.

Adverse childhood experience (ACE): Potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood, such as abuse, neglect, or household dysfunction, which can impact long-term health and behavior.

General adaptation syndrome (GAS): A three-stage physiological response to stress: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.

Fight, flight, freeze response: A physiological reaction to perceived harmful events, attacks, or threats, which prepares the body to either confront or flee from danger.

Tend and befriend theory: A behavioral response to stress wherein individuals, particularly women, take care of others (tending) and seek social support (befriending).

Problem-focused coping: A coping strategy that aims to address the issue causing stress directly by finding solutions or taking actions.

Emotion-focused coping: A coping strategy aimed at managing emotional distress rather than solving the problem itself.

Positive psychology: A branch of psychology that studies the strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive.

Resilience: The ability to recover quickly from adversity, trauma, or stress.

Subjective well-being: An individual’s self-perceived happiness or satisfaction with life.

Positive subjective experience: Experiences that individuals interpret as positive or pleasurable.

Positive objective experience: Events or outcomes that objectively contribute to an individual's well-being, regardless of their subjective interpretation.

Virtues: Traits or qualities deemed to be morally good, including courage, temperance, wisdom, and humanity, among others.

Post-traumatic growth: Positive psychological change experienced as a result of adversity and challenges faced in life.

DSM-5: The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition; a standardized classification and diagnostic tool for mental disorders.

ICD: The International Classification of Diseases; a globally-used diagnostic tool for health conditions, including mental health disorders.

Eclectic approach: An approach to therapy that incorporates techniques and perspectives from various psychological schools of thought.

Behavioral perspective: A psychological approach that emphasizes the role of environmental factors in shaping behavior through conditioning.

Psychodynamic perspective: A view that emphasizes the influence of unconscious processes and childhood experiences on behavior.

Humanistic perspective: A psychological approach that emphasizes individual potential and stresses the importance of growth and self-actualization.

Cognitive perspective: A viewpoint that focuses on mental processes such as perception, memory, and problem-solving.

Evolutionary perspective: An approach that examines psychological traits as adaptations that have evolved over time for survival and reproduction.

Sociocultural perspective: A framework that focuses on how social and cultural environments influence behavior and mental processes.

Biological perspective: An approach that views behavior and mental processes as a product of biological factors, including genetics and neurochemistry.

Biopsychosocial model: A holistic approach that integrates biological, psychological, and social factors in understanding health and illness.

Diathesis-stress model: A psychological theory that explains the development of mental disorders as a result of an interaction between a predispositional vulnerability and stress from life experiences.

ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder): A neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by patterns of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity.

Autism Spectrum Disorder: A range of neurodevelopmental conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, and communication.

Schizophrenia: A severe mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves, often characterized by delusions and hallucinations.

Delusions: False beliefs that are strongly held despite contradictory evidence; including persecution (believing one is being targeted) and grandeur (believing one has special powers).

Hallucination: A false perception, such as seeing or hearing things that are not present.

Word salad: A mixture of words and phrases that are incoherent and nonsensical, often associated with severe mental disorders.

Catatonia: A state of unresponsiveness, unresponsiveness to external stimuli, that can involve rigid posture or lack of movement.

Dopamine hypothesis: A theory suggesting that an imbalance of dopamine levels in the brain contributes to the symptoms of schizophrenia.

Stupor: A condition of greatly reduced responsiveness, often associated with severe mental disorders or medical crises.

Flat affect: A lack of emotional expression typically observed in individuals with certain mental disorders.

Major Depressive Disorder: A mood disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest in activities.

Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia): A chronic form of depression with symptoms lasting for at least two years but typically less severe than major depressive disorder.

Bipolar I Disorder: A mental disorder characterized by manic episodes that last at least seven days or by manic symptoms that are so severe that immediate hospital care is needed.

Bipolar II Disorder: A milder form of bipolar disorder characterized by recurrent major depressive episodes and hypomanic episodes.

Bipolar cycling: The process of shifting between manic and depressive states in individuals with bipolar disorder.

Phobia: A persistent, irrational fear of a specific object, situation, or activity that leads to significant distress or avoidance behavior.

Agoraphobia: An anxiety disorder characterized by the fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult or help unavailable in the event of a panic attack.

Panic Disorder: An anxiety disorder marked by recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and a fear of future attacks.

Ataque de Nervios: A psychological syndrome, particularly relevant in Latino cultures, characterized by emotional distress symptoms including crying, shaking, and outbursts.

Social Anxiety Disorder: An intense, persistent fear of being watched and judged by others in social situations.

Taijin Kyofusho: A cultural variant of social anxiety disorder prevalent in Japan, characterized by an intense fear of offending others and the awareness of bodily functions.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): A chronic disorder characterized by excessive, uncontrollable worry about various aspects of life.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): A mental health condition characterized by persistent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions).

Hoarding Disorder: A condition involving persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions due to a perceived need to save them.

Dissociative Amnesia: A disorder characterized by an inability to recall important personal information, often related to trauma or stress, with or without fugue.

Dissociative Identity Disorder: A severe form of dissociation characterized by the presence of two or more distinct personality states.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): A psychiatric disorder that can occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event, leading to flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety.

Anorexia Nervosa: An eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted body image, which leads to self-starvation and excessive weight loss.

Bulimia Nervosa: An eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by purging to prevent weight gain.

Paranoid Personality Disorder: A type of personality disorder marked by pervasive distrust and suspicion of others.

Schizoid Personality Disorder: A personality disorder characterized by a lack of interest in social relationships and a restricted range of emotional expression.

Schizotypal Personality Disorder: A personality disorder characterized by social anxiety, odd thoughts, and eccentric behavior.

Antisocial Personality Disorder: A disorder characterized by a pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others.

Histrionic Personality Disorder: A personality disorder characterized by excessive emotionality and attention-seeking behavior.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder: A personality disorder marked by an inflated sense of self-importance and a lack of empathy for others.

Borderline Personality Disorder: A personality disorder characterized by intense emotions, unstable relationships, and impulsive behaviors.

Avoidant Personality Disorder: A disorder characterized by a pervasive pattern of social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation.

Dependent Personality Disorder: A condition in which individuals exhibit overly dependent behaviors and an excessive need to be taken care of.

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder: A personality disorder characterized by a preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and control.

Cultural humility: An approach that emphasizes self-reflection and lifelong learning regarding cultural differences.

Deinstitutionalization: A policy shift post-World War II aimed at reducing the reliance on psychiatric hospitals through community-based care.

Free association: A psychoanalytic technique where patients speak freely about their thoughts, feelings, and emotions.

Cognitive triad: A theory in cognitive therapy that explains depression as a negative view of the self, the world, and the future.

Cognitive restructuring: A therapeutic process aimed at identifying and changing negative thought patterns.

Applied behavior analysis: A therapy based on the principles of behaviorism that focuses on improving specific behaviors.

Exposure therapy: A behavioral treatment for anxiety disorders that involves gradual exposure to the feared object or context.

Systematic desensitization: A technique designed to reduce anxiety through gradual exposure combined with relaxation techniques.

Aversion therapy: A behavioral treatment that pairs unwanted behaviors with unpleasant stimuli in order to decrease the behavior's occurrence.

Token economy: A behavioral modification system that reinforces desirable behaviors through the use of tokens that can be exchanged for rewards.

Biofeedback: A technique that teaches individuals to control physiological processes through monitoring feedback from their bodies.

CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy): A form of psychotherapy that combines cognitive and behavioral techniques to change maladaptive thinking and behavior.

Dialectical behavior therapy: An evidence-based psychotherapy that combines cognitive-behavioral techniques with mindfulness strategies.

Rational-emotive behavior therapy: A form of cognitive-behavioral therapy that focuses on changing irrational beliefs that lead to negative emotions.

Person-centered therapy (active listening): A counseling approach that emphasizes an empathetic environment to facilitate personal growth.

Lithium: A medication commonly used to treat bipolar disorder.

Tardive dyskinesia: A side effect of long-term use of certain antipsychotic medications, causing involuntary movements.

ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy): A medical treatment for severe depression or other mental health disorders that involves electrical stimulation of the brain.

Lobotomy: A surgical procedure, largely abandoned, that involved severing connections in the brain to treat severe mental disorders.