PSYA02 03/13

Classroom Announcements and Changes

  • Good morning. How's everyone?

  • Announcement: There will be a guest lecturer during the clinical psychology chapters.

    • The details about the lecturer will be announced soon, but the material will be testable.

    • If students are unable to attend, they should watch the video recording to keep up with the content.

  • Deadlines:

    • The extended due date for peer reviews of the infographic is today.

    • The original due date for the experiential learning project is also today.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

  • Case Discussion:

    • A scenario was presented involving an individual's experience, linked to GAD.

    • An important diagnostic criterion for GAD:

    • Individuals must have experienced symptoms for six months or more, interfering with daily functioning on more than half the days.

    • Symptoms include trouble sleeping, irritability, difficulty focusing, and worries.

  • Prevalence and Patterns:

    • GAD is often a lifelong condition. Symptoms can wax and wane, but many people experience it throughout their lives without significant treatment.

    • Full remission is not expected for GAD, unlike other disorders like major depressive disorder (MDD).

Important Diagnostic Criteria and Patterns

  • Understanding Diagnostic Criteria:

    • All criteria must be met for a proper diagnosis. Incorrect associations (like symptom duration) can lead to misinformation.

  • Diagnosing anxiety based on age:

    • There are no general patterns in the population that correlate anxiety levels with age.

    • Individuals can be anxious at any age, but content of worries may vary.

Continuing with Anxiety Disorders

  • Next Focus:

    • Deep-dive into other anxiety disorders was planned for the class. Discussion on attribution theory in respect to individual depression experiences was to be addressed.

  • Phobic Disorders:

    • Discussed two separate disorders: specific phobic disorders and social anxiety disorder.

  • Common Triggers for Specific Phobias:

    • Animals and natural environments are commonly noted triggers.

    • The commonality might relate to lack of control or biological preparedness.

    • Preparedness Theory:

      • Humans are evolutionarily predisposed to fear certain stimuli (e.g., snakes).

      • Evidence from nonhuman primates supports this, as they have difficulty conditioning fear responses to non-threatening stimuli (like cars).

Panic Disorder

  • Definition of Panic:

    • Panic is a normal, adaptive response in life-threatening situations.

    • Symptoms include heightened heart rate, breathing difficulties, feelings of unreality, and fear of death.

  • Panic Disorder Defined:

    • Characterized by sudden occurrences of multiple panic attacks without warning.

    • Diagnostic Criteria:

    • Attacks become recurrent and lead to significant fear of future attacks.

  • Statistics:

    • About one-third of Canadians experience at least one panic attack annually.

Transitioning to Mood Disorders

  • Defining Mood:

    • Mood is an unspecific emotional state that lasts more than typical fleeting emotional responses.

    • Mood disorders characterized by disruptive mood changes exist in two clusters: depressive disorders and bipolar disorders.

  • Major Depressive Disorder (MDD):

    • Extremely common in Canada; gender differences exist (more women diagnosed than men).

    • Possible reasons:

    • Biological: hormonal differences affecting mood regulation.

    • Social/Cultural Influences: allowing emotional expression varies by gender, affecting diagnoses.

    • Statistics:

    • Approximately 7% of Canadians experience MDD in their lifespan.

Understanding Depressive Disorders

  • Major Depressive Disorder Characteristics:

    • Episodic condition consisting of episodes lasting two weeks or longer.

    • Symptoms include depressed mood, anhedonia (loss of pleasure), significant weight changes, sleep disturbances, psychomotor agitation/retardation, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, diminished concentration, and recurrent thoughts of death.

  • Attribution Theory and Depression:

    • Attributional styles indicate that individuals who internalize, stabilize, and generalize failures are more likely to experience depression.

    • Encouragement towards external, mutable, and specific attributional thinking can help reduce susceptibility to depression.

  • Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD):

    • Defined as experiencing moderate depressive symptoms for more than two years. Comorbidity with MDD leads to double depression.

Bipolar Disorders Overview

  • Key Characteristics of Bipolar Disorders:

    • Bipolar disorders incorporate cycles of mania and depression.

  • Bipolar I Disorder:

    • Diagnosed with at least one manic episode.

  • Bipolar II Disorder:

    • Involves both hypomanic and depressive episodes; no full mania present.

  • Manic Episodes:

    • Tallied with distinct periods of elevated mood lasting at least one week.

    • Symptoms include decreased need for sleep, inflated self-esteem, talkativeness, racing thoughts, distractibility, increased goal-directed activities, and involvement in risky behaviors.

  • Prognostic Considerations:

    • Most individuals experiencing one manic episode are likely to have subsequent episodes without treatment.

Treatment and Support for Mood Disorders

  • Risk Factors for Mood Disorders:

    • High heritability among bipolar disorders.

    • Environmental factors can influence the prevalence of disorders (e.g., childhood adversity, emotional family dynamics).

  • Importance of Accurate Diagnosis:

    • Mistaking bipolar disorder for MDD can lead to inappropriate treatments.

  • Final Note:

    • Bipolar disorders are complex and require careful evaluation to ensure effective treatment plans.