ap psychology unit 5: mental and physical health š
(all info combined from mr. sinn, collegeboard, and barronās prep book!)
5.1: introduction to health psychology
focuses on how a personās physical health and wellness shapes behaviors and mental processes
looks at a more holistic perspective (wow very zen š§)
personās behaviors
coping strategies
stressors
psychological influences
community engagement
health psychologists seek to help individuals with stress (i need this)
prolonged stress can weaken bodyās ability to fight off different diseases š„
chronic stress ā hypertension (high blood pressure š)
a focus on how an individual handles stress and how often they have it (they could do a number on meā¦)
2 types of stress:
eustress: positive (+)
motivates, leads to better performance šŖ
distress: negative (-)
overwhelming, exhaustion š«
stress also comes from traumatic events (wow thanks)
PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder): occurs after experiencing a traumatic event
adverse childhood experiences: potentially traumatic events or chronic stressors occurring in childhood
poses a higher risk for mental challenges and physical problems
general adaptation syndrome (GAS): looks at how a personās body reacts to stress for long periods of time
3 stages:
alarm reaction: the stressor is first perceived
fight-flight-freeze response:
fight: preps to confront stressor (alpha behavior šŗ)
flight: preps to run away from stressor (boo beta š)
freeze: stuck and unable to act because of the stressor (yikes! š„¶)
the body releases hormones like adrenaline or cortisol
resistance: if stress persists, the body attempts to adapt to the stressor
body uses more energy to adapt
if thereās too much tension, the body becomes tired
exhaustion: overtime, if the stressor continues, the bodyās energy depletes
immune system may weaken due to prolonged stress (remember this term? š)
individual is more susceptible to burnout, fatigue, illness, and increased anxiety (ok hi twin)
handling stress:
tend-and-befriend theory: individual is more likely to protect and care for themselves + others
or seek social support
tending: nurturing care, for themselves or others
seeks to minimize stress or harm within their life
befriending: seeks out to others and provides support
helps feel sense of safety; reduces stress
with increased cooperation and social connections
more common in women (hey there! šāā)
coping strategies:
problem-focused coping: individual views stressor as a situation or problem that can be solved
identifies sources of stress, creating a plan to reduce it, then implements that plan
if the plan doesnāt work, they just find another solution and try again š¤· (this could repeatā¦)
emotion-focused coping: focused on managing emotional reactions to stressor
deep breathing, meditation, medication, physical activity, artistic expression, seeking support from others
itās also good to combine both of these strategies!
5.2: positive psychology
focuses on trying to understand what makes life worth living š
what helps individuals thrive, become more resilient, and create strong relationships
focused areas:
positive emotions: psychologists look into how feelings like joy and love broaden thinking and foster personal growth
character design: looking at personality traits to look into qualities for a better life
surveys and assessments are used to see satisfaction and factors attributing to it
seeing trends
gratitude: recognizing and appreciating positive aspects of life
personās signature strength and virtues: natural personal qualities (examples below)
wisdom
courage
humanity
justice
temperance: protects from humility or self-control
transcendence: better connections (takes characteristics like gratitude and hope)
post traumatic growth: positive psychology changes as a result of struggling with challenging or traumatic events
5.3: explaining and classifying psychological disorders
3 Dās of mental disorders:
deviant: goes against societyās normal behavior (this depends on cultural norms!)
distressful: causes worry and anxiety
dysfunctional: disturbance in behavior (every day life)
tools used for diagnostics and statistics:
DSM-5-TR (current edition)
diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders
APA; classify and describe disorders
does NOT explain cause
ICD-11 (current edition)
international classification of disease
developed by WHO (world health org.)
focus on mental and physical health
diagnostic labeling:
consequences:
positive: some relief, simplifying communication, guides research, predicts future problems
negative: negative attitude towards self, reduced self-esteem, stigma keeping people from seeking help š
cultural differences:
individualistic: more likely to see mental health issues as normal in day-to-day life, seeks help
collectivist: seen as a sign of weakness and an outcast by society š
prejudice: negative FEELING or BELIEF about a person or group of people
usually unjustified
discrimination: negative TREATMENT of an individual or group of individuals
major perspectives in psychology:
behavioral:
cause: reinforcement (positive and negative) history and the environment
*maladaptive learned associations between or among responses to stimuli
*prevent people from adapting, adjusting, or participating in different aspects of life
maladaptive learned: creating harmful connections to stimuli
shapes irrational fears, unhealthy habits, and self-defeating behaviors
often learned; can be modified/replaced with cognitive/behavioral interventions
psychodynamic:
unconscious thoughts and experiencesĀ
developed in childhood
events get repressed but an individual still gets affected of the effects as they grow older
conflict between id, ego, and super ego
anxiety from socially unacceptable desires
humanistic:
lack of social support
inability to reach oneās potential; out of touch with own feelings
having incongruent self-concept:
difference between actual self, who a person believes they are, and their ideal self
makes one more anxious
results in lower self-esteem
cognitive:
focus on maladaptive thoughts, distorted beliefs + attitudes
irrational, dysfunctional, negative
causes unhealthy behaviors (i would assume so yes!ā¦š )
evolutionary:
causes of mental disorders focus on abnormal behaviors and mental processes
reduces likelihood of survival
originates in an individualās genetics
sociocultural:
focus on maladaptive (so many with this word š£) social and cultural relationship and dynamics
rooted from a dysfunctional society
examining different social norms and societal pressures individual is exposed to
ex. south asian culture: being fair-skinned is more liked, so people get āskin-whiteningā creams
biological:
physiological or genetic issues/predispositions
neurotransmitter imbalances
brain structure abnormalities
eclectic:
considering multiple psychological perspectives/factors in order to provide thoughtful and effective treatment depending on the individual and their experience
biopsychosocial model:
focus on the development/cause of any psychological issue
influenced from a mix of biological, psychological, and social factors
biological:
genetic predispositions
brain chemistry (hi sabrina bed chem š)
physical health
psychological:
thought patterns
emotional responses
coping skills
social:
relationships
cultural norms
social + economical conditions
environmental stressors
all considered in a holistic perspective (mindfully)
diathesis-stress model (iām stressed.):
assumes psychological disorders are developed by genetic or biological vulnerabilities along with stressful life events
diathesis: focus on genetic predisposition (increased likelihood) or underlying biological factors
how it affects the person
stress (what iām going through right now.): how environmental causes life challenges
ex. trauma, relationship problems, financial issues, etc.
5.4: selection of categories of psychological disorders
neurodevelopmental disorders
factors:
signs and symptoms appear earlier (childhood)
functional impairments
difficulties manifesting:
social relationships
communication
learning
some to remember:
attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
characterized by:
inattention
hyperactivity
impulsivity
individual has a hard time staying focused
fidgeting or constantly moving
acting without thinking
more frequent in young boys (overdiagnosed), underdiagnosed in girls
attention-deficit disorder (ADD) is now considered a subtype of ADHD
autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
spectrum indicates that thereās a variety of disorders that fall into this umbrella term
symptoms:
challenges with social and emotional contact
seeking it out less
hypersensitive towards sensory stimulation
applies to certain sensations
ex. light and sound
repetitive behaviors
ex. flipping things
restricted movement
exhibiting interest in things that most people do not pay attention to as much
ex. rubber bands
can generally be factorized by three main causes:
genetic: mutations, inherited traits, genetic makeup of an individual
psychological: how the brain is growing/functioning
environmental: external influences
schizophrenic spectrum disorders
positive symptoms: behaviors and experiences add to behavior
negative symptoms: behaviors and experiences absent from or reduced from individualās behavior
main symptoms:
delusions: beliefs with no basis in reality
positive: beliefs are added
types:
delusions of persecution: belief people are out to harm/get you šØ
delusions of grandeur: belief one has exceptional abilities
enjoying great power like youāre the president or something š
hallucinations: perception in absence of any sensory information (false perceptions)
positive: sensory experience happens without external stimulus
auditory: hearing voices not actually there (the voices!!!)
disorganized motor behavior:
positive and negative; depends on individual
catatonia: affects movement have behavior
catatonic excitement (positive): sudden movements
catatonic stupor (negative): remain motionless for hours at a time in weird positions
flat affect (negative): reduced emotional expression
little to no facial expressions
talking in a monotone voice
alogia (negative): diminished speech
disorganized thinking or speech (positive):
adds abnormal cognitive or linguistic functions to the individual
word salad: throwing words together illogically
loose connections: moving from one topic to another without making a clear/sensible connection
tangential speech: speech gets off topic and cannot connect back to the original plot
acute symptoms: triggered by stress or major life event
appear suddenly, more reactive to situation
chronic symptoms: develop over time
remain persistent
leads to functional decline (if not properly treated)
schizophrenia can be genetic, not just biological
too much dopamine activity leads to symptoms
depressive disorders
experiences with extreme or inappropriate emotions
mood changes: sadness, emptiness, easily frustrated
major depressive disorders (MDD):
diminished interest in most activities, major changes in sleep or appetite (iām sleepy typing this.), and negative thoughts
symptoms must be present for two weeks to be diagnosed
persistent depressive disorder: symptoms are less intense
longer lasting
chronic form of depression
symptoms last at least two years
causes:
biological and genetic:
family with history of depression
neurotransmitter imbalances
social and cultural influences:
major changes or traumatic events (ex. divorce, job loss)
cultural norms and stigmas shape experiences of depression and the help an individual might get
behavioral:
poor diet, lack of exercise
inadequate coping mechanisms for dealing with stress
cognitive:
persistent pessimistic thoughts, self-criticism
bipolar disorders
involves depressed and manic episodes
manic: moments of high energy, impulsivity, euphoria
depressive: moments of low energy, sadness, and hopelessness
bipolar cycling: experiencing alternate periods of mania and depression
vary depending in individual
remember these!:
bipolar I disorder: one full maniac episode lasting around seven days
followed by depressive episodes lasting around two weeks
bipolar II disorder: hypomanic episodes; less sever than full mania but still presents noticeable shifts in behavior
biological and genetic, social and cultural influences, and behavioral and cognitive factors are all possible causes
anxiety disorders
excessive fear or worry
go beyond uneasiness and impact ability to perform daily activities
avoidance or safety seeking behaviors
specific phobia: intense unwarranted fear of a situation or object
ex. acrophobia (heights), arachnophobia (spiders)
agoraphobia: fear of public spaces
panic disorder: acute episodes of intense anxiety without any apparent trigger
accompanied by physical symptoms:
rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, sweating, chest pain, nausea
different cultures, panic disorders manifest with unique expressions
ataque de nervous: caribbean
also includes screaming and aggressive behavior
example of culture-bond disorder: specific to a particular group
social anxiety disorders
intense fear/anxiety about social situations where one could be judged, criticized, or watched by others
culture-bond example: taijin kyofusho
japanese culture: fear focused on offending or displeasing others rather than personal embarrassment
general anxiety disorders:
excessive worry about individualās health work, school, finances, etc.
over a long period of time
behavioral factors: learned associations
anxiety can be developed by repeatedly pairing neutral stimulus with a traumatic experience ā reinforcing anxious response
can be learned through observational learning
cognitive factors: maladaptive (sheās backk!!) thinking or emotional responses
persistent and exaggerated worries heighten anxiety
biological or genetic sources:
imbalances in serotonin, norepinephrine
obsessive-compulsive and related disorders (OCD): (i meanā¦i kinda have OCDā¦you meanā¦obesity š¤Ø.)
persistent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) cause someone to feel the need (compulsion) to engage in a particular action
obsessions: intrusive, unwanted thoughts repeatedly popping up in oneās mind
compulsions: repetitive behaviors done to reduce anxiety caused by obsessions
actions relieve stress temporarily, but are time-consuming
interfere with every day life
hoarding disorder: difficulty discarding possessions regardless of value
experience significant anxiety
causes:
behavioral: obsessions through conditioning
becomes reinforced with time
cognitive: maladaptive (ā¦) thinking or emotional responses
obsessions ā compulsions
biological/genetic: imbalances in neurotransmitters (serotonin), or inherited genes
selected dissociative disorders
involves disconnection or separation from consciousness, memory, identity, emotion, or perception
individual feels detached from oneself
dissociative amnesia: inability to recall important, personal info
due to trauma or severe stressor
dissociative fugue: forget key details about themselves as well as unexpected travel away from their environment
sometimes leads to complete loss of identity, so they take on a new one
dissociative identity disorder (DID):
several distinct personalities rather than one main one
can have any number of them
different personalities can represent many different ages and sexes
experience gaps in memory, changes in behavior or preferences
have history of sexual abuse and other childhood trauma
ultimately a coping strategy for trauma
causes:
traumatic/highly stressful experiences
dissociation is a psychological defense
stress and coping
selected trauma and stressor-related disorders
after experiencing highly disturbing/dangerous event
individuals experience hypervigilance:
always on lookout for danger
severe anxiety, flashbacks, insomnia
posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD):
re-experience trauma they witnessed/experienced through nightmares/flashbacks
intrusive thoughts, avoid different situations, items reminding them of trauma, withdrawing from friends and family
feeding and eating disorders
disturbed eating behaviors
restricting food, bingeing, purging
anorexia nervosa: a form of self-starvation
extreme food restriction
intense fear of gaining weight
distorted body image
leads to:
nutritional deficiencies, organ damage, weakened bones, life-threatening complications
bulimia nervosa: binge-purge cycle
vomiting
taking laxitives
excessive exercise
fasting
fear of foot and fat
distorted body image
effects:
damage to digestive system
hear problems
psychological distress (duh)
biological/genetic: imbalances in neurotransmitters
social/cultural: societal pressures on whatās physically appealing
behavioral/cognitive: restrictive eating or purge
initially feel better about themselves ā positive reinforcement continues behavior
selected personality disorders
start in late adolescence/early adulthood
involve enduring patters that remain throughout peopleās lives
negatively affects
3 clusters:
cluster a: suspicious or eccentric behaviors
paranoid, schizotypal personality disorders
cluster b: impulsive, emotional, dramatic, erratic tendencies
borderline personality disorders
antisocial
narcissistic
cluster c: avoidant, dependent, OCD
avoidant personality disorder
plagued by feelings of inadequacy
dependent personality disorder
obsessive-compulsive personality
5.5: treatment of psychological disorders
psychotherapy: therapist helps address and manage emotional, psychological and behavioral challenges with cultural humility
structured conversations with a professional
meta-analytic studies: helped prove effectiveness with therapists using evidence-based techniques to build a strong bond
looks at stats
psychodynamic therapy: came from sigmund freudās psychoanalytic approach (yikes!)
patient lies on a couch while therapist' sits in a chair in their line of vision
focus on finding the underlying cause of patientās problems
assert patient suffers from symptom substitution
when a person is treated from one psychological problem but then develops another š„
hypnosis: altered state of consciousness
people are less likely to repress troubled thoughts
can recover childhood memories about early trauma
aid in pain control and decrease anxiety
some psychodynamic theorists ask to free associate
saying whatever comes to mind (oh my therapist would hate to see me coming with this oneā¦)
reveals clues to whatās actually happening to the patient
dream interpretation: patients describing their dreams
ego defenses are relaxed during sleep ā helps reveal root of patientās problem
transference: when patients start to believe they haveā¦strong feelingsā¦towards their therapists (š)
think theyāre in love, maybe viewing them as parental figures
or seethe hatred towards them
humanistic therapies
focuses on helping people understand and accept themselves
carl rogers created person-centered therapy (client-centered)
therapist provides unconditional positive regard
supportive regardless of what patient says (what the hell, sure)
active listening: encouraging clients to talk a lot about how they feel
sometimes mirroring those feelings to clarify them for client
gesalt therapy: encouraging clients to get in touch with their whole selves
behavioral therapies
applied behavioral analysis (ABA) (omg itās like abba i love abba):
set up systems of reinforcement to teach their clients on how to be successful in the world
helps especially with developmental disorders like autism spectrum disorder
counterconditioning: a kind of classical conditioning (throwback!!)
unpleasant condition response is replaced with a pleasant one
joseph wolpe developed systematic desensitization
teaching client to replace feeling of anxiety with relaxation
first, they teach to relax ā therapist and client work together to construct anxiety or fear hierarchy
rank-ordered list of clientās fears
least frightening to most
flooding: client addresses most frightening scenario first
if clients face their fears and donāt back down, they will soon realize those fears are irrational
systematic desensitization and flooding are exposure therapies
aversive therapy: pairing a habit a person wants to break with an unpleasant stimulus
token economy: desired behaviors are identified and rewarded with tokens
can be exchanged for objects or privileges
cognitive therapies
goal: cognitive restructuring
challenging peopleās maladaptive thinking
created by aaron beck (i really hope we donāt need to remember all these people.)
explains depression using cognitive triad: peopleās beliefs about themselves, worlds, and futures
cognitive behavioral therapies
cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): combines ideas/techniques of both cognitive and behavioral psychologists
rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT/RET): developed by albert ellis
look to expose and confront dysfunctional thoughts of clients
group therapy (me and the girls)
groups of people in addition to one-on-one client-therapist interactions
common in treating families (family therapy)
usually patients experience similar difficulties
somatic therapies
biomedical (biological) psychologists
drug therapy, psychopharmacology
or chemotherapy
psychoactive medications/psychotropic medications
treat a wide range of psychological problems
more severe the disorder, the more likely drugs will be used
schizophrenia generally treated with antipsychotic medications (thorazine or haldol)
blocks receptor sites for dopamine
treating unipolar depression: tricyclic antidepressants
lithium (the metalā¦) is used to treat manic phase of bipolar disorder
iām a bit concerned about this one!
anxiety disorders: antianxiety drugs
depressing activity of central nervous system
feeling more relaxed
biofeedback: treatment of anxiety and depression
patient is taught to recognize and control breathing, heart rate, brain activity without medication
transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) (well you PMO!!!):
employs magnets (whatā¦) to alter brain activity
for depression
electroconvulsive therapy (ECT):
electric current passed through both hemispheres of brain
causes patients to experience brief seizure (ohā¦)
psychosurgery: rarest form
destruction of part of the brain to alter personās behavior
prefrontal lobotomy (#needthat): cutting main neurons leading to frontal lobe of brain
calms patient, but reduces level of functioning and awareness
eclectic therapies
combined forms of therapy: not just one
kinds of therapists:
psychiatrists: medical doctors; prescribe the medication
clinical psychologists: doctoral degrees; deal with people suffering from problem more severe
counseling therapists/psychotherapists: graduate degree in psych; ex. school psychologists, marriage/family therapists
guided by principles of APA
importance of respecting peopleās right and dignity
acting with fidelity, integrity cultural humility, and nonmaleficence (medical obligation not to harm)