A Harmful Dysfunction in Which Behavior Is Judged to Be

Chapter 14: Psychological Disorders

Psychological Disorder a “harmful dysfunction” in which behavior is judged to be: maladaptive and disfunctional—interfere, harmful disturbing and/or distresful

Medical Model concept that diseases have physical causes---can be diagnosed, treated, and in most cases, cured assumes that these “mental” illnesses can be diagnosed on the basis of their symptoms and cured through therapy, which may include treatment in a psychiatric hospital

Bio-Psycho-Social Perspective assumes that biological, sociocultural, and psychological factors combine and interact to produce psychological disorders

Classifying Psychological Disorders DSM-IV American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders -5 (Fifth Edition) , and the DSM-IV-TR (Fourth Edition a widely used system for classifying psychological disorders Updated in 2000 and referred to as the “text revision,”

Anxiety Disorders distressing, persistent anxiety or maladaptive behaviors that reduce anxiety Anxiety - diffuse, vague feelings of fear and apprehension everyone experiences it becomes a problem when it is irrational, uncontrollable, and disruptive

Generalized Anxiety Disorder person is tense, apprehensive, and in a state of autonomic nervous system arousal More or less constant worry about many issues Physical symptoms: headaches; stomachaches; muscle tension; irritability

Panic Disorder an anxiety disorder in which the anxiety may at times suddenly escalate into a terrifying panic attack, a minutes-long episode of intense dread in which a person experiences terror and accompanying chest pain, choking, or other frightening sensations. Panic attacks - helpless terror, high physiological arousal Very frightening - sufferers live in fear of having them Agoraphobia often develops as a result

Phobia persistent, irrational fear of a specific object or situation Intense, irrational fear that may focus on: category of objects event or situation social setting It is not phobic to simply be anxious about something Specific phobias - fear of specific object

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder an anxiety disorder characterized by unwanted repetitive thoughts (obsessions) and/or actions (compulsions). Obsessions - irrational, disturbing thoughts that intrude into consciousness Compulsions - repetitive actions performed to alleviate obsessions Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

The learning perspective views anxiety disorders as a product of fear conditioning, stimulus generalization, reinforcement, and observational learning.

Undestanding and Explaining Anxiety Disorders: The biological perspective emphasizes evolutionary, genetic, and physiological influences.

Mood Disorders characterized by emotional extremes

Major Depressive Disorder a mood disorder in which a person, for no apparent reason, experiences two or more weeks of depressed moods, deep unhappiness, lethargy, feelings of worthlessness, and diminished interest or pleasure in most activities. prolonged, very severe depression; lasts without remission for at least 2 weeks

Symptoms of Depression

Dysthymia less severe, but long-lasting depression lasts for at least 2 years

Can have both at the same time Women diagnosed far more often than men

Manic Episode a mood disorder marked by a hyperactive, wildly optimistic state

Bipolar Disorder-- formerly called manic-depressive disorder: cycling between depression and mania (extreme euphoria) a mood disorder in which the person alternates between the hopelessness and lethargy of depression and the overexcited state of mania, (euphoric, hyperactive, wildly optimistic states).

Manic Episode marked by a hyperactive, wildly optimistic state

Seasonal Affective Disorder: Cyclic severe depression and elevated mood Seasonal regularity Unique cluster of symptoms intense hunger gain weight in winter sleep more than usual depressed more in evening than morning

Understanding Mood Disorder: The biological perspective emphasizes the importance of genetic and biochemical influences. Mood disorders run in families--search for genes that put people at risk Certain neurotransmitters, including norepinephrine and serotonin, seem to be scarce in depression. The brains of depressed people have been found to be less active.

The depressed brain

The social-cognitive perspective sees depression as a vicious cycle in which (1) negative, stressful events are interpreted through (2) a ruminating, pessimistic explanatory style, creating (3) a hopeless, depressed state that (4) interferes with the way a person thinks and acts. This causes: (1) more negative experiences.

Cognitive Bases for Depression A.T. Beck: depressed people hold pessimistic views of Themselves; the world; the future Depressed people distort their experiences in negative ways exaggerate bad experiences; minimize good experiences

Situational Bases for Depression

Positive correlation between stressful life events and onset of depression Is life stress causal of depression?

Suicide and Self Injury (Close up box)

Schizophrenia literal translation “split mind”--- ‘split’ refers to loss of touch with reality a group of severe disorders characterized by: disorganized and delusional thinking disturbed perceptions inappropriate emotions and actions

Symptoms of Schizophrenia Positive symptoms: hallucinations; delusions Negative symptoms: absence of normal cognition or affect (e.g., flat affect, poverty of speech)

Disorganized thinking Disorganized speech overinclusion - jumping from idea to idea without the benefit of logical association Disorganized symptoms disorganized speech (e.g., word salad)

Disorganized behavior and affect

Delusions--false beliefs, often of persecution or grandeur, that may accompany psychotic disorders Delusions of persecution ‘they’re out to get me’; paranoia; Delusions of grandeur

Delusions of being controlled the CIA is controlling my brain with a radio signal

Disturbed perceptions Hallucinations sensory experiences without sensory stimulation

Inappropriate emotions and actions Flat affect

Subtypes of Schizophrenia Paranoid type delusions of persecution believes others are spying and plotting delusions of grandeur believes others are jealous, inferior, subservient

Catatonic type - unresponsive to surroundings, purposeless movement, parrot-like speech

Disorganized type delusions and hallucinations with little meaning disorganized speech, behavior, and flat affect

Undifferentiated Residual

Onset and Development 1 in 100 people Equally split between genders, males have earlier onset 18 to 25 for men 26 to 45 for women

Understanding Schizophrenia Brain abnormalities Brain structure and function

Brain chemistry neurotransmitter excesses or deficits The Dopamine Theory: Drugs that reduce dopamine reduce symptoms Brain chemistry neurotransmitter excesses or deficits The Dopamine Theory: Drugs that reduce dopamine reduce symptoms

Prenatal environment and risk difficult birth (e.g., oxygen deprivation) prenatal viral infection Genetic Influences risk increases with genetic similarity

Cultural Differences in Schizophrenia Prevalence of symptoms is similar no matter what the culture Less industrialized countries have better rates of recovery than industrialized countries families tend to be less critical of the schizophrenic patients less use of antipsychotic medications, which may impair full recovery think of Schizophrenia as transient, rather than chronic and lasting disorder

Other Disorders

Dissociative Disorders conscious awareness becomes separated (dissociated) from previous memories, thoughts, and feelings

Dissociative Identity Disorder rare dissociative disorder in which a person exhibits two or more distinct and alternating personalities formerly called multiple personality disorder

Eating Disorders Anorxia nervosa Bulimia nervosa Binge eating disorder

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

Antisocial Personality Disorder disorder in which the person (usually man) exhibits a lack of conscience for wrongdoing, even toward friends and family members may be aggressive and ruthless or a clever con artist

Rates of Psychological Disorders