Psychological Disorders Anxiety & Mood Disorders

1. Psychological DisordersAnxiety & Mood Disorders

2. What is Anxiety? • A. generalized state of dread or uneasiness that occurs in response to a vague or imagined danger • 1. Not the same as fear (response to real danger) • 2. nervousness, inability to relax • B. Physical signs: • 1. trembling, sweating, rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, increased blood pressure, flushed face,feeling faint • a. all result of overactivity of sympathetic branch in autonomic nervous system

3. C. EVERYONE FEELS ANXIOUS • 1. before a big game = appropriate response • 2. this response is not a PD • D. Feeling anxious all or most of the time • 1. sign of a PD • E. Anxiety-based disorders are among most common of all PDs in US

4. II. Types of Anxiety Disorders • A. Phobic Disorder • 1. persistent excessive or irrational fear of a particular object or situation • 2. to be diagnosed, the fear must lead to avoidance behavior that interferes with normal life • 3. Most common of all anxiety disorders • 4. Examples: • a. zoophobia – fear of animals • b. claustrophobia – enclosed spaces • c. acrophobia – heights • d. arachnophobia - spiders

5. 5. Social Phobia – fear of social situations in which one might be scrutinized or humiliated / embarrassed • a. may invent excuses to avoid going to parties • B. Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia • 1. Panic Disorder may lead to recurring, unexpected panic attacks • 2. Panic Attack – short period of intense fear or discomfort • a. shortness of breath, dizziness, rapid heart rate, trembling, sweating, choking, nausea

6. 3. Agoraphobia – fear of being in places in which escape is difficult or impossible • a. have panic attacks when they cannot avoid the stressful situations they fear • b. leads to avoidance behavior • c. avoid crowded places or never leave home at all • C. Generalized Anxiety Disorder– GAD (6 months) • a. excessive worry about life circumstances • b. finances, employment, illness

7. D. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder – OCD • 1. obsessions – unwanted thoughts or ideas that occur over and over • 2. compulsions – repetitive ritual behaviors • a. may reduce the anxiety the obsessions produce • i. time consuming / create more interference • 3. Hoarding • 4. Locking the doors over and over • 5. Washing hands over and over

8. E. Stress Disorders • 1. PTSD – intense anxiety caused by traumatic experience • 2. common result of extensive trauma • 3. symptoms include: • a. flashbacks, nightmares, numbness of feelings, avoidance of stimuli, tension

9. III. Explaining Anxiety Disorders • A. Psychological Views • 1. Psychoanalytic Theorists • a. no longer accepted, but did influence later theories • b. anxiety is result of “forbidden” childhood urges that have been repressed, or hidden from consciousness • c. lead to compulsive behaviors

10. 2. Learning Theorists – phobias are conditioned, or learned, in childhood • a. people will avoid situations that make them feel anxiety • i. anxiety may worsen because they don’t learn other ways of coping • 3. Cognitive Theorists – people make themselves anxious by responding negatively to most situations

11. B. Biological Views • 1. believe heredity may play a role in most psychological disorders, including anxiety • a. people more inclined to fear things that threatened their ancestors • b. Some disorders reflect both biological and psychological factors

12. IV. Mood Disorders • A. Sad / mad when things are going well • B. Two categories: • 1. Depression – feelings of sadness, helplessness • 2. Bipolar Disorder – cycle of mood changes • C. Major Depression – most common of all PDs • (8 – 18% of general population will experience major depression in their lifetime) • a. Must show 5 symptoms to be diagnosed • b. one must be from the first 2 on list

13. 1. persistent depressed mood for most of the day • 2. loss of interest in all or almost all activities • 3. significant weight loss or gain due to changes in appetite • 4. sleeping more or less than usual • 5. speeding up or slowing down of physical and emotional reactions • 6. fatigue or loss of energy • 7. feelings of worthlessness or unfound guilt • 8. reduced ability to concentrate or make meaningful decisions • 9. recurrent thoughts of death or suicide

14. D. Bipolar Disorder • 1. mania (extreme excitement) can change into depression quickly and for no apparent reason • 2. characterized by over excitement and sometimes irritability • E. Postpartum Disorder • 1. women feel hopeless and inadequate at childcare skills • 2. occurs after giving birth

15. V. Explaining Mood Disorders • A. Psychological View • 1. psychoanalytic view connects past events to the present. • a. people prone to depression suffered a real or imagined loss during childhood • b. internalize the anger toward themselves, leading to depression • B. Learning View • 1. people believe that previous events were out of their control, and therefor future events will be too • a. Martin Seligman – electric shock with dogs • 2. when a negative event occurs, they feel helpless… leading to depression

16. C. Cognitive View • 1. explanation of events • a. internal or external, stable or unstable • b. blaming self or others • D. Biological Views • 1. Two Neurotransmitters: • a. serotonin & noradrenaline (norepinephrine) • i. both play a role in mood regulation • b. low levels of serotonin may create tendencies toward mood disorders • c. low levels of serotonin and noradrenaline is linked to depression

17. E. Biological and Psychological Factors • 1. depressing situation slows down neurotransmitters (noradrenaline) activity in the brain • 2. the chemical changes may then worsen the depression