A b n o r m a l P s y c h o l o g y A.K.A. Psychological Disorders

1. AbnormalPsychologyA.K.A. Psychological Disorders Psychological Disorder unusual (deviant from typical behavior in that culture) causes distress in the person experiencing the symptoms harmful dysfunction : interferes with life

2. Early Theories • Abnormal behavior was evil spirits trying to get out • Beatings, burnings, castration, pulling teeth, removing parts of intestines, caged like animals, animal blood transfusions, & trephining were often used

3. Medical Model • 1800s medical model emerges, replaces “evil” cause of mental illness • Medical Model: A mental illness needs to be diagnosed on the basis of its symptoms and can be treated • Biopsychosocial approach: today’s psychologists say that all behavior (normal or disordered) arises from interaction of nature & nurture • Nature: depression & schizophrenia… • Nurture: eating disorders, phobias…

4. Perspectives and Disorders

5. DSM IV • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: the big book of disorders • DSM will classify disorders and describe the symptoms • DSM will NOT explain the causes or possible cures

6. DSM IV • Axis I • major disorders (schizophrenia, depression, dementia, mood, eating, sleep…) • Axis II • Developmental & Personality disorders (antisocial, narcissism, autism, mental retardation…) • Axis III • Physical disorders (brain injury, HIV/AIDS…) • Axis IV • Assesses the level of psychosocial & environmental stress the person is experiencing • Axis V • Overall assessment of the person’s level of functioning

7. Two Major Classifications in the DSM Neurotic Disorders Psychotic Disorders Person loses contact with reality, experiences distorted perceptions. • Distressing but one can still function in society and act rationally. John Wayne Gacy

8. Anxiety Disorders • Psychological disorders characterized by distressing, persistent anxiety or dysfunctional behaviors to reduce anxiety • the patient fears something awful willhappen to them • They are in a state of intense apprehension, uneasiness, uncertainty, or fear

9. Generalized Anxiety DisorderGAD • An anxiety disorder in which a person is continuously tense, apprehensive, & in a state of autonomic nervous system arousal • The patient is constantly tense and worried, feels inadequate, is oversensitive, can’t concentrate and suffers from insomnia • 2/3 are women

10. Phobias • An anxiety disorder marked by a persistent, irrational fear and avoidance of a specific object, activity, or situation • Social phobia: intense fear of being scrutinized by others, avoid potentially embarrassing situations (speaking up, going to parties…) • Phobia List

11. Phobias Top 10 phobias • Fear of snakes • Fear of being buried alive • Fear of heights • Fear of being bound/tied up • Fear of drowning • Fear of public speaking • Fear of hell • Fear of cancer • Fear of tornadoes/hurricanes • Fear of fire What are the following phobias? • Uxoriphobia • Mikrophobia • Xenophobia • Trichophobia • Nyctophobia • Triskadekaphobia

12. Panic Disorder • An anxiety disorder marked by a minutes-long episode of intense dread in which a person experiences terror • Will have chest pain, heart palpitations, dizziness, choking and other frightening sensations • Those who smoke have double risk of panic disorder

13. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder • Persistent unwanted thoughts (obsessions, ex: germs, death…) cause someone to feel the need (compulsion, ex: checking locks, in/out of a door…) to engage in a particular action • Ex: Obsession about dirt and germs may lead to compulsive hand washing • 2-3%, often in late teens/early twenties

14. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) • Flashbacks/nightmares following a person’s involvement in or observation of an extremely stressful event (accident, disaster, sexual assault, violence…) • Memories of the event cause anxiety • Half of adults will experience at least 1 traumatic event, only 1 in 10 women ptsd, 1 in 20 men • After 9/11, 8% ptsd, 19% of Vietnam vets • 1 in 6 Iraq vets have symptoms (1 in 4 some psych disorder) • Post-traumatic growth: positive psychological changes that come from challenging circumstances • Greater appreciation for life, priorities… • Good can come from our worst experiences

15. Somatoform Disorders • Occur when a person manifests a psychological problem through a physiological symptoms • Two types……

16. Conversion Disorder • A health problem that starts as a mental/emotional crisis and converts into a physical problem • Often related to the stress they are under -Ex: blindness, loss of sensation... -Ex: you fall off a horse & you become paralyzed even though you are not physically injured

17. Hypochondriasis • A person interprets normal physical sensations as symptoms of a disease • They usually believe that the minor issues (headache, upset stomach) are indicative are more severe illnesses

18. Mood Disorders • Mood Disorders: Characterized by emotional extremes

19. Major Depressive Disorder • 2 weeks or more of very depressed moods • Lethargic/fatigue/lack of energy • feelings of worthlessness • loss of pleasure/interest in activities • Loss of appetite/overeat • Lack of sleep/too much sleep • Not caused by drugs or a medical condition • Survey: 29% hs students, 44% college students • 13% of adults • World Health Org- affects 5.8% of men & 9.5% women in any yr • 1 in 4 w/ depression is struggling w/ a significant loss (death, job, relationship)

20. Seasonal Affective Disorder • Experience depression during the winter months • Based not on temperature, but on amount of sunlight • Treated with light therapy

21. Bipolar Disorder • Person alternates b/w hopelessness of depression & overexcited states of mania (formally manic depression) • Mania: hyperactive, wildly optimistic state • Overactive, overtalkative, little sleep, find advice irritating, exhibit poor judgment (unsafe sex, reckless spending…) • Many Creatives: Walt Whitman, Virginia Woolf, Ernest Hemingway, Mark Twain • What goes up must come down

22. Neurotransmitters • Norepinephrine (increases arousal & boosts mood) • Scarce during depression • Overabundant during mania • Serotonin • Scarce during depression • Explanatory Style • Our way of thinking- who or what we blame for our successes & failures • Depressed people tend to blame themselves, feeding the negative feelings • Remember: if you feel down, you think negatively & remember bad experiences

23. Dissociative Disorders • These disorders involve someone experiencing a sudden loss of memory or change in identity • Often in response to overwhelming stressful event • Three types….

24. Psychogenic (Dissociative) Amnesia • A person cannot remember things with no physiological basis for the disruption in memory • Lose memories of distant & recent past • Lose personal identity • Usually occurs after a traumatic or stressful event • Usually temporary

25. Dissociative Fugue • Dissociative Amnesia & creating a physical distance from your real life • Last usually only a few hours or days, rarely months Click above to watch a real life example

26. Dissociative Identity Disorder • Used to be known as Multiple Personality Disorder • A rare disorder in which a person has 2 or more distinct, alternating personalities • People with DID commonly have a history of childhood abuse or trauma • Very controversial Click above to see an explanation of DID

27. Personality Disorders • Inflexible & continuous behavior patterns that negatively affect people’s ability to function • Dominates their personality

28. Antisocial Personality Disorder • Lack of conscience & empathy • Little regard for other’s feelings • View the world as hostile and look out only for themselves • Formerly called sociopath • 3% males, 1% females

29. Avoidant Personality Disorder • Feelings of inadequacy, hypersensitive to what others think about them & rejection • Avoids socializing/interacting with others • 0.5%-1% of population

30. Borderline Personality Disorder • Tries to avoid abandonment (real or imagined) • Pattern of unstable & intense relationships • Unstable self-image, feelings of empitness • Impulsive • Recurrent suicidal behavior • Emotional instability • Intense anger & trouble controlling it • Paranoid thoughts • 75% are female, 2% of population

31. Dependent Personality Disorder • Fear of being separated from important people in their lives, become “clingy” • Difficulty making everyday decisions • Feels helpless when alone • Excessive lengths to get support from others • Difficulty disagreeing with others • Need others to take charge in most areas of life

32. Histrionic Personality Disorder • Needs to be the center of attention & feels uncomfortable when not • Inappropriate sexual or provocative behavior • Uses physical appearance to draw attention • Thinks relationships are closer than they actually are • Dramatic, theatrical, exaggerated emotions • 2-3% of population

33. Narcissistic Personality Disorder • Having an exaggerated sense of self-importance • Overwhelming need for admiration • Patronizing, snobby • Preoccupied w/ fantasies of unlimited, success, power, beauty… • Lacks empathy • Arrogant behaviors & attitudes • Exploits others • 1% population (more male)

34. Paranoid Personality Disorder • Distrustful & suspicious of others • Thinks others’ motives are always bad • Affects every relationship they have • Preoccupied w/ doubts about loyalty of friends • Reluctant to confide in others bc think it will be used against • Holds grudges • 0.5%-2.5% of population

35. Schizoid Personality Disorder • Detached from social relationships • Doesn’t enjoy close relationships (even family) • Difficulty expressing emotions • Uninterested in sex, activities, relationships • Seems emotionally cold & detached • More common in males

36. Schizotypal Personality Disorder • Odd beliefs that differ from cultural norms • Telepathy, bizarre fantasies • Unusual perceptual experiences • Suspicious or paranoid • Odd, eccentric, strange behavior/appearance • Lack of close friends • Social anxiety (often associated w/ paranoia) • Less that 3%

37. Obsessive –Compulsive Personality Disorder • Overly concerned with certain thoughts and performing certain behaviors. • Not as extreme as OCD anxiety.

38. Schizophrenic Disorders • About 1 in every 100 people are diagnosed with schizophrenia Symptoms of Schizophrenia • Disorganized thinking • Disturbed Perceptions • Inappropriate Emotions and Actions

39. Disorganized Thinking • The thinking of a person with Schizophrenia is fragmented and bizarre and distorted with false beliefs • Disorganized thinking comes from a breakdown in selective attention- they cannot filter out information

40. Delusions (false beliefs) • Delusions of Persecution • Delusions of Grandeur

41. Disturbed Perceptions • hallucinations- sensory experiences without sensory stimulation • They see, hear, smell, feel things that aren’t there • Most often auditory hallucinations • Seem real!

42. Inappropriate Emotions and Actions • Laugh at inappropriate times, angry for no apparent reason • Flat Effect (emotionless state) • Senseless, compulsive acts. • Catatonia- motionless for hours then agitated

43. Types of Schizophrenia

44. Disorganized Schizophrenia • disorganized speech or behavior, or flat or inappropriate emotion

45. Paranoid Schizophrenia • preoccupation with delusions or hallucinations • Somebody is out to get me!!!!

46. Catatonic Schizophrenia • Flat effect • Waxy Flexibility • parrot like repeating of another’s speech and movements

47. Undifferentiated Schizophrenia • Many and varied Symptoms.

48. Other Disorders • Paraphilias (pedophilia, zoophilia, hybristophilia) • Fetishism • sadist, masochist • Eating Disorders • Substance use disorders • ADHD

49. The Rosenhan Study • Rosenhan’s associates were Malingering symptoms of hearing voices. • They were ALL admitted for schizophrenia. • None were exposed as imposters. • They all left diagnosed with schizophrenia in remission. • What are some of the questions raised by this study?

50. Treatment of Psychological Disorders • History of treating mental illness was barbaric • Crusaders like Dorothea Dix changed treatment (mental hospitals) • 2 main categories of mental health therapies: • Psychotherapy (overcome difficulties & achieve personal growth) • Biomedical therapy (medication or medical procedure) • Many psychotherapists say they take an eclectic approach-blend different types of therapy