Common Disorders Name _____________________________
Psychological Disorders Date _____________________________
A.P. Psychology Period_______
Classification Disorder Symptoms Causes Treatment
Anxiety OCD Obsessions- reoccurring, persistent thoughts that Genetic predisposition, Exposure
Disorders interfere with normal functioning anxiety sensitivity therapy
Compulsions- irresistible impulses to perform GABA circuits in the brain Antidepressant
some ritual over and over even though the ritual Serotonin transmitters
serves no rational purpose Acquired through
observational learning or
classical conditioning and
maintained through operant
conditioning
Overactive frontal lobe
Panic Physiological symptoms- pounding heart, labored May be due to inherited Psychotherapy
Disorder breathing, dizziness, sweating neurochemical abnormality Benzodiazepine
Psychological symptoms- apprehension, terror, that results in sudden surges s (tranquilizers)
and feeling of impending doom of arousal and fear or and/or
psychological factors such antidepressants
as conditioning and
irrational beliefs
Phobia An intense and irrational fear that is out of all Some phobias tend to be Psychotherapy
proportion to the danger elicited by the object or learned through classical Exposure
situation conditioning and treatment
Simple- triggered by common objects, situations, maintained by negative Cognitive-
or animals reinforcement Behavioral
Social- triggered by presence of other people Stimulus generalization treatment
Agoraphobia- triggered by open or public spaces Natural selection instincts Antidepressants
(frequently related to Panic Disorder (above))
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Common Disorders
Classification Disorder Symptoms Causes Treatment
Anxiety Generalized Characterized by a chronic and The exact cause is not known, Psychotherapy and/or
Disorders (cont) Anxiety pervasive feeling of anxiety in many but biological & psychological tranquilizers such as Valium
Disorder life situations, a feeling of general factors play a role. A genetic or Librium
apprehension, worry about impending link is suspected, however,
disasters, and extreme sensitivity to stressful life situations or
criticism. Physical symptoms include; learned maladaptive behavior
sweating, pounding heart, diarrhea, may also be root causes
headaches, muscle tension
Post-traumatic Psychological and emotional distress, Exposure to, or confrontation PTSD is usually treated by a
stress disorder including: Nightmares, flashbacks, with, stressful experiences that combination of
emotional detachment or numbing of the person experiences as psychotherapy (cognitive-
feelings (emotional self-mortification highly traumatic. [1] These behavioral therapy, group
or dissociation), insomnia, avoidance experiences can involve actual therapy, and exposure
of reminders and extreme distress or threatened death, serious therapy are popular) and
when exposed to the reminders physical injury, or a threat to psychotropic drug therapy
("triggers"), irritability, hyper physical and/or psychological (antidepressant or atypical
vigilance, memory loss, and excessive integrity. antipsychotics
startle response.
Somatoform Conversion Bodily organs and senses are healthy Brought on by stressful Explanation
Disorder but the person reports physical situations, anxiety or conflict Physiotherapy where
(formerly problems including but not limited to; that “removes” person from the appropriate
called paralysis or blindness threatening situation or gives Treatment of comorbid
hysteria) person attention depression or anxiety if
Histrionic personality present
Reactive autonomic system
Hypochon- A persistent belief in the presence of Triggered by psychological A supportive relationship
driasis at least one serious physical illness problems or distress with a health care provider
(Hypochon- despite negative physical findings and Serotonin reuptake inhibitors,
dria) reassurance. a class of antidepressants,
may be effective.
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Common Disorders
Classification Disorder Symptoms Causes Treatment
Mood Disorders Major Sad, dejected mood, problems with Excess secretion of stress Monoamines (type of
Depressive appetite and weight, difficulties hormones antidepressant which raise
Disorder sleeping, loss of energy, lack of Distorted view in thinking level of monoamines
(unipolar interest and pleasure in usual Genetic vulnerability SSRIs (antidepressant raises
depression) activities, negative self-concept and Serotonin is in limited levels of serotonin)
recurring thoughts of death or suicide quantities ECT (Electroconvulsive
Decreased frontal lobe activity Therapy) administering a
Decreased left frontal lobe mild electrical current to
activity (center for positive brain which results in a
emotions) seizure
Dysthymic Being chronically depressed but with Same as above
Disorder periods of normal mood lasting for a
few days or weeks but never more
than a month or two. (Symptoms in
Dysthymic are not as serious as those
seen in Major Depression)
Bipolar Periods of Mania- person exhibits Norepinephrine during manic Same as above plus Lithium
Disorder exaggerated energy, enthusiasm and episodes is in excess and is (a natural mineral salt)
elation, talkativeness, decreased need scarce during depression
for sleep, reckless activities, inflated
self-esteem
Personality Antisocial Failure to conform to social norms in Usually begins in childhood Treatment has not been
Disorders Personality many areas of one’s life (work, with a variety of behavioral promising
Disorder family, interpersonal relationships) problems
Disregard for obligations, unabashed Genetic predispositions
lying, total lack of guilt or remorse, Inadequate socialization in
impulsiveness, reckless behavior and dysfunctional families
failure to learn from experience Reduced frontal lobe activity
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Common Disorders
Classification Disorder Symptoms Causes Treatment
Personality Schizophrenia Serious mental disorder that includes a Genetic predisposition Antipsychotic Drugs to reduce
Disorders (cont) number of symptoms; loss of contact with Excess Dopamine the level of dopamine including
reality, problems with thought, attention, Increased ventricles in brain phenothiazines
perception, motor behavior and emotion Decreased frontal lobe activity psychotherapy
Paranoid Schizophrenia- delusions of being Can be brought on by stress
persecuted by others or thoughts of Or use of hallucinogenic drugs
grandeur
Disorganized Schizophrenia- bizarre ideas,
often about one’s body, confused speech,
childish behavior, great emotional swings,
extreme neglect of appearance and hygiene
Catatonic Schizophrenia- periods of wild
excitement or rigid immobility; sometimes
the person assumes same position for hours
on end
Dissociative Dissociative When a person is suddenly unable to recall Usually after a stressful event
Disorders Amnesia important personal information
Dissociative When a person not only loses all memory of
Fugue personal and other events but suddenly
leaves home and moves to a new place and
assumes a new identity
Dissociative a.k.a. Multiple Personality Disorder. Experience of severe psychological
Identity Presence of two or more distinct trauma during childhood
Disorder personalities within a single individual
Other Disorders Paraphilias Intense, recurrent sexual desires bordering It is unclear what causes a Traditional psychoanalysis,
on obsession-compulsion and directed paraphilia. Psychoanalysts theorize hypnosis, and behavior therapy
toward unusual targets such as inanimate that an individual with a paraphilia techniques. Drugs called
objects (women’s underwear, urine, feces), is repeating or reverting to a sexual antiandrogens that drastically
animals, children, inflicting pain, or habit that arose early in life. lower testosterone levels
receiving pain. Paraphilias are considered Behaviorists suggest that paraphilias temporarily have been used in
deviant -- outside of acceptable patterns of begin through a process of conjunction with these forms of
behavior -- because they involve unusual conditioning. In some cases there treatment. Increasingly, the
objects, activities or situations not seems to be a predisposing factor evidence suggests that combining
considered sexually arousing to others. such as difficulty forming person-to- drug therapy with cognitive
person relationships. behavior therapy can be effective.
Norepinephrine- neurotransmitter that increases arousal and mood
Serotonin- neurotransmitter controls mood, emotion, sleep and appetite
Dopamine- dopamine and its agonists play an important role in cardiovascular, renal, hormonal, and central nervous system regulation
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