Anxiety Disorders

Fear of real or imagined danger Out of proportion to the situation 19 million Americans (c. 2001) Personal inadequacy, avoidance, mood swings

Types General anxiety disorder – Continual, vague apprehension – Trap themselves in a cycle of worry Phobic disorder – Fear focused on an object, situation or person – Specific or social (speaking, eating…) – Hemophobia, acrophobia, logizmechanophobia

Panic disorder – Sudden, helpless, terror of inevitable doom – Attacks range from minutes to over an hour OCD – Anxious thoughts + repeated coping behaviors – Problem when it interferes with what you need to do – Possible genetic basis

Post Traumatic Stress disorder – Severe, long lasting effects of an event – Military vets, war victims, natural disaster victims, violent crime victims – Flashbacks, nightmares – Insomnia, guilt

Somatoform & Dissociative Disorders

Somatoform Physical symptoms brought on due to psychological distress No apparent physical cause “Hysteria”

Conversion disorders (rare) – Emotional difficulty creating loss of physiological functions – Loss of movement or speech Hypochondriasis – Imaginary ailments – Looks for signs, misinterprets – Repressed emotions expressed with physical symptoms

Dissociative (rare) Normal = lost in a daydream Dis. Amnesia – Memory loss w/o biological explanation – Attempt to escape or block out traumatic events Dis. Fugue – Amnesia + flight to a diff. environment – last from days to decades – New identity possibly est. – Escape from conflict

Dis. Identity Disorder – (multiple personality disorder) – Eve (22), Sybil (16) – 2 or more separate and distinct identities – May or may not be aware of each other – Common cause is severe abuse at a young age

Schizophrenia & Mood Disorders

Schizophrenia Affects the working memory Random, unrelated thoughts & sentences Delusions, hallucinations Incoherence Disturbances of affect (inappropriate emotions for the situation) Deterioration in movement, functioning, & diverted attention

Types Paranoid (grandeur or persecution) Catatonic Disorganized Remission Undifferentiated

Causes Genetics (psych’s unable to pinpoint details) Chemical imbalances Poor family relationships and interactions

Mood disorders (intense & long lasting) Major depressive disorder – Markers = issues eating, sleeping, thinking, concentrating, decision making, lacking energy, thoughts of suicide, feelings of guilt or worthlessness – Need 4 of the above – Reduced ability to function & interact

Bipolar disorder – Excessively & inappropriately happy or unhappy – Manic High energy, loud, optimistic, irresponsible – Depressive Lethargy, despair and unresponsiveness

Seasonal Affective Become depressive in response to seasonal changes Sleep & eat excessively Linked to increase in melotonin

Suicide & depression Not always linked 1 suicide every 20 minutes Attempts higher in women Success higher in men More common in elderly Many times cause is unknown

Personality Disorders

Antisocial – Disregard of others w/o remorse Dependent – Submissive, needy Histrionic – Excessive emotions, attention seeking Obsessive Compulsive – “perfectionist”, control, orderly Paranoid – Distrusts, suspicious of others Schizotypal – Intense discomfort in close relationships, eccentric behavior

Drug Addiction

Psychological dependence – Restless, irritable, uneasy – M.j., alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, amphetamines – Leads to physiological dependence – Tolerance increases usage – Withdrawal: mind & body revolt against lack of drug

Alcoholism Depressant 50% of h.s. seniors in the last month 40% of auto deaths, murders Reduces inhibitions Systematically shuts down psych & phsyio functions Factors: size, past experience, speed, family history