Abnormal Psychology

Medical Studentitis: Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 A form of “hypochondriasis” can occur when learning about abnormal psychology. You may find that some of the symptoms we discuss in this chapter sound like something you have experienced. This is normal; happens with medical students, too! Note, though, that all psychological disorders involve exaggerations of normal tendencies. If you can answer, “no” to the question, “Is this out of the norm for me?”, then you probably do not have a disorder!

Psychopathology – Any pattern of emotions, behaviors, or thoughts inappropriate to the situation and leading to personal distress or the inability to achieve important goals  Synonymous terms include:  Mental illness  Mental disorder  Psychological disorder Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 What is Psychological Disorder?

Classifications DSM 5  Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; the most widely accepted classification system in the United States – recently revised Anxiety Disorders OCD PTSD Mood Disorders Schizophrenia Dissociative Disorders Personality Disorders Somatoform Disorders Developmental Disorders

Anxiety Disorder Generalized Anxiety Disorder  Unexplainably and continually tense and uneasy Panic Disorder  Experience sudden episodes of intense dread Phobias  Intense and irrational fear of specific object or situation  Agoraphobia – fear of public places/open spaces

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder OCD Condition characterized by patterns of persistent, unwanted thoughts and behaviors New category in DSM 5

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD Lingering nightmares, memories or other symptoms for weeks after a serious uncontrollable event New category in DSM 5

Mood Disorders Major Depressive Disorder  Form of depression that does not alternate with mania  Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)  Believed to be caused by deprivation of sunlight Bipolar Disorder  Mental abnormality involving swings of mood from mania to depression  Mania – exaggerated highs

Schizophrenia Disorder involving distortions in thoughts, perceptions, and/or emotions Usually strikes in late teens

Major Types of Schizophrenia Disorganized Catatonic Paranoid Undifferentiated Positive Negative

Features incoherent speech, hallucinations, delusions, and bizarre behavior Word salad This morning when I was at Hillside [Hospital], I was making a movie. I was surrounded by movie stars … I’m Marry Poppins. Is this room painted blue to get me upset? My grandmother died four weeks after my eighteenth birthday.” Major Types of Schizophrenia Disorganized Catatonic Paranoid Undifferentiated

Motionless for long periods of time or appear to be melting wax statue video Major Types of Schizophrenia Disorganized Catatonic Paranoid Undifferentiated

Prominent feature: combination of delusions and hallucinations video Major Types of Schizophrenia Disorganized Catatonic Paranoid Undifferentiated

Persons displaying a combination of symptoms that do not clearly fit in one of the other categories Major Types of Schizophrenia Disorganized Catatonic Paranoid Undifferentiated

Any form in which the person displays active symptoms (e.g. delusions, hallucinations) Major Types of Schizophrenia Positive Schizophrenia Negative Schizophrenia

Any form distinguished by deficits, such as withdrawal and poverty of thought processes video Major Types of Schizophrenia Positive Symptoms Negative Symptoms