1. Chapters 12 and13 Psychological Disorders

2. Defining Psychological Disorders Mental processes and/or behavior patterns that cause emotional distress and/or substantial impairment in functioning Mental processes and/or behavior patterns that cause emotional distress and/or substantial impairment in functioning

3. Insanity A person is not legally responsible for his or her acts due to their mental condition.

4. Classifying Psychological Disorders The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) provides a system for diagnosing and classifying psychological disorders The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) provides a system for diagnosing and classifying psychological disorders It describes about 300 specific disorders and organizes them into categories It describes about 300 specific disorders and organizes them into categories NEVER SHOWS CAUSE!!! NEVER SHOWS CAUSE!!!

5. Anxiety Disorders Characterized by frequent fearful thoughts about what might happen in the future Characterized by frequent fearful thoughts about what might happen in the future Most common category of psychological disorders Most common category of psychological disorders

6. Anxiety Disorders Generalized anxiety disorder Generalized anxiety disorder –Disorder involving overwhelming, chronic, excessive worry for six months or more. Continuous state of sympathetic nervous system activity.

7. Anxiety Disorders Panic attack An episode of overwhelming anxiety, fear, or terror An episode of overwhelming anxiety, fear, or terror Brains of panic-attack sufferers respond to normal changes in the body as if they were life threatening Brains of panic-attack sufferers respond to normal changes in the body as if they were life threatening Panic disorder Disorder in which a person experiences recurring, unpredictable episodes of overwhelming anxiety, fear, or terror Disorder in which a person experiences recurring, unpredictable episodes of overwhelming anxiety, fear, or terror

8. Phobias a persistent, irrational fear of some object, situation, or activity that poses little or no real danger Phobia: a persistent, irrational fear of some object, situation, or activity that poses little or no real danger 3 subtypes Agoraphobia Intense fear of being in a situation from which escape is not possible if one experiences overwhelming anxiety or a panic attack Intense fear of being in a situation from which escape is not possible if one experiences overwhelming anxiety or a panic attack Often begins with repeated panic attacks Often begins with repeated panic attacks People sometimes plan their entire lives around avoiding feared situations People sometimes plan their entire lives around avoiding feared situations

9. Phobias Social anxiety disorder: and avoidance of any social or performance situation in which one might embarrass or humiliate oneself in front of others Social anxiety disorder: fear and avoidance of any social or performance situation in which one might embarrass or humiliate oneself in front of others

10. Common Anxiety Disorders cont… Specific phobia is a fear of a specific object or situation, a general label for any phobia other than agoraphobia or social phobia (catchall category) Specific phobia is a fear of a specific object or situation, a general label for any phobia other than agoraphobia or social phobia (catchall category)

11. Treatment: Behavior Modification Techniques Based on Learning Theories Systematic desensitization -- based on classical conditioning; used to treat fears Trained to relax while being confronted with a hierarchy of fears. Trained to relax while being confronted with a hierarchy of fears. Eventually, client can stay relaxed while confronting even the most feared situation Eventually, client can stay relaxed while confronting even the most feared situation

12. Behavior Modification Techniques Based on Learning Theories cont… Flooding also based on classical conditioning Client is exposed to the feared object or event for an extended period Until their anxiety decreases

13. Biological Treatments Antianxiety drugs Antianxiety drugs –Benzodiazepines are effective for treating generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder –Valium, Xanax Block reuptake of GABA Block reuptake of GABA –Addictive, drug tolerance and withdrawal, sedating Antidepressants (work on Serotonin) Antidepressants (work on Serotonin) –Paxil, Zoloft

14. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders Disorder in which a person suffers from recurrent obsessions and/or compulsions Disorder in which a person suffers from recurrent obsessions and/or compulsions Obsession Obsession –persistent, involuntary thought, image, or impulse that causes great distress Compulsion Compulsion –persistent, irresistible, and irrational urge to perform an act or ritual repeatedly –often involve cleaning and washing, counting, checking, touching objects, hoarding, or excessive organizing

15. Mood Disorders Disorders characterized by extreme and unwarranted disturbances in emotion or mood Disorders characterized by extreme and unwarranted disturbances in emotion or mood Depression mania

16. Major Depressive Disorder marked by feelings of great sadness, despair, and hopelessness as well as loss of the ability to feel pleasure (anhedonia) marked by feelings of great sadness, despair, and hopelessness as well as loss of the ability to feel pleasure (anhedonia) Symptoms also include: Symptoms also include: –Changes in appetite, weight, and sleep patterns –Difficulty thinking or concentrating

17. Cognitive Therapies Therapies that assume maladaptive behavior can result from irrational, automatic thoughts, beliefs, and ideas Therapies that assume maladaptive behavior can result from irrational, automatic thoughts, beliefs, and ideas Helps clients stop their negative thoughts as they occur and replace them with more objective thoughts Helps clients stop their negative thoughts as they occur and replace them with more objective thoughts Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis

18. Rational Emotive Therapy A-activating event A-activating event B-belief B-belief C-consequences C-consequences What needs to change?

19. Figure 13.1 The ABCs of Rational Emotive Therapy

20. Drug Therapy Antidepressant drugs Act as mood elevators for people who are severely depressed Act as mood elevators for people who are severely depressed Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft Block the reuptake of serotonin, increasing its availability at the synapses of the brain Block the reuptake of serotonin, increasing its availability at the synapses of the brain Selective serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SSNRIs) (Effexor, Pristiq, Cymbalta) Selective serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SSNRIs) (Effexor, Pristiq, Cymbalta)

21. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) Electric current is administered to the right cerebral hemisphere Electric current is administered to the right cerebral hemisphere –Patient is under anesthesia –Usually reserved for severely depressed patients who are suicidal ECT was misused and overused in the 1940s and 1950s, leading to a bad reputation ECT was misused and overused in the 1940s and 1950s, leading to a bad reputation Can be a highly effective treatment for major depression Can be a highly effective treatment for major depression

22. Bipolar Disorder A mood disorder in which manic episodes alternate with periods of depression, usually with relatively normal periods in between A mood disorder in which manic episodes alternate with periods of depression, usually with relatively normal periods in between Manic episodes are periods of excessive euphoria, inflated self-esteem (grandiosity), wild optimism, pressured speech, flight of ideas and hyperactivity, often accompanied by hostility if activity is blocked Manic episodes are periods of excessive euphoria, inflated self-esteem (grandiosity), wild optimism, pressured speech, flight of ideas and hyperactivity, often accompanied by hostility if activity is blocked

23. Biological Treatments Lithium Lithium –Reduces both manic and depressive episodes –Treatment dose and toxic dose similar Anticonvulsant Medications Anticonvulsant Medications –Depakot –Tegratol Mechanism unknown Mechanism unknown

24. Risk Factors for Mood Disorders A small area in the prefrontal cortex, that plays a role in controlling emotions, is smaller than normal in people with major depression A small area in the prefrontal cortex, that plays a role in controlling emotions, is smaller than normal in people with major depression Abnormal levels of serotonin and norepinephrine are strongly linked to depression Abnormal levels of serotonin and norepinephrine are strongly linked to depression

25. What are some risk factors for mood disorders? Prevalence rates differ between men and women Prevalence rates differ between men and women In most countries, rate of depression in females is about twice that for males In most countries, rate of depression in females is about twice that for males Suicide rates differ: ♀ 3x more likely to attempt; ♂ 4x more likely to complete Suicide rates differ: ♀ 3x more likely to attempt; ♂ 4x more likely to complete

28. Schizophrenia A severe psychological disorder characterized by loss of contact with reality, hallucinations, delusions, inappropriate or flat affect, some disturbance in thinking, social withdrawal, and/or other bizarre behavior A severe psychological disorder characterized by loss of contact with reality, hallucinations, delusions, inappropriate or flat affect, some disturbance in thinking, social withdrawal, and/or other bizarre behavior

29. Symptoms of Schizophrenia Positive symptoms are abnormal behaviors that are present in people with schizophrenia Hallucinations Hallucinations Delusions (of grandeur or of persecution) Delusions (of grandeur or of persecution) Disorganized behavior Disorganized behavior Inappropriate affect Inappropriate affect

30. Symptoms of Schizophrenia cont… Negative symptoms are a loss or deficiency in thought or behavior that is characteristic of normal functioning Social withdrawal Social withdrawal Apathy Apathy Loss of motivation Loss of motivation Flat affect Flat affect –Limited speech and slow movements –Poor hygiene and grooming

31. Explaining Schizophrenia There is probably no single cause of schizophrenia There is probably no single cause of schizophrenia Instead, several factors interact to produce schizophrenia, including: Instead, several factors interact to produce schizophrenia, including: – –Constitutional vulnerability – –Stress – –Neuromaturational processes

32. Explaining Schizophrenia cont… Constitutional vulnerability refers to the aspects of an individual’s congenital risk of developing schizophrenia that are attributable to two factors: Constitutional vulnerability refers to the aspects of an individual’s congenital risk of developing schizophrenia that are attributable to two factors: Gender – Males are more likely than females to develop schizophrenia Gender – Males are more likely than females to develop schizophrenia Heredity – Chances of developing schizophrenia are higher if one has a close genetic relative with schizophrenia Heredity – Chances of developing schizophrenia are higher if one has a close genetic relative with schizophrenia

33. Explaining Schizophrenia cont… Stress Stress –Stressful events may trigger development of schizophrenia in individuals with constitutional vulnerability Neuromaturational processes Neuromaturational processes –Environmental factors may disrupt normal brain development –Causing decreased frontal lobe functioning, destruction of gray matter, and abnormal dopamine activity

34. Figure 12.6 Destruction of Gray Matter in the Brains of Adolescents Diagnosed with Schizophrenia

35. Drug Therapy Antipsychotic drugs Antipsychotic drugs –Prescribed primarily for schizophrenia –Used to treat symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized behavior –Work by inhibiting dopamine activity