Download Chapter 17 - Disorders

Mental Disorders
Ch. 17
A) Causes
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These tend to include exaggeration of certain
behaviors that we all have or create to some extent.
(inefficiency, bizarre behavior, discomfort)
Also, many disorders are manifest in numerous
ways, not just those stereotypes associated with
“Mental Illness.” (Nervous Ticks, Hair Twirling)
1) Stress – work, family, social related
2) Sociocultural – “no crying..” “Bulimia in the
U.S.”
3) Biology –chemical imbalance
4) Unknown – causes not always clear.
B) Childhood Disorders
1)
2)
ADD/ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyper
Activity Disorder. Up to 3-5% affected Controversial.
* Ritalin treatment or “Super-structured” day.
* 80% boys
* Long-term – relationship issues, delinquency,
stigma.
Autism – failed communication patterns,
social interactions, and emotional response. A
wide range of types and severity.
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No known causes or treatment other than providing
structured lifestyle (TV, radio, schedule) and safety.
Rising frequency…related to vaccines?
Often unique actions – rocking,staring,or impersonal
nature. 3X more frequent males.
May exhibit special talents (high function)
Echolalia – repeats previous statements.
Ex. Gilbert Grape, Rain Man, Mercury Rising
Asperger Syndrome a version of…
Noise/hearing a factor?
Reading Page 510
Attachment Disorders – A wide variety
of types, variations but: they are typically
connected to chaotic upbringing, violence
in the home, or neglect.
Frequently diagnosed in children
who’ve not bonded with mom;
* Good Will Hunting
3)
C) Anxiety Disorders
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1)
2)
Characterized by feelings of impending disaster,
fear, over-concern, erratic breathing/sweating
episodes (P. 513/515)
Panic Disorders – anxiety attacks, can increase
if not treated (therapy/drugs), can be very
debilitating.
Phobic Disorders – Disability, fearful of
particular things, events. “A fear of…”
Claustro - ? Pyro - ? Hydro - ? Ergo - ?
Agora - ?
OCD – Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
3)
Anxiety shown with both repetitive thoughts and
behavior.
 May be caused by many things:
a) Physical (chemical imbalance)
b) Guilt (dirty = bad; thus good = clean)
c) Anxiety (fear of germs, intruder, impending illness
or doom)
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4) PTSD – Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. A more recently
classified disorder (and common with returning soldiers) that
involves experiences with an extremely traumatic stressor.
Ex. threat of a violent death or serious injury.
Symptoms:
1) re-experiencing the trauma = flashback
2) hallucinations or nightmares
3) avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma
4) numbing of emotional responsiveness
5)
acute and unpredictable episodes of anger
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Typically the individual avoids all thoughts, emotions and
discussion of the stressor event and may even experience
amnesia for it.
Ironically: Treatment often includes intensive therapy, and
therapy canines!
D) Somatoform Disorders – psychological issues are
shown through physical problems:
EX – Hysterical Blindness from seeing something awful.
EX – Hypochondriac – major pain derived from minor
issue…an exaggeration of symptoms.
E) Dissociative Disorders – extreme guilt causes a
blocking of part or all of our life.
1)
Fugue – all blocked. New life begins (temporary.)
2)
Amnesia – part blocked. Events disappear
3) Selective Forgetting – smaller portions blocked.
** Extremely rare (despite soap opera story lines)
4) Dissociative Identity Disorder. – personality is split. Rare,
often trauma related, confusion common. Often the “B”
person is quite the opposite of the original “A.”
F) Mood Disorders:
Depression most common but may include:
Dysthymic vs. Major Depression may have a physical
connection with low Serotonin levels (A derivative of
Tryptophan – found in many healthy foods – nuts,
fruits)
Treatments include Prozac, Zoloft (chemical balancing)
1)
2) Mania – extreme agitation characterized by
rapid speech/flight of ideas. May reach a
delusional state.
3) Bi-Polar Disorder – high + low mood
swings.
G) Psychotic Disorders – a severe
disorder that includes the following symptoms:
Thought Disorder – “Huh?”
Hallucination
Delusion – false belief
Strange Emotional Response.
1) Types:
Schizophrenic – up to 1% to some degree. Symptoms include
- garbled speech, hallucinations, delusions. Can be
serious if untreated. Types include
paranoid, catatonic undifferentiated.
Episodes – periods of Psychotic Behavior between calm and
coherent periods.
P528/9!
2) Factors:
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Genetics – family history
Environment – of person with the problem P.528
Physical – high levels of brain chemical Dopamine (speech
related) may be present
H) Personality Disorders
An unusual or “off-center” personality
by traditional standards
1) Anti-Social Personality Dis. – may not observe
traditional values. Described as having “no
conscience.”
Sociopath – Hannibal Lector * Unknown Causes
2) Borderline Personality Dis. – unstable emotions,
relationships, fits of rage, desperate to save
relationships, but self-destructive in many facets
of life. Suspicious, untrusting,. 10% Suicide, 70%
harm themselves. Popular Diagnosis
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