Download Methods and Ethics of Psychology

Psychological Disorders and
Treatments
Presented by
Rachel Barnes, Ph.D.
Criteria Used to Identify
Abnormal Behavior
Unusualness
Social (cultural)deviance
Emotional distress
Maladaptive behavior
Dangerousness
Faulty perceptions or interpretations of
reality
The Basics
Diagnosis - identification and labeling of a
disease based on its signs and symptoms.
Mental health clinicians (psychiatrists,
psychologists, and psychiatric nurse
practitioners) diagnose mental disorders.
DSM-IV-TR - The APA defines a mental
disorder as "a clinically significant behavioral or
psychological syndrome or pattern that occurs
in an individual and that is associated with
present distress or disability or with a
significantly increased risk of suffering death,
pain, disability, or an important loss of
freedom."
http://www.minddisorders.com/Del-Fi/Diagnosis.html
Anxiety - what are we worried about?
Generalized Anxiety Disorder Excessive worry with 3 or more of following
symptoms:
Restlessness, fatigue, trouble focusing, irritability,
muscle tension, sleep disturbance
Phobic Disorders - marked, persistent, and
excessive fear and avoidance of specific
objects, activities, or situations
5 categories - animals, natural environment,
situations, blood injections injuries, and “other”
Social phobia - fear of public humiliation
Preparedness theory - we are predisposed to certain
fears
Lots to worry about…..
Panic Disorder - sudden occurrence of
multiple psychological and physical
symptoms --> feeling of terror
Shortness of breath, heart palpitations,
sweating, dizziness, feeling detached from
one’s body
Mimic physical disorder, hard to diagnose
Agoraphobia- fear of going into public
places
People with this disorder may experience panic
attacks when in public
MOVIE: Copy cat
And sometimes, there are rituals
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) repetitive intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and
ritualistic behaviors (compulsions) designed to
fend off thoughts, interferes with functioning
Concerns are usually about things that could pose a
real threat
Most common - contamination, aggression, death,
sex, disease, orderliness, disfigurement
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPFQMRx2l3Y&fe
ature=related
MOVIE: As Good as it Gets
When our emotions overtake us
Mood disorders are usually dysfunctional,
chronic, and outside the range of socially
expected responses
Major depressive disorder - severely
depressed mood for at least 2 week, feelings
of worthlessness and lack of pleasure,
lethargy, and sleep and appetite disturbances
Dysthymia - same symptoms as depression but
less severe, symptoms for at least 2 years
Double depression = Dysthymia with period of
major depression
Seasonal affective disorder - has seasonal pattern
(usually winter)
We all have ups and downs,
but….
Bipolar Disorder - unstable emotional
condition characterized by cycles of
abnormal high mood (mania) and low mood
(depression)
At times psychotic symptoms are present
Usually recurrent, but rapid cycling is rare
High Risk for suicide
High genetic component
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9hbXPVaO
uk
Did you hear that??
Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Psychotic disorder
Confuses reality with fantasy
Hallucinations
Delusions
May exhibit bizarre behavior, incoherent
speech, and illogical thinking
Thought disorder
Positive and negative symptoms
Types of Schizophrenia
Disorganized
Catatonic
Waxy flexibility
Paranoid
MOVIES:
Fisher King
A Brilliant Mind
BOOK:
The Day the Voices Stopped
What are your thoughts?
Do the explanations in the book change
your thoughts about any of these
disorders?
How can you tell when a disorder is
significant enough for a diagnosis?
Is diagnosis helpful? Why?
How does treatment fit into the picture?
And for the rest of the week…
Finish up the FINAL project
ALL late work due by Wednesday2/10 at 12:00 est
Please be sure to answer both discussion
questions
This chapter is full of information that may be brand
new to many of you - please check out the links in
the following slide for further, simplified information
Keep up with the reading and email me questions
and ideas as they come up
HAVE A GREAT WEEK! You were a great class
and I hope to run into you in other classes!
Additional resources
http://www.depressioncenter.org/depressive_
disorders/bipolar.asp
http://www.gannett.cornell.edu/top10Topics/d
epression-anxiety/default.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeZCmqeP
LzM