Introduction to Psychology Class 19: Psychological Disorders and their Treatment

Myers: 469-486, 507-516

August 1st, 2006

Psychological Disorders

Definition: A “harmful dysfunction” in which behavior is judged to be atypical, disturbing, maladaptive, and unjustifiable.

Perspectives :

Middle Ages = Possession by demons

Medical = Diagnosis of symptoms, therapy and treatment for cure

Bio-psycho-social = Genes + Physiology + Environment+ Social Factors + Cultural Factors

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Continual autonomic nervous system arousal Source of “free-floating” anxiety is inexplicable Women > Men Symptoms: tense, jittery, anticipating bad things, muscular

tension, agitation, sleeplessness, trembling, perspiration, fidgeting, difficulty concentrating

Panic Disorder (AD)

Minute-long episode of intense dread in which a person experiences what seems like a heart attack

Palpitating heart, shortness of breath, choking, trembling , dizziness, chest pain

Smokers> Non-smokers Often associated with Agoraphobia Movie clip

Phobias (AD)

Persistent, irrational fear and avoidance of a specific object or situation

Movie clips

TYPES OF PHOBIAS

1. Social phobias

2. Animal

3. Natural Environment

4. Blood-Injury-Injection

5. Situational

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (AD)

Characterized by unwanted repetitive thoughts (obsessions) and/or actions designed to reduce the obsessions (compulsions)

Young > Old Common obsessions: dirt/germs, toxins, disaster, exactness,

symmetry Common compulsions: hand-washing, grooming, in/out of or

checking doors, car brakes, homework Movie clip

Explaining Anxiety Disorders

Good ol’ learning theory

- Classical conditioning, Stimulus generalization, Reinforcement, Observational learning

Biological

- Natural selection

- Genes Physiological:

- Frontal lobe (OCD)

- Amygdala and fear-learning circuits (GAD)

Dissociative Identity Disorder

A rare disorder in which a person exhibits 2 or more distinct and alternate personalities

Conscious awareness becomes separated from previous thoughts, memories and feelings

Also called Multiple Personality Disorder Iatrogenic? Movie clip

Personality Disorders Characterized by inflexible and enduring patterns

that impair social, vocational and interpersonal functioning

Axis II disorders (DSM-IV)

- Schizoid PD- Paranoid PD- Borderline PD- Histrionic PD- Narcissistic PD- Antisocial PD (movie clip)