Introduction to Psychology

Class 19:

Psychological Disorders and their Treatment

Myers:

469-486, 507-516

August 1 st , 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)