Rick Parker
Chapter 14
Psy 201G
Psychological Disorders
October 14, 2010
Notes
I. Abnormal behavior
A. These are maladaptive behaviors that interfere with our normal effective functioning.
Example: Obsessive thoughts such as worrying about what people think about you
interferes with one’s ability to carry out a job or study for a test.
B. Questions to consider abnormal behavior
1. Is the behavior considered strange within a person’s culture?
In France, women sit on the beach with no braws. In some cultures, having several wives
is not abnormal.
C. Does the behavior cause personal distress? Do obsessive thoughts cause one not to
function in a job or with people? Is a person chronically depressed? Does a person have
delusions/ hallucinations? Is a person using drugs?
D. How maladaptive is a person’s behavior?
Washing ones’ hands 100 times is extremely maladaptive.
E. Is a person a danger to himself/herself or others?
Is someone suicidal? Is someone going to kill another person? Luke Woodham
killed his mother and classmates at Pearl High School in October, 1997.
F. Is the person legally responsible for his/her acts?
Are they declared insane by a forensic psychologist?
G. The DSM-IV is the current Bible for Psychological Disorders.
II. Major Categories of Mental Disorders
A. Schizophrenia- hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, bizarre behavior, loss of
contact with reality (Psychosis)
B. Mood Disorders- Depression, Mania, Bipolar, Major Depressive Disorder
C. Anxiety Disorders- Anxiety, avoidance behavior, Panic, Social Phobia, Posttraumatic
Stress Disorder, OCD
D. Somatoform Disorders- Physical Symptoms are present which are psychological in origin.
An example is hypochondriac.
E. Dissociative Disorder- One handles conflict and/or stress by forgetting important personal
information or one’s whole identity or by compartmentalizing the trauma or conflict into a
split-off alter personality. Example is Dissociative Identity Disorder.
F. Personality Disorders- maladaptive behaviors early in life which cause personal distress or
problems in social and occupational functioning. Examples include Histrionic, Antisocial,
Narcissistic, Borderline Personality Disorder
G. Substance-related disorders- Undesirable behavioral changes occur from substance abuse,
dependence, or intoxication. Example is alcohol, cocaine abuse, cannabis dependence
H. Disorders usually diagnosed first in infancy, childhood, or adolescence- mental retardation,
learning disorders, communication disorders, pervasive developmental disorders, attention
deficit, disruptive behavior disorders, tic disorders, elimination disorders. Examples include Autism, Tourette’s Disorder, Stuttering, Conduct Disorder
H. Eating disorders- disturbances in eating behavior- Anorexia Nervosa, Bulemia Nervosa
III. Prevalence
A. 26% of people each year are diagnosed with a mental disorder of some kind.
B. 50% of people will experience some form of mental disorder sometime in their lifetime.
IV. Anxiety DisordersA. Most common form of disorder
1.Panic attack- heart pounding, body shaking, choking
2.Agoraphobia- Fear of being in a situation in which an immediate escape is not possible.
3.Generalized anxiety disorder- Heritability is about 30%, chronic excessive worry for 6
months or more, finances, family members, health, ability to function at work, function
socially on the job. They may be tense, tired, irritable, trouble sleeping, concentrating,
trembling, sweating , dizziness, nausea
4. Panic Disorder- Recurring panic attacks
5. Social phobia- Fear of embarrassment in front of other people; performance anxietyfear of speaking in public
6. Specific phobia- claustrophobia- fear of closed spaces; acrophobia- fear of heights
7. OCD- person suffers from recurrent obsessions, compulsions, early autoimmune diseases, strep infections,
V. Mood DisordersA. Disturbances in emotion and mood
B. Bipolar Disorder- Manic/depressant
C. Major Depressive Disorder- Overwhelming sadness, despair, and hopelessness, influenced
by how people ought to feel in non-Asian countries;
D. Women’ rate is higher due to putting needs of others above their own; women are twice as
Likely to experience depression compared to men
E. Bipolar Disorder- Euphoria, inflated self-esteem, wild optimism, and hyperactivity,
followed by periods of lows of major depression
F. Explaining Mood Disorders
1. Neurological- Abnormal amounts of serotonin, smaller areas of the brain
2. Heredity- 70% for Major Depression, 50% for Bipolar people also suffer from some other
mood disorder.
3. Life Stressors- Negative life events
G. Suicide1. White Americans are most likely; men are most likely to succeed compared to women.
2. White males aged 85 and older are highest suicide rate- poor health, serious illness, loneliness, and decline in economic status.
3. Signs of suicide- “You won’t be seeing me again”, giving away valuables, withdrawal, unnecessary risks, personality changes, looking depressed, loss of interest in activities
VI. SchizophreniaA. Often confused with mood disorders
B. Can be caused from drugs-methamphetamine
C. Abnormal changes in the frontal lobe of the cortex
D. Hereditary
E. Hallucinations- visual (seeing God, Jesus), hearing voices- most common; painful body
sensations
F. Delusions- false beliefs shared by others in the culture (President, Jesus)- grandeur
persecution- someone is out to kill them.
G. Derailment- Shifting from one thought to another thought in conversation and writing
H. Disorganized Behavior- Masterbating in public, childlike silliness
I. shouting, swearing
J. inappropriate affect- crying while watching a comedy;
K. withdrawal, apathy, lack of motivation
L. show no emotional response, move like robots
M. Factors Affecting Schizophrenia
1. Genetics
2. Exposure to stress hormones
3. Exposure to alcohol
4. Bacteria, viruses
5. Birth trauma
VII. Somatoform Disorders
A. Physical symptoms that are the result of psychological causes
B. Hypochondriac- Fear of illness, mole- cancerous
C. Conversion Disorder- Loss of motor or sensory function that results from
a psychological problem not a physical problem
VIII. Dissociative DisorderA. The loss of one’s ability to integrate all of the components of oneself into a coherent
representation of one’s identity.
B. Dissociative Identity Disorder- Severe identity disorder with several personalities
C. Sometimes linked to child abuse
IX. Personality DisordersA. Paranoid- highly suspicious, highly sensitive (Odd Personality Behaviors)
B. Narcissism- Entitlement, self-centered, demanding, craves attention (Erratic, Overly
Dramatic)
C. Histrionic- Seek attention and approval, self-centered, shallow, manipulative, sexually
seductive, craves excitement (Overly Dramatic)
D. Borderline- unstable in relationships, fear of abandonment, impulsive reckless behavior,
suicidal gestures (Overly Dramatic)
E. Antisocial- Impulsive, selfish, aggressive, lie, cheat, exploit others for personal gains
(Overly Dramatic)
F. OCD- emotionally shallow relationships, perfectionistic, doing things the right way.
G. Avoidant- Fears criticism, rejection, fears being judged by others
H. Dependent- Person is overly dependent on others for advice, approval; fear abandonment
X Childhood Disorders- Pervasive Developmental- Associated with maternal depression,genetic
A. Autism- Inability to establish and maintain social relationships
1. Poor communication skills
2. Attachment to objects
3. Do not understand give and take
4. Head-banging
B. Asperger’s Syndrome1. Normal language skills
2. Can not understand people’s thoughts, feelings
3. Memorize things
4. Can not relate with other kids in school
C. ADHD- impulsive, lack of attention, aggressive
1. Causes- Genetic- smoking, using drugs has been correlated with ADHD development
2. Amphetamine treatments- Ritalin
3. Authoritarian parenting has been linked