APPSYCHUnit12.1AbnormalPsychologyAnxietyDisorders

DefiningPsychologicalDisorders

AbnormalPsychology• Atvariousmoments,all ofusfeel, thinkor

actthesame waydisturbedpeopledomuchofthetime.

• We,too,getanxious,depressed,withdrawn, suspicious,ordeluded, justlessintenselyandmorebriefly.

• Some450millionpeopleworldwidesufferpsychological disorders.

• Nocultureknowntomaniswithout someformofpsychologicaldisorders.

PrevalenceofPsychologicalDisorders

• InUS,mentalillnessiscommon

• Manystatsinthebookandonlineprovethis

ADHD• WhatisADHD?• Isitasheavilydiagnosed in

KoreaasitisintheUS?• NormalHighEnergyor

GenuineDisorder?• Mediahype?BigPharma?

DefiningPsychologicalDisorders• Howdowediscernwhatis

normalandabnormal?– Abnormalcelebrity behavior?– Whataboutasoldierwhoriskshislife inwarorhastomurdermanyenemies?

– Amotherwhocannot returntohernormallife3monthsafterlosingherson?

DefiningPsychologicalDisorders• Psychologicaldisorders

arepersistently harmfulthoughts,feelingsandactions.– Whenbehavior isdeviant,distressfulanddysfunctional,psychologistslabelitadisorder.

UnderstandingPsychologicalDisorders

Inthepast:• Musicorsingingwasoftenusedto

chaseawayspirits.• Cutaholeintheheadoftheafflicted

toletouttheevilspirit.• Thinkabouthowfarscience&the

medicalfieldhavecomeinrecenthistory.

TheMedicalModel• Oppositeofdemonpossessionandbrutaltreatmentofpast• Medicalmodel:mentaldisordersarediseasesofthemind,like

ordinaryphysicaldiseases,havecausesandrequiretreatment.– Illness– Mustbediagnosed– Onbasisofsymptoms– Curedthroughtherapy– Mayincludetreatment inahospital

ClassifyingPsychologicalDisorders:DSM-5

• TheAPAdeveloped themostwidelyusedclassificationsystem

• DiagnosticandStatisticalManualofMentalDisorders.

• Commonandconciselanguageforthedescriptionofabnormalpsychology

• Usedindiagnosingeachofthedisorders.• Newestedition2013

LabelingPsychologicalDisorders• RosenhanExperimenttotestthe biasing

poweroflabels– Conspiratorscomplainedofhearingvoices,butotherthanthatactedtotallynormal

– Cliniciansexaminedtheirnormallifehistoriesbuttriedto“discover” thecausesofthedisorderssuchasproblemswithparents

– Conspiratorssaidthevoiceswentaway,butdoctorsforcedthesefakepatientstoadmittheystillhadproblems

– Surprisingly,theotherhospitalpatients(withtruepsychologicaldisordersreadilydetectedthelyingexperimenters)

ProblemswithLabeling• Langerstudy

– Hadpeoplewatchvideosofotherpeople– Whentoldtheywerewatchingjobapplicants,perceivedthemasnormal

– Whentoldtheywerewatchingpsychiatricpatients(butsamejobapplicantpeople),theywereperceivedasdifferent

• Gettingajob,findingaplacetoliveisdifficultwithapsychologicaldisorderlabel(justlikecriminals)

• MANYstereotypesofpsychologicaldisorderinthemedia

• Self-fulfillingprophecies– ifpeoplecallyoucrazyandtreatyoulikeacrazyperson,youbelieve itandthenactout

AnxietyDisordersButfirst,remember,don’tdothis:

AnxietyDisorders• Anxiety

– ↑heartrate,↑bloodpressure– Sweating– Rapidbreathing,drymouth– Senseofdread,uneasiness,trembling,nervousness

• Someanxiety isnormal– butsointense&long-lastingthatimpairsfunctioningitmightbeadisorder

• AnxietyDisorders – psychologicaldisordersmarkedbydistressing,persistentanxietyormaladaptivebehaviorsthatreduceanxiety

• 5anxietydisorders

GeneralizedAnxietyDisorder(GAD)• GAD – anxietydisorderinwhichapersonis

continuallytense,apprehensive, andinastateofautonomicnervousarousal

• Excessive&long-lasting(~6mo.)anxiety,not focusedonanyparticularobjectorsituation(“free-floatinganxiety”)– Feeldisasterisabouttohappen, jumpy,irritable,can’tsleep

PanicDisorder• PanicDisorder:Recurring,terrifyingpanicattacks

• Withoutwarningorobviouscause• Unpredictable• Minutes-longepisodesofintensedreadinwhichapersonexperiencesterror

• Somephysiologicalsymptoms:• Intenseheartpalpitations• Pressureorpaininchest• Dizziness,feelingfaint• Sweating• Mistakenforheartattack

Phobias• Phobias - Anintense, irrationalfear

ofanobjectorsituationthatdoesnotobjectively justifysuchareaction– Usuallyrealizefearispointless,butanxietypersists

– Maygreatlyinterferewithdailylife

– Agoraphobia

Obsessive-CompulsiveDisorder(OCD)

• Obsessions – plaguedbypersistent,upsetting,unwantedthoughts

• Suchasinfection,contamination,causingharmtoself/others

• Compulsions – ritualistic,repetitivebehaviorsoractions

• i.e.,washing,counting,checking,arranging,etc.

– Interferesw/dailylife(>1hr/day)– Deriveno pleasure– recognizeasirrational• Onset:adolescence

Post-TraumaticStressDisorder(PTSD)

• PTSD- Patternofadverseanddisruptivereactionsfollowing atraumaticandthreateningevent

• i.e.,war,naturaldisasters,assaults,abuse,accidents,etc.

– Characteristic reactions:• Anxiety,depression,irritability, jumpiness,inabilitytoconcentrate,sexualdysfunction,difficultygettingalongw/others,sleepdisturbances,intensestartleresponses,suppressedimmune system,nightmares,flashbacks

– Maylastmonths,years,decades

ExplainingAnxietyDisorders

Freudsuggestedthatwerepressourpainfulandintolerableideas,feelings,andthoughts,resultinginanxiety.

• 2contemporaryperspectives:• Learning&biological

TheLearningPerspectiveFearconditioningleadstoanxiety.

•Classicaloroperant conditioning

•EX:Associatingapainfulexperiencewithathunderstormorcarcrash,nowafraidofstormsorcars

•Generalization – bitbyadog,nowafraidofalldogs

•Reinforcement – avoidingorescapingnewfearedstimulihelpsusfeelbetter,maintainingthenewphobiaorfear

TheLearningPerspective

Investigatorsbelievethatfearresponsesareinculcatedthroughobservationallearning.Youngmonkeysdevelopfearwhentheywatchothermonkeyswhoareafraidofsnakes.

TheBiologicalPerspective

NaturalSelectionhasledourancestorstolearntofearcertainthingstopreservethespecies.

Twinstudies=genes maybepartlyresponsible.Twinsaremorelikelytosharephobias.

Generalized anxiety,panicattacks,andevenOCDarelinkedwith braincircuitsliketheanteriorcingulatecortex.

Anterior Cingulate Cortex of an OCD patient.-increased brain activity