Understanding Psychological Disorders: Types, Symptoms, and Treatments

1. Mental Disorders

2. What are Psychological Disorders? • DSM-IV- psychological disorder manual created by the APA -essential features -associated features -differential diagnosis -diagnostic criteria • Critical Questions to ask if symptoms exist • How long/continuous are symptoms • Are you able to do daily tasks? • Are you harming self or others?

3. Childhood Disorders • ADD/ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) • Inattention, distractibility, restlessness • Ritalin/Adderall (stimulant): most common medications • 1/3 cases continue to adulthood • Autistic Disorder- failure to develop normal patterns of communication, social interactions, and emotional responses. • Diagnosed before 3 • Echolalia: symptom in which person echoes what has just been said.

4. Anxiety Disorders • Phobic: disabled and overwhelmed by certain objects or events. • Agoraphobia- fear of leaving a familiar enviornment. • Panic Disorder: frequent attacks eventually associated with nothing. • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder • Obsession- preoccupation with something • Compulsion- symbolic behavior one must repeatedly act out.

5. Somatoform Disorders • Conversion Disorder: psychological trauma changed to symbolic physical dysfunction • Paralysis, blindness, sensitivity to pain • Hypochondriasis: overly concerned about health, minor physical complaint is seen as major illness.

6. Dissociative Disorders • Amnesia- traumatic events seem to disappear from memory. • Selective forgetting: forgetting only things that are traumatic. • Fugue: forgetting current life and starting a new one somewhere else. • Dissociative Identity Disorder- person divides self into separate personalities that can act independently. (Multiple Personalities)

7. Mood Disorders A. Dysthymic Disorder- moderate depression B. Major Depression- severe depression; loss of appetite, lack of energy, suicide thoughts, hopelessness. C. Mania- “mad excitement”; extreme agitation, restlessness, confused speech. • Flight of ideas: thoughts go crazy in the mind and come out making no sense.

8. Schizophrenic Disorders • Schizophrenia- disorganized thoughts and speech, hallucinations, delusions; most serious mental disorder. • 3 Types of Schizophrenia • Catatonic: disturbance of movement; don’t speak, stay in same position • Paranoia: persecution feelings or suspiciousness • Undifferentiated: “catch all category” *Chemical factor of Schizophrenia----Dopamine is in excess many times

9. Personality Disorders • Antisocial Personality- no conscience and in constant conflict with the law. (sociopath) • Borderline Personality- unstable emotions, dependency, manipulative, self-destructive behavior. (usually clingy relationships) http://www.hsc.wvu.edu/aap/Video/video_page.htm