May 9, 2013A woman previously diagnosed with a psychological
disorder was caught on videotape stealing a police car. The police officers used restrain, even after she threatened them with what appeared to be a weapon, and took her into custody unharmed. After the incident, her husband appealed to lawmakers to change the law that allows someone who has been diagnosed with a psychological disorder to refuse treatment. The woman’s family believed that the incident could have been avoided if they had been allowed to admit her psychiatric care.
Your Question to answer on a sheet of paperShould the laws be changed? Under what
circumstances should someone’s caregivers be able to force treatment?
PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS
What are Psychological Disorders
- Intro story page 447 Difficult to draw a line between
normal and abnormal behavior Just because a person is different does
not necessarily mean that he or she is suffering from mental illness
Defining and identifying psychological Disorders Popular ways of drawing the line
between normal and abnormal behavior Deviation from Normality
○ Whatever most people do is the norm therefore any deviation is abnormal
○ Majority is not always right or bestAdjustment
○ Normal people are able to get along in the world – physically, emotionally, and socially
When psychological problems become severe enough to disrupt everyday life it is thought of as an abnormality or illness
The Problem of Classification Psychological problems cannot be
categorized the same way that physical illnesses can
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)1. Essential Features – characteristics that
define the disorder
2. Associated Features – Additional features
3. Differential Diagnosis – how to distinguish this disorder from other disorders
4. Diagnostic Criteria – List of symptoms
The Problem of Classification DSM-IV
Often a person shows more than one disorder or may be experiencing other stresses that complicate the diagnosis
Axes – each axis reflects a different aspect of a patient’s case○ Axis I – classify current symptoms into defined
categories ○ Axis II – Describe developmental disorders and
long standing personality disorders or traits such as compulsiveness, over-dependency, or aggressiveness
The Problem of Classification Axis III – describe physical disorders
or general medical conditions that are potentially relevant to understanding or caring for the person
Axis IV – measurement of the current stress level at which the person is functioning
Axis V – describes the highest level of adaptive functioning present within the past year
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety is a general state of dread or uneasiness that a person feels in response to real or imagined danger
Anxious people have difficulty forming stable and satisfying relationships
Generalized Anxiety Disorder Anxiety can develop into a full
fledged panic attackChoking sensations, chest pains, dizziness,
trembling, and hot flashes People become so preoccupied with
internal problems they neglect social relationships and have trouble dealing with family and friends
Generalized Anxiety Disorder Why are people anxious?
Some theorists stress the role of learning ○ Example: If a man feels very anxious on a
date and the thought of another date makes him nervous he learns to avoid dates and never unlearns the behavior
Environmental Factors ○ Unpredictable traumatic experiences in
childhood can allow people to develop an anxiety disorder
Phobic Disorder Phobia – when severe anxiety is focused
on a particular object, animal, activity, or situation that seems out of proportion to the real dangers involved
Phobic individuals develop elaborate plans to avoid the situation
Phobias range from mild to extremely severe One form of treatment is to provide
opportunities for the phobic person to experience the feared object under SAFE conditions
Phobia Poster!!!! YAY!
Pick a Phobia – any phobia will doPhobialist.com
REQUIREMENTS FOR POSTERDefine the phobiaSymptoms of the phobiaImpacts of the phobia – socially, privately
etc.Visual Representation of the phobiaSteps to overcome the phobia
Panic Disorder Panic Disorder – extreme anxiety that
shows itself in the form of panic attacks Panic Attacks
○ Victims experience sudden and unexplainable attacks of intense anxiety
○ Feel that doom is inevitable and he or she is about to die
○ Sense of smothering, choking, difficulty breathing, dizziness, nausea and chest pains
○ Last a few minutes but occur with no warning
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Obsession – uncontrollable pattern of thoughts
Compulsions – repeatedly perform coping behaviors
Obsessive – Compulsive Disorder – puts obsessions and compulsions together
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders When is it a problem?
When thoughts and activities interfere with what a person wants and needs to do
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
PTSD – person who has experienced a traumatic event feels severe and long-lasting aftereffectsMay begin immediately or develop laterInvoluntary flashbacks or recurring
nightmaresNot everyone who experiences traumatic
events experience PTSD
Somatoform Disorders
Conversion DisordersConversion of emotional difficulties into
the loss of a specific physiological function ○ Can result in a real and prolonged handicap:
person literally cannot feel or move anything
Somatoform Disorders
Hypochondriasis – a person who is in good health becomes preoccupied with imaginary ailments
Dissociative Disorders
Dissociative Disorder – significant breakdown in a person’s normal conscious experience – loss of memory or identity
Dissociative Disorders
Dissociative Amnesia – attempt to escape from problems by blotting them out completely Often results from a traumatic event
Dissociative Disorders
Dissociative Fugue – amnesia is coupled with active flight to a different environmentExample: A Woman may suddenly
disappear and wake up three days later in a restaurant 200 miles from home○ She may repress all knowledge of a previous
life○ May last a few days or for decades
Dissociative Disorders
Dissociative Identity Disorder (multiple personality disorder)Eve White – 22 personalities Sybil – 16 personalitiesThese cases are extremely rare and
controversial ○ People diagnosed with this disorder usually
suffered from severe physical. Psychological, or sexual abuse
○ Learned to dissociate themselves from stressful events by forgetting them
Schizophrenia and Mood Disorders Schizophrenics have difficulty using
language to communicateWill not remember the beginning of a
sentence and then finish it with an unrelated thought
People with schizophrenia may withdraw from normal life and reach an irrational, fear-laden, and unimaginable ways that are difficult for others to understand
Schizophrenia
What is Schizophrenia?Problems with cognition but also
emotions, perceptions and motor functions
Affects 1 in 100 people in the world○ 1 in 10 if schizophrenia runs in the family
Involves confused and disordered thoughts and perceptions and the person has lost contact with reality
There is no single cause or cure
Types of Schizophrenia
Paranoid Type Involves hallucinations and delusions
Catatonic TypeRemain motionless for long periods
Disorganized Type Incoherent language, inappropriate
emotions Remission Type
Symptoms are completely gone or still exist but are not severe enough
Causes of Schizophrenia
Many Theories Biological Influences
Genetics is involved Identical Twins – If one twin develops
schizophrenia only 42% of the twin’s siblings will develop it
4 Identical Girls in 1930
Causes of Schizophrenia
Biochemistry and Physiology Too much or too little of certain chemicals in
the brainChemicals do play a role but it’s hard to
tell if these chemicals are the cause of Schizophrenia or the result of it
Mood Disorders
We all experience mood swings Major Depressive Disorder
People spend at least two weeks feeling depressed, sad, anxious, fatigued and agitated
Reduced ability to function and interact with others
Bipolar Disorder
Individuals are excessively and inappropriately happy or unhappyManic Phase – person has extreme
confusion, distractibility and racing thoughts○ People may behave as if they need less sleep
and their activity level usually increasesDepressive Phase – overcome with
feelings of failure, sinfulness, worthlessness, and despair
Seasonal Affective Disorder Develop a deep depression in the
midst of winterMany of these people can be treated by
sitting under bright fluorescent lights during the evening or early morning hours
Suicide and Depression Not all people who commit suicide are
depressed – not all depressed people attempt suicide
1 suicide occurs every 16 seconds Women ATTEMPT suicide more than
men but. . . Men SUCCEED in suicide more than
women
Personality Disorders People generally
do not suffer from acute anxiety nor do they behave in unexplainable ways
Antisocial Personality
Once referred to as sociopaths or psychopaths
Exhibit a persistent disregard for and violation of others’ rights
Treat people as objects – things used for gratification and then cast them aside
Getting caught doing something wrong does not seem to bother them
Guilt and anxiety have not place in their world
Drug Addiction Psychological Dependence – Users depend
so much on the feeling of well being they get from the drug they feel compelled to keep using the drugAlcohol, caffeine, nicotine, marijuana
Addiction – if the drug is not in the body the user will experience extreme physical discomfort
Withdrawals – state of physical and psychological upset in which the body and mind revolt against but eventually gets used to the absence of the drug