Abnormal Psychology Notes

Page 1

Personality Disorders

Long standing, maladaptive way of being

Usually over age 18

Early on set, starts in teenage years

Pervasive, affects all areas of their life

Antisocial Personality Disorder

Violates the rights of others

No remorse

Poor impulse control

Affects 4% of the population

Serial killers often fall into this

Before the age of 15

Can be caused by conflict in childhood

Arrested or in court system

Violates rights

Starts fights

Forces sex

Steals

Runs away from home

Suspended or expelled

Substance abuse

Problems in school

Truancy (at least 5 times a year)

Serial killers during childhood tend to start fires, abuse animals, and have late stage bed wetting.

Page 2

Bio-Psycho-Social Model

Biological

Genetic

Physical condition

Sleep

Medication

Diet and exercise

Psychological

Coping skiils

Self esteem

Trauma, PTSD

Childhood happenings

Stress

Shame

Bullying

Social

Family

Culture

Social skills and support

Peer pressure

Psychological Factors

Traits of people who are prone to physical conditions due to psychological factors

They have a hard time dealing with change

They have a hard time dealing with deep feelings and emotions

Very hard time reading situations

Poor social skills and little social support

Lack of a love relationship

Physical conditions (cancer,anger, weight gain or loss, slow recovery, illness, ect.)

Page 3

Somatic System Disorder / Pain Disorder

Has some sort of physical paint that they have seek medical attention for

Has been happening for at least 6 months

Pain has effect on their ability to function

Not faking the pain

There are psychological factors in the pain

Illness Anxiety Disorder / Hypocondriac

They believe they have a serious illness

Happening for at least 6 months

Causes them anxiety

Focused on their symptoms and fears

Seeks multiple medical opinions

Constantly checks body

Conversion Disorder / Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder

Psychological conflict is converted to physical pain

Not under voluntary control

Does not seem to care about what's happening to them

Often recovers quickly after stress is over

Page 4

Body Dysmophric Disorder

Feels like they have some flaw with their body

Avoids situations that may embarrass themselves

Hides their "flaw" and may get plastic surgery

Gradual exposure therapy

Factitious Disorder / Munchausen

Fakes disorders for secondary gain, usually to be taken care of .

Does stuff for medical attention

By proxy/imposed on another person:

Will cause harm to someone then "rescue" them to be seen as a hero

Malingering Disorder

Fake a disorder for secondary gain, usually drugs

Can fake an accident for money

Once secondary gain is obtained, symptoms vanish

Page 5

Childhood Disorders

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)

Behavior must go on for at least 6 months and has an impact on them

75% males aged 10-12 years old

Loses temper often

Argues with adults often

Actively defies requests

Intentionally annoys others

Blames others for their mistakes

Easily annoyed

Angry and resentful

Usually spiteful and vindictive

6-13% of the population

Diagnosis age: 10-15 years old

Treatment

Token economy

Build better communication skills

Parents should work on setting healthy boundaries

Conduct Disorder (Jr. Antisocial)

Mostly boys

Violates the rights of others

Doesn't feel remorse

Starts fights and vandalizes

Steals

6 to 17 years of age

Ends up in court system

2-9% of population

Treatment

Behavior therapy, token economy

Family therapy

Building structure

Family should set healthy boundaries

Page 6

Simple / Specific Phobia

Afraid of one thing and avoids it.

Social Phobia / Social Anxiety Disorder

Fear of embarrassed in public

Avoids situations

Avoids eating around others

Treatment:

Write list of fears,

Relaxing and breathing tricks

Gradual exposure

Agoraphobia

Person has a history of panic attacks

Fears and avoids situations where they may have a panic attack

Half of the people with panic attacks have this condition

Housebound

Secondary gain

Page 7

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Suffers from obsessive, intrusive thoughts

Out of control and they are aware of it

Suffers from compulsions, performs rituals to calm anxiety

Rituals must last a total of an hour per day

Things that do not cause OCD:

Brain trauma

Stress

Learned

Secondary gain

Genetics

Treatments:

Get them to delay complsions

Exposure therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy

Medications

Page 8

Post Tramatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Exposure to an event that involves death or injury

Includes terror, horror, helplessness

Feels like they are reliving the event, traumatic flashbacks

Numbs their symptoms, may abuse substances and avoids situations that remind them of the event

Survivors guilt

Two types of trauma:

Major

Auditory: series of similar traumas that add up to PTSD. (Cops, nurses, firemen)

Treatment

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)

EFT, tapping and speaking treatment

Page 9

Antisocial Personality Disorder

Problems with work

Doesn't function as a person

Problems with the law

Relationship issues

Impulsive

Fighting

Money problems

Borderline Personality Disorder

Comes out during relationships

Sees things as all good or all bad

Experiences rage and entitled jealousy

Fears being alone

Dosen't have a solid sense of self

Very impulsive

75% females

Splitting defense

Chronic feeling of emptiness

Has mood swings

Treatment

Be more effective in communication

Distress tolerance, help them cope with emotions

Mindfully develop new coping skills

Emotional regulation, become less negative

Page 10

Histrionic Personality Disorder

Acts like they are on stage, plays some sort of role like "the star" or "victim."

Rapid shift in emotions

Over concerned with physical attractiveness

Inappropriate sexual seductiveness

Discomfort when not the center of attention

Very frustrated when things don't go exactly as they planned

Exaggerates closeness in relationships

Attention hungry, drama queen, exaggerates emotions

No empathy

Dependant Personality Disorder

Unable to make everyday decisions without excessive reassurance

Doesn't express negative emotions because they fear being alone

No self esteem

Instead of "I" it's "you"

Needs excessive reassurance

Seeks relationships out of neediness

Fears being alone

Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder

NOT OCD

Perfectionism keeps them from getting things done

Preoccupied with lists, rules, and schedules

They don't delegate tasks

Excessive devotion to work, unable to relax

Inflexible about morals and ethics

Cheap, often doesn't tip, saves money

Has a hard time throwing things oue

Rigid and stubborn

"That's just the way I am"

Treatments for all Personality Disorders

Therapy

Group Therapy

Medications

Page 11

Mood Disorders

Symptoms of depression

Changes in mood, sadness, thoughts of suicide

Changes from previous functioning

Loss of pleasure in things they used to enjoy

Tearful, crying

Lower energy levels

Negative thinking and hopelessness

Lots of guilt

Trouble focusing

May not leave house

Physical pains

Weight gain or loss, changes in eating patterns

Dysthymia

Functioning depressive

Long term low grade depression

Had for at least two years, no two months without symptoms

Flat affect

Major Depression

Severe depression symptoms

Everyday for at least two weeks

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Major depressive in winter

Must happen for at least two years in a row

Due to changes in sunlight

Light therapy

Theories of Depression

Depression is anger turned inward

Behaviorism, depression is learned, enviroment

Not making progress on ideal self, lack of meaning

Depression is a chemical imbalance in brain, used to sell antidepressants

Bio-psyco-social model, depression is a combination of the three

Loss, can be someone or something

Page 12

Mania - Manic Episode

Has a lot of energy

Talks fast

Flight of ideas

High risk behavior, impulsive

Delusional, out of touch with realty

Decreased sleep

Must be this way for at least one week

Bipolar 1

From mania to depression

One week mania, 2 weeks depresssion

Rapid cycle is three cycles per year

Bipolar 2

Major depression to hypomania

Never had a manic episode

Treatment for bipolar:

ECT, Cause a seizure to knock out depression, 2-3 times per week lasting for 3-4 weeks, may cause memory loss.

Multiple Personality Disorder

Severe sexual abuse before age 2

Splitting, dissociation, form another identity

1 way memory: only one personality knows

2 way memory: other personalities know

Page 13

Schizophrenia

Thought disorder

1% of the population has it

Phases of schizophrenia

Prodromal phase: starts to withdraw and isolate from others

Active phase: psychotic break, age of onset is 18-26.

Residual phase: symptoms go into remission

Positive phases:

Delusions, false beliefs

Depressive delusions, convinced they have done some sort of crime

Grander, believes they are a powerful or popular person

Believes they are influenced or controlled by unseen forces

Thinks people are plotting against them

Gives unrelated events personal significance

Hallucinations, hears things, false perceptions

Thinks somethings is wrong with their body

Bizarre behavior

Negative phases (doesn't experience):

Flat affect, no emotions

Poverty of speech

Loss of energy

Lack of direction or motivation

Loss of feelings of pleasure

Types of Schizphrenia

Paranoid: have formed delusions and hallucinations

Catatonic stupor: Sits in same position for long periods of time, stuck in certain positions 89% has no family history of this

Disorganized: Have delusions and hallucinations but are not formed, usually homeless

Undifferentiated: Not able to be classified into the above types

Paradoxical communication: communication with two meanings.

Treatments:

Anti psychotic medications

Page 14

Delusional Disorder

Very rare, 0.003% of population

One well formed delusion

No other odd behaviors

No history of schizophrenia

Women: romantic delusions

Men: paranoid delusions

Reduced blood flow to the brain

Delirium

Confusion

Short term and reversible

Caused by lack of sleep, poor blood flow to the brain, brain injury, abuse of alcohol or drugs, or withdrawals from drugs.

Reduced awareness

Cognitive defects

Delirium Tremens

Comes from alcohol withdrawals

Out of touch with those around them

Can't follow simple directions

Hallucinations, may get violent

Lasts a week or longer

Page 15

Alzheimer's

Memory problems, lack of short-term memory

Poverty of speech

Motor movement problems

Failure to recognize identities/objects

Executive functions go down

Alzheimer's Phases

Mild:

Memory problems

Increased cognitive decline and confusion

Moderate:

Can't recall aspects of their decline

Begins to forget names

Severe:

Can't recall recent events

Doesn't recognize close family and friends

Bedridden

Cognitive testing determines what phase the person is at. "MOCA"

Page 16

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Worried about the future

Can last over 20 years

Can't relax, insomnia, hyper vigilance

Motion tension, exaggerated startle response

Autonomic reactivity, bodily symptoms

At least 3 months

4-6% of the population

Panic Attacks

Sudden rush of anxiety

Have a hard time breathing

Dizzy and sweating

Feels like they are going crazy or going to die

Heart is racing

Happens at least once a month

Fear of having another panic attack

Often go to the E.R.

Treatments:

Quit smoking, caffeine, sugar

Need to go to therapy

Exercise daily

Increased social support and skills

Develop new coping skills and healthy emotional values

Page 17

Attention Defict Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

11% of the population

Symptoms must happen in two settings

Diagnosed at 8-10 years old

Inattention (at least 6 of the symptoms listed below for at least 6 months)

Fails to pay close attention

Hard time focusing

Doesn't seem to listen when directly spoken to

Does not follow through or finish things

Avoids mentally challenging tasks

Loses things

Easily distracted

Often forgetful

Hyperactivity

Fidgets a lot

Motor driven

Leaves their seat

Hard to play or relax

Talks all the time

Impulsive

Blurts out answers

Hard time waiting for their turn

Interrupts others

Treatments:

Behavior modifications

Therapy

Medications