Psychological Disorders Overview

Psychological Disorders

• Psychological disorders are patterns of thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that are deviant, distressful, and dysfunctional.
• Criteria for a psychological disorder include significant distress or impairment in everyday life, and behaviors not culturally expected.
• Perspectives on mental illness include biological, psychological, and social factors.

Key Concepts related to Psychological Disorders

• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5): A standardized system for classifying and diagnosing mental disorders, using a categorical approach.
• Comorbidity: Two or more disorders co-occurring in the same individual; common and complex interactions exist.
• Prevalence: Percentage of a population experiencing a particular disorder at a given time; varying by location and time.
• Cultural Considerations: Symptoms and conditions are conceptualized differently across cultures, influencing symptom presentation, diagnosis, and treatment response.

Anxiety Disorders

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Excessive, uncontrollable worry about numerous events and activities.
• Panic Disorder: Recurrent, unexpected periods of intense fear or discomfort, typically with symptoms like accelerated heart rate, shortness of breath, and feelings of being overwhelmed.
• Specific Phobias: Persistent, excessive fear of a specific object or situation.
• Social Anxiety Disorder: Intense fear of social situations.

Mood Disorders

• Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): Mood disorder with significant sadness, loss of interest, and other symptoms over a sustained period.
• Bipolar Disorder: Alternating periods of depressive and manic episodes; mania involves elevated mood, increased energy, and impulsivity.

Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders

• Schizophrenia: Chronic disorder with distorted perceptions, disordered thinking, and hallucinations; negative symptoms like flat affect are also important.
• Other Psychotic Disorders: Disorders with symptoms similar to schizophrenia but varying in characteristics and duration.

Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Disorder triggered by a traumatic event, characterized by re-experiencing the trauma, avoiding associated stimuli, negative alterations in cognitions and mood, and marked alterations in arousal and reactivity.

Dissociative Disorders

• Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID): Presence of two or more distinct personality states.
• Dissociative Amnesia: Loss of memory for personal information.

Personality Disorders

• Cluster A: Paranoid, Schizoid, and Schizotypal Personality Disorders; characterized by unusual or odd behaviors.
• Cluster B: Antisocial, Borderline, Histrionic, and Narcissistic Personality Disorders; characterized by dramatic, emotional, or erratic behaviors.
• Cluster C: Avoidant, Dependent, and Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorders; characterized by anxious or fearful behavior.

Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders

• Characterized by physical symptoms not fully explained by a medical condition; significant distress and impairment can occur.

Eating Disorders

• Anorexia Nervosa: Severe eating disorder with intense fear of gaining weight, distorted body image, and self-starvation.
• Bulimia Nervosa: Eating disorder with binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors (purging, excessive exercise) to avoid weight gain.

Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders

• Substance-related disorders: Persistent substance use causing significant problems and distress.
• Addictive disorders: Behavioral addictions often overlapping with other disorders.

Developmental Disorders

• Developmental disorders affect childhood and adolescence; impairments in cognitive abilities, communication, behavior, and social interaction, including Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Other Conditions That May Be a Focus of Clinical Attention

• Specific learning disorders: Impact academic performance and cognitive skills.
• Intellectual disabilities: Varying degrees, impacting adaptive functioning across multiple areas.

This quiz examines key concepts related to psychological disorders, including definitions, diagnostic criteria, and perspectives on mental illness. It covers important topics like the DSM-5, comorbidity, and prevalence rates. Test your knowledge on the patterns and classifications of mental health issues.