Psychology Quiz: Neurosis and Stress-Related Disorders

Stress-Related Disorders

• Adjustment disorder: a response to everyday stressors that impairs functioning, but does not fulfill criteria for an individual disorder; treated with supportive therapy and CBT.
• Acute and Post-Traumatic Stress Reaction (PTSD):
  • Features: emotional numbing, increased startle response, avoidance and amnesia, flashbacks, and nightmares.
  • Caused by a horrifying event, with increased adrenalin and steroids in the amygdale.
  • Treated with watchful waiting, EMDR, CBT, group therapy, and SSRIs.

Neurotic Disorders

Anxiety Disorder

• Generalized anxiety disorder: maladaptive fear about everything, lasting more than 6 months; treated with CBT, relaxation, beta blockers, and SSRIs.
• Panic disorder: intense anxiety attacks, feeling of impending death, and increased noradrenaline in the locus ceruleus; treated with breathing exercises.
• Phobia disorder: unreasonable fear of a specific object or situation, lasting more than 6 months; treated with desensitization.
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder:
  • Features: recurrent, resisted, annoying thoughts (obsessions) and anxiety-reducing behaviors (compulsions).
  • Caused by affected serotonin transmission in basal ganglia circuits.
  • Treated with exposure and response prevention, SSRIs, and tricyclics.

Somatoform Disorders

• Dissociative disorders (including PTSD): dissociative amnesia, fugue, and multiple identities; treated with CBT and group therapy.
• Conversion disorder: sudden symptoms symbolizing stress to significant others; treated with CBT.
• Somatization disorder: multiple physical complaints over 6 months, seeking help from many doctors; treated with suggestion and CBT.
• Neurathenia: chronic fatigue, pain, and irritability over 6 months; treated with supportive therapy.
• Factitious disorder: inducing illness, pain, or injury to oneself to gain emotional care and attention; treated by reducing risk and addressing emotional needs.
• Malingering: pretending to be ill for materialistic goals.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

• Detects and neutralizes cognitive errors that impair problem-solving and affect mood and behavior.
• Common cognitive errors:
  • Perfectionism
  • Black and white thinking
  • Catastrophizing
  • Personalizing
  • Blaming
  • Jumping to conclusions

CBT Structure

• 12 sessions, 1 per week, 50 minutes each
• Empathy, feedback, guided discovery, and homework to detect and change cognitive errors and behaviors.

Importance of 1ry Care

• Early diagnosis and management of anxiety and depression improve outcomes.
• 1ry care is essential due to the huge caseload that specialist services cannot handle.

This quiz covers the concepts of neurosis, stress-related disorders, and anxiety disorders, including adjustment disorders, acute stress disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorders.