Transcript Psychological Disorders PPT

Psychological Disorders
Understanding the Human Mind
Understanding Disorders
• When someone has a psychological disorder,
or disease of the mind, they find it difficult to cope
with ordinary stresses of daily life
• These disorders have a number of causes: error
in nature (chemical imbalance), genetic
components, environment (history of abuse)
• Stereotyping: we assume that all people who
are mentally ill share the same characteristics
• 2 major classifications for psychological
(mental) disorders:
1. Neurotic Disorders
• Less serious form of disorder
• React with fear or dread to everyday situations
• Find life difficult but still able to function within
society
2. Psychotic Disorders
• Often lose touch with reality
• Life is dominated by delusions and
hallucinations
• Usually appears in late teens/early twenties
Neurotic Disorders
• Panic attacks
– Characterized by intense fear and anxiety
• Physical and/or emotional
– Often begins in early adulthood
• Related to stresses?
– Affects 2-4% of the population (more
likely in women)
– Treatment: medication and therapy
(cognitive and behaviour)
– Up to 10% of Canadians suffer from one
or more anxiety disorders
• Phobias
– ”an irrational, often debilitating fear,”
meaning there is no basis in reality
• Incredible effect on daily life
– Examples:
• Claustrophobia (confined spaces), social
phobia (saying or doing something wrong
around others), tropophobia (moving or
making changes), agoraphobia (public spaces)
– Treatment: exposure therapy, involves
gradually confronting the dreaded
situation
– Relaxation Techniques: deep-breathing
exercises
• Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD)
– Recurrent obsessions or compulsions that
interfere with daily life
– Patient feels something awful will happen
if they do not repeat routine behaviours
– Patient usually recognizes the disorder
• Accompanied by feelings of shame
– Occur from brain injury, inherited,
environmental factors
– Treatment: therapy/counseling &
medication
Psychotic Disorders
• Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASP)
– Aka: sociopathy
– “lifelong pervasive pattern of rule breaking and
violating the rights of others”
• Usually begins before 15
– Symptoms include:
• Pathological lying, difficulty expressing feelings,
hallucinations/delusions, feel no empathy (serial killers)
- Some reasons: insufficient bonding between infants
and mothers, an abusive childhood, impoverished
home environment
– Treatment: hospitalization, medication, curable?
• Major Depression
– Characterized by deeply unhappy feelings,
little pleasure in life
– Accompanied by anxiety, little to no
appetite, sometimes suicide attempts
– Treatment: counseling, medication
• Bipolar Affective Disorder
– Extreme mood changes
– Both manic and depressive
• Manic: confused and aggressive
behaviour, unlimited energy and trouble
sleeping
• Depressive: extreme fatigue, sadness,
and sense of futility
– Treatment: medication and counseling
• Schizophrenia
– distortion of reality, social withdrawal and
disturbances of thought, perception, motor
activity and emotions
– Several types ranging from complete
withdrawal to catatonic
• Catatonic schizophrenia: rigid and mute, hold
positions for hours without moving
– Research suggests a genetic link
– Treatment: drug therapy
For Tomorrow
• Read A Tale of Two Sociopaths
• Answer questions 1-3 from case study
• As well  Recap 1-3 on pg. 99