PY 105 Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder, Somatic Symptom Disorder
Types of Psychological Disorders
• Six categories: anxiety, somatoform, mood, schizophrenia, dissociative and personality disorders
Anxiety Disorders
• Emotional state of unpleasant physical and mental arousal - a preparation to fight of flee
• The anxiety is intense, frequent, irrational and uncontrollable
• Causes significant distress or impairment
• Seven types of anxiety disorders:
o Panic disorders - suffered at least one panic attack and is worried about having more of
them
• Panic attacks can be cued by certain situations, but most often are uncued or
"spontaneous"
• During a panic attack a person commonly experiences intense dread, along with
shortness of breath, chest pain, a chocking sensation and cardiac symptoms like rapid
heartbeat or palpitations. May also be trembling, sweating, lightheadedness or chills
• Panic attacks last less than 30 minutes but can be excruciating
o Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) - feels tense or anxious much of the time about many
issues, does not experience panic attacks
• Restlessness, tiring easily, poor concentration irritability, muscle tensions, insomnia
and restless sleep
o Specific phobia - strong fear that he or she recognizes as unreasonable
• Situational - flying, elevators, crowds, bridges
• Natural environment - thunderstorms, heights, water, lightning
• Blood-injection-injury - injections, blood, medical procedures
• Animal - spider, shark, snake, dog
o Social phobia - unreasonable, paralyzing fear of feeling embarrassed or humiliated while one
is watched by others
o Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - feels intense fear, horror, or helplessness while
experiencing, witnessing or confronting an extremely traumatic event that involves actual or
threatened death or serious injury
• Most people will experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime but only a
minority will develop PTSD
• 8% of men and 20% of women
• Rates of PTSD are higher in males who have served in active combat, estimated up to
20%
• The traumatic event can be relived through dreams, flashbacks, and intrusive,
distressing thoughts and images
• Symptoms must be present for more than a month
o Acute stress disorder - similar to PTSD but symptoms present for a month or less
o Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) - has obsessions, compulsions or both
• Obsessions - repeated, intrusive, uncontrollable thoughts or impulses that causes
distress or anxiety
• Compulsions - repeated physical or mental behaviors
Obsessions
Compulsions
• Irrational fear of contamination by dirt,
germs, or toxins
• Washing self or surroundings
repeatedly, sometimes with a lengthy
ritual
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