Health Psychology
Type of coping that involves managing emotional reactions to stress as a means of coping. Strategies may include deep breathing, meditation, or taking medication aimed at reducing stressful emotional responses.
Emotion focused coping
proposes that the causes of mental disorders focus on behaviors and mental processes that reduce the likelihood of survival.
Evolutionary Perspective
Gold standard treatment for PTSD
Exposure Therapy
When Carter goes out, he has to check just about everything. Was his computer turned off? Did he turn off all the lights? Did he shut the door properly? Did he forget the television on? Carter is very worried that the house maybe broken into or his house might be on fire and goes back and checks it again. By the time he is done checking the last thing, he wasn't sure he checked the first thing. He is bothered by his behavior but cannot get himself to stop.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Your cousin Harold is excessively sensitive to rejection in spite of desiring acceptance from others. He is reluctant to engage in social activities although he wants to make friends. He sees himself as socially inept and inferior, and feels that people will reject or ridicule him.
Avoidant Personality Disorder
Type of coping that involves seeing stress as a problem to be solved and working solutions until a solution is found.
problem focused coping
proposes that the causes of mental disorders focus on physiological or genetic issues.
Biological perspective
may employ cognitive restructuring or fear hierarchies to combat maladaptive thinking. This type therapy proposes that people should focus on the cognitive triad—negative thoughts about oneself, the world, and the future.
Cognitive therapy
Jacob, a 39 year-old salesman, survived a plane crash 2 months ago. Many people were killed, including Jacob’s best friend, who was sitting in the seat next to Jacob. Jacob is still feeling "numb" & finds it difficult to talk to people about the crash. Certain sounds & smells bring painful memories back. At night, Jacob often wakes up in the middle of a nightmare in which he is reliving the crash.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Dr. Andrews finds his patient Melinda to be difficult to treat. She displays overly emotional reactions to his suggestions, dramatic gestures, and others report she always needs to be the center of attention. She will often times be extremely flirtatious or wear provocative clothing
Histrionic Personality Disorder
Name two physiological changes caused by stress
hypertension
immune suppression
headaches
proposes that the causes of mental disorders focus on maladaptive thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, or emotions.
Cognitive perspective
What type of medication is given to someone with Bipolar Disorder to treat positive symptoms?
lithium
Lawrence, 57-year-old husband and father of two, left the garage near his office in Atlanta and disappeared. Six months later he was found living under a new name in a homeless shelter in Chicago, not knowing who he was or where he came from.
Dissociative Amnesia
Gary grew up in a family where he often had to “fend for himself” and got into trouble at a young age. While he was a bright child, he did not perform well in school because it “just didn’t matter to him.” He was sent to a juvenile correctional facility in high school after being caught stealing and using illegal drugs. As a young adult he was sentenced to the state penitentiary for assaulting two women. He does not see anything wrong with his behavior.
Antisocial Personality Disorder
theory that proposes that some people react to stress by tending to
their own needs and/or the needs of others and seeking connection with others.
Tend and Befriend Theory
proposes that the causes of mental disorders focus on a lack of social support and being unable to fulfill one’s potential.
humanistic perspective
form of psychosurgery that was popular in the mid-20th century but is rarely, if ever, performed today.
Involves inserting metal rod to one's brain
Lobotomy
Tori is unemployed & afraid to leave her house. She has only left her house once in the past year. Her fear of leaving the house started about a year ago when she was in the supermarket and suddenly experienced a feeling of sheer terror. She felt like she was totally out of control and might die. She had two subsequent attacks, both when she was out of her house, and since then she has been afraid to go out.
Agoraphobia
Ana has a lot of difficulty making everyday decisions, such as what meal to order or what shirt to wear, without excessive amounts of advice or reassurance from others. She is extremely passive and allows other people, such as her husband, to take the initiative and assume responsibility for major areas in her life.
Dependent Personality Disorder
Describe the General Adaptation Syndrome and its three phases
Process of experiencing stress
alarm - resistance - exhaustion
assumes that psychological disorders develop due to a genetic vulnerability in combination with stressful life experiences.
diathesis-stress model
unconscious or involuntary movements that happen because of long-term antipsychotic use due to to an excess of dopamine in the synapse
tardive dyskinesia
Myrtle is a 35 year old woman who comes to your office complaining of memory lapses. She has periods during the week where she cannot remember what she has done. However, she occasionally meets people who claim to have met her during these periods. Recently, a man called her home and asked to speak to "Jill" and claimed that he had met her at a singles bar. Myrtle has no recollection of having visited that bar.
Dissociative Identity Disorder
Throughout childhood Jordan was easily upset & displayed severe separation anxiety. She at times would have a close friend at school, but some conflict seemed to always arise & the friendship would end. She seemed highly insecure with herself & in relationships. When questioned about her self-destructive behaviors, she says it’s the only thing that makes her feel better.
Borderline Personality Disorder