Emotion
State of arousal that is defined by subjunctive states of feeling
Affect
Pattern of observable behaviors that are associated with emotions
Mood
pervasive and sustained emotional response that can color person's perception of the world
clinical syndrome
combination of emotional or cognitive ad behavioral symptoms
depressed mood
includes disappointment and despair
clinical depression
depressed mood accompanied by other symptoms such as fatigue, loss of energy, difficulty in sleeping and changes in appetite
Mania
involves a disturbance in mood that is accompanied by additional symptoms. exaggerated feeling of emotional and physical well being. unusually happy, elated mood
Euphoria
elated mood is opposite emotional state from depressed mood
mood disorders
defined in terms of episodes- discrete periods of time in which a person's behavior is dominated by either a depressed or manic mood
unipolar mood disorder
only experiences episodes of depression
bipolar mood disorder
experiences episodes of mania as well as depression
dysphoric
depressed/unpleasant mood- most common and obvious symptom of depression
somatic symptoms
symptoms related to basinal psychological or bodily functions
psychomotor retardations
features of behavior that may accompany the onset of serious depression
dysthymia
chronic mild depressive condition that has been present for many years
hypomania
episodes of increased energy that are not sufficiently severe to quiff as full-blown mania
cyclothymia
chronic but less severe form of bipolar disorder
melancholia
term used to describe a particularly severe type of depression - loss of pleasure in activities or lose capacity to feel better when something good happens
seasonal affective disorder
onset of episodes regularly associated with changes in seasons
remission
when a person's symptoms are diminished or in a period of recovery
relapse
return of active symptoms in a person who has recovered from a pervious episode
analogue studies
study a condition that is similar to the clinical disorder in question
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
a group of antidepressant drugs that inhibit the reuptake of serotonin into the presynaptic nerve endings and therefore promote neurotransmission in serotoin pathways
tricyclics
a group of antidepressant drugs that block the uptake of neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and dopamine from the synapse
monoamine oxidase inhibitors
a group of antidepressant drugs that inhibit the enzyme monoamine oxidase in the brain and raise the levels of neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin.
agoraphobia
an exaggerated fear of being in situations from which escape might be difficult. literally means "fear of the marketplace" and is sometimes described as fear of public spaces
anxiety
a diffuse emotional reaction that is out of proportion to threats from the environment. Rather than being directed toward the person's present problems, anxiety is typically associated with the anticipation of future problems.
compulsions
A repetitive, ritualistic behavior that is aimed at the reduction of anxiety and distress or the prevention of some dreaded event. Compulsions re considered by the person to be senseless or irrational. The person feels compelled to perform the compulsion;
fear
an unpleasant emotional reaction experienced in the face of real, immediate danger. it builds quickly in intensity and helps to organize the person's responses to threats from the environment.
generalized anxiety disorder
One of the anxiety disorders, which is characterized by excessive and uncontrollable worry about a number of events or activities (such as work or school performance) and associated with symptoms of arousal (such as restlessness, muscle tension, and sleep
obsessions
A repetitive, unwanted, intrusive cognitive event that may take the form of thoughts, images or impulses. Obsessions intrude suddenly into consciousness and lead to an increase in subjective anxiety
panic attack
a sudden, overwhelming experience of terror or fright. While anxiety involves a blend of several negative emotions, panic is more focused
panic disorder
a type of somatoform disorder characterized by preoccupation with pain, and complaints are motivated at least in part by psychological factors
phobias
a persistant and irrational narrowly defined fear that is associated with a specific object
preparedness model
the notion that organisms are biologically prepared, on the basis of neural pathways in their central nervous systems to lear certain types of associations (also know as biological constraints on learning)
social phobia
A type of phobic disorder in which the person is persistently fearful of social situations that might expose him or her to scrutiny by others, such as fear of public speaking
specific phobia
Marked and persistent fear of clearly apparent, circumscribed object or situations, such as snakes, spiders, heights, or small enclosed spaces. Exposure to the stimulus leads to an immediate increase in anxiety, and the phobic stimulus is avoided ( or end
worry
a relatively uncontrollable sequence of negative emotional thoughts and images that are concerned with possible future threats or danger
acute stress disorder
a category of mental disorder in the dsm-IV that is defined as a reaction occurring within four weeks of traumatic event and is characterized by dissociative symptoms, reexperiencing, avoidance, hand marked anxiety or arousal. Contrasts with post traumati
body dysmorphic disorder
a type of somatoform disorder characterized by constant preoccupation with some imagined defect in physical appearance.
conversion disorder
a type of somatoform disorder characterized by physical symptoms the often mimic those found in neurological diseases such as blindness, numbing or paralysis. Often make no anatomic sense
depersonalization disorder
a type of dissociative disorder characterized by severe and persistent feelings of being detached from oneself. for example the repeated and profound sensation of floating above your body and observing yourself act.
disassociation
the separation of mental process such as memory or consciousness that normally are integrated. Normal dissociative experiences include fleeting feelings of unreality and deja vu experiences. extreme dissociative experiences characterize dissociative disor
dissociative amnesia
a type of dissociative disorder characterized by the sudden inability to recall extensive and important personal information. the onset is often sudden and may occur in response to trauma or extreme stress
dissociative disorders
a category of psychological disorders characterized by persistent, maladaptive disruptions in the integration of memory, consciousness, or identify.
dissociative fuge
a rare dissociative disorder characterized by sudden, unplanned travel, the inability to remember details about the past, and confusion identity or the assumption of a new identify. the onset typically follows a traumatic event
dissociative identity disorder
an unusually dissociative disorder characterized by the existence of two or more distinct personalities in a single individual (also known as multiple personality disorder) at least 2 personalities repeatedly take control over the person's behavior and so
factitous disorder
a feigned condition that unlike malingering, is motivated by a desire to assume the sick role, not by a desire for external gain
flashbacks
Rexepereinced memories of past events, particularly as occurs in a post traumatic stress disorder or following the use of hallucinogenic drugs.
hypnosis
an altered state of consciousness during which hypnotized subjects are particularly susceptible to suggestion. May be just a form of relaxation
hypochondriasis
a type of somatoform disorder characterized by a person's preoccupying fear or belief that he or she is suffering from a physical illness
hysteria
an outdated but influential diagnostic category that included both somatoform and dissociative disorders.
iatrogenesis
the creation of a disorder by an attempt to treat it
malingering
pretending to have a psychological disorder in order to achieve some external gain (ex: insurance money or not having to work
multiple personality disorder
an unusually dissociative disorder characterized by the existence of 2 or more distinct personalities in a single individual.
pain disorder
a type of somatoform disorder characterized by preoccupation with pain, and complaints are motivated at least in part by psychological factors
post traumatic stress disorder
a psychological disorder characterized by recurring symptoms of numbing, reexperiencing, and hypersrousal following exposure to a traumatic stressor
retrospective reports
recollections about past events that are often questioned in terms of reliability and validity
secondary gain
the psychoanalytic concept that conversion symptoms can help a patient avoid responsibility or receive attention
somatization disorder
a type of somatoform disorder characterized by multiple somatic complaints in the absence of organic impairments
somatoform disorders
a category or psychological disorders chartered by unusual psychological symptoms that occur in the absence of a known physical pathology.
traumatic stress
a catastrophic event that involves real or perceived threat to life or physical wellbeing.
anhedonia
the inability to experience pleasure. in contrasted to blunted affect, which refers to the lack of outward expression, anhedonia is lack of positive subjective feelings
antipsychotic drugs
various forms of medication that have a beneficial effect on positive symptoms (hallucinations and delusions) of psychosis and psychotic disorders. 1st generation: blocking of dopamine 2nd generation: broader effect on other neurotransmitters
blunted affect
a flattening or restriction of the person's non-verbal display of emotional responses. Blunted patients fail to exhibit signs of emotion or feeling.
brief psychotic disorder
a diagnostic category that includes people who exhibit psychotic symptoms for at least one day but no more than one month. after the symptoms are resolved, the person returns to the same level of functioning that had been achieved prior to the psychotic e
delusion
an obviously false and idiosyncratic belief that is rigidly held in spite of its preposterous nature
delusional disorder
describes people who do not meet the full symptomatic criteria for schizophrenia, but who are preoccupied for at least one month with delusions that are not bizarre.
disorganized speech
severe disruptions of verbal communication, involving the form of the person's speech
expressed emotion
a concept that refers to a collection of negative or intrusive attitudes sometimes displayed by relatives of patients who are being treated for a disorder. If at least one of the patient's relatives is hostile, critical, or emotionally over involved, the
hallucinations
a perpetual expereince in the absence of external stimulation such as hearing voices that aren't really there
negative symptoms of Schizophrenia
include flat or blunted affect, avolition, a logia, and anhedonia
positive symptoms of schizophrenia
include hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, inappropriate affect, and disorganized behavior
prodromal phase
precedes the active phase of schizophrenia and is marked by an obvious deterioration in role function. prodromal signs and symptoms are less dramatic than those seen during the active phase of the disorder
schizoaffective disorder
a disorder defined by a period of disturbance during which the symptoms of schizophrenia partially overlap with a major depressive episode or a manic episode.
schitzophrenia
a type of psychotic disorder characterized by positive and negative symptoms associated with a deterioration in role functioning. The term was originally coined by Eugen Bleuler to describe the splitting of mental associations, which be believed to be the
vulnerability marker
a specific measure, such as a biochemical assay or a psychological test, that might be useful in identifying people who a vulnerable to a disorder such as schizophrenia