Mental Health & Disorders: Anxiety, Mood, Personality - Resources at Georgia Tech - Prof. , Study notes of Kinesiology

Download Mental Health & Disorders: Anxiety, Mood, Personality - Resources at Georgia Tech - Prof. and more Study notes Kinesiology in PDF only on Docsity! Mental Health & Disorders Chapter 7 Lecture Outline Psychological disorders Anxiety Mood & Personality disorders Bipolar disorder Depression Suicide Suicide Resources at GT Psychological Disorders I Genetic differences Underlie differences in how brain processes information and experiences Learning Life events Psychological Disorders II Anxiety Simple, specific, social phobias Panic disorders Generalized Anxiety disorder (GAD) Obsessive-Compulsive disorders (OCD) Post-Traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) Treatment Anxiety - General Fear: basic and useful emotion Modern use: self-protection, cope Problem: if out of proportion to real danger When is it considered a disorder? Experienced daily Phobias - Treatment  Behavioral techniques  Drugs used for depression  Compounds that work on the biological mechanisms that underlie the brain’s fear control system  Overcoming fear requires learning and formation of a new memory  Amygdala & prefrontal cortex Anxiety - Panic Disorder  Sudden urges of anxiety  Symptoms:  ↑ heartbeat, shortness of breath, loss of physical equilibrium, feeling of losing control  Attacks begin in early 20s  Often accompanied by depression, drug abuse, or alcoholism Anxiety - Generalized Anxiety Disorder Exaggerated worry and tension Little or nothing to provoke it Physical symptoms Fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, trembling, irritability, sweating Unable to relax Can be debilitating > 6 months worrying excessively about a number of everyday problems Treatment for OCD: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Anxiety - Post-traumatic Stress Disorder I Definition  intense physical & emotional response to thoughts & reminders of the event (lasting weeks or months after event) Responses  feelings of fear, grief, depression Physical & behavioral responses  If problems become worse or >3 months – PTSD Symptoms Anxiety - Post-traumatic Stress Disorder II What can you do for Yourself? Know your symptoms are normal Keep to your usual routine Resolve day-to-day conflicts Don’t avoid situations (or people/places) that remind you of the trauma Relax Turn to friends, family for support – talk about your feelings/experiences Recognize you cannot control everything Recognize the need for trained help Mania & Bipolar Disorder Mania Restless, a lot of energy, need little sleep, talk non-stop Bipolar Disorder Treatment Lithium Enhance release of serotonin Bipolar Disorder: Abnormalities in Brain Areas that Govern Emotions Amygdala & hippocampus  Smaller  Suggests brain changes are an early feature of disease Orbitofrontal cortex & anterior cingulate  Abnormal brain activity Depression Occurs in people of all ages and social classes  Incidence Associated with high morbidity  Leading cause of suicide 10% - 15% 30x higher than in the normal population Cause  Biological, psychological, environmental, or combination  Stroke, hormonal disorders, anti- hypertensives, birth control pills Suicide Occurrence 30,622 people in 2001 (CDC) In 2002, 132,353 individuals were hospitalized (CDC) Groups at risk Males 8th leading cause of death for all US men Females Attempt suicide 3x more often than men Youth 3rd leading cause of death between ages 15 to 24 Suicide Risk Factors  Previous suicide attempt(s)  History of mental disorders (depression)  Alcohol and substance abuse  Family history of suicide  Impulsive or aggressive tendencies  Readily available means (guns or pills)  Physical illness  Isolation  Hopelessness  ↓ levels of serotonin in patients with depression, impulsive disorders, post-mortem brains of suicide victims Suicide: Protective Factors Effective clinical care Family and community support Skills in problem solving, conflict resolution, nonviolent handling of disputes More info on suicide, and what to do if someone tells you they are thinking about suicide http://www.nimh.nih.gov/SuicidePrevention/suicidefaq.cfm