Key Terms
Psychological disorder
An ongoing dysfunctional pattern of thought, emotion, and behavior that causes significant distress and is considered de
Comorbidity
Having more than one disorder at the same time.
ADHD
Developmental behavior disorder characterized by problems with focus, difficulty maintaining attention, and inability to
Autistic disorder
Disorder of neural development; impaired social interaction, impaired communication, restricted and repetitive behavior;
Anxiety
Nervousness or agitation, often about something upcoming. Normal and useful in appropriate amounts; becomes a disorder w
Definition
Pervasive pattern of violating others' rights beginning in childhood or early adolescence; disregard for others without
Physical symptoms
Irritability, sleep trouble, difficulty concentrating, muscle aches, trembling, perspiration, hot flashes.
Key feature
Sufferers know the rituals are senseless but cannot stop because the relief they feel after performing them reinforces t
Symptoms during an attack
Shortness of breath, heart palpitations, trembling, dizziness, choking sensations, nausea, intense dread or impending do
Core symptoms
High anxiety, flashbacks (reexperiencing trauma), strong desire to avoid reminders of the event; may also include loss o
Dissociative amnesia
Extensive but selective memory loss with no physiological explanation. Personal information (name, age, occupation, fami
Dissociative fugue
All symptoms of dissociative amnesia PLUS the person leaves the situation entirely; may assume a new identity far from h
Dissociative identity disorder (DID)
Two or more distinct personalities exist in the same person; extreme memory disruption regarding information about the o
Mood
The positive or negative feelings in the background of everyday experience. Mood disorders: psychological disorders wher
Behavioral symptoms include
Appetite changes, fatigue, hopelessness, difficulty concentrating, irritability, loss of interest in hobbies, sleep prob