14.2 - psychological disorders - concept checks

Max hasn't slept in 4 days. He's determined to write the "great American novel" before his class reunion, which is a few months away. He expounds eloquently on his novel to anyone who will listen, talking at such a rapid pace that no one can get a word in edgewise. He feels like he's wired with energy, and is supremely confident about the novel, even though he's only written 10-20 pages. Last week, he charged $2000 worth of new computer equipment, which is supposed to help him write his book.

Bipolar Disorder, Manic Episode (key symptoms: extravagant plans, hyperactivity, reckless spending)

Boris believes that he's Napoleon reborn. He believes he is destined to lead the US military forces into a great battle to recover California from space aliens.

Deviance

Natasha panics with anxiety whenever she leaves her home. Her problem escalated gradually until she was absent from work so often that she was fired. She hasn't been out of her house in 9 months and is deeply troubled by her problem.

Deviance, Personal Stress, and Maldaptive Behavior

Margaret has hardly gotten out of bed for weeks, although she's troubled by insomnia. She doesn't feel like eating and has absolutely no energy. She feels dejected, discouraged, spiritless, and apathetic. Friends stop by to try to cheer her up, but she tells them not the waste their time on "pond scum."

Major Depression (key symptoms: feelings of despair, low self-esteem, lack of energy)

Alan's performance at work has suffered because he has been drinking alcohol to excess. Several co-workers have suggested he seek help for his problem, but he thinks they're getting alarmed over nothing. "I just enjoy a good time once in a while," he says.

Maldaptive Behavior

Malcolm religiously follows an exact schedule every day. His showering and grooming ritual takes 2 hours. He follows the same path in walking to his classes every day, and he always sits in the same seat in each class. He can't study until his apartment is arranged perfectly. Although he tries not to, he thinks constantly about flunking out of school. Both his grades and his social life are suffering from his rigid routines.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (key symptoms: frequent rituals, obsession with ordering things)

Monica has gone away to college and feels lonely, sad, and dejected. Her grades are fine, and she gets along okay with the other students in her dormitory, but inside she's choked with gloom, hopelessness, and despair.

Personal Stress

Nathan recently returned from a 6-month tour of military duty in Afghanistan, where he saw a close friend die in combat. He keeps reliving the nightmare of seeing his friend die. He reports chronic feelings of anxiety, anger, and emotional numbing.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (key symptoms: enduring disturbance due to exposure to traumatic event, nightmares, emotional numbing)

Eduardo maintains that he invented the atomic bomb, even though he was born after its invention. He says he invented it to punish homosexuals, Nazis, and short people. It's short people he's most afraid of. He's sure that all the short people on TV are talking about him. He thinks short people are conspiring to make him look like a Republican. Eduardo frequently gets in arguments with people and is emotionally volatile. His grooming is poor, but he says it's okay because he's the secretary of state.

Schizophrenia (key symptoms: delusions of persecution and grandeur along with deterioration of adaptive behavior)

Jane has an intense fear of thunderstorms. Lightning and thunder terrify her. If she is home when a thunderstorm hits, she drops everything she is doing and runs to her basement. If she is out and about when a thunderstorm hits, she goes into a panic. She carefully monitors weather predictions to avoid this calamity. Because of her fear of thunderstorms, she often misses work and is worried she may be fired.

Specific Phobia (key symptoms: persistent and irrational fear of thunderstorms, interference with work functioning)