Unit 3: Psychological Disorders Study Guide

Section 1:
Psychological Disorders – behavior patterns or mental processes that cause serious personal
suffering or interfere with a person’s ability to cope with every day. 6 general categories of disorders.
Anxiety – generalized state or dread or uneasiness that occurs in response to a vague or imagined
danger. A normal human emotion that everyone experiences at times. Can interfere with a person’s
ability to lead a normal life.
Phobias – Strong unreasonable fear of a specific object or situation. (Irrational fear) Person usually
realizes the fear is irrational.
Panic Disorder – people have recurring and unexpected panic attacks.
Panic Attack – relatively short period of intense fear or discomfort.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder – Excessive or unrealistic worry about life circumstances that lasts for
at least 6 months.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder – Constant unpleasant thoughts or images which causes an
overwhelming need to repeat certain acts over and over again. If a pattern is broken it causes
extreme anxiety.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder – Often have lasting and frightening thoughts and memories of an
event and tend to be emotionally numb. Events can be war, natural disaster, unexpected death of a
loved one, or other accidents.
Mood Disorders – When your mood is inappropriate or inconsistent with the situation to which you
are responding. 2 categories – Depression or Bipolar Disorder.
Depression – feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, worthlessness, guilt and sadness
Bipolar Disorder – cycle of mood changes from depression to wild elation and back again.
Categorized by periods of mania that changes into depression quickly and for no apparent reason
Major Depression – most common of all psychological disorders
Postpartum Depression – follows giving birth. Feeling of hopelessness and inadequacy in childcare
skills.
Mania – extreme excitement

Section 2:
Dissociation – separation of certain personality components or mental processes from conscious
thought
Dissociative Amnesia – characterized by a sudden loss of memory following a traumatic event
Dissociative Fugue – characterized by not only forgetting personal information/past events, but also
accompanied by suddenly relocating to a different city/state/country
Depersonalization Disorder – feelings of detachment from one’s mental processes or body
Dissociative Identity Disorder – also known as “multiple personality” and is extremely rare and
controversial. A person has at least 2 different and consistent identities that alternatively control a
person’s behavior. Different people are created inside of one person, and they are usually aware of
each other. Conflict happens by trying to satisfy each “identity.” This disorder is usually brought
about by a traumatic event or abuse as a child.
Conversion Disorder – experience a change in or loss of physical functioning in a major part of the
body for which there is no known medical explanation
Hypochondriasis – person’s unrealistic preoccupation with thoughts that he or she has a serious
illness.
Somatoform Disorders – expression of psychological distress through physical symptoms. People do
not intentionally fake their illnesses.

Section 3:
Schizophrenia – the most serious psychological disorder, causes thought disruption and a decreased
ability to function normally. Loss of contact with reality, hallucinations (usually auditory), delusions,
individuals may believe they are historical figures, famous celebrities, or on secret mission, may
repeat words, or speak in illogical ways. Around 2.4 million people are affected by this in the U.S.
Catatonic Stupor – immobile, expressionless, coma-like state.
Paranoid Schizophrenia – delusions or frequent auditory hallucinations, all relating to a single theme.
Delusions of grandeur, persecution, or jealousy. May be convinced that people are plotting against
them.
Disorganized Schizophrenia – Incoherent in their thought, speech and disorganized in their behavior.
Also emotionless or show inappropriate emotions. Neglect appearance, hygiene, may lose control of
their bladders/bowels
Catatonic Schizophrenia – disturbance of movement. May hold unusual, uncomfortable poses for
hours, exhibit flexibility in which they mold into strange poses for hours.
David Berkowitz (who is he? What did he suffer from?)
Son of Sam, from 1976-1977 killed 6 people. Told the police that the neighbor’s dog told him
to do it. Paranoid schizophrenic.
Ed Gein (who is he? What did he suffer from?)
Killed two women in 1957, dug up numerous graves of middle aged women who resembled
his mother. Tried to create a woman suit made of skin. Created masks out of human faces.
Police found baskets, leggings, belt, lampshades made of human skin, skulls on bedposts.
Paranoid schizophrenic.
Richard Chase (who is he? What did he suffer from?)
Killed 6 people in Northern California and drank their blood. Involuntarily committed to
mental institution in 1975 for paranoid schizophrenia, released in 1976. Often drank blood
of rabbits, cows, dogs, etc.
Albert Fish (who is he? What did he suffer from?)
Child rapist and cannibal. During the early 1900s he claimed to have raped and murdered
100s of children, although 3 were found. Told police God told him to do it. Paranoid
schizophrenic.
John Hinckley Jr (who is he? What did he suffer from?)
Tried to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in order to impress Jodie Foster. Paranoid
schizophrenic.
Ed Kemper (who is he? What did he suffer from?)
Ed Kemper killed 10 people in California. Called the Co-Ed Killer. One of the most studied
and interviewed serial killer. When he was 15 he killed his grandparents and was
committed to a state hospital. He was very intelligent, with an IQ measured at 145. He was
very large, at 6’9” and weighed over 250 pounds. He convinces psychiatrists he is
rehabilitated and is released on parole when he’s 21. Tries to become a State Trooper.
Horrible relationship with his mother, she was verbally abusive. Starts killing again and
targets young women hitch hikers and kills 6 of them. He would rape and kill them and then
decapitate them. Kills his mother and her friend then calls the police to turn himself in.

Section 4:
Personality Disorders – patterns of inflexible traits that disrupt social life/work and may distress the
individual.
Difference of personality vs. psych disorders – depression/phobias/etc. are experienced in episodes.
Personality disorders are consistent, major components of an individual that are constant.
Antisocial PD – persistent behavior pattern of disregard for, and violation of the rights of others.
They do not feel remorse.
Borderline PD – instability of mood, chaotic personal relationships, disturbed sense of self.
Histrionic PD – overly emotional/dramatic and seek constant attention. Being easily influenced by
others, inability to cope with failure.
Narcissistic PD – believe they deserve excessive admiration. May be preoccupied with fantasies of
their own power, success, intelligence, beauty, etc.
Avoidant PD – desire relationships with other people, but fear the disapproval of others, thus they act
withdrawn in society.
Obsessive Compulsive PD – inflexibility and fixation on rules, orderliness, procedures. Anxious about
time, relationships, money. Do not perform meaningless rituals exhibited with Obsessive Compulsive
Disorders.
Jeffrey Dahmer (who is he? What did he suffer from?)
Diagnosed with borderline and schizotypal personality disorder. He killed and raped 17 men
and boys from 1978-1991.
John Wayne Gacy (who is he? What did he suffer from?)
Diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder. Raped and killed 33 teenage boys and young
men from 1972-1978. Known as the “Killer Clown”. Lived in Waterloo, Iowa from 1967-
1970. 26 bodies were buried under the crawl space of his home, 3 in the back yard, and 4
discarded in the Des Plaines River.
Ted Bundy (who is he? What did he suffer from?)
Diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder. Killed and raped at least 30 young women
from 1970-1978. Count could be much higher. Would perform sexual acts with the
decomposing bodies. Decapitated at least 12 of his victims. Escaped from police custody/jail
twice and continued killing.