The MASTER Disorder Document: AP Psychology

2015
Anxiety Disorders
Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Description of Symptoms

Best Treatment Options

Persistent and excessive anxiety,

autonomic arousal, or worry that
lasts at least six months

Social Anxiety Disorder

(formerly known as Social
Phobia)

Specific Phobia

Panic Disorder

Obsessive-Compulsive and
Related Disorders

Obsessive-compulsive
Disorder

Hoarding Disorder

Intense anxiety when exposed to

certain kinds of social situations.
As a result, the person often
avoids these types of situations.

Intense anxiety when exposed to

a particular object or situation. The
person often avoids the feared
object or situation because of a
desire to escape the anxiety linked
to it.

Recurrent, unexpected panic

attacks, which cause worry or
anxiety. During a panic attack, a
person has symptoms such as
heart palpitations, sweating,
trembling, dizziness, chest pain,
and fear of losing control, going
crazy, or dying. Panic attacks
often trigger phobias.

Description of
Symptoms

Exposure Therapy
Cognitive-Behavioral
Therapy
Medication (Anti
Anxiety; Antidepressants)
Exposure Therapy
Cognitive-Behavioral
Therapy
Medication (Anti
Anxiety; Antidepressants)
Exposure Therapy
Cognitive-Behavioral
Therapy
Medication (Anti
Anxiety; Antidepressants)
Exposure Therapy
Cognitive-Behavioral
Therapy
Medication (Anti
Anxiety; Antidepressants)

Best Treatment Options

Obsessions, compulsions, or
both. Obsessions are ideas,
thoughts, impulses, or images
that are persistent and cause
anxiety or distress, thoughts that
are inappropriate but
uncontrollable. Compulsions are
repetitive behaviors that help to
prevent or relieve anxiety.

Persistent difficulty discarding

or parting w/ possessions,
regardless of their actual
value due to a perceived need
to save the items and distress
associated with discarding

Exposure Therapy
Cognitive-Behavioral
Therapy
Medication (Anti Anxiety;
Anti-depressants)

Cognitive Behavioral
Therapy
Medication (Antidepressant SSRIs)

them

Body Dysmorphic Disorder

BDD is a body-image disorder

characterized by persistent and
intrusive preoccupations with an
imagined or slight defect in one's
appearance.

Trauma and Stressor Related

Disorders

Description of
Symptoms

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

(PTSD)

A person with this disorder reexperiences a highly traumatic

event and avoids stimuli
associated with the trauma.
Symptoms include increased
arousal such as insomnia,
irritability, difficulty
concentrating, hypervigilance, or
exaggerated startle response.

Psychotherapy, Group/Family
Medication (SSRI)

Best Treatment Options

Anti-Anxiety Meds
Psychotherapy

Dissociative Disorders

Description of
Symptoms

Best Treatment Options

Dissociative Identity
Disorder (DID)

A lack of connection in a
person's thoughts, memories,
feelings, actions, or sense of
identity. Thought to stem from
trauma. Dissociating is coping
mechanism; the person
dissociates himself from a
situation or experience that's too
violent, traumatic, or painful to
assimilate with his conscious
self.
Person blocks out certain
information, usually associated
with a stressful or traumatic
event, leaving him or her unable
to remember important personal
information. With this disorder,
the degree of memory loss goes
beyond normal forgetfulness and
includes gaps in memory for long
periods of time or of memories
involving the traumatic event.

Talk therapy or
Psychotherapy, Medications,
Hypnotherapy, and Adjunctive
therapies such as art or movement
therapy.

Depressive Disorders

Description of
Symptoms

Best Treatment Options

Major Depression

Clinical depression is marked by

a depressed mood most of the

Dissociative Amnesia

Psychotherapy
Cognitive therapy
Family therapy
Creative therapies (art
therapy, music therapy)
Clinical hypnosis

Psychotherapy
Anti-depressants

Persistent Depressive
Disorder (Dysthymic
Disorder)

day, particularly in the morning,

and a loss of interest in normal
activities and relationships -symptoms that are present every
day for at least 2 weeks.
Dysthymia is a psychological
disorder characterized by a
chronic but mild depressive state
that has been present in an
individual for more than 2 years.

ECT (severe cases)

Psychotherapy (talk
therapy), medications such as
antidepressants, or a combination of
these therapies.

NOTE: Seasonal Affective

Disorder is now Major
Depression or Persistent
Depressive Disorder WITH
SEASONAL PATTERN

NOTE: Postpartum Depression

is now Major Depression or
Persistent Depressive
Disorder WITH PERIPARTUM
ONSET

Bipolar and Related

Disorders

Description of
Symptoms

Best Treatment Options

Bipolar I

Bipolar I is the classic

diagnosis of this disorder.
Patients experience periods of
extreme inflated mood (manic
episodes) followed by
depressive episodes.
Bipolar II does not have as
intense highs-called
hypomanic rather than manic
episodes; includes depressive
episodes.
Moods swing between short
periods of
mild depression and
hypomania, an elevated
mood. The low and high mood
swings never reach the
severity of major
depression or mania.
Cyclothymia is "bipolar-like.

Mood stabilizing drug and

psychotherapy. Although drug
treatment is primary, ongoing
psychotherapy is important.

Description of
Symptoms

Best Treatment Options

This spectrum (range of

behavior) includes 2 or more
of the following symptoms for
at least 1 month:
Delusions
Hallucinations
Disorganized thinking

For all Schizophrenias:

1. Antipsychotic
Medications (such as
Thorazine or Clozapine)
until psychotic episodes
end, then:
2. Individual
Psychotherapy

Bipolar II

Cyclothymic Disorder

Schizophrenia
Spectrum
Schizophrenia

See above. Mood stabilizing

drugs and counseling to level
mood out over time.

Cyclothymia frequently goes

undiagnosed and untreated. Most
dont seek treatment.

and speech
Abnormal motor
behavior (including
catatonia
Negative Symptoms

3. Rehabilitation
(occupational therapy)
4. Family Education
5. Self-help groups

Personality Disorders

Description of Symptoms

Best Treatment Options

Cluster A is called the Odd,

Eccentric Cluster

Cluster B is the dramatic,

emotional, erratic cluster
The 4 below are the best
known personality
disorders-Cluster B

Cluster C is called the anxious,

fearful cluster.

Antisocial Personality
Disorder

Antisocial behavior; little concern

for the rights of others or the law.
Behavior patterns include
excessive drinking, fighting and
irresponsibility. Long lasting
manipulative exploitive actions.
People with these disorders have
intense, unstable emotions and a
distorted self-image. Further
characterized by an abnormal
love of self, an exaggerated
sense of superiority and
importance, and a preoccupation
with success and power.

Frequently untreated. When

treated, long-term
psychotherapy or CBT can be
effective at change attitudes
and behavior

Narcissistic Personality
Disorder

Borderline Personality
Disorder

Histrionic Personality
Disorder

Borderline personality disorder

(BPD) is a complex mental
health condition that causes
emotional instability, relationship
problems, a low sense of selfworth, and fear of abandonment.
Other common symptoms include
Intense problems managing
anger and recurring self-harming
or suicidal behaviors.
Needs to be the center of
attention; is easily influenced by
others. Suicidal threats or
gestures used to seek attention.
Inappropriate sexual, seductive
behavior is common. Shifting,
shallow emotions and perception
that relationships are closer than
they are in reality. Relationships
are unstable and unfulfilling.
Marital affairs are common.

Neurodevelopmental
Disorders

Description of
Symptoms

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Persistent deficits in

Frequently untreated; Longterm psychotherapy can

change attitudes and
treatment of others.

There is no cure for borderline

personality disorder. But
symptoms are often treated with
counseling and medicines such as
antidepressants or mood
stabilizers. Most people who are
treated for borderline personality
disorder do get better over time.

Medicines are not very helpful in

treating this disorder. But
professional counseling might
help reduce the intensity of
symptoms.

Best Treatment Options

Depends greatly upon

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity

Disorder (ADHD)

communication and social

interaction; restricted,
repetitive patterns of behavior
or interests causing clinically
significant impairment in
functioning.
Persistent pattern of
inattention and/or
hyperactivity/impulsivity that
interferes with functioning or
development; clear evidence
that the symptoms interfere
with social, academic or
occupational function.

intensity of symptoms
Behavioral
management and
training common
Speech or physical
therapy
Medications such as
Adderall or Ritalin.
Several different
classes of meds.
Behavioral or Cognitive
behavioral therapy

Substance-Related and
Addictive Disorders

Description of
Symptoms

Best Treatment Options

Many different examples,

such as Alcoholism, here.
Very common in the U.S.

Broad range of destructive

behaviors linked to abuse
and/or addiction to
substances and/or activities
such as: Alcohol, Caffeine,
Cannabis, etc.

Many varied options ranging

from support groups (A.A.) to
medication that reduces
withdrawal (methadone).

Somatic Symptom and

Related Disorders

Description of
Symptoms

Best Treatment Options

Conversion Disorder

Severe emotional conflicts are

converted into physical
symptoms or a physical
disability; aused by anxiety or
emotional distress but not by
physical causes
Preoccupation with having or
acquiring a serious illness;
mild somatic symptoms.

Illness Anxiety Disorder,

Somatic Symptom Disorder
(formerly known as
Hypochondriasis)

Sources: WebMD, Mayo Clinic, and DSM 5.

Psychotherapy
Physical Therapy
Treating related stress
and other conditions
TMS
Supportive Care
Psychotherapy
Medications (AntiAnxiety or Antidepressants)