br/><br/>PSYC-3004-1,Psychological Disorders<br/><br/><br/><br/>Learning

Resources
Please read and view (where applicable) the following Learning Resources before you complete this week’s assignments.
Readings

-Comer, R. J. (2015). Abnormal psychology (9th ed.). New York, NY: Worth.

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-Review Chapter 1, “Abnormal Psychology: Past and Present”
-Chapter 5, “Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive, and Related Disorders”
-Chapter 6, “Disorders of Trauma and Stress” (pp.177-196)
-Chapter 8, “Treatments for Depressive and Bipolar Disorders”

-Andrew, L. B. (2012). Epidemiology of depression and suicide. Retrieved fromhttp://emedicine.medscape.com/article/805459-overview#aw2aab6b4

To access this article, students must fill out a free registration to the Medscape website. This article provides epidemiology statistics and age-related demographics for depression and suicide, including the FDA analysis referenced in the assignment introduction.

-Busch, S. H., &amp; Barry, C. L. (2009). Pediatric antidepressant use after the black-box warning. Health Affairs, 28(3), 724–733.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

-Bridge, J. A., Iyengar, S., Salary, C. B., Barbe, R. P., Birmaher, B., Pincus, H. A.,… Brent, D. (2007). Clinical response and risk for reported suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in pediatric antidepressant treatment: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of the American Medical Association, 297(15), 1683–1696.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
-Chrisman, A., Egger, H., Compton, S. N., Curry, J., &amp; Goldston, D. B. (2006). Assessment of childhood depression.Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 11(2), 111–116. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.Media

-MacNeil/Lehrer Productions (Producer). (2004, May 28).Adolescent patients caught between suicide and anitidepressants (sic)[Video file]. Retrieved fromhttp://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health-jan-june04-dep_05-28/

This link includes aPBS NewsHoursegment on the risk of suicide in adolescents who are taking antidepressant medications.Optional Resources

-Harvard Health Publications. (2013).Exercise and depression. Retrieved fromhttp://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Exercise-and-Depression-report-excerpt.htmThis Harvard Health Publications link details some recent research about a specific behavioral intervention for combating depression—exercise. As described in the link, exercise may have direct biological effects as well as indirect cognitive effects for individuals with depression.
-National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.)Anxiety disorders. Retrieved December 2, 2013, fromhttp://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/index.shtml

This is the NIMH website section on anxiety disorders. It includes excellent basic information on the anxiety disorders reviewed in this course.
-National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.)Depression. Retrieved December 2, 2013, fromhttp://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml

This section of the NIMH website parallels the section on anxiety disorders listed above. Again, it contains excellent and up-to-date basic information about the disorder, this time covering depression.
-No forgetting:Veterans and post-traumatic stress disorder[Video file]. Retrieved fromhttp://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health-jan-june04-ptsd_01-15/This is a link to aPBS NewsHoursegment on PTSD regarding soldiers returning from Iraq.With these Learning Resources in mind, please proceed to the Discussion.

Discussion – Week 3COLLAPSE
PTSD: A Unique Diagnosis

One of the stress disorders that you read about this week is known as posttraumatic stress disorder or PTSD. PTSD is unique among DSM-5 disorders because it includes etiology (the causes of the disorder) in the diagnosis. That is, the disorder, PTSD, is a reaction to a traumatic experience. In most cases, PTSD symptoms, such as reexperiencing the traumatic event, avoiding stimuli associated with the trauma, and autonomic nervous system (ANS) arousal, are understandable. Given this, the question posed in this week’s Discussion concerns whether PTSD should be considered “abnormal.”

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Review the section entitled “The Psychological Stress Disorders: Acute and Posttraumatic Stress Disorders” in Chapter 6 of your course text, as well as the video program, “One Man’s Return from Combat,” on theAbnormal Psychology PsychPortal site.

• Review the beginning of Chapter 1 in the textbook, paying particularly close attention to the section entitled “What Is Psychological Abnormality?”

• Focus your thinking on “the four D’s” model for defining abnormality: deviance, distress, dysfunction, and danger.

• In light of this model for defining “abnormal,” consider whether you think the symptoms associated with PTSD should be considered abnormal.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 your thoughts about the degree to which PTSD can be considered abnormal if it is an understandable reaction to external events. Be sure to consider in your response the discusion about the “the four D’s” from the first week of the course in determining whether or not it makes sense to consider PTSD abnormal and a “disorder.” Finally, justify your response with citations from the Learning Resources.

What about the fact that some people exposed to trauma become symptomatic while others exposed to exactly the same traumas do not? Does this mean that there really is something abnormal about those diagnosed with PTSD?

If PTSD were not a disorder, how would people experiencing these symptoms get treatment?

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.