Poligratis III, Jose A.

III-9 BS-Psychology
Emotional Behavioral Disorder
Bipolar Disorder
Definition:
Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes
unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day
tasks. Symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe. They are different from the normal ups
and downs that everyone goes through from time to time. Bipolar disorder symptoms
can result in damaged relationships, poor job or school performance, and even suicide.
But bipolar disorder can be treated, and people with this illness can lead full and
productive lives.
Source: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml

Causes:
Genetic factors in Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder tends to be familial, meaning that it runs in families. About half
the people with bipolar disorder have a family member with a mood disorder,
such as depression.
A person who has one parent with bipolar disorder has a 15 to 25 percent
chance of having the condition.
A person who has a non-identical twin with the illness has a 25 percent chance of
illness, the same risk as if both parents have bipolar disorder.
A person who has an identical twin (having exactly the same genetic material)
with bipolar disorder has an even greater risk of developing the illness about an
eightfold greater risk than a nonidentical twin.
Studies of adopted twins (where a child whose biological parent had the illness is
raised in an adoptive family untouched by the illness) has helped researchers
learn more about the genetic causes vs. environmental and life events causes.
Neurochemical Factors in Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is primarily a biological disorder that occurs in a specific area of the
brain and is due to the dysfunction of certain neurotransmitters, or chemical
messengers, in the brain. These chemicals may involve neurotransmitters like
norepinephrine, serotoninand probably many others. As a biological disorder, it may lie
dormant and be activated on its own or it may be triggered by external factors such as
psychological stress and social circumstances.

Environmental Factors in Bipolar Disorder
A life event may trigger a mood episode in a person with a genetic disposition for
bipolar disorder.
Even without clear genetic factors, altered health habits, alcohol or drug abuse,
or hormonal problems can trigger an episode.
Among those at risk for the illness, bipolar disorder is appearing at increasingly
early ages. This apparent increase in earlier occurrences may be due to
underdiagnosis of the disorder in the past. This change in the age of onset may
be a result of social and environmental factors that are not yet understood.
Although substance abuse is not considered a cause of bipolar disorder, it can
worsen the illness by interfering with recovery. Use of alcohol or tranquilizers
may induce a more severe depressive phase.
Source: http://psychcentral.com/lib/the-causes-of-bipolar-disorder-manic-
depression/000912

Famous Person with Bipolar Disorder:
Demi Lovato
It wasnt until she entered a treatment center for her
struggles with anorexia, bulimia, and cutting that teen pop
star Demi Lovato found out she had bipolar disorder.

"Looking back it makes sense,"she told People of her
diagnosis. "There were times when I was so manic, I was
writing seven songs in one night and I'd be up until 5:30 in
the morning."

The Disney darling has since completed treatment and will
continue to see doctors at home in L.A., but says, "I feel like I am in control now."
Source: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20307117_1,00.html






Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Definition:
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a group of behavioural symptoms that
include inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness.
Common symptoms of ADHD include:
a short attention span or being easily distracted
restlessness, constant fidgeting or overactivity
being impulsive
ADHD can occur in people of any intellectual ability, although it is more common in
people with learning difficulties. People with ADHD may also have additional problems,
such as sleep and anxiety disorders.
Symptoms of ADHD tend to be first noticed at an early age, and may become more
noticeable when a child's circumstances change, such as when they start school. Most
cases are diagnosed in children between the ages of 6 and 12.
The symptoms of ADHD usually improve with age, but many adults who are diagnosed
with the condition at a young age will continue to experience problems.
Source: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-
disorder/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Causes:
Possible causes of ADHD include:

Genes
ADHD has a strong genetic basis in the majority of cases, as a child with ADHD is four
times as likely to have had a relative who was also diagnosed with attention deficit
disorder. At the moment, researchers are investigating many different genes,
particularly ones involved with the brain chemical dopamine. People with ADHD seem
to have lower levels of dopamine in the brain.
Children with ADHD who carry a particular version of a certain gene have thinner brain
tissue in the areas of the brain associated with attention. Research into this gene has
showed that the difference are not permanent, however. As children with this gene grow
up, their brains developed to a normal level of thickness and most ADHD
symptoms subsided.

Nutrition and Food
Certain components of the diet, including food additives and sugar, can have clear
effects on behavior. Some experts believe that food additives may exacerbate ADHD.
And a popular belief is that refined sugar may be to blame for a range of abnormal
behaviors.
However, the belief that sugar is one of the primary causes of attention deficit disorder
does not have strong support in the research data. While some older studies did
suggest a link, more recent research does not show a link between ADHD and sugar.
While the jury is still out on whether sugar can contribute to ADHD symptoms, most
experts now believe that the link is not a strong one. Simply removing sugar from a
childs diet is unlikely to significantly impact their ADHD behavior.
Some studies also suggest that a lack of omega-3 fatty acids is linked to ADHD
symptoms. These fats are important for brain development and function, and there is
plenty of evidence suggesting that a deficiency may contribute to developmental
disorders including ADHD. Fish oil supplements appear to alleviate ADHD symptoms, at
least in some children, and may even boost their performance at school.

The Environment
There may be a link between ADHD and maternal smoking. However, women who
suffer from ADHD themselves are more likely to smoke, so a genetic explanation cannot
be ruled out. Nevertheless, nicotine can cause hypoxia (lack of oxygen) in utero.
Lead exposure has also been suggested as a contributor to ADHD. Although paint no
longer contains lead, it is possible that preschool children who live in older buildings
may be exposed to toxic levels of lead from old paint or plumbing that has not been
replaced.

Brain Injury
Brain injury may also be a cause of attention deficit disorder in some very small minority
of children. This can come about following exposure to toxins or physical injury, either
before or after birth. Experts say that head injuries can cause ADHD-like symptoms in
previously unaffected people, perhaps due to frontal lobe damage.

Other Possible Causes
ADHD researchers are currently investigating the frontal lobes of the brain the areas
controlling problem-solving, planning, understanding other peoples behavior, and
restraining our impulses.
The brain is divided into two halves, and the two frontal lobes communicate through a
bundle of nerve fibers called the corpus callosum. These areas, and nearby brain cells,
are being examined by ADHD researchers. Using brain imaging methods, the experts
can get an idea of the location of the psychological deficits of ADHD.
A 2002 study found that children with ADHD had 3-4 percent smaller brain volumes in
all the brain regions measured. But children on ADHD medication had similar brain
volumes to unaffected children, in some of the areas measured.
One big difference was the amount of white matter long-distance connections
between brain regions that normally become stronger as a child grows up. Children with
ADHD who had never taken medication had an abnormally small volume of white
matter.
Source: http://psychcentral.com/lib/causes-of-attention-deficit-disorder-adhd/0001202

Famous Person with ADHD:
Michael Jordan

MJ is perhaps the most polarizing sports figure on the
planet. During his NBA career, he became the greatest of
all time and made basketball what it is today. Oh yeah
and he had ADHD. His success went beyond just sports
to business where he rakes in millions of dollars through
sneakers sales and other investments. He has his hands
in a lot of pots and is always looking for his next move
a common trait to this condition.
Source: http://elitedaily.com/money/10-successful-
people-adhd/


Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Definition:
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by unreasonable thoughts and
fears (obsessions) that lead you to do repetitive behaviors (compulsions). It's also
possible to have only obsessions or only compulsions and still have OCD.

With OCD, you may or may not realize that your obsessions aren't reasonable, and you
may try to ignore them or stop them. But that only increases your distress and anxiety.
Ultimately, you feel driven to perform compulsive acts in an effort to ease your stressful
feelings.

OCD often centers around themes, such as a fear of getting contaminated by germs. To
ease your contamination fears, you may compulsively wash your hands until they're
sore and chapped. Despite efforts to ignore or get rid of bothersome thoughts, the
thoughts or urges keep coming back. This leads to more ritualistic behavior and a
vicious cycle that's characteristic of OCD.

Causes:
Psychological
An evolutionary psychology view is that moderate versions of compulsive behavior may
have had evolutionary advantages. Examples would be moderate constant checking of
hygiene, the hearth, or the environment for enemies. Similarly, hoarding may have had
evolutionary advantages. In this view OCD may be the extreme statistical "tail" of such
behaviors possibly due to a high amount of predisposing genes.
Biological
OCD has been linked to abnormalities with the neurotransmitter serotonin, although it
could be either a cause or an effect of these abnormalities. Serotonin is thought to have
a role in regulating anxiety. To send chemical messages from one neuron to another,
serotonin must bind to the receptor sites located on the neighboring nerve cell. It is
hypothesized that the serotonin receptors of OCD sufferers may be relatively
understimulated. This suggestion is consistent with the observation that many OCD
patients benefit from the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a class
of antidepressant medications that allow for more serotonin to be readily available to
other nerve cells.
A possible genetic mutation may contribute to OCD. A mutation has been found in the
human serotonin transporter gene, hSERT, in unrelated families with OCD. Moreover,
data from identical twins supports the existence of a "heritable factor for neurotic
anxiety". Further, individuals with OCD are more likely to have first-degree family
members exhibiting the same disorders than do matched controls. In cases where OCD
develops during childhood, there is a much stronger familial link in the disorder than
cases in which OCD develops later in adulthood. In general, genetic factors account for
4565% of OCD symptoms in children diagnosed with the disorder. Environmental
factors also play a role in how these anxiety symptoms are expressed; various studies
on this topic are in progress and the presence of a genetic link is not yet definitely
established.

Famous Person with OCD:

Cameron Diaz
Cameron Diaz, star of such films as The Mask and There's
Something About Mary, admitted in a 1997 article that she
suffered from a phobia of germs that caused her to clean the
doorknobs in her house so many times that she faded their paint.
She has since "made her peace" with this phobia, she says. She
even removed stitches from The Daily Show host Jon Stewart's
wrist on camera! Source:
http://www.healthcentral.com/anxiety/cf/slideshows/7#slide=2