PSY 180 – Psychological Disorders
Based on the symptoms, choose the disorder that is the most likely diagnosis.
a. Obsessive compulsive disorder g. Dissociative amnesia
b. Simple phobia h. Dissociative fugue
c. Social phobia i. Dissociative identity disorder
d. Agoraphobia j. Hypochondriasis
e. Major depression k. Conversion disorder
f. Bipolar disorder l. Schizophrenia
__f__ 1. Max hasn’t slept in four days. He’s determined to write the “great American novel” before his high school class
reunion next month. He talks endlessly about his novel to anyone who will listen and at such a rapid pace that
nobody can get a word in. He feels like he’s wired with energy and is supremely confident about getting a
publisher even though he’s only written 20 pages. He’s also charged $8,000 worth of computer hardware and
software that’s supposed to help him write his book. This is quite a change in behavior for him from last month,
when he spent most of his time shut up in his room feeling useless and incompetent and sleeping all day.
__l__ 2. Maurice maintains that he invented the atomic bomb, even though he was born long after its invention. He says
he invented it to punish short people, of whom he’s very afraid. He’s sure that all the short people on TV are
talking about him and are conspiring to make him look like a monkey. His grooming is poor, but he says that’s
okay because he’s the Secretary of State.
__a__ 3. Luellen carefully follows a set schedule every day. She follows the same path to her college classes every day
and carefully avoids stepping on any cracks in the pavement. She can’t study until her apartment is arranged
perfectly, with everything in neat rows or stacks that are multiples of three. If anything is out of place, she
becomes extremely anxious and panicky. Although she tries not to, she constantly thinks about flunking out of
school.
__k__ 4. Nathan owns a small restaurant that’s in deep financial trouble. He dreads facing the possibility that his business
will fail. One day, he suddenly loses all feeling in his right arm and the ability to control the arm. He’s
hospitalized for this condition, but physicians can’t find any organic cause for his arm trouble.
__e__ 5. 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 to waste their time on “pond scum.”
__c__ 6. Cordell’s boss has asked him to give a short speech at the company picnic in two weeks and Cordell is panic-
stricken. Whenever he has to speak in public whether it’s in front of a large group or only a few people, he
becomes so terrified that his heart pounds, he gets short of breath, he feels dizzy, his mouth gets dry, and he is
unable to utter more than a few words. He usually ends up making an excuse to get out of public speaking.
__d__ 7. Phyllis 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 does all her shopping on the internet and hasn’t been out of
her house in nine months.
__h__ 8. Carmine lives in Chicago, but this morning he woke up in a hotel in Los Angeles. He doesn’t remember how he
got there or why. In fact, he doesn’t remember who he is or where he really lives. He has a wife and three
children back in Chicago, but he doesn’t remember being married. He can, however, still remember how to
drive and play the piano.
__l__ 9. Henry believes that he is Napoleon Bonaparte reborn and that his destiny is to lead the U.S. military forces into
a great battle to recover California from aliens. At times, he becomes very agitated and angry and paces
aimlessly. At other times, however, he withdraws into a stupor in which he will sit in the same position for
hours without moving and behaves as if he doesn’t see or hear the people around him.
