1Abnormal PsychologyWhat does it mean to be insane?Abnormal PsychologyNormal behavior and abnormal behavior are continuous with each other…So I think the best reason for studying abnormal behavior is that we learn to understand ourselves.z George AlbeeOne of the great pleasures of mental health (whatever it is) is how much less time I have to spend thinking about myself.z Susanna KaysenAbnormal PsychologySuicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.z Phil DonahueThough this be madness, yet there’s method in it.z Shakespeare (Hamlet, ii, 2)How come when we talk to God, we’re praying, but when God talks to you, we’re schizophrenic?z Lily TomlinAbnormal PsychologyOne out of four people in this country is mentally imbalanced. Think of your three closest friends – if they seem okay, then you’re the one.z Ann LandersJust because you are paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.z UnknownDefining AbnormalityDeviation from statistical normsDeviation from social normsz Norms: Societal standards for acceptable behaviorMaladaptiveness of behaviorz Adverse effects on the individual or on societyPersonal distressz Subjective feelings of distressWhat is normal?Appropriate perception of realityAbility to exercise voluntary control over behaviorSelf-esteem and acceptanceAbility to form affectionate relationshipsProductivity2Mental disorder: What is it?Example: A person in a restaurant screams out "I don't like my food". z The person becomes more and more agitated. z Finally, the person throws themselves down onto the floor and starts crying. How do you interpret this behavior? z Mental disorder? Yes................... No..................... Mental disorders are extreme cases of behaviors we have all experiencedRole of CultureAmokz Malaysia, Laos, Phillippinesz Brooding, followed by violent behaviorz Persecutory ideasz Amnesiaz ExhaustionAtaque de nerviosz Latin Americaz Uncontrollable shoutingz Crying z TremblingGhost sicknessz American Indiansz Nightmaresz Weaknessz Feelings of dangerz Loss of appetiteKoroz Malaysia, Chinaz Sudden and intense anxiety in the sexual organsz Will recede into the body and cause deathClassifying Abnormal BehaviorsBroad range of behaviorsz Acute, transitoryz Chronic, lifelongNo two individuals behave in exactly the same wayz But general characteristics and patterns can be identifiedDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IVz Functional classification systemz American Psychiatric Associationz Founded on the system established by the World Health OrganizationFive Axes1. Clinical Syndromesz Disorders that involve a deterioration of function.2. Personality Disorders and Mental Retardationz Disorders that persist through lifez personality disorder is a maladaptive, inflexible way of dealing with situations and people.3. General Medical Conditions4. Psychosocial and environmental Problems5. Global Assessment of Functioning Scalez The lower the number, the less likely individual will function without treatment and support.Prevalence of DisordersNearly 1/2 of Americans between 15 - 54 have had a psychiatric disorder.Rates of almost all disorders decline with increasing income and education.People between 25 - 34 have the highest overall rates of mental illness.1/6 of our population suffers from a disorder; only 40 percent ever receive psychiatric care.Prevalence of Disorders: Sex and GeographySexz Women more than men: anxiety and affective disorders.z Men more than women: substance abuse and antisocial disorders.Geographyz Rural Americans just as likely as urbanites to suffer from year-long or lifelong disorders.z Lifelong substance abuse disorders and lifelong anxiety disorders are highest in the Western US.z Lifelong anxiety disorders are highest in the Northeastern US.3Comorbidity of DisordersMental DisordersDisorders first evident in infancy, childhood, or adolescencez Mental retardationz Autismz Attention deficit disorderz Separation anxietyDelirium, dementia, amnesiac, and other cognitive disordersz Functioning of brain is impairedPsychoactive substance abuse disordersz Addictive behaviorSomatoform disordersz Physical disordersz No physiological basisz Psychological factors play a major roleSleep disordersz Chronic insomniaz Excessive sleepinessz Sleep apneaz Sleepwalkingz NarcolepsyMental DisordersSexual disordersz Problems of sexual identityz Transgenderz Problems of sexual performancez Impotencez Sexual aimz Interest in childrenFactitious disordersz Physical or psychological symptoms that are intentionally produced or feignedz MalingeringImpulse control disordersz Kleptomaniaz Pathological gamblingz PyromaniaEating disordersz Anorexiaz BulimiaOther conditions that require clinical attentionz Marital problemsz Parent child difficultiesPerspectives on Mental DisordersPsychoanalytic approachBehavioral perspectiveCognitive perspectivePerspectives on Mental DisordersEvolutionary Perspective3 Sources of Psychological Disordersz Mechanism functioning normally, but has negative consequencesz Mismatch between ancestral and current environmentsz Brain malfunctionAnxiety DisordersHazel was walking down a street near her home one day when she suddenly felt flooded with intense and frightening physical symptoms. Her whole body tightened up, she began sweating and her heart was racing, she felt dizzy and disoriented.She thought, “I must be having a heart attack! I can’t stand this! Something terrible is happening! I’m going to die.” Hazel just stood frozen in the middle of the street until an onlooker stopped to help her.4AnxietyPhysiological/somatic symptomsz Heart racingz Perspirationz Tense musclesCognitive Symptomsz Often exaggerated beliefsBehavioral Symptomsz FreezingEmotional Symptomsz Sense of dread and terrorAnxiety DisordersGeneralized Anxiety Disorderz Constant sense of tension and dreadz Inability to relaxz Disturbed sleepz Fatiguez Headachesz Dizzinessz Rapid heart ratePanic Disordersz Panic attacksz Episodes of acute and overwhelming apprehension or terrorz Agoraphobiaz Fear any place where they might be trapped or unable to receive help in an emergencyPanic Disorder and AgoraphobiaGenetic or biological predispositionz Panic disorder runs in familiesz Over-reactive fight or flight responsez Deficiencies in locus coeruleusz May also lack serotonin within the limbic systemz Cognitive/behavioral factorsz Hypervigilancez May pay attention to bodily signalsz Waiting for the “other shoe” to dropz
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