Abnormal Psychology Abnormal Psychology Normal 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 What does it mean to be insane Abnormal Psychology Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem z Phil Donahue Though 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 Tomlin Defining Abnormality Deviation from statistical norms Deviation from social norms z Norms Societal standards for acceptable behavior Maladaptiveness of behavior z Adverse effects on the individual or on society George Albee One of the great pleasures of mental health whatever it is is how much less time I have to spend thinking about myself z Susanna Kaysen Abnormal Psychology One 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 Landers Just because you are paranoid doesn t mean they re not out to get you z Unknown What is normal Appropriate perception of reality Ability to exercise voluntary control over behavior Self esteem and acceptance Ability to form affectionate relationships Productivity Personal distress z Subjective feelings of distress 1 Role of Culture Mental disorder What is it Amok Example A person in a restaurant screams out I don t like my food z z z z The person becomes more and more agitated Finally the person throws themselves down onto the floor and starts crying z z z z Mental disorder Yes No Broad range of behaviors z z Acute transitory Chronic lifelong No two individuals behave in exactly the same way z But general characteristics and patterns can be identified Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV z z Functional classification system American Psychiatric Association z Founded on the system established by the World Health Organization Prevalence of Disorders Nearly 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 z z Ghost sickness z American Indians z z z z Uncontrollable shouting Crying Trembling Nightmares Weakness Feelings of danger Loss of appetite Koro z Malaysia China z Latin America z Mental disorders are extreme cases of behaviors we have all experienced Classifying Abnormal Behaviors Brooding followed by violent behavior Persecutory ideas Amnesia Exhaustion Ataque de nervios How do you interpret this behavior z Malaysia Laos Phillippines z Sudden and intense anxiety in the sexual organs Will recede into the body and cause death Five Axes 1 Clinical Syndromes z Disorders that involve a deterioration of function 2 Personality Disorders and Mental Retardation z z Disorders that persist through life personality disorder is a maladaptive inflexible way of dealing with situations and people 3 General Medical Conditions 4 Psychosocial and environmental Problems 5 Global Assessment of Functioning Scale z The lower the number the less likely individual will function without treatment and support Prevalence of Disorders Sex and Geography Sex z z Women more than men anxiety and affective disorders Men more than women substance abuse and antisocial disorders Geography z z z Rural Americans just as likely as urbanites to suffer from year long or lifelong disorders Lifelong substance abuse disorders and lifelong anxiety disorders are highest in the Western US Lifelong anxiety disorders are highest in the Northeastern US 2 Comorbidity of Disorders Mental Disorders Disorders first evident in infancy childhood or adolescence z z z z Mental retardation Autism Attention deficit disorder Separation anxiety Delirium dementia amnesiac and other cognitive disorders z Functioning of brain is impaired Psychoactive substance abuse disorders z z z z Sexual disorders z Problems of sexual identity z z z z Transgender Problems of sexual performance Impotence Sexual aim z Interest in children Factitious disorders z z Physical or psychological symptoms that are intentionally produced or feigned Malingering Impulse control disorders z z z Kleptomania Pathological gambling Pyromania z z z z z z z Perspectives on Mental Disorders Psychoanalytic approach Behavioral perspective Cognitive perspective Anorexia Bulimia Other conditions that require clinical attention z z Marital problems Parent child difficulties Evolutionary Perspective 3 Sources of Psychological Disorders z Chronic insomnia Excessive sleepiness Sleep apnea Sleepwalking Narcolepsy Eating disorders Perspectives on Mental Disorders z Physical disorders No physiological basis Psychological factors play a major role Sleep disorders z Mental Disorders Addictive behavior Somatoform disorders Mechanism functioning normally but has negative consequences Mismatch between ancestral and current environments Brain malfunction Anxiety Disorders Hazel 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 3 Anxiety Physiological somatic symptoms z z z Heart racing Perspiration Tense muscles Anxiety Disorders Generalized Anxiety Disorder z Cognitive Symptoms z z Often exaggerated beliefs z Behavioral Symptoms z z Freezing z Emotional Symptoms z Constant sense of tension and dread z Sense of dread and terror z Inability to relax Disturbed sleep Fatigue Headaches Dizziness Rapid heart rate Panic Disorders z Panic attacks z z Episodes of acute and overwhelming apprehension or terror Agoraphobia z Fear any place where they might be trapped or unable to receive help in an emergency Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia Genetic or biological predisposition z Panic disorder runs in families z Over reactive fight or flight response z z z Deficiencies in locus coeruleus May also lack serotonin within the limbic system Cognitive behavioral factors z Hypervigilance z May pay attention to bodily signals z Waiting for the other shoe
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