Introduction to Psychology/Psychological Disorders
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Contents |
[edit] A short note on the purpose of this section
This section is intended as a Psychology 101 level introduction to mental disorders. For a more complete course of study, go to the PSY 2065 section.
[edit] Introduction
[edit] What Is Abnormal?
Abnormal Psychology is the study of psychological differences from the norm. Usually this means disorders, but also includes mental deviances that are still considered unusual, but do not seriously affect a person's functioning. A disorder is defined as a mental trait or other facet of mental functioning that occurs in the minority of the population and is detrimental to the well being of the self or of others.
See: Criticisms of Psychology for some critiques of this concept.
[edit] The diagnostic systems
[edit] What is the diagnostic systems?
Among the mental health professions (marriage and family therapy, clinical social work, professional counseling, psychology, and psychiatry) different diagnostic systems are used. The DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) is used in the USA. It is issued by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Outside the USA the most used system is the ICD (International Classification of Diseases[1]). This is issued by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The current editions of the systems are DSM-IV-TR (text revision) and ICD 10.
[edit] Types of Disorders
[edit] Disorders Diagnosed in Early Childhood
This category of disorders includes disorders that are usually diagnosed in infancy or childhood.
[edit] A.D.H.D
A.D.H.D stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The definition of A.D.D. (Attention Deficit Disorder) was merged with that of A.D.H.D in DSM-IV.
[edit] Tic Disorders
[edit] Tourette's Syndrome
Tourette's Syndrome (TS) is a disorder characterized by the presence of at least two tics, one motor and one physical. The vocal tic is, however, more critical to the diagnosis of Tourette's. Tourette's syndrome sufferers usually have faster reflexes than other people. Tourette's syndrome sufferers have a roughly 40% occurrence rate of involuntary swearing, known as coprolalia. This relatively rare symptom has been abused by the media and is a source of much misunderstanding about TS. Tourette's syndrome is also featured in a number of movies, such as 'What about Bob?', in which Bob, the main character, pretends to have Tourette's.
[edit] Anxiety Disorders
[edit] Phobias
Phobias are fears of a specific object or situation. Most phobias have a heritable basis- identical twins separated at birth often develop the same phobia, regardless of environment. Other evidence for the heritable argument is that many phobias are logical when the human ancestors are considered. It makes sense that natural selection would favor genes that caused our ancestors to fear natural dangers like snakes, spiders, and other poisonous animals. Strong memories of situations may also create a phobia. For example, if a person was placed in a tight space as a toddler and nearly suffocated, a life-long fear of closed spaces may follow (claustrophobia).
[edit] Panic Attacks
Random panic
[edit] Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by the presence of two things: Obsessions and Compulsions. Obsessions are defined as recurring or persistent thoughts, images, or actions that significantly interfere with a person's day-to-day functioning. Some common obsessions are cleanliness, symmetry/order, and fear of falling seriously ill. The person will attempt to minimize or eliminate these unwanted thoughts through the use of compulsions. Compulsions are the behaviors used to cope with obsessions. The most common compulsions are hand washing, checking (as in checking to make sure doors are locked several times a night), and counting.
While most people with OCD only have one to a few main obsessions, the disorder also interferes with many thoughts and actions unrelated to their obsessions. For example:
A person who obsesses over cleanliness will often be caught in a loop: First, they will wash their hands. As they finish, the thought occurs to them that the water may have been contaminated. So they wash again, and this time, upon finishing, they wonder if there were germs in the soap. Again, they wash their hands, and after drying, they will likely wonder who's been touching the towel. This goes on and on - if the person does not execute the compulsions, the obsessive thoughts won't allow them to focus on anything else.
But the pattern often shows in other situations: perhaps the person notices a knife laying out in the kitchen, and suddenly realizes that, if they wanted, they could use it to kill their entire family. This normally isn't a pleasant thought, and the person tries to push it from their mind. But the thought doesn't go away - it stays at the front of the person's mind until the person acts on it (hopefully by putting the knife away or going into another room). These thoughts aren't (or shouldn't be) nearly strong enough to make a person murder anyone, but they are very distracting, unpleasant, persistent, and often damaging. For reasons similar to this example, many people with OCD are uncomfortable around sharp objects or weapons.
Case studies to follow?
[edit] Psychotic Disorders
[edit] Schizophrenia
The schizophrenic disorders are characterized in general by fundamental and characteristic distortions of thinking and perception, and affects that are inappropriate or blunted. Clear consciousness and intellectual capacity are usually maintained although certain cognitive deficits may evolve in the course of time. The most important psychopathological phenomena include thought echo; thought insertion or withdrawal; thought broadcasting; delusional perception and delusions of control; influence or passivity; hallucinatory voices commenting or discussing the patient in the third person; thought disorders and negative symptoms.
The course of schizophrenic disorders can be either continuous, or episodic with progressive or stable deficit, or there can be one or more episodes with complete or incomplete remission. The diagnosis of schizophrenia should not be made in the presence of extensive depressive or manic symptoms unless it is clear that schizophrenic symptoms antedate the affective disturbance. Nor should schizophrenia be diagnosed in the presence of overt brain disease or during states of drug intoxication or withdrawal. (from WHO - ICD 10)
[edit] Sexual Disorders
[edit] Paraphilias
[edit] Pedophilia
[edit] Frotteurism
[edit] Other Paraphilias
[edit] Drug Related Disorders
[edit] Addiction And Dependence
[edit] Developmental Disorders
[edit] Autism
[edit] Asperger's Syndrome
[edit] Personality
Borderline Syndrome
