Psych.uw.edu.pl

• behavior that is atypical, disturbing, maladaptive – e.g. crying (normal at funeral, less so in store) – Psychodynamic perspective: severe unconscious – e.g. fear (normal before surgery, not before dinner) – Medical model (biological): biochemistry, hereditary – For the individual and/or for society – Cognitive-behavioral (learning) perspective: – Often the degree and duration of disruption distinguishes "normal" from "abnormal" – Humanistic: lack of unconditional positive regard, divergence between “perceived” and “ideal” self – Diathesis-stress: genetics + early experiences + • Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental – Mentally ill believed to be possessed by demons Disorders - IV (DSM-IV) links symptoms to – Treatment involved beating, starving, burning, bleeding, – Institutions established to keep psychos away from society (or to show them to society, for a fee) – Pinel used humane treatment (for rich people) as an experiment, called it „moral treatment” • intense, distressing, persistent anxiety, or • continual apprehension, tension and arousal • constant autonomic nervous system arousal • person has difficulty identifying causes of the – short episodes of intense fear/terror • person often responds by isolating self • persistent, irrational, maladaptive fear of a • develop coping mechanisms to avoid/deal with – Agoraphobia -- most common, hardest to treat– Social phobias -- fear of social situations, – Specific phobias -- fear of a particular animal, object or • microphobia• claustrophobia• triskaidekaphobia • persistent, maladaptive, unwanted repetitive – Re-experiencing feelings related traumatic • repetitive thoughts/actions that interfere with daily – anxiety-provoking doubt or uncertainty – behaviors one cannot stop performing– counting, cleaning, checking, avoidance most common – Fears learned through conditioning or past experiences – Persistent and excessive worry about illness in general • Bias toward processing of threat-relevant information – Specific physical ailments for which no biological basis exists (pain, gastrointestinal symptoms…) – Ailments that have had an impact on behavior – Genetic components– Innate disposition to fear certain objects (things deemed – Physical complaints that resemble neurological disorders but have no underlying organic basis (deafness, – Overarousal of certain brain areas (e.g. impulse control) – Behavioral inhibition system overdrive – Childhood repression of intolerable ideas, events or feelings – Psychodynamic perspective: unresolved conflicts – Behavioral perspective: suffering is rewarding • conscious awareness is separated from previous • Did you have imaginary playmates as a child?• Were you physical y abused as a child? • sudden loss of memory or change in identity • Have you ever noticed that things are missing from your – psychodynamic: massive repression of severe, • Have you ever noticed that things appear where you live, but • Do people ever talk to you as if they know you but you don’t • Do you ever speak about yourself as “we” or “us”? • Do you ever feel that there is another person or persons inside • If there is another person inside you, does he or she ever come – failure to recall past events or information – formerly called multiple personality disorder – usually caused by extreme, intolerable stress – 2 or more distinct personalities that dominate in – selectively forget painful or stressful information turns (may or may not be aware of each other) – no organic basis (so recovery possible) – result of severe trauma (physical, emotional, – in addition to amnesia/confusion about identity, • Huge recent increase in reported cases, limited to the US • Majority of recent cases had wide range of psychiatric • may be a relationship to “role-playing” • Inflexible and enduring patterns of behavior • Little sense of responsibility, morality, concern for others, • Deceitfulness, impulsivity, irritability, aggression, … • Society (rather than the individual) views the • Good con-artists (charming & accomplished liars) • Most reliably diagnosed personality disorder • unresponsive autonomic nervous system• Brain function: selective recognition of emotions • Personality disintegration and loss of contact with – Genetic & physiological explanations • Undersensitive (steady drinkers) vs oversensitive (binge • Beliefs about what substances will DO for me – Medical: genetic component, neurochemistry, neurology– Cognitive: expressed emotion in family, communication – Delusions of persecution with hallucinations – lack of insight into others’ motives – Grossly disordered thinking, emotions, – Withdrawal and catalepsy alternating with catatonic • emotional extremes (extreme highs, extreme lows) • If lasts >2 weeks, considered abnormal – Emotional: sadness, despair, hopelessness – Cognitive: inability to concentrate, negative attributional schema, negative self-image – Motivational: passivity, lack of interest & initiative– Physical: fatigue, sleep disturbances, anorexia, social • Formerly called manic-depressive disorder • Moods alternate between very high (mania) and – moods caused by associations to unconscious – anger directed at self results in depression – Emotional: sudden, rapidly escalating emotional state – Cognitive: unrealistic view of capabilities, – Motivational: energetic, impatient, impulsive – learned automaticized thought processes • Stronger genetic component than depression, (attributions, beliefs): self-blame, overemphasis on negatives, failure of appreciation of positives – Biological: drugs, ECS, psychosurgery – Anti-anxiety (tranquilizers)– Anti-maniac (lithium carbonate) – Used to stimulate brain functioning– Used for severe depression – Effective (at least in the short term) & fast – Used to modify areas of the brain thought to be interfering with – explore unconscious drives, motives, and conflicts – Therapy typically involves seeing a therapist 3-4 times a week for • Client-centered therapy (client not considered ill) – change current behavior, attitudes, and patterns of thinking – Self-actualization, or at least greater congruence between – CC: systematic desensitization, flooding, counterconditioning – cognitive skills training -- changing automated thinking patterns: attributions, selective att’n, overgeneralization – active listening, empathic understanding, paraphrasing (restating – depression, anxiety, bulimia, phobias, addiction, insomnia – minor depression, social anxiety– not for serious pathologies – utilize social support and pressure to modify thoughts – Apply to therapeutic procedures as well as drugs • Spontaneous remission (cyclical disorders) – modify individual habits and group patterns – adjustment problems– social anxiety– addictions • Smith & Glass (1977) analysed 375 therapy – Person receiving therapy was better off than 75% of – Fear & self-esteem susceptible to change– No overall differences between therapies– Certain therapies may be more effective with certain • Effectiveness of therapist is more important – Gain trust, maintain good contact with patient– Kind to patients/clients

Source: http://www.psych.uw.edu.pl/jasia/18abnormal.pdf