Download Chapter 16 Abnormal Psychology

Chapter 16
Abnormal Psychology
“To study the abnormal is the best way of understand the normal.”
-William James
Medical Studentitis:
• A form of “hypochondriasis” can occur when
learning about abnormal psychology.
• You may find that some of the symptoms we discuss
in this chapter sound like something you have
experienced.
• This is normal; happens with medical students, too!
• Note, though, that all psychological disorders involve
exaggerations of normal tendencies.
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007
Psychological Disorder
• Syndrome marked
by “clinically
significant
disturbance in an
individual’s
cognition, emotion
regulation or
behavior.”
• In 2010, 450
million suffer from
mental disorders
(WHO)
• Every culture
• Depression
• Schizophrenia
Defining and Identifying
• Abnormal behavior…
• Is unusual – doesn’t occur frequently in a given
population
• Is maladaptive – interferes with person’s ability to
function normally
• Is disturbing to others – departure from norms of
cultural norms
• Is distressful – prevents a person from thinking
clearly and making rational decisions
Problems of Classification
• Causes and symptoms are not always clear.
• Often a person has more than one disorder
• DSM – 5
• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders
• Manual that helps professionals classify
psychological disorders
Theories of Abnormal
Behavior
• Psychoanalytic Perspective
• Internal conflicts from unresolved childhood
trauma
• Humanist Perspective
• Looks to a person’s feelings, self-esteem, and selfconcept for the causes of mental behavior
• Cognitive Perspective
• Focuses on faulty, illogical and negative ways of
thinking
Theories of Abnormal
Behavior
• Behavioral Perspective
• Stresses abnormal behavior is learned
• Biological Perspective
• Caused by hormonal or neurotransmitter
imbalances, differences in brain structure,
and inherited predispositions
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety Disorders
• Involve extreme levels of
fear and anxiety which
negatively impact behavior
and cognitive processes
• Anxiety
• Tension, apprehension and
worry. Can be a normal
response to stress
Anxiety Disorders
• Anxiety becomes a
disorder when
• irrational
• Uncontrollable
• Disruptive to
relationships and
everyday activities
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• GAD
• Persistent,
uncontrollable and
ongoing apprehension
• Symptoms
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• More likely -women
Panic Disorder
• Sudden episodes of
extreme anxiety
• Fear of future attacks
• Symptoms:
• Pounding heart
• Rapid breathing
• Sudden dizziness
• Lightheadedness
• Panic attack
Phobias
• Strong, irrational fear
of specific objects or
situations
• Mysophobia
• Fear of germs
Nomophobia
• Fastest growing phobia
• Feeling of anxiety or
distress when not having
their phone
• Affects our transactive
memory
• Today Show
10 bizarre phobias
Agoraphobia
• Irrational fear of public
places or open spaces
• Fear of no escape or help
• Avoid crowded locations
• Extreme cases never leave
their home
• video
Obsessive Compulsive
Disorder
• A person is troubled by
repetitive thoughts or
actions
• Go from normal to
abnormal
• Constantly interfere
with everyday life
and cause distress
• video
Hoarding
• Persistent difficulty and
stress with regard to giving
up possessions
• Excessive need to save
• Causes
• Personal distress
• Disrupt normal functioning
• video
Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder
• Disorder characterized
with haunting
nightmares and
memories for four or
more weeks after a
traumatic event
• Insomnia, jumpy anxiety,
social withdrawal
PTSD
• War veterans
• Survivors of
• Accidents
• Disasters
• Violence
• Sexual assault
PTSD
• Survivor resiliency
• 50% of adults experience a traumatic event
• 1 in 10 women develop PTSD
• 1 in 20 men develop PTSD