The field of abnormal psychology engages with the obscure line between normal and abnormal behaviour. This blur is as a result of the dissonance that occurs when the two terms are defined for example, when cultural perspectives are taken into consideration-where behaviour (for example sake, experiencing hallucinations) considered deviant in one population is normalcy in another. In attempt to make the field comprehensive a middle ground was determined by drawing on the common elements or patterns of “peculiar” conditions, and converging them to ascertain this definition of abnormality: behavioural, psychological, or biological dysfunctions that are atypical and unexpected in their cultural context and associated with personal distress and impairment in functioning, or increased risk of suffering, death, or pain (Barlow & Durand, 2012). In brief, this is an applied field, interested in identifying and treating individuals whose symptoms trouble them and in many cases those around them, leading to difficulties in everyday functioning. This essay aims to discuss and apply the knowledge base of abnormal psychology to the plight of Regina; her case offers a template for which to problematize the aforementioned statement about the definition of abnormality, concomitantly determine the factors that have brought about her ailment and, finally, deduce the course of action to take in an attempt to alleviate her symptoms to retain and maintain stability.
Keeping in mind the real-life problems faced by Regina, one shall critically interrogate each criterion for abnormal behaviour-psychological dysfunction, personal distress and impairment in functioning that is not typical or culturally expected-and map these on to the surface characterist...
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...onships between stressful life events and the onset of major depression. American Journal of Psychiatry, 156, 837-541.
Maj, M. (2008). Delusions in major depressive disorder: Recommendations for the dsm-v. Psychopathology, 41, 1-3. doi:10.1159/00010994
Myers, D. G. (2010). Social psychology (10th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill .
Solomon, D. A., Leon, A. C., Endicott, J., Coryell, W. H., Li, C., Fiedorowicz, J. G., & Keller, M. B. (2009). Empirical typology of bipolar I mood episodes. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 195, 525-530. Retrieved March 02, 2012, from http://bjp.rcpsych.org
Swartz, L., de la Rey, C., Duncan, N., & Townsend, L. (2008). Psychology: An introduction (2nd ed.). Cape Town, Southern Africa: Oxford University Press.
Bipolar disorder is a lifelong mood disorder characterized by periods of mania, depression, or a mixed manic-depressive state. The condition can seriously affect a person’s reasoning, understanding, awareness, and behavior. Acco...
Robert B. Edgerton is an anthropologist with interests in psychological and medical anthropology. His early work was focused on individual adaptation to differing ecological conditions on the one hand and mental retardation on the other. His interests in mental retardation led to books such as The Cloak of Competence, which will be analyzed in this paper and Lives in Process. His ecological interests produced The Individual in Cultural Adaptation, followed by Rules, Exceptions and Social Order. He then turned his attention to studies of deviant behavior (Alone Together) and mental illness (Changing Perspectives in Mental Illness with S. Plog).
The nature of the disorder makes it difficult to treat, since patients are convinced that they suffer from a real and serious medical problem. Indeed, the mere su...
Theron, M.J. (2008). Masters of Arts in Clinical Psychology [PDF] available at The University of South Africa website; umkn-dsp01.unisa.ac.za/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10500/2554/dissertation.pdf?sequence=1 (p.32)
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Davis, S. F., & Palladino, J. J. (2003). Psychology. (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
In a country based around free will, the United States contains a vast variety of personalities and behaviors. Plenty of people, probably more than we know, exert abnormal behavior. Abnormal behavior is patterns of emotion, thought, and action that are considered pathological. Historically, people blame witchcraft for this eccentric type of behavior and tended to perform exorcisms in hopes of abolishing such actions. Anxiety disorders and personality disorders, two forms of abnormal behavior, can alter a person’s personality as a result of life experiences.
Major Depressive Disorder, according to Coon, is a mood disorder in which the person has suffered one or more intense episodes of depression. Major Depressive Disorder falls under mood disorders subtopic depressive disorders (Coon 2013). “Psychologist have come to realize that mood disorders (major disturbances in emotion) are among the most serious of all psychological conditions. In any given year, roughly 9.5 percent of the U.S. population suffers from a mood disorder (National Institute of Mental Health, 2011a)” (Coon 2013). I was one of the 9.5 percent. I have decided to write on this topic because I want to understand what causes it. I have been depressed before without medication or counseling and I wanted to know why do you get depressed and how does it impact you. This essay will talk about disorder information, disorder triggers, research on depression, treatment for depression, and theorist’s experiments for Major Depression Disorder.
Katon, W., and Sullivan, M. D., (1990) Depression and Chronic Mental Illness. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, v.51. pgs. 8-19
From time to time do individuals acknowledge negative behavior patterns are thusly destructive until wellbeing, companions, and whole families have abandoned them? Their absurd and egotistical activities need to stop for the advantage and strength of everybody. Presently considering the few stages to take out unfortunate propensities from individual lives, there are just three that are so essential. These are distinguishing the propensity, making a move with help, if necessary and being diligent. The initial step is to recognize the negative behavior pattern. In the event that
Paris, J. (2004), Psychiatric diagnosis and the bipolar spectrum, in Canadian Psychiatric Association Bulletin, viewed on 28 March 2014, http://ww1.cpa-apc.org:8080/publications/bulletin/currentjune/editorialEn.asp.
Therapy has long been thought of as taboo. In this paper, I will discuss the major forms of therapy and their characteristics along with the strategies that are also used. This essay will also cover examples of each disorder and show which therapeutic method is best used in caring for individual(s).
Psychopathology is what goes wrong with the mind. It is distress related to mental processes and statistical deviations from the norm. Psychopathology is what clinicians treat and researchers research (quoted in Frances & Widiger, 2012). Psychopathology has many possible definitions because it does not exist in a vacuum—the context affects the definition. Common themes in possible definitions include distress, dysfunction, disability, and dyscontrol, but none of these quite capture the whole picture (Frances & Widiger, 2012). What if a person is not distressed, but their behavior is clearly maladaptive, for example someone with antisocial personality disorder who manipulates others to achieve their goals? Is this person not pathological? Of
Mental illness, today we are surround by a broad array of types of mental illnesses and new discoveries in this field every day. Up till the mid 1800’s there was no speak of personality disorder, in fact there was only two type of mental illness recognized. Those two illnesses as defined by Dr. Sam Vaknin (2010), “”delirium” or “manial”- were depression (melancholy), psychoses, and delusions.” It was later in 1835 when J. C. Pritchard the British Physician working at Bristol Infirmary Hospital published his work titled “Treatise on Insanity and Other Disorder of the Mind” this opened the door to the world of personality disorder. There were many story and changes to his theories and mental illness and it was then when Henry Maudsley in 1885 put theses theories to work and applied to a patient. This form of mental illness has since grown into the many different types of personality disorder that we know today. Like the evolution of the illness itself there has been a significant change in the way this illness is diagnosed and treated.
Edited by Raymond J. Corsini. Encyclopedia of Psychology, Second Edition, Volume 1. New York: John Wiley and Sons Inc.