Psychology 2316: Personality Notes from Comer (2014), 8th edn

Chapter 1: Abnormal Psych Past & Present We know the problem is in the mind Think of the terms: crazy > maladjusted; abnormal; mental illness Known about since ancient times Famous people Part of culture Chapter 1: Abnormal Psych Past & Present

Louis Wain 1860-1939

Abnormal Psychology Studied by clinicians Clinical practitioners – professionals who see patients (pts) Assess – Diagnose – Treat Psychiatrists (MDs) or psychologists (PhDs) Abnormal Psychology

What is Abnormal ? This is controversial Comer uses the 4 Ds: deviant, distressing, dysfunctional, dangerous Deviant – different – maybe strange Distressing – pt is uncomfortable Dysfunctional – prevents pt from living “normally” Dangerous – may/may not be case - harmful What is Abnormal ?

Deviance Society & norms What are the rules ? Customs ? Traditions ? Culture & sub-cultures (Goths, punks…) Context –time & place Everything can change Specific situations – especially stressful; trauma Deviance

Distress Does the behavior create a problem ? No problem > beh may continue If distress > pt may seek help Distress

Someone unable to live, work, communicate, have relationships, enjoy life…etc Some may live differently from us, but not be mentally ill Dysfunction

Danger Harm to self, others Violence, etc This danger state is rare – but newsworthy Danger

Abnormality Szasz – mental illness is a myth > coping mechanism Issue is social control Certain beh not abnomal, but common > binging on etoh The right to be eccentric – cat ladies Us ??? Abnormality

Treatment Treatment Tx Focus of therapy – curb the beh, symptoms (sx) – does that help ? J. Frank – basics of therapy A. pt & clinician B. clinician a professional C. helpful contact for the pt Treatment

disagreement Clinicians disagree about every aspect of psychology Is abnormality a mental illness ? disagreement

Mental distress always been common – America today, 30% get help annually Ancient times Demons, magic, good v evil Trephination – open the skull – brain surgery ? Bible refers to it Exorcism shamans Views Past & Present

Hippocrates – Greek – illness is natural – mental illness comes from the body – natural, physical causes > others believed > humors – 4 liquids in or out of balance Too much black bile = melancholia (depression) Reduce it – veg diet – give up sex – do exercises Blood-letting Greeks & Romans

Middle Ages 500-1350 Fears about the Devil, evil Phenomena > mass madness ~ panics Tarantism – St. Vitus’s Dance – associated w spiders Vampires, lycanthopy Cure > exorcism, torture Middle Ages

They’re here Old friends

Renaissance As govts grew, religion became less important Education > rise of doctors Weyer – pioneering “psychiatrist” – maybe the 1st Weyer said mental illness is a disease (dz) Religious organizations cared for the ill > similar to today’s community mental health programs Renaissance

1500-1600s – growth of larger asylums – part hospital/part prison – “madhouses” – London’s Bethlehem – aka Bedlam 1800s – Reform & Moral Treatments Asylums were rehabilitated – better care Paris – La Bicetre under Pinel > less punishment, more tx Renaissance & Later

UK – William Tuke created York Retreat – like a country resort US – Founding Father Benjamin Rush – talked to pts Moral Tx – care, respect, religious flavor – goal: restore productive people Enlightenment 1700-1800s

End of Moral Treatment Died out 1850s why ? Not all cured Funding & staffing Overcrowded conditions Prejudice > MI associated w/ immigrants, minorities End of Moral Treatment

Twentieth Century 2 concepts Somatogenic theory – physical causes for MI Psychogenic theory – mental causes for MI E. Kraepelin – classified symptoms (sx) & syndromes (clusters of sx) > linked MI to physical causes Twentieth Century

20th Century Medicine & bio advanced – but not enough known SOMATIC Perspective Biological example – syphilis can lead to paresis (psychosis & paralysis) > fever therapy > Krafft-Ebing – German MD – studied sex Physical or somatic tx – bio-based Not very effective 20th Century

Somatic treatments Lobotomy, hydrotherapy, surgery Sterilization & eugenics mvmt > social biology > 1900-1945 > biological control of society – prevent the mentally ill, others from reproducing Somatic treatments

20th Century PSYCHOGENIC PERSPECTIVE Interest in hypnotism – was that the Unconscious (Unc) ? Hyp used by early psychoanalysts Psychoanalysis – mental disorders caused by unc mental conflict Sigmund Freud worked w depressed, anxious pts – his techniques helped 20th Century

Current Interest in social issues – poverty, broken homes, etc Positive psychology – teaching clients to be happy, less focus on sx Multicultural psychology > USA diverse country > different ways to view diversity Current

Current Issues Who pays for care ? > managed care – offered by insurance co – this limits choices, but they pay > 2011 parity laws – insurance must recognize MI Current Issues

Current Theories Biological Behavioral Cognitive Psychodynamic humanistic Current Theories

Who gives therapy Psychiatrists (MDs) Psychologists (PhDs) LPCs (Master’s-level) MSWs nurses Who gives therapy