Module 36 - Introduction to Psychological Disorders

What is a Psychological Disorder? Persistently harmful thoughts, feelings. And behaviors A disordered behavior is one that is DEVIANT, DISTRESSFUL, and DYSFUNCTIONAL Deviant  atypical for that culture at that time Distressful  the behavior is upsetting or disturbing for the person Dysfunctional  it impairs normal functioning, it is disabling

Beware! Normal and abnormal behaviors are points on a continuum: Everyone experiences some of the symptoms some of the time. SAD DEPRESSED WORRIED ANXIETY DISORDER PROUD NARCISSISM VIVID IMAGINATION SCHIZOPHRENIA

Perspectives on the causes of psychological disorders Historical perspective: Evil supernatural forces Medical perspective Bio-Psycho-Social Perspective Each perspective suggests a distinct approach to treatment

Turkish historical perspective: cinnet

Examples of historical perspective: Demonic possession Almost all worldly religions have alluded to demonic (evil) possession Buddhism Zen Hinduism Christianity (early, Catholicism, Protestantism, Anglicanism, Lutheranism, Methodism) Scientology Symptoms of a variety of recognized disorders Schizophrenia, hysteria, mania, psychosis, dissociative identity disorder, epilepsy, Tourette’s syndrome Exorcism or its various forms as a treatment

The Medical Perspective: our MENTAL HEALTH Originated from the idea that diseases have physical causes The case of syphilis among upper classes in late 1700 Current discoveries about connections to brain structure and brain biochemistry Mental illness can be diagnosed  it has recognizable symptoms Mental illness can be treated through therapy (may include medication and hospitalization) Mental illness can be cured

Medical Perspective: The case of syphilis It is an STD that spreads through unprotected sex with multiple partners "French disease" in Italy and Germany "Italian disease" in France "Spanish disease“ in Holland "Polish disease“ in Russia "Christian disease“ (frengi) in Turkey "British disease“ in Tahiti The bacteria can invade the CNS  psychological symptoms Early treatments included mercury  direct application and mercury vapors

Mercury exposure as a “treatment” All forms of exposure, especially vapors of mercury Brain damage: tremors, irritability, vision and hearing problems, problems with motor coordination, language problems and memory problems Lung damage Kidney damage Developmental problems of the fetus

The Biopsychosocial Perspective All behavior (including disordered behavior) is a product of genetic factors, physiological factors, social influences and experiences (past and present) Symptoms of psychological disorders vary across cultures: Eating disorders  Western Susto – fear of black magic  Latin American Taijin-kyofusho – social anxiety  Japanese Some disorders are universal: depression and schizophrenia

Biopsychosocial Perspective: Psychological Disorders