Abnormal Behavior

What is abnormal behavior? Deviance – atypical from what is normal Maladaptive Behavior – everyday adaptive behavior is impaired Personal Distress – usually depression, anxiety disorders

Once Upon A Time People with mental disorders were feared as demons, and witches Many were mistreated – sometimes torture & death

Medical Model 150 to 175 years ago institutions established to help the mentally disordered. The mentally disabled treated as victims of illness Scientific treatment gradually improved

De - Institutionalization The Process of releasing patients form mental institutions New drugs Save government money Where did the former patients go? Jail Homelessness

Recent Critics of Medical Model Diagnosis can pin derogatory labels Social Stigma Stereotypes and prejudice

Abnormal or Normal? Difficult to draw the line Many people display some maladaptive behavior at times Are they crazy? Only a disorder when behavior becomes extremely deviant, maladaptive, or distressing

Abnormal or Normal? Judgements on mental illness reflect prevailing cultural values, social trends, and political forces After all this how are these judgements resolved on an individual basis? - Through diagnosis

Diagnosis Distinguishing one illness from another How are illnesses diagnosed? Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Disorders ( DSM – 5 )

Medical Model Terms Diagnosis Etiology: apparent causation and developmental history of an illness Prognosis: Forecast about the probable course of an illness Epidemiology: study of the distribution of mental or physical disorders in a population Prevalence: % of the population that exhibit a disorder

Prevalence of Disorders Difficult to obtain a good estimate Disorders are common 44% of population will struggle with a disorder during their life. Most common: substance abuse, anxiety disorders, mood disorders

Anxiety Disorders General Anxiety: Chronic high anxiety Phobia: Irrational fears of specific objects or situations Panic: Recurring panic attacks / Agoraphobia Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ( PTSD ): Disturbances following experience of a major traumatic event

Anxiety Disorders: Biology & Conditioning Twin Studies: weak genetic dispositions Anxiety disorders may be more likely in people who are sensitive to physiological symptoms of anxiety Abnormalities at GABA or Serotonin synapses may play a role Many anxieties may be caused by Classical Conditioning and maintained by Operant Conditioning

Anxiety: Stress & Cognitive Factors Stress may predispose people Styles of thinking may influence Tendency to interpret harmless situations as threatening

Dissociative Disorders Dissociative Amnesia: sudden memory loss that is too extensive to be due to normal forgetting Dissociative Fugue: People lose their sense of identity Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID): Coexistence of two or more very different personalities. Since the 1970’s there has been a dramatic increase

Etiology of Dissociative Disorder Some believe that DID are engaging in intentional role playing to save face for personal failings Others view DID as an authentic disorder rooted in emotional trauma that occurred in childhood.

Mood Disorders Major Depression: Profound Sadness Slowed thought process Loss of interest in previous pleasures Bipolar Disorder: Experience both Manic Episodes and Depression Episodes

Suicide 11th cause of death in U.S. / 30,000 annually 90% suffer from psychological disorders Women attempt 3 times more than Men Men complete 4 times more then women Prevention: take seriously, empathy, clarify problems, no secrecy, acute crisis – don’t leave alone, encourage help

Mood Disorders: Factors Genetics: vulnerability varies Neurochemical activity change in brain Abnormalities at norepinephrine and serotonin synapses Reduced Hippocampal volume suppresses neurogenesis

Mood Disorder & Cognitive Factors Negative thinking can lead to depression Pessimistic explanatory style Susan Nolen – Hoeksma: Tendency to Ruminate

Mood Disorders: Interpersonal and Stress Factors Interpersonal inadequacies may contribute Poor social skills – may lead to shortage support Maybe precipitated by high stress – especially those vulnerable to mood disorders

Personality Disorders Extreme, inflexible personality traits that cause subjective stress or impaired social and occupational functioning Anxious - fearful Odd – eccentric Dramatic – impulsive 1% - 2%

Personality Disorder Histrionic - overly dramatic Narcissistic – Overly self important Borderline – Unstable self image, mood, impulsive, unpredictable Antisocial – Impulsive, callous, manipulative, aggressive, irresponsible, failure to accept social norms

Insanity :Legal status – cannot be held responsible for a crime M’Naghten Law

Involuntary Confinement People hospitalized against their will Danger to themselves Danger to others Unable to provide care for themselves Short Term and Long Term Confinement