 Societies response to sickness?  “ The sick role” student who has a major assignment coming up for which he is not prepared. He is starting to get a cold. He decides to postpone the assignment because of the cold. He claims the sick role to avoid responsibility but if he had been invited to a party with friends would he have been too sick?  Have you ever done this?

 Believe illnesses caused by germs.  Medicine viewed in society as a science,doctors trained medical scientists.  Some believe that illnesses are caused by both physical and mental ( emotional factors that require psychological help from trained professionals)  H1N1 ( a pandemic?)

 Some illnesses are specific to particular cultures and appear to be immune to Western-style treatment.  Examples SUSTO ( common in latin america) People suffer from restlessness, lack of sleep, disinterest in dress, personal hygiene, and depression, along with fever, stomach problems, diarrhea, and chills.  Cause of susto linked to the anxiety felt by a person unable to fulfill an expected social role.  Yuppie Flu in north america ( fatigue, dizziness and muscle weakness) working people. Can’t find a cause.

 Abnormal psychology deals with behaviour that differs from what a society deems normal.  Neuroses is a mild psychological disorder similar to a defense mechanism. It helps the individual escape feelings of anxiety. In order to get rid of a neurotic behaviour it is necessary to treat the patient with psychoanalysis or behaviour modification.  Rarely requires hospitalization  Neurotics are aware of their problem and understand it. They are always in touch with reality unlike individuals suffering from psychosis.

 1) Anxiety neuroses: is an overwhelming fear that dreadful things will happen causing tremendous feelings of anxiety  2) Hysterical reaction: occurs when a subject is extremely anxious. They have physical pain and can even lose use of limbs and/or suffer from blindness.  3) phobia: is an irrational fear of certain objects or situations  4) obsession/compulsion: obsession is a persistent unwanted thought. Compulsion is the need to perform an act to relieve anxiety.

 Psychoses are serious mental illnesses which may prevent the sufferer from functioning in normal society  Symptoms range from personality changes and mood swings to strange emotional responses.

 1) Organic psychoses: physical damage has occurred in the brain could be caused by untreated STD’s  2) Manic Depression: Extreme mood changes  3) Schizophrenia: Catatonic= may become rigid and mute may hold one position for hours without moving  Paranoid= delusions that people are persecuting them, or may take on another person’s personality

 4) Multiple personalities: several personalities develop due to a major trauma which caused them to protect their sanity  5) Psychopathic personality: fails to develop a conscious, feels no remorse or guilt, is antisocial and or irresponsible  Treatments: psychoanalysis  Chemical treatments  Electro therapy