1. Module 36 - Introduction to Psychological Disorders

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. Turkish historical perspective: cinnet

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. Biopsychosocial Perspective: Psychological Disorders