Abnormal Psychology

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What Is a Psychological Disorder?

A psychological disorder, also known as a mental disorder, is a pattern of behavioral or 

psychological symptoms that impact multiple life areas and/or create distress for the person

experiencing these symptoms.

List of Psychological Disorder

Psychological disorders, also known as mental disorders, are patterns of behavioral or psychological symptoms that impact multiple areas of life. These disorders create distress for the person experiencing these symptoms. 

Causes of Psychological Disorder

Psychological disorders have etiologies that are largely multi-factorial, involving complex interactions between genetic and environmental factors. A number of risk factors have been implicated in the development of psychological disorders, but their relative contributions to mental illness are specific to different disorders and individual patients, and a precise cause can rarely be identified on an individual basis.

Below is a sampling of some of the variables identified as risk factors in the development of psychological disorders: 

Biological and Personal Factors: Genetics, Pathogens, Injuries, PROBLEMS DURING GESTATION OR BIRTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, and Cognitive style. Environmental Factors: POOR NUTRITION, Exposure to toxins, STRESSFUL LIFE EVENTS, Chronic stress, Culture, ABUSE, POVERTY, and WAR.

What Cause Mental Illness?

Most mental health professionals believe that there are a variety of 

contributing factors to the onset of a mental illness. Studies have found that

 there are physical, social, environmental and psychological causes for 

mental illness.

Abnormal psychology is the scientific study of psy­chological disorders. These disorders affect the way people feel, think, speak, and behave. The field of ab­normal psychology may be called psychopathology.

Standards of normal and abnormal behaviour differ from society to society and change as social conditions and customs change. For example, the practice of se­verely beating children to discipline them was consid­ered normal behaviour for many centuries. Today, many people consider such behaviour abnormal and cruel.

Studies in abnormal psychology are conducted mainly by clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers. These experts collect data by such means as personality and intelligence tests, experiments, and case studies. One kind of case study, an idiographic study, describes the behaviour and thought patterns of one person. Another type, called a nomothetic study, exam­ines the behaviour and thought patterns common to many people who suffer the same disorder.

Theories of abnormal psychology describe mental illnesses, suggest possible causes of these illnesses, and propose certain methods of treating them. These theo­ries can be divided into four main groups or schools: (1) biophysical, (2) intrapsychic, (3) existential, and (4) behav­ioural.

Biophysical theories emphasize the importance of underlying physical causes of psychological disturb­ances. These theories classify mental disorders into two groups— organic disorders and functional disorders. Or­ganic psychological disorders have definite physical causes, such as disease or brain damage. Functional psychological disorders have no known physical causes. Many biophysical theorists believe that functional disor­ders occur primarily because of hereditary defects.

Biophysical therapists treat mental disorders mainly with tranquillizers, antidepressants, sleeping pills, and other drugs. In a few cases, they use electric shock or surgery on the brain or other parts of the nervous sys­tem.

Intrapsychic theories focus on the emotional basis of abnormal behaviour. Intrapsychic theorists believe that conflicts in early childhood cause people to worry or have other unpleasant feelings throughout life.

Psychologists use the term neurotic to describe peo­ple who sometimes behave abnormally but can usually cope with everyday problems. Individuals who lose track of reality are called psychotic. Some psychotics be­lieve in very unrealistic ideas called delusions. They may also think perceptions such as "hearing voices" or "see­ing visions," called hallucinations, are real.

A treatment called psychoanalysis is often used to help neurotics and psychotics understand and resolve their conflicts and anxieties. During psychoanalysis, the patient talks to the therapist, who is called an analyst. In one technique, called free association, the patient talks to the analyst about whatever thoughts, images, or feel­ings come to mind.

Existential theories of abnormal behaviour stress the importance of current experiences and the person's view of himself or herself. Existential therapists try to help patients gain insight into their feelings, accept re­sponsibility for their lives, and fulfil their potential.

Behavioural theories emphasize the effects of learn­ing on behaviour. Behaviourists use a learning process called conditioning to change abnormal behaviour. In this process, behaviourists treat disturbed people by teaching them acceptable behaviour patterns and rein­forcing desired behaviour by rewards.

History. Since ancient times, people have attempted to understand and treat mental disorders. Many early societies believed that demons caused abnormal behavour. Later, people came to regard the mentally ill as dangerous people with insufficient self-control to be normal. Disturbed individuals were imprisoned or sent to dismal institutions called asylums.

During the late 1700's, the idea that abnormal behaviour resulted from serious personal problems began to be investigated. People started treating the mentally ill more humanely.

During the 1800's, people believed in possible physi­cal reasons for different kinds of mental disorders. A German psychiatrist named Emil Kraepelin became fa­mous for his Lehrbuch der Psychiatre (A Textbook of Psychiatry, 1883). This classified various illnesses according to their specific types of abnormal behaviours.

In the late 1800's and early 1900's, Sigmund Freud, an Austrian doctor, developed theories about the effects of unconscious drives on behaviour. Freud and his follow­ers laid the foundations for both the intrapsychic school of psychopathology and psychoanalysis. The Freudians became especially known for their use of free associa­tion to interpret dreams, analyse memories, and make people aware of their unconscious conflicts.

Later in the 1900's, researchers proposed several other  theories and treatments of abnormal psychology. These proposals centred on the relationship of psycho­logical, physical, and social conditions in the individual and society. See also Mental illness.