Introduction to Abnormal Psych
A note about language for this unit... Person first language “Insanity” is a legal term pertaining to the defendant's ability to determine right from wrong when a crime is committed. It is not used in mental health. Crazy, not a helpful or descriptive word. And, it has so many negative connotations (same goes for loony, wacko, etc). There are other passé terms that are still used in every day language that are not accurate or appropriate in mental health. I will inform you of as we go.
normal What is normal? Can you define it? disorder What do we mean by disorder? Can you define that?
What is abnormal? Case study activity 3 D’s Deviant (statistically abnormal) Distressing: the behavior causes the person anxiety. Dysfunctional: impairs ability to function (work, school, relationships suffer) Mental Disorder: Behavior (including emotions and cognitions) that is unexpected in its context and results in great personal distress or impairment in functioning.
Early Theories Afflicted people were possessed by evil spirits.
Early Theories Trephining: Cutting a hole in the head of the afflicted to let out the evil spirit.
Trephining
History of Mental Disorders By the late 1800’s, disturbed people were no longer thought of as madmen, but as mentally ill. Did this mean better treatment? They were first put in hospitals.
Early Mental Hospitals In many cases they were nothing more than barbaric prisons. The patients were chained and locked away. Rolled to the backwards to basically rot away.
Philippe Pinel French doctor who was the first to take the chains off and declare that these people are sick and “a cure must be found!!!”
Current Perspectives Medical Perspective: psychological disorders are sicknesses and can be diagnosed, treated and cured. Vulnerability-Stress or diasthesis-stress hypothesis Biopsychosocial model
DSM-5 Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition
“The long-awaited, controversial new edition of the bible of psychiatry can be characterized by many numbers: 947 pages, its $199 price tag, its more than 300 maladies (from ‘dependent personality disorder’ and ‘voyeuristic disorder’ to ‘kleptomania" and ‘intermittent explosive disorder’), each limning the potential woes of being human.” Huffington Post, 2013
DSM system The “bible” of mental health. Classifies and defines mental disorders. Provides a common language and standard criteria for clinicians Provides diagnostic codes for insurance providers
DSM Multi-axial system The DSM-IV organizes each psychiatric diagnosis into five dimensions (axes) relating to different aspects of disorder or disability: Axis I: All psychological diagnostic categories except mental retardation and personality disorder. Axis II: Personality disorders and mental retardation Axis III: General medical condition; acute medical conditions and physical disorders Axis IV: Psychosocial and environmental factors contributing to the disorder Axis V: Global level of functioning Common Axis I disorders include depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar, autism, Common Axis II disorders include personality disorders: borderline personality disorder, anti-social personality disorder, narcissistic personality; and intellectual disabilities. Common Axis III disorders include brain injuries and other medical/physical disorders which may aggravate existing diseases or present symptoms similar to other disorders.