Abnormal

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Abnormal
Psychology
48 experienced psychological disorders
80 sought no treatment
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Five definitions
1. Deviation from a statistical norm.
2. Deviation from social norms.
3. Maladaptive behavior.
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4. Personal distress.
5. Insanity.
Classifying Abnormal Behavior
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DSM-IV-TR
17 very detailed categories of specific
psychological disorders.
Older method- two categories
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Neurosis
Characterized by anxiety, unhappiness and
maladaptive behavior.
Psychosis
Serious psychological dysfunction characterized
by a lack of contact with reality.
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Compare and contrast
Neurosis vs. Psychosis
1. Hospitalization.
2. Contact with reality.
3. Danger to self and others.
4. Treatment

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Anxiety Disorders
Generalized Anxiety
Disorder characterized by excessive, global and
persistent anxiety and tension.
Also known as free-floating anxiety.
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Panic attacks
Sudden episodes of acute and overwhelming
apprehension and terror.
Phobias
Unrealistic fear of almost anything
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Examples
Triskaidekaphobia
Agoraphobia
fear of panic attack in public
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Social phobia
fear of being embarrassed, judged, or criticized
by others.
Posttraumatic stress disorder
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Chronic and persistent symptoms of anxiety
developed in response to extreme psychological
or physical trauma.
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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Feel compelled to think about things they would
rather not think about or perform acts they do
not wish to carry out.
Obsessions- unwelcome thoughts or images
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Compulsions- irresistible urges to carry out
certain acts or rituals.
Affective Disorders
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Depression
Two ways to define
1. Abnormal when out of proportion to the event.
2. Symptom checklist.
Examples
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Bipolar disorder (manic depression)
Alternating euphoria and depression
Norepinephrine
Lithium
Examples of Manic Behavior
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Personality Disorders
A whole group of disorders characterized by
inflexible and maladaptive patterns of thinking,
feeling, and behaving that are stable over time.
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Paranoid Personality Disorder
pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of the
motives of others.
mostly men
pathological jealousy
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Antisocial Personality
(sociopath or psychopath)
A pervasive pattern of disregarding and violating
the rights of others.
Six characteristics
1. No guilt or remorse.
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2. Longstanding patterns or maladaptive behavior.
3. No conscience
4. No feelings for others.
5. Highly manipulative.
6. Mostly men.
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Treatment- not good outcomes
Cause- genetic or environmental?
Borderline Personality Disorder
Most common of all personality disorders.
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10 million people with B.P.D of which 75 are
women.
Chronic instability in emotions, self-image and
relationships.
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Dissociative Disorders
Disruption in awareness, memory, or identity.
Dissociative Experience
Persons awareness, memory, or personal identity
become divided.
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Dissociative Identity Disorder
Known as D I D and confused with schizophrenia
Must have two or more distinct personalities.
Range 2 to 100
10 to 15 most common
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Alters take control
Amnesia common
Mostly women
Controversial disorder
Schizophrenia