Intro to psychology Part 1: Psychological disorders
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Course
Introduction To Psychology (PSY1004F)
Institution
University Of Cape Town (UCT)
This is a summary of a lecture series that covered Psychological Disorders, namely Mood Disorders, Eating Disorders, Anxiety Disorders and Schizophrenia.
Psychological Disorders:
Lecture 0: Lecture
Common signs and symptoms:
- Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
- Feeling tired most of the day
- Eating less or more than usual
- Difficulty concentrating
- Worrying about a lot of different things
- Washing hands frequently
LECTURE 1:
Abnormality: History, definitions, classifications and explanations:
Definition of abnormal behaviour and abnormal thinking
- Deviation from normal or average
- The study of behaviour or thinking patterns that diverge widely from
generally accepted norms
Four ways to define abnormality
1. Statistical definition- frequency of behaviour
2. The context
3. Maladaptiveness
4. Subjectiveness
Statistical definition
- Frequently occurring behaviour is considered normal
- Far less frequent, rare or deviation from societal norms are considered
to be abnormal e.g., wearing of clothes
- However, less frequent does not always mean presence of
psychopathology always
- Who determines the cut-off point?
,Deviance from the social norms:
- persons behaviour differs from society’s norms
- Should behaving differently = psychopathology?
- Assumes socially normal behaviour is adaptive
- Can be used as a means of social control
Maladaptiveness
- Individual cannot function effectively in daily life
- Person may be a threat to self and/ or others
- Could some symptoms be adaptive?
Subjective discomfort/ distress
- Symptoms cause significant distress
- Allows people to judge their need for treatment
- But- what if a person’s behaviour is harmful but not distressing?
- What if a person’s behaviour causes distress to others but not to
themselves?
Working definition: of abnormality
- Used by psychologists to determine whether or not psychological
functioning or behaviour is normal
Psychological disorders- meet at least 2 of the criteria below
- Unusualness
- Deviance from social norms
- Significant distress
- Maladaptive
- Danger to self or others
Working definition- major depressive disorder
- Depressive mood
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities
- 5% weight loss/gain or decrease/ increase in appetite
- Insomnia or hypersomnia
- Psychomotor agitation or retardation
- Fatigue or loss of energy
- Feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt
, - Diminished concentration or indecisiveness
- Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide
Changes of views of psychological disorders:
Demonic possession- 3000BC
- Symptoms of psychopathology resulted from being possessed by evil
spirits
- Sudden changes in behaviour or personality – person appears to be
possessed or ‘taken over’ by someone or something else
Treatment methods:
- Exorcism- religious or spiritual practice of evicting demons from a person
believed to be possessed
- Trephination- boring a hole into the skull to release the demons
responsible for abnormal behaviour
History of Psychological Disorders
Witchcraft
- People with psychological disorders were believed
- to be witches
- Massive persecution, mostly women
- Thousand accused of witchcraft and executed
- Persecuted for “abnormal” behaviour
- Diagnostic tests designed to identify witches
Imbalance body’s vital fluids
- Hippocrates (460-377 BC): illnesses of the body and mind have natural
causes (not demonic possession)
- The health of the body and mind depends upon the balance of four
humors / vital fluids
- Phlegm
- Black bile
- Yellow bile
- blood
The medical model:
- General paresis: psychological symptoms include personality changes,
mood changes and dementia
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