Abnormalities Flashcards
What are the 4 abnormalities? SDFD
1) Statistical Infrequency
2) Deviation from social norms
3) Failure to function adequately
4) Deviation from ideal mental health
What is Statistical Infrequency? (Average)
This looks at abnormality as anything that is different from the average. Thus any behaviour which is less common amongst human beings is considered as abnormal.
What is Deviation from social norms?
This is a factor that considers abnormality as any behaviour that does not conform to social norms which can vary over time
What is Failure to function adequately? 2
1) This refers to the ability of an individual to go about their daily life without feeling distressed. This can be seen when people cannot communicate with others or take care of themselves.
2) People around them might feel distressed by their behaviour
What is Deviation from ideal mental health? (lack of things)
This refers to the fact that there are particular indicators for us to determine the presence of mental health
Ex: Lack of realistic perception of their experiences, lack of good self esteem, and lack of being able to live independently.
What is the Bio-psychosocial approach?
This assumes that biological and psychological factors (stress, trauma) combine and interact to produce psychological disorders
What does OCD stand for?
OCD stand for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
What are the 4 characteristics of OCD?
1) Characterised by unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and actions
2) They become a disorder when they interfere with everyday life
3) In OCD there is a lot of distress present
4) The person knows they are irrational
What are compulsions?
Compulsions are repetitive behaviours that an individual feels driven to perform in response to an obsession
What are the 4 symptoms of OCD? CCCS
1) Checking
2) Counting
3) Cleaning
4) Symmetry
What is the Biological perspective of OCD? 2
1) According to the natural selection, compulsions exaggerate behaviours Ex: checking repeatedly to see whether you have locked the door
2) Some people are more at risk of OCD due to genes
What happens in the brain during OCD?
- In OCD there is an over-arousal of the brain (Anterior Cingulate Cortex is affected)
- This part of the brain is involved in monitoring our actions
What is the treatment for OCD?
Use of drug treatment to minimise this over-activity of the brain
What does PTSD stand for?
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
What is PTSD? 3
1) An intense reaction that involves fear, helplessness to traumatic events
2) the greater the emotional distress during trauma, the higher the risk of PTSD
3) A person can either witness or experience the threatened death or injury
What traumatic experiences can give rise to PTSD?
1) Natural disasters
2) violent accident/crime
3) assault
4) being kidnapped
5) sexual abuse
What are the symptoms of PTSD? 4
1) Victims re-experience the traumatic event for a long period of time (Flashbacks)
2) Diminished responsiveness to their surroundings
3) May suffer from depression & guilt
4) negative changes in cognition & mood, arousal & activity
What is it called when PTSD is of short-duration (days or week)?
Acute-Stress Disorder
For diagnoses of PTSD, symptoms have to occur….
for more than one month
What is the Biological perspective of PTSD? 2
1) In PTSD there is an over-arousal of the brain therefore a person cannot control his/her behaviour. A sensitive limbic system increases the vulnerability as it floods the body with stress hormones & images of traumatic experiences appear in the consciousness.
2) Genes may play a role as well
What is the treatment for PTSD?
A drug treatment can be used to help the traumatic experiance
What is Post Traumatic Growth? 3
- considered where a person identifies how strong he/she is
- learns about their resilience
- become mentally stronger
