IMH Topic 3- Alternatives To The Medical Model Flashcards
Behaviourist explanation for mental illness- classical conditioning of phobias
Pairing of one unconditioned stimulus (loud noise) with another conditioned stim (rats) can lead to rats producing a fear response. Case of little Albert who acquired a phobia by researchers pairing loud noise with white rat, after repeated pairings, phobia of rat and other white objects (rabbit,Santa’s beard). Carried out by Watson and raynor
Behaviourist explanations- operant conditioning of phobias
Being rewarded/positive reinforcement:showing signs of anxiety/fear for an object/situ may be rewarded with comfort by parents. Next time child sees object/situ, showing anxiety will gain attention so more likely to repeat and develop a phobia. Negative reinforcement: if someone with phobia e.g. of lifts and has anxiety when sees lift so walks away and takes stairs, anxiety is removed so will repeat this so phobia is reinforced
Behaviourist explanations of phobia- social learning theory
If child sees significant adult with a phobia/showing a fear response to an object/situ, the child may imitate this behaviour and develop a phobia
Cognitive explanation of mental illness- aaron beck and negative cognitive triad
There are 3 main dysfunctional belief themes: i am worthless or flawed, everything I do results in failure, the future is hopeless. Form the n.c.t which is likely in someone with depression. Once depressed, personality select info from environment to confirm negative thoughts, even with majority + evidence. Diathesis stress model: accepts genetics are a likely component in disorders e.g. schizo but suggests reason for concordance not 100% due to ind cognitive processes. Genes create disposition, but only develop as a result of stressors (environment, trauma)
Cognitive explanations- Albert Ellis and faulty cognitions
Irrational thoughts cause and sustain mental Disorders. How people with disorders adopt fault cognitions: 1. I must be outstandingly competent or I am worthless 2. Others must treat me considerately, or they’re absolutely rotten 3. The world should always give me happiness or I will die. Highly unrealistic explanations and unattainable - people will feel like failures leading to depression
What to treatments based on cognitive approach aim to do
Challenge faulty thinking patterns
Humanistic explanation of mental illness
Developed in 60s as reaction to scientific research/behaviourist approach. Concerned more with the individual and free will. As an individual, each person has the potential and ability to be mentally healthy and can reach the aim of self actualisation (best) so everything that prevents this will cause mental problems. Maslow suggested a hierarchy of needs that we strive to meet (bio, safety, love, esteem, cognitive, aesthetic self actualisation and transcendental) Carl Rogers: how actual self differs from ideal self, the further it is-lower self esteem. Conditions of worth can influence idea of actual self (ways we behave to receive reward of social acceptability). -not meeting condition can mean withdrawal of approval and impact self esteem-believed should all get unconditional positive regard from parents. People with schizo may not be accepted in society/trouble with relationships/jobs so worse self esteem -freewill is fundamental.
What is a humanistic treatment of mental illness
Rogers-Person centred therapy: if you give people time and space to think about things they will find the best way to recover and think Better about themselves. They have freewill and must choose to be better. Therapist gives client unconditional positive regard, accepts the, and listens which allows client to find best course (doesn’t give advice, just listens and asks)
Outline szasz research - the mythic of mental illness 50 years later
In 1960, he published the myth of mental illness, he challenged the medical model of mental illness which was popular at the time and rejected the image of patients as passive victims of biological events and believed psychiatry was coercive and involved a denial of human rights. Believed the drive to medicalise (the dsm have led to illness subject to diagnosis and treatment) and politicise (as holders of political power settle question what is mental illness and decree it is like physical illness) the us mh system has taken credibility away from alts. Believes mental illness is a metaphor and any mental illness with a physical cause were undiagnosed physical illnesses-mental illness not a subtype but proposes the term refers to turn judgement of people about disturbing/socially unacceptable behaviour. Challenged insanity defence as suggests all people are inherently good and that bad actions due to mental illness had implications for freedom (as deny responsibility for wrongdoing and Liberty from oppression by mh system) person loses importance as the illness is treated. Psychiatrists are jailers as imprison ppl and deny rights to reject medical diagnosis and treatment also have power as label/treat people deemed disturbed
Non bio treatment for specific disorder (phobia) behaviourist systematic desensitisation
Systematic desensitisation: patient builds a hierarchy of the stimulus which cause them anxiety form least to most fearful. (E.g. look @pic , touch pic, see real thing..) patient is taught deep muscle relaxation or to imagine themselves somewhere pleasant and relaxing for them. Therapist takes them step by step though hierarchy of fear, do relaxation techniques at each stage until they don’t feel anxious, then next level . Patients applies techniques in real life settings to demonstrate phobia removed. Example: McGrath and Lucy (10yrold) phobia of loud noises, shown party poppers and balloons, imagine playing with toys - 10 sessions reduced fear from 7/10 to 3/10 for balloons 9/10 to 3/10 party poppers
Non bio treatment for phobia - flooding behaviourist
Resent desired object directly, immediate fear response caused by adrenaline is not sustainable and will calm down by itself p. Feeling of calm then associated w feared object. Can cause panic and reinforce the phobia especially if they can leave before adrenaline reduces. also aversion therapy for addiction: unpleasant association e.g nausea using emetic with thing addicted to- repeated pairings lead to learned response of aversion.
Evaluate szazs view that there is no such thing as mental illness (5)
Need at least 2 arguments: support: politicisation-decide what is a mental illness, this can change over time, e.g. homosexuality so this may not be correct, also change across country e.g. dsm and china’s one, hearing spirits, ED . Too medical so opens up non medical treatments support/critical: schizo and more serious conditions need medical intervention as can lead to danger, been through history, also genetic but he would see as a brain illness so not a mental illness. ,critical: can be damaging to those who are stuggline (self esteem), take away support from those who need it e.g. autism and medication. some behaviours are concerning/cause damage/self damage with no biological reason e.g. ocd
Assess the usefulness of szaz
At least two arguments-Useful: allow non medical therapies, place limits on the power of politicians/psychiatrists, give power to people to choose non useful: discredit people’s suffering who have a level of mental illness (socially sensitive), discredit psychiatry as a whole (socially sensitive) and mental hospitals
