Introduction to psychological disorders

Question 1

How do we define psychological disorders?

Answer 1

The study of psychological disorders is suffering and difficult to understand.

People have tried to simplify their criteria so that they are easier to diagnose.

However the lines between different disorders are blurred

Question 2

What are the 4 components of understanding psychological disorders?

Answer 2

1. Causes the person distress/ suffering
2. Violation of social norms
3. Disability- impairment in the ability to function/ go about daily life
4. Dysfunction in the mental process

However each of them individually are not sufficient

Question 3

What is distress

Answer 3

Feelings an individual suffers from as a result of a dysfunction

Question 4

What are the problems of categorising psychological disorders as distress?

Answer 4

1. Distress is a normal psychological reaction in some situations, ie. failing/bereavment
2. Not all psychological disorders involve personal distress, ie. hoarding disorder- they don’t feel anything wrong/ don’t feel bad

Question 5

What is violation of social norms?

Answer 5

Violating/going against widely held standards of behaviour, thoughts and action.

Question 6

What are the problems of categorising psychological disorders as a violation of social norms?

Answer 6

1. The definition of normal changes from time to time
2. Different cultures have different cultural norms, ie. in Japan it was normal to wear masks before covid
3. A lot of people deviate from social norms within a culture, ie. criminals, polygamists
4. Some disorders don’t even violate social norms, ie. BDD

Question 7

What is disability

Answer 7

Behaviour/thoughts/feelings impair your ability to function in work, relationships, leisure etc.

Question 8

What are the problems of categorising psychological disorders as a disability

Answer 8

Nor all psychological disorders impair ones ability to function, but the majority do
Example: Bullimia

There are many conditions that can result in disability that are not psychological disorders

Question 9

What’s dysfunction?

Answer 9

Psychological disorder results from a mental illness

The internal mechanism that deviates from its original function
An attempt has been made to ground psychological disorder in scientific objectivity.

Question 10

What are the problems of categorising psychological disorders as a dysfunction?

Answer 10

Most studies have been debunked as bigger studies have emerged- there’s no brain scan that can show a person w depression and one without

There’s no biological test available to diagnose the disorder

But maybe because there are a combination of complex biological and psychosocial factors than a single abnormal gene

Question 11

So how are psychological disorders actually defined?

Answer 11

Its not easy to define

Looking for an exaggeration of normal processes, ie. Excessive sadness or shyness

The definition of what causes abnormal behaviour is relative and changes over time

Therefore, they continuously revise definitions of mental illness.