Abnormal and Clinical Psychology - Essay Example

?Abnormal and Clinical Psychology Answer Anything that diverts from the convention or dissents from the typical or usual is known as abnormal. Nevertheless exceptions can also be seen as certain behaviour may be considered as normal in one circumstance while may be regarded as abnormal in another cultural/ social context. The abnormal behaviour is defined as any maladaptive behaviour that restricts an individual from normal functioning or a reduction in an individual’s ability to perform at an average level, or a person suffers discomfort due to other’s behaviour or an individual that may pose threats to other individuals can be considered as abnormal as well as a behaviour that does not fit in the social or cultural context may also be regarded as abnormal. We need definitions in order to properly diagnose an abnormal activity from normal. And these definitions are quite helpful, besides they fail to correctly diagnose in many cases. The defined criteria suggests easy diagnosis while it was observed by David Rosenhan (1973) that it becomes difficult to identify abnormal behaviour from normal as he attempted to check the validity of defining criteria by deceiving 12 hospitals within United States. Since his study involved deception, it was critically assessed by researchers for being an unethical practice (Oltmanns & Emery, 2010). However all the four definitions fail in various circumstances as any behaviour that is socially undesirable may become desirable with the passage of time. For instance homosexual marriages were considered taboo once but now they have been legitimated in various societies. Answer # 2 The Schizophrenia and depression are both mental illnesses. Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder that is usually referred by various diseased persons as a living nightmare, and this fact is spotlighted by the increased rate of suicides amongst the schizophrenia patients. Schizophrenia can be categorized by psychosis. The usual symptoms include paranoid delusions, hallucinations, affection and behavioural disturbances. Depression and schizophrenia have been found to have caused due to certain genetic factors. Neuroendocrine dysfunction may also be associated to have caused major depressive disorder. They are considered to be developed due to acute or severe stress. Both illnesses result in depressive periods, along with insomniac, fatigue, suicidal attempts as well as other negative thoughts. The early symptoms pose core pathopsychology common to the every initial stage of both illnesses. Apart from similarities, considerable differences between both diseases exist. Depression in contrast to schizophrenia, which almost surely has a biological and/or genetic and/or trigger, major depressive disorder can be induced by either biological/genetic factors or due to psychosocial factors (Hammen, 1997). Depression is found to have been caused more due to social pressures instead of any specific biological causes and malfunctions. Unlike Schizophrenia, among the biological factors, a single neurotransmitter has not been yet identified to have associated with the major depressive disorder instead it can be caused due to de-regulation of the whole neurotransmitter system. Its symptoms include the situation when an individual seems to lose his/her interest or pleasure in activities that were previously associated with enjoyment and such an experience is known as anhedonia (Hammen, 1997). Moreover, depression is associated with an alteration in sleeping and appetite and lack of self esteem. Moreover, the age of onset is different in each case. Both illnesses are treated in a different manner. As schizophrenia patients are often provided antipsychotic medication for unlimited period while a depressed patient is provided the same medication for a limited period. Moreover a depressed individual maintain healthy association along with performing daily activities (Clarkin & Lenzenweger, 1996). Several biological malfunctions may be regarded as causes of schizophrenia as several types of brain dysfunction are found in schizophrenic patients including declined blood stream to the frontal regions of brain, enlarged ventricles, and excessive dopamine. Moreover it has also been regarded as to have caused due to ineffective parenting. Among the various cases of depression, the biological causes show that the first degree relatives of a patient are two times more susceptible to the disease than the remaining public. Moreover the genetic contribution suggests it to be linked to the psychological factors. However the inner psychic systems are regarded as the basis of depression’s causes. It may also be considered as a result of inadequate positive reinforcement in life. Similarly the cognitive approach suggest people get depressed upon exposure of earlier experiences that make them sensitized to act in a particular way (Hammen, 1997). The cognitive and behavioural approaches are integrated into each other. A depressed individual views himself, his surroundings as well as his future in a negative manner (Clarkin & Lenzenweger, 1996). Although no specific genes have been attributed to the causes of major depression, schizophrenia is found to be caused by certain particular genes. The psychodynamic perspective suggests that certain bad childhood experience may result in causing schizophrenia in a person. Besides a communication style is also referred as a cause of schizophrenia. A high level of expressed emotions within a family also suggests relapse amongst schizophrenia patients. Chronically stressful events may also lead to the development schizophrenia and it may also develop due to operant conditioning. At times, lack of family interactions and spiritual inclination may also lead to the development of schizophrenia in individuals (Nolen-Hoeksema, 2008). Answer #3 The main approaches used for the treatment of mental disorders include biological approach, the behavioural and cognitive approach and the psychodynamic approach. The psychodynamic approach emphasises on the notion that behaviour is chiefly determined by unconscious mind factors. Therefore the aim of psychoanalytical treatment is to turn consciously cognizant of the suppressed material. Techniques utilized to achieve it include free association which involve the encouragement of client to feel free talk about anything that may come into his/her mind, as well as the analysis of dream in which the patient associates the description of dream in a free way while the meaningful interpretation of these dreams are provided by the psychoanalyst, based upon the associations and the contents of dreams. The core of psychoanalysis is the organized analysis of transmission and resistance. Conventional psychoanalysis is usually criticised for its lengthy duration. Although brief psychoanalysis methods have been devised that employ transference-based interpretations. However, these therapies can be considered to have least ethical implications. The cognition and behavioural approach suggests that mental illness or abnormality occurs due to some wrong thinking patterns which are acquired through learning and may result in maladaptive behaviours. The cognitively and behaviour based approach maintains that mental defectiveness consequences from damaged thought processes acquired through learning and therefore can be treated by unlearning them. The cognitive and behavioural model suggests the way a person feel is determined by the way he/she thinks. On the basis of this principle, the cognitive restructuring helps the patients in changing the way he/she thinks about his life, other people and future. These approaches are regarded as simple emphasizing upon the use of empirical/objective procedures. But it is also criticized by the humanists as restraining the Psychology scope as it does not considers the active alternatives people think about while dealing with their environment. The behaviourists are also criticized by the Psychoanalysts for neglecting the captivating unconscious pressures on behaviour. Though it has been acknowledged by the cognitive theories that the thought processes require detailed study and inexplicit ideas about oneself do impact behaviours. Cognitive and behavioural theories have a broad application and are helpful in treating and explaining a great assortment of disorders including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, sexual dysfunctions, eating disorders etc. This model assumes that the dysfunctional cognitions in the mentally disturbed individuals as an outcome instead of a cause. This model is quite constricted in scope. Moreover the therapies like RET are intended to change the cognitions at times by making use of force and this forceful application of a therapeutic treatment could be considered as unethical. The biological perspective concentrates on the way certain anomalies in the functioning of the brain and the nervous system impact cognitive, behavioural and emotional functioning. It has been believed by the researchers that an essential facet of genetic transmission is the inherited character is only the predilection and not the predictability of the disorder. Therefore most of the psychological disorders result due to the mutual impacts of nurture (environment) and the nature (biology) on one another. The biological therapists attempt to reduce the symptoms of mental disorders by concentrating on the physiological abnormalities and for this purpose the most commonly employed mode of treatment is medicines. They work by manipulating the amount and activity of neurotransmitters. In the development of some mental disorders such as depression and schizophrenia, genetic factor are considered to play an essential part and therefore the medical treatment becomes vital. The biological model can be considered as logical and grounded on experienced biological science. It has provided the causes of few mental disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and GPI, as they are found to have been caused by an organic condition that results in confusion amongst the elderly. The treatment procedure is easy, quick and much cheaper than other treatment options. These medical treatment procedures are more often linked with certain side effects. Moreover, the drugs provided are not to cure the disease but instead provide an ease to the symptoms. The major ethical consideration in treating an individual with mental disorder is to categorize him/ her as abnormal. As such a categorization may lead to loss of basic human rights as well as will lead to discrimination (Halgin and Whitbourne, 2010). References Clarkin, J.F., & Lenzenweger, M.F. (1996). Major Theories of Personality Disorder. New York: Guilford Press. Halgin, R.P. and Whitbourne, S.K. (2010) Abnormal Psychology, Clinical Perspectives on Psychological Disorders, (6th Ed.), McGraw Hill. Hammen, C. (1997). Depression. Hove: Psychology Press/Lawrence Erlbaum and Associates. Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (2008). Abnormal Psychology. (4th ed.) New York: MrGraw-Hill. Oltmanns, T. F., & Emery, R. E. (2010). Abnormal Psychology. 6th ed., New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall. Read More