abnormal psychology

INTRODUCTION

ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY

-Scientific study of problematic feelings, thoughts and behaviors associated with mental health disorders.

-This area of science is defined to evaluate, understand, predict, and prevent mental disorders and help those who are in distress.

“one may be normal today but not tomorrow “

Mental Disorder

-Group of emotional (feelings), cognitive (thinking), or behavioral symptoms that cause distress or significant problems.

4D’s in Abnormal Psychology are the criteria commonly used to determine whether an emotion, thought or behavior is abnormal.

·        Deviance

·        Dysfunction

·        Dangerous

·        Distress

Effects of Culture to the Norm

There is a thin line that separates normality from abnormality.

·         More severe depression cases for males because they do not admit their emotions.

·         Going to faith healers instead of psychologists because of their beliefs.

Early perspective- Attribution of normal behavior to supernatural causes.

EXORCISM & TREPHINATION

Some of the Torture Techniques

Strappado: Using of Rope

Garotte: Using of metal wire.

Guillotine: using a metal blade

Pear of Anguish: Through the use pear-shaped metal

Bloodletting: removal of blood

Lobotomy: Impairing blood to flow to certain parts of the brain

Why were they doing these torture techniques?

·         Mental illness was thought to be caused by demons or animal spirits taking over the body.

·         They believe that if they abuse the body badly enough, then the spirit will want to leave it.

·         Due to lack of scientific approach about mental health during their time.

Early Greek and Romans Thought

Hyppocrates: Rejected demons and evil spirits as causes of abnormal behavior and hypothesized that abnormal behavior resulted from disorders or dysfunction of the brain.

Middle Ages:

The fall of Roman Empire brought a return to supernatural theories in Europe.

Mass Madness

Tarantism: An individual became victims of tarantula’s “spirit” after bitten.

Lycanthropy: A transformation into a demonic animal such as werewolf.

St. Vitu’s Dance (Sydenham’s Chorea): A rapid, uncoordinated jerking movements.

Renaissance

Paracelsus: Treating mental disorders involved special institutions known as asylums.

Reform Movement

Philippe Pinel: Advocated more humane treatment of persons with mental problems.

William Tuke: Created the York retreat in England.

Benjamin Rush: Encouraged human treatment of people with mental disorder in U.S.

Dorothea Dix: Credited for the most significant changes in treating those with mental disorder and in changing public attitudes about this conditions in America. Established over 30 hospitals and emphasized the moral treatment.

Clifford Beers: Founder of the American mental hygiene movement