Psychological Disorders: An Overview

Introduction to Psychological Disorders

  • Historical context:

    • Early 20th-century understanding of psychological disorders was limited.
    • Hysteria (now conversion disorder) was attributed to marital issues and repressed desires.
    • Example: A 1915 excerpt from the Journal of Abnormal Psychology suggests that women used tears as a weapon in marital conflicts.

  • Modern understanding:

    • We now recognize the complex psychological and biological factors involved in mental illnesses.

Understanding Psychological Disorders

  • Definition: Psychological disorders are characterized by:

    • Thoughts, feelings, or actions that cause significant distress.
    • Deviance from cultural norms.
    • Maladaptive functioning in society (negatively impacting others or leading to self-defeating outcomes).

  • Treatability: Many disorders can be effectively treated upon diagnosis.

Classification Systems

  • Two main classification systems for psychological disorders:
    • Biomedical approach
    • Biopsychosocial approach

Biomedical Approach

  • Focus: Symptom reduction through biomedical interventions.

  • Assumption: Disorders originate from biomedical disturbances.

  • Limitations:

    • Narrow focus; neglects lifestyle and socioeconomic factors.

  • Example: Heart disease has biomedical roots, but lifestyle factors (diet, smoking, alcohol) also play a significant role.

  • Effectiveness: Often improved when combined with a broader approach.

Biopsychosocial Approach

  • Method: Considers biological, psychological, and social components of a disorder.

  • Components:

    • Biological: Genetic factors, physical health.
    • Psychological: Thoughts, emotions, behaviors.
    • Social: Surroundings, perceived class, discrimination.

  • Example: Depression

    • Biological: Genetic predisposition.
    • Psychological: Stress levels.
    • Social: Support from family and friends, work environment.

  • Therapy:

    • Direct therapy: Targets the individual (e.g., medication, psychotherapy).
    • Indirect therapy: Enhances social support (e.g., educating family and friends).

Classifying Psychological Disorders: The DSM

  • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM):

    • Purpose: Originally for collecting statistical data in the U.S., now a diagnostic tool.
    • Current edition: DSM-5 (published May 2013).
    • Content: Compilation of known psychological disorders.

  • Classification:

    • Based on descriptions of symptoms, not theories of etiology or treatment.
    • Clinicians use it to match patient symptoms to diagnostic categories.

  • Structure: DSM-5 has 20 diagnostic classes of mental disorders.

Rates of Psychological Disorders

  • Prevalence: Despite being experienced individually, psychological disorders are more common than one might think.