...first recorded attempt to explain abnormal behavior as due to some biological process. During the Renaissance, belief in demonic possession (in which the possessed person was seen as a victim) gave way to a belief in witchcraft, and mentally ill persons were most likely called witches and put to death. 2) One way to define normal and abnormal is to use a statistical definition. Another way of defining abnormality is to see it as some- thing that goes against the norms or standards of the society in which the individual lives. Abnormal behavior that includes at least two of these five criteria is perhaps best classified by the term psychological disorder, which is defined as any pattern of behavior that causes people significant distress, causes them to harm themselves or others, or harms their ability to function in daily life. 1. Is the behavior unusual, such as experiencing severe panic when faced with a stranger or being severely depressed in the absence of any stressful life situations? 2. Does the behavior go against social norms? (And keep in mind that social norms change over time—e.g., homosexuality was once considered a psychological dis- order rather than a variation in sexual orientation.) 3. Does the behavior cause the person significant subjective discomfort? 4. Is the behavior maladaptive or result in an inability to function? 5. Does the behavior cause the person to be dangerous to self or others, as in the case of someone...
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...Anxiety, Somatoform, and Dissociative Disorders AJ Curless August 6, 2013 PSY/410 Lara Ashbaugh The particular interest in this paper includes anxiety disorders, somatoform disorders, and dissociative disorders. According to, Hansell and Damour (2008) the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text rev.; DSM-IV-TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2000), includes diagnostic and classifications in identifying and diagnosing mental disorders. The classifications and symptoms of these disorders will be examined. In addition, the case of Anna O. will be discussed pertaining to the biological, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components of the disorder. Anxiety Disorders “The primary distinction between fear and anxiety is that fear is directed at a specific stimuli; whereas anxiety is more of a general feeling of apprehension about the future” (Hansell & Damour, 2008, p. 115). According to, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text rev.; DSM-IV-TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2000), there are several specific disorders that stem from excessive anxiety. They include: agoraphobia, acute stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety disorders stemmed from substance abuse, general anxiety disorder (GAD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), specific phobia, and social phobia. It is normal to experience fear and anxiety at some point in life but...
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...Outline & evaluate the biological explanation of phobic disorders: The biological explanation for the acquisition of phobic disorders establishes that phobias are caused by genetics, innate influences and the principles of biochemistry. This theory recognises that an oversensitive fear response may be inherited, causing abnormal levels of anxiety. This is illustrated in the basis of inheritance, particularly the adrenergic theory that convicts that those who have an acquisition to phobic disorders consequently show high levels of arousal in the automatic nervous system, which leads to increased amounts of adrenaline, thus causing high levels of anxiety. However this theory lacks evidence of cause and effect, causing it to be difficult to determine whether the levels of arousal lead to the anxiety or whether it is actually the developed anxiety, which leads to this arousal. This issue was present in Lader and St Matthews study which found that individuals who develop social phobia or panic disorders with agoraphobia have high levels of arousal. This causes a lack of validity to become apparent as there is an unawareness of what is being measured, as there is not a clear distinction between what aroused first, the reaction in the brain or the phobic disorder as it is not convicted whether the high arousal levels are the cause or in fact the consequence of the phobia. Furthermore, the basis of inheritance also distinguishes that dopamine pathways predispose individuals...
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...Anxiety, Mood/Affective, Somatoform Paper University of Phoenix PSY/410 Korneshia Parker Prepare a 700- to 1,050-word paper in which you analyze the biological, psychodynamic, cognitive, and behavioral components of anxiety, mood/affective, and somatoform disorders. Anxiety, mood/affective, and somatoform disorders have many different components. These disorders while all detracting from normal social interactions and the day to day living of individuals who suffer from them have definitive signs and symptoms. Some of the disorders share similar signs and or symptoms and have varying biological, emotional, behavioral and cognitive parts. The field of abnormal psychology tries to determine what these signs and symptoms are and find a way to treat individuals suffering from them therapeutically. The components of anxiety disorders are biological, emotional, cognitive and behavioral. The biological components include the way the autonomic system functions in individuals with anxiety, as well as other factors that may make an individual genetically predisposition to have an anxiety disorder. The biological perspective views the activation or stimulation of the nervous system and its excesses or deficiencies. (National Institutes of Health, 2010). The emotional components of anxiety disorder address those issues an individual has not dealt with or has repressed. Many psychologists think that early childhood experiences or traumas could cause an individual too much sadness...
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...The textbook explains that there really isn't one wrong or right theoretical perspective, but I feel that the biopsychosocial perspective is explained best. To understand psychology and human behavior, including abnormal behavior, there needs to be a combination of three factors. The three factors are biological, psychological and sociocultural factors. The textbook also makes clear that the biopsychosocial perspective "brings a much needed interactionist focus to the study of abnormal behavior by considering the interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors" (Nevid, Rathus, Greene 69) and also "holds the view that with few exceptions, psychological disorders or other patterns of abnormal behavior are complex phenomena arising...
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...| Anxiety Disorders | PSYCH 6211 | | | 5/15/2009 | | Anxiety Disorders Anxiety disorders are the most common emotional disorders that affect Americans. The primary symptoms of anxiety disorders are fear and worry but they are also characterized by emotional and physical symptoms. There are several different types of anxiety disorders. They can include Panic Disorder, Phobias, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorders (Northern Lakes, 2009). There are many different factors that play a role in the cause of anxiety disorders. Heredity, brain chemistry, personality, and lifestyle are contributing factors of anxiety disorders. Evidence exists that shows that anxiety disorders run in families. The genetic link between family members as well as the behaviors one learns when growing up around people who suffer from the disorder may be a direct correlation between anxiety disorders and family traits. Since anxiety disorders are often relieved by medications that altar chemical levels in the brain, scientists believe that brain chemistry must play a role in the onset of anxiety disorders. Lifestyle can also contribute to the development of anxiety disorders. Long-term exposure to abuse, violence, and poverty may increase a person’s vulnerability to these disorders. Results of this type of lifestyle often lead to a person having low self-esteem and poor coping skills (UMM, 2008). Viewing...
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... The Jim twins were identical twins and nature obviously had a big effect on how they looked, both the boys inherited genetics from their parents which determined what they were going too looked like, during their childhood the boys would have looked identical, but they just didn’t know each other. But one twin in his childhood had a fringe and the other didn’t, these different hair styles would have been the effect of nurture as he would have been influenced to have his hair that way by seeing others with the same hairstyle or his adoptive parents wanting him to have his hair like that. Nature would have had an effect on the twin’s physical development as the genes they gathered from their biological parents would have determined that during their childhood, they disliked basketball and other sports, this could have been because, both their parents may not of been very sporty, which could of led them to inherit gene which meant they were going to be very athletic/sporty either. On the other hand their dislike of sports could have been brought on by nurture as they could have had bad experiences of playing basketball which mad them dislike it, or they could have been influenced not to like it by other peoples opinions. Intellectual Development...
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...One of the most common psychological disorders in the US is Anxiety Disorder. By definition, anxiety disorder is a lifelong condition characterized by excessive and continual emotions of anxiety and fear (“Anxiety Disorder”). Anxiety disorders can have an absolutely frightening and weakening impact on lives and as well as an impact on physical and mental health. People who suffer from this disorder become overwhelmed and are unable to find balance in their lives, so their ability to find inner peace is difficult to accomplish. In the United States, eighteen percent of the population is affected by an anxiety disorder (“Anxiety and Depression Association of America”). The United States spends more than forty-two billion a year on this disorder...
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...centuries because of the accelerating pace of research in neurological and behavioral science and the development of new research techniques. The brain is like a committee of experts. All the parts of the brain work together, but each part has its own special properties. Biological causes of clinical depression continue to be studied extensively. Great progress has been made in the understanding of brain function, the influence of neurotransmitters, and other biological processes, as well as how they may relate to the development of depression. Depression or anxiety causes individuals to have many changes in their behaviors. They tend to become isolated from their family, friends, or be social. Their eating patterns lead to either weight gain or loss; and sleeping patterns change where they either do not sleep or sleep excessively. They become agitated, irritable, and fatigue or have lack of energy. Biological psychology aims at finding the biological factor of depression. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, (SSRI) have had a major impact on the field of biological psychology because it is the most commonly prescribed medication for the treatment of depression and other mental disorders including anxiety and obsessive disorder. The brain is the "command center" of the human body. It controls the basic functions of our...
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...Anxiety Mood/affective Somatoform Disorders Marie K Cesar Abnormal Psychology In this paper I will analyze the biological, emotional, cognitive and behavioral components of several disorders. The DSM-IV-TR offers professionals to opportunity to use a standard classification of mental disorders by the mental health professionals. Anxiety Disorders Anxiety is similar to a fear, it is defined as a unpleasant emotion associated with a general sense of danger or the feeling that something bad is going to happen ( hansell & Damour 2008). Anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorder among the U.S population. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) can be long term. If someone makes changes in their lifestyle as well as seek psychological counseling and develop coping skill. It is not completely know what causes GAD, the natural chemicals serotonin and norepinephrine may be a possible contributor. Depending on the severity of the condition it may also include genetics as part of the equation. When a person is going through a great deal of stress, they may develop irritability, sleep issues as well as difficulty with concentrating or staying on task. There are many diagnostic criteria for GAD a person must have continuous anxiety for at least six months and have difficulty controlling the anxiety. (Damour & Hansell, 2008) Many people may have difficulty dealing with stress and worry that this may cause them distress and could interfere with their function in day to day...
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...Essay #1 Henry Z 04/21/10 Smith Pd. 2 Behavioral, psychoanalytic/psychodynamic, biological, and cognitive perspective each has its own cause of anxiety and treatment for reducing these anxieties. Behavioral anxiety can be caused from trauma. Trauma is when an extremely distressing experience that causes emotional shock and may have long-lasting psychological effects. For example, someone getting raped. Psychoanalytic/psychodynamic anxiety can be caused by the three interacting systems that Freud theorized: id, ego, and superego. The id is a reservoir of unconscious psychic energy that strives to satisfy basic sexual and aggressive drives. For example, a infant crying out for satisfaction. The ego is the largely conscious, "executive" part of personality that among the demands of the if, superego and reality. For example, being constrained by the law because one knows it is bad to break it. The superego is the part of the personality that represents internalized ideals and provides standards for judgment and for future aspirations. For example, someone with a strong superego may be virtuous. Biological anxieties can be caused by a lack of serotonin which leads to depression. Depression is a state of unhappiness and hopelessness. Cognitive anxiety is caused from depression. Specific treatment techniques used for reducing anxiety used by professionals for each of the four perspectives: reward/punishment, free association, drugs/medication and cognitive...
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...OBJECTIVES * To introduce the different perspectives on psychological disorders, and to discuss the controversy surrounding the use of diagnostic labels. * To describe the most prevalent disorders, and to examine their possible causes. * To describe the prevalence of the different psychological disorders. * To investigate how Dissociative identity occur among woman * How the family members handle the situation with DID suffer * To recommend the ways to prevent DID among woman. Perspectives on Psychological Disorders 1. Identify the criteria for judging whether behavior is psychologically disordered. There is a fine and somewhat arbitrary line between normality and abnormality. A psychological disorder is a harmful dysfunction in which behavior is judged atypical, disturbing, maladaptive, and unjustifiable. 2. Describe the medical model of psychological disorders, and discuss the bio-psycho-social perspective offered by critics of this model. The medical model assumes that psychological disorders are mental illnesses that need to be diagnosed on the basis of their symptoms and cured through therapy. Critics argue that psychological disorders may not reflect a deep internal problem but instead a growth-blocking difficulty in the person's environment, in the person's current interpretation of events, or in the person's bad habits and poor social skills. Psychologists who reject the "sickness" idea typically contend that all behavior arises from the interaction...
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...better treat individuals that suffer from anxiety disorders like panic disorder (Rachman and Silva, 2009, p.x). Although not every panic attack is associated with panic disorder, if untreated, it can become severe and possibly chronic (Rachman and Silva, 2009, p.19). Panic disorder afflicts approximately 1.5 to 3.5 percent of the entire population, specifically women (Root, 2000, p. 1). In the United States of America alone, there is an estimated three to six million individuals who suffer from this disease (Root, 2000, p. x). Panic disorder has an extensive...
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...Somatic Symptom Disorder A Nature vs. Nurture Debate By Jennifer Nguyen July 3, 2015 The Disorder While many mental disorders are well-known and commonly referred to, such as bipolar disorder, depression, and anorexia, one mental disorder that has less limelight are somatoform disorders. WebMD defined somatoform disorders as “mental illnesses that cause bodily symptoms, including pain” where these symptoms cannot be “traced back to any physical cause” and they are “not the result of substance abuse of another mental illness” (WebMD). The Criteria & Associated Behaviors In DSM-IV, somatization disorder was the major somatoform disorder. There were many criteria for this disorder. However, in DSM-V, somatoform disorders were largely replaced by the term somatic symptom disorder, hereon referred to as SSD, which DSM-V characterizes by “somatic symptoms that are either very distressing or result in significant disruption of functioning, as well as excessive and disproportionate thoughts, feelings and behaviors regarding those symptoms. With this new change in DSM-V, somatization disorder (previously in DSM-IV) is now completely removed and replaced. The previous diagnosis of somatization disorder required very specific criteria. However, the new criteria for SSD is not as specific, but it does state that “somatic symptoms must be significantly distressing or disruptive to daily live and must be accompanied by excessive thoughts, feelings, or behaviors” (DSM). To see...
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... An ordinary development milestone has serious impacts on clients and the social workers must understand these milestones to provide information to the clients. Proper assessments of client behavior are relevant to the biological, psychological, and social development systems that operate together and affect behavior. Biological, Psychological, and Social aspects of development The fundamentals of human development in the social environment must concentrate on the dynamic interactions between biological, psychological, and social aspects of development. The understanding of human development requires the comprehension of the various ranges of issues, people are facing as they continue progressing in life. For instance, a medical illness such as anxiety can provide insight on the dimensions of development. According to Zastrow and Kirst-Ashman (2010), if a person is diagnosed with anxiety their psychological state of mind is already affected and the illness is a present problem. The anxiety will cause the person to isolate themselves from others and affect the sociological dimension. Mood swings may occur and affect normal habits such as eating or sleeping which will eventually start to affect the client’s biological dimension (Chapter 1). Biological development...
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