...Introduction Psychodynamic psychotherapy places great emphasis on aspect that are usually not known to an individual, perhaps most familiar to us as the unconscious processes. According to Shelder (2010), distinctive features of Psychodynamic technique extends to a wide range of treatments based on psychoanalytic concepts and methods that consist of less frequent sessions and may be significantly more short-termed than the psychoanalysis concept. Sessions are scheduled typically once or twice per week consisting with treatment either in time limited or open ended fashion. In contrast to traditional and inadequate teaching materials of psychoanalytic or psychodynamic therapies made by Sigmund Freud in the early 20th century, conventional psychodynamic...
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...therapy. Four major forms of therapy include the psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral, and humanistic therapy. The form of therapy used may depend upon the type of disorder a person may exhibit. Disorders are analyzed in order to determine which type of therapy is needed for treatment. Extensive research has gone into understanding the different types of therapy and how they are used to benefit society. Therapists have analyzed the human psyche to better understand the human personality and how best to help the individual. The past, present, and future are areas in which these diverse psychological therapies are used to treat individuals. Whether or not treatment is effective, may depend on the individual. The psychodynamic therapy brings unresolved conflicts and unacceptable impulses from the past to the present allowing the patient to deal with such problems more effectively. In addition, therapists are challenged in finding ways to help the patient understand the unconscious (Feldman, 2010, p. 430-431). According to therapy.com (2010), the psychodynamic therapy focuses on a person’s personality while addressing issues of past and present relationships. According to research, this form of therapy focuses on parts of your personality and although it can treat many mental health conditions, it can be helpful for treating depression related to personality aspects or interpersonal relationships, both past and present (Overcome Depression, 2010). How we think and feel has an...
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...us is the major cause of depression? It’s not really hard to believe when you think about it as we are faced with mass unemployment, and a recession which can put heavy strain on even the most balanced of individuals and their interpersonal relationships around them. There are many interpersonal instances that can have the ability to lead to the onset of depression, such as the family environment, the socialization setting, and the discrimination against gender in certain cultures and instances. Depression has many brothers and sisters in the medical world, ranging from disorders such as Dysthymia, postnatal depression and in some extreme cases of depression such as Bio polar, and major depression (Unipolar). But no matter what the diagnosis is or how serious the depression is, depression is not trivial and is a real health condition contrary to what some people believe. It is not something that you can just snap out of and more importantly it is not a sign of weakness. For many people depression can affect them in different ways to other people with the same condition but normally the symptoms are similar. These can range from lack of sleep or too much sleep, weight loss or gain, unpredictable mood swings, thoughts of self-harm or suicidal tendencies, low self-worth, and no interest or motivation. These are just a few of the psychological symptoms but the major question in which this essay will try to answer is what is the major cause of depression is. Is it psychological...
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...theories to analyse, Psychodynamic and Cognitive. I will also evaluate how certain therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Psychotherapy may help or change a depressed person’s behaviour. Depression is a potentially disabling illness that affects many, but is understood by few. Suffers often do not recognise the nature of this terrible illness until they are so devastated that they can no longer help themselves. (Ainsworth 2000). According to Houpt 2010, Jamie is clearly showing signs of depression. Jamie is exhausted and his schoolwork is falling behind. He has fallen asleep in class and states that he feels depressed and anxious. He also feels a great sense of loss and his eating behaviour has changed drastically. Houpt states that depression reduces, depresses and slows a person’s functional level. It slows mental and bodily activities. Therefore a slowed mind is unable to process and respond to all incoming data. Adolescent depression is a mental and emotional disorder affecting adolescents and teens. More commonly referred to as teenage depression, adolescent depression is not medically different from adult depression and can affect a teen’s personal, school, work, social and family life therefore leading to social isolation. Empfield and Bakalar, 2013). A psychodynamic theory is a view that explains personality in terms of conscious and unconscious forces, such as unconscious desires and beliefs. (Bienfeld, 2006). The psychodynamic approach investigates...
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...Discuss two or more definitions of abnormality (12 marks) One definition of abnormality is “deviation from social norms” and under this definition a person’s thinking or behaviour is classified as abnormal if it violates the unwritten rules about what is expected or acceptable behaviour in a particular social group. Behaviour may be incomprehensible to others or make others feel threatened or uncomfortable. For example, someone would be classified as being abnormal if they laughed at a funeral, as this is socially unacceptable. A weakness of this definition is that it lacks cultural relativity as social behaviour varies when different cultures are compared. For e.g. it’s common in south Europe to stand much closer to strangers than in the UK. As well as this voice pitch and volume, touching, directions of gaze and acceptable subjects for discussion have all been found to vary between cultures. This means what is considered deviant or abnormal varies considerably across cultures, thus weakening this definition. Another limitation of deviation from social norms is that it lacks time validity. This is because social norms change over time; behaviour that was once seen as abnormal may be acceptable and vice versa. For example, drink driving was once considered acceptable but is now seen as socially unacceptable whereas homosexuality has changed the other way. Until 1980 homosexuality was considered a psychological disorder but is considered acceptable today. This is a weakness...
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...Discuss two or more definitions of abnormality (12 marks) One definition of abnormality is “deviation from social norms” and under this definition a person’s thinking or behaviour is classified as abnormal if it violates the unwritten rules about what is expected or acceptable behaviour in a particular social group. Behaviour may be incomprehensible to others or make others feel threatened or uncomfortable. For example, someone would be classified as being abnormal if they laughed at a funeral, as this is socially unacceptable. A weakness of this definition is that it lacks cultural relativity as social behaviour varies when different cultures are compared. For e.g. it’s common in south Europe to stand much closer to strangers than in the UK. As well as this voice pitch and volume, touching, directions of gaze and acceptable subjects for discussion have all been found to vary between cultures. This means what is considered deviant or abnormal varies considerably across cultures, thus weakening this definition. Another limitation of deviation from social norms is that it lacks time validity. This is because social norms change over time; behaviour that was once seen as abnormal may be acceptable and vice versa. For example, drink driving was once considered acceptable but is now seen as socially unacceptable whereas homosexuality has changed the other way. Until 1980 homosexuality was considered a psychological disorder but is considered acceptable today. This is a weakness because...
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...Severe Depression Brandy Morris Ashford University Severe Depression I. Severe depression is a mental disorder that is characterized by a persistent and pervasive low mood, which is accompanied by a loss of interest or pleasure and a low self-esteem in activities that are normally enjoyable. A. The severe disorder has been found to be a condition that is disabling and has profound effects on an individual's family, eating habits, sleeping, school life, or work. B. According to DSM-5, a manual used in examining mental health conditions, this condition is marked by moods that are depressed, and it may occur every day for about two weeks to a person. The symptoms may frequently be in the morning. II. It is believed that social, psychological, and biological factors play an active role in the cause of the severe disorder. This is according to biopsychological model. A. According to the diathesis-stress model, depression is as a result of diathesis or preexisting vulnerabilities that are activated by an event that is stressful (Adler,1956). This is according to Adler. Preexisting vulnerabilities, in this case, may refer to the genetic meaning interaction between nurture and nature, or schematic. B. Severe depression may be triggered by grief after losing a loved one through, divorce, death, or separation. Major challenges in life, feeling of being deprived or social isolation may be the cause of depression (Klein, Herron & Belcher...
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...The Case of Virginia Woolf The Case of Virginia Woolf Mood disorders are a disturbance in an individual’s emotions. These disturbances can cause discomfort or hinder function. One mood disorder is bipolar disorder. In bipolar disorder, depression is accompanied by manic episodes. Bipolar has a generally slow onset. However, the onset of manic episodes may be sudden (Meyer, Chapman, & Weaver, 2009). Evidence shows that an individual’s life history may feature symptoms in childhood or adolescence. These symptoms may become more intense during the lifespan. Many creative individuals, such as Virginia Woolf, were believed to have bipolar disorder. The Case of Virginia Woolf demonstrates the severity of bipolar disorder. Virginia Woolf began exhibiting symptoms of bipolar disorder in her early teens. Virginia was very close to her mother and took her death hard. Around this time, Virginia had what was considered her first breakdown (Meyer, Chapman, & Weaver, 2009). After her father’s death, Virginia had a more extreme breakdown. Virginia suffered from breakdowns during adulthood as well. These breakdowns usually occurred during the final stages of her writing projects. Her husband, Leonard, began to detect when episodes were beginning and enforced rest for Virginia. This helped her from having relapses. However in 1941, Virginia suffered from another attack and took her own life. There are several characteristics related...
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...Outline and evaluate psychological explanations of depression: at least two Psychodynamic theories: * Outline : * Fixation at the oral stage (over or under gratification at the oral stage) results in dependency on caregiver and on other people. The dependant personality makes the constantly seek love and approval of others. * if the needs are not met the anger turns inwards ( later in life events like death, relationship break-up, job loss results in regression to the oral stage) results in depression. * Freud explained how, when a loved one is lost there is first a mourning period and then, after a while, life returns to normal. For some people however, the mourning period never seems to come to an end, they continue to exist in a state of permanent melancholia (depression). * Bibring psychodynamic theory states that depression is due to poor parenting. The child develops low self-esteem in contrast to the ideal self because the parents expect perfection on the child and can be critical. Evaluation: * This theory shows that early childhood experiences can affect vulnerability to depression, in later life the effects of early childhood experiences is supported by bowlby where the child attachment whether secure or insecure can affect later life relationship. * Freud’s theory is a good theory and is linked to the theory of Bowlby, insecure parent attachment. * Freud’s theory lacks falsifiability, because it cannot be operationalized and is based...
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...that is so open to interpretation defining what is normal is a tall order. Interpreting the meaning of research data is a matter of perspective and is often open to debate. Everyone perceives things through their own concept of the world and since no two people experience the world in the exact same way the definition of normal varies from person to person and culture to culture. In this paper we will examine the field of abnormal psychology, a few common disorders, and the varying methods of therapy from the differing psychological schools of thought. Normal vs. Abnormal Psychology “Defining what is abnormal depends on how one first defines what is normal” (Davis & Buskist, 2008, p. 237). Psychology in general terms is the study of the mind. We study mental processes and human behavior to better understand the human condition. In trying to study the mind and understand the processes of thought there is much overlap from other disciplines; to fully understand behavior we must gain an understanding of all that goes into the process. There are biological, neurological, and evolutionary components to cognition and reaction. There is also a strong philosophical aspect to appreciating the idiosyncrasies of human behavior. In modern psychology there are four main schools of thought: psychodynamic, behaviorist, cognitive, and evolutionary (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). Psychodynamic theory is based on emotions (subconscious) dictating behavior. Behaviorists believe that environmental...
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...Q(a): Explain in your own words what is meant by a 'model of abnormality'?[2] A: Models of abnormality each offers a different explanation for the origins of mental disorders. They are basically the conceptual models, each research and treatment adopted according to it. (b): Describe models of abnormality. [8] A: There are four type of models: Medical model (or Biological method), Psychodynamic model, Behavioral model and the Cognitive model. Medical model (or Biological model) is a view of abnormality that sees mental disorders as being caused by abnormal physiological processes such as genetics, brain damage and chemical imbalance. Abnormality according to this model is seen as an illness or disease. They treat mental disorders with the help of chemotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy and psycho surgery. According to Psychodynamic model, abnormal behavior is caused by underlying psychological forces of which the individuals is probably unaware. It focuses on unconscious mind primarily and according to Sigmund Freud, if a child does not successfully complete any of the psychosexual stages, it will cause abnormality. It is treated by talk therapies and test like the rorshack and free-word association. The Behavioral model has a view that abnormal behavior are maladaptive, learned responses in the environment which can be replaced by more adapted behaviors. These disorders emerge due to classical conditioning, operant conditioning or social learning. It can be...
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...Evaluating Psychodynamic psychotherapy Posted March 10, 2006 by Yousif Al Saif • Updated March 13, 2006 Sigmund Freud is one of the founding fathers of modern psychology. He started his work in psychiatry after finishing his medical training in Vienna. He was taught in Paris by one of the most influential psychiatrist in his time Charcot. Charcot tackled hysteria by using hypnosis as a treatment technique. Freud, however, thought that hypnosis is not an effective treatment approach to hysteria and decided to pursue another approach. He later adopted a method of treatment called "free association" where the client says whatever comes to his/her mind and used the resulting stream of strong conscious emotions as a helpful way to his patients (McLeod, 1998). Freud also used dream analysis as a way to enter the subconscious and unveil the suppressed thoughts and memories of patients (Freud, 1900). He also noted key psychotherapeutic phenomenons such as the client-therapist’s “transference” and “counter-transference” and the client’s “resistance”. Freud theories went through considerable modification by the neo-Freudians such as Carl Jung, Otto Rank, and Alfred Adler. Now some psychotherapists base their work broadly on Freud’s work but mainly on neo-Freudians which is called the psychodynamic approach to psychotherapy. The psychodynamic approach gives great importance to childhood experiences and believes that the client’s psychological problems are a direct result of these experiences...
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...Discuss the psychodynamic approach to psychopathology. (12 marks) Psychopathology is the study of abnormality. Abnormality is a psychological behaviour that deviates from the norm or is harmful and distressing to those around them. The psychodynamic approach to psychopathology looks at what drives us to behave in a particular way. Freud believed that a mental disorder is caused by unresolved conflicts of childhood which are unconscious. According to Freud the human mind or psyche consists of the id, ego and superego and conflict between these cause anxiety. The id is the irrational part of our personality which uses the pleasure principle: it seeks to have fun. The ego is the conscious rational part of personality, it uses the reality principle. The superego is the moral sense of right and wrong. Conflict between the id, ego and superego create anxiety. The id demands gratification which causes conflict with the superego’s sense of right and wrong. The ego then must step in between the two to restore them to reality and then proceeds to defend itself against the anxiety caused by using ego defence mechanisms.examples of ego defence mechanisms are: repression, denial, projection etc. These are all part of the unconscious mind, here memories and information that are hard to bring into the conscious mind exist. This has a powerful effect on behaviour which frequently leads to distress because the person does not understand why they are acting a particular...
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...Describe and evaluate therapies derived from either the psychodynamic or the cognitive-behavioural models of abnormality. /30 marks Psychodynamic therapies were suggested by Sigmund Freud at the start of the twentieth centaury. Freud started off with the main therapy witch is psychoanalysis therapy. This therapy is based on neurotic problems that develop during the oedipal stage. The conflicts were suggested to be repressed memories and thoughts that the immature ego can not handle. The role of the psychoanalyst was to recover these repressed memories that was causing the patients undesirable behaviour, these memories would then be talked and discussed with the therapist in the safety of their surgery. Freud suggested the key to unlocking these thoughts was for the surgery to be the right situation for them to come out and develop. This therapy technique is said to be the principle on what all other psychodynamic therapies work on such as word association, free association, dream analyses and psycho drama. Free association is another such psychodynamic therapy, in this therapy a patient is required to lay down and get into the right atmosphere by being relaxed to allow the free flow of thoughts to come to mind. The first thoughts that enter the patients mind must be recalled to the practitioner because these thoughts are supposed to represent unconscious drives and desires . This aims to recall underlying thoughts that you may not be aware you are thinking about. Patients...
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...Answer any five of the following questions. 2. What is the General Adaptation Syndrome, explain with an example. Scientist Hans Selye (1907-1982) introduced the General Adaptation Syndrome model in 1936 showing in three phases what the alleged effects of stress has on the body. In his work, Selye - 'the father of stress research,' developed the theory that stress is a major cause of disease because chronic stress causes long-term chemical changes. He observed that the body would respond to any external biological source of stress with a predictable biological pattern in an attempt to restore the body’s internal homeostasis. This initial hormonal reaction is your fight or flight stress response - and its purpose is for handling stress very quickly! The process of the body’s struggle to maintain balance is what Selye termed, the General Adaptation Syndrome. Pressures, tensions, and other stressors can greatly influence your normal metabolism. Selye determined that there is a limited supply of adaptive energy to deal with stress. That amount declines with continuous exposure. Going through a series of steps, your body consistently works to regain stability. With the general adaptation syndrome, a human’s adaptive response to stress has three distinct phases: ALARM STAGE - Your first reaction to stress recognizes there’s a danger and prepares to deal with the threat, a.k.a. the fight or flight response. Activation of the HPA axis, the nervous system (SNS) and the adrenal glands...
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