Announcements Psychological Disorders—this week Today How do we define “abnormal?” ...

AnnouncementsPsychological Disorders—this weekToday

How do we define “abnormal?”Schizophrenia

ThursdayMood DisordersAnxiety Disorders

Abnormal Behavior

Behavior that causes people to experience distress and prevents them

from functioning in their daily lives.

Historical Shift<1800s – superstitions:

witchcraft, demon possession, punishment by God

>1800s – medical & psychological model

What do you think changed as a result?Treatments: priest v.

doctor, exorcism v. therapy/drugs

What is “abnormal” anyway?Deviation from average

So, is above average bad?Often being different doesn’t mean

something is wrong.Abnormality as a sense of personal

discomfortSome severely mentally ill people report

feeling happy.Abnormality as the inability to

function effectivelyMost common definition used by mental

health professionals Charles Mansonmurdered people.

Are geniuses “abnormal”?

Be careful!

When evaluating whether or not a behavior is “abnormal” you must be consider these:SituationCulture

Is this normal? A man takes off his pants and

exposes himself to a woman in a place of business.

A. Yes

B. No

Is this normal? A man takes off his pants and

exposes himself to a woman in a place of business.

A. Yes

B. No

Is this normal?Mr. Redwood hears voices. He

speaks with gods.

A. Yes

B. No

Is this normal?Mr. Redwood hears voices. He speaks with spirits and talks in

tongues.

A. Yes

B. No

Be careful!

When evaluating whether or not a behavior is “abnormal” you must be consider these:SituationCulture

How do psychologists make a diagnosis?

Making a Diagnosis

1.   Interview patient.

2.   Administer questionnaires.a.      Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)

3. Determine whether criteria have been met for any disorder

using the DSM-IV.

DSM-IV

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition

Highly detailed and specific criteria for every disorder recognized by mental health professionals

Each diagnosis requires IMPAIRMENT IN SOCIAL, OCCUPATIONAL, OR EDUCATIONAL FUNCTIONING.

Psychotic Disorders

Schizophrenia

Which is another name for schizophrenia?

A. Bipolar disorder

B. Dissociative identity disorder

C. Multiple personality disorder

D. None of the above

Schizophrenia is NOT:

Multiple personalitiesThere is a very rare and

controversial disorder called Multiple Personality Disorder or Dissociative Identity Disorder.

Bipolar (mood changes)Mood tends to be FLAT in people

with schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia SymptomsThought disorder

Thinking does not make senseDelusions

Firmly held beliefs that are not based on reality E.g., Beliefs that people on TV are talking to you, beliefs that you are

being spied on by the government…

HallucinationsSeeing, hearing, or smelling things that are not there (sensory

experiences) E.g., hearing voices, smelling foul odors, seeing aliens…

WithdrawalDisinterest in others, talking little or not at all, not

acknowledging the presence of others

What symptoms of schizophrenia did John Nash exhibit in A Beautiful Mind?

Etiology, Course, & Treatment for Schizophrenia

EtiologyDecreased activity in the frontal lobeBig ventricles (holes in the brain)Too much dopamineInteraction between genes and stress

Course: ChronicTreatment

Medication Anti-psychotic medications

Decrease dopamine

Schizophrenia Cases

Geraldhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGnl8dqEo

PQ&feature=related

Artist’s storyhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_jYqSA_f

Jk

When Gerald talks about the egg and the sperm after being asked

about the picture on the wall having a headache, what symptom is he

displaying?

A. Thought disorder

B. Delusion

C. Hallucination

D. Withdrawal

When the artist talks about hearing the voices of alien scientists, what

symptom is she describing?

A. Thought disorder

B. Delusion

C. Hallucination

D. Withdrawal

When the talked about her belief that aliens were around her,

influencing her life, what symptom is that?

A. Thought disorder

B. Delusion

C. Hallucination

D. Withdrawal

Schizophrenia SymptomsThought disorder

Thinking does not make senseDelusions

Firmly held beliefs that are not based on reality E.g., Beliefs that people on TV are talking to you, beliefs that you are

being spied on by the government…

HallucinationsSeeing, hearing, or smelling things that are not there (sensory

experiences) E.g., hearing voices, smelling foul odors, seeing aliens…

WithdrawalDisinterest in others, talking little or not at all, not

acknowledging the presence of others

Case Studies

What are the symptoms?

Raymond was an honors student in high school and is a college sophomore currently. His grades dropped dramatically last semester. He is no longer able to go to school. He used to be an avid reader, but now sits with a book open to the same page for hours. He sometimes gets into the shower with his clothes on and blows on his breakfast cereal because he says it is hot. He talks very little now and has a flat facial expression.

Which is not a symptom described in this case study?

A. Thought disorder

B. Delusions

C. Hallucinations

D. Withdrawal

Which is not a symptom of schizophrenia?

A. Decreased communication

B. Loss of interest in people

C. Hallucinations

D. Depressed mood

Thank you!