Revision: Psychological Disorders CUET (UG) Psychological Disorders

Adaptation refers to a person’s ability to modify her/his behaviour in response to changing environmental requirements.

Adaptation refers to a person’s ability to modify her/his behaviour in response to changing environmental requirements.

• When a person feels nervous or worried without any obvious reason for a long time such that it starts interfering with the daily life, it is called Anxiety Disorder.
• Ross defines anxiety disorder as a series of symptoms which arises from the faulty adaptation to the stresses and strains of life.
• The term anxiety is usually defined as a diffuse, vague, very unpleasant feeling of fear and apprehension.

A panic attack denotes an abrupt surge of intense anxiety rising to a peak when thoughts of a particular stimulus are present.

• The disorder in which the individual experiences extreme feelings of sadness as well as guilt for at least two weeks, is called Depressive Disorder.
• Major depressive disorder is defined as a period of depressed mood and/or loss of interest or pleasure in most activities, together with other symptoms which may include a change in body weight, constant sleep problems, tiredness, inability to think clearly, agitation, greatly slowed behaviour, and thoughts of death and suicide.

It is a mood disorder in which an individual experiences very wide swings of mood from deep depression to wild elation.

In bipolar psychoses, mania and depression usually occur in a circular form. It is therefore called cyclic psychoses.

Suicide is a result of complex interface of biological, genetic, psychological, sociological, cultural and environmental factors.

• Schizophrenia is the descriptive term for a group of psychotic disorders in which personal, social, and occupational functioning deteriorate as a result of disturbed thought processes, strange perceptions, unusual emotional states, and motor abnormalities.
• Schizophreniais a breakdown of integrated personality function, withdrawal from reality, emotional blocking, distortion, and disturbances of thought and behaviour.
• It is a complex disorder or a cluster of disorders characterized by fragmentation of basic psychological disorders like attention, perception, thought, emotion, behaviour, social relationships, and motivation.

• Psychological disorders refer to maladaptive behaviour, where a person fails to adjust effectively to life’s challenges.
• Abnormal psychology studies the causes, symptoms, and treatment of such maladaptive behaviours.
• Historically, abnormal behaviour was explained through supernatural beliefs like evil spirits and exorcism.
• The biological approach explains disorders as results of brain or body dysfunctions.
• The psychological approach views disorders as caused by faulty thinking, emotions, or perceptions.
• Ancient theories like the four humours (Galen) and Indian doshas also linked bodily imbalance to mental disorders.
• The modern view follows a bio-psycho-social approach, which considers biological, psychological, and social factors together in understanding mental disorders.

• Psychological disorders refer to maladaptive behaviour, where a person fails to adjust effectively to life’s challenges.
• Abnormal psychology studies the causes, symptoms, and treatment of such maladaptive behaviours.
• Historically, abnormal behaviour was explained through supernatural beliefs like evil spirits and exorcism.
• The biological approach explains disorders as results of brain or body dysfunctions.
• The psychological approach views disorders as caused by faulty thinking, emotions, or perceptions.
• Ancient theories like the four humours (Galen) and Indian doshas also linked bodily imbalance to mental disorders.
• The modern view follows a bio-psycho-social approach, which considers biological, psychological, and social factors together in understanding mental disorders.

• Abnormal behaviour is explained through different approaches that focus on biological, psychological, and socio-cultural factors.
• Biological factors include faulty genes, brain dysfunction, and neurotransmitter imbalances (e.g., low serotonin in depression, excess dopamine in schizophrenia).
• Psychological factors include early childhood experiences, family problems, stress, and faulty thinking patterns.
• Major psychological models are psychodynamic (unconscious conflicts), behavioural (learned maladaptive behaviour), cognitive (irrational thinking), and humanistic-existential (failure in self-growth).
• Socio-cultural factors such as family environment, social isolation, discrimination, and rapid social change can lead to psychological problems.
• Social labeling and lack of support may worsen abnormal behaviour.
• The diathesis-stress model states that psychological disorders develop when a biological vulnerability combines with stressful life events.

• Anxiety disorder is a long-lasting excessive worry or fear that interferes with daily life.
• GAD involves unrealistic and persistent worry with symptoms like restlessness, headache, and rapid heartbeat.
• A phobia is an intense and irrational fear of specific objects or situations, leading to avoidance.
• Panic disorder causes sudden panic attacks with breathlessness and fear of losing control or dying.
• Severe anxiety shows symptoms like sweating, dizziness, tremors, nausea, and sleep problems.

• Depressive Disorder involves extreme sadness and loss of interest lasting at least two weeks.
• Major Depressive Disorder requires five or more symptoms like sleep/appetite changes, fatigue, guilt, poor concentration, and suicidal thoughts.
• Normal sadness is temporary, but depression is long-lasting and seriously affects daily life.
• Bipolar Disorder involves mood swings between mania and depression, often in cycles.
• Mania shows high energy, less sleep, rapid speech, and risky behaviour.
• Risk factors include genetics, stressful life events, and higher risk in women.

• Bipolar disorder (manic-depressive disorder) involves alternating episodes of mania (extreme happiness, excitement) and depression (sadness, hopelessness).
• Bipolar I disorder includes clear manic and depressive episodes, sometimes with normal mood periods in between.
• Causes include genetic factors and an imbalance of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.
• Suicide risk is high in mood disorders and is influenced by biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors.
• Warning signs in students include sudden behaviour change, declining performance, isolation, and substance use.
• Suicide prevention includes early identification, proper treatment, emotional support, limiting access to means, and strengthening self-esteem.

• Trauma and stress-related disorders arise from inability to cope with intense stress.
• Events like accidents, war, or abuse can cause severe stress reactions.
• Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) lasts 3 days to 4 weeks with symptoms like nightmares and flashbacks.
• If symptoms persist beyond a month, it becomes Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
• Symptoms include emotional numbness, irritability, guilt, and social withdrawal.
• Trauma progresses through shock, suggestible, and recovery stages, but some may develop PTSD.

• Substance-related and addictive disorders involve repeated and harmful use of substances like alcohol, heroin, cocaine, tobacco, and other drugs that change mood and behaviour.
• Addiction develops when a person becomes physically and psychologically dependent and cannot control or stop the use of the substance.
• Common signs include increased tolerance, painful withdrawal symptoms, neglect of work and family, and continued use despite serious harm.
• Substance abuse can damage physical health, mental functioning, relationships, and may even lead to accidents or death due to overdose.
• Addiction also affects families and society, but recovery is possible with proper treatment and support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous.

• The term schizophrenia was coined by Paul Eugen Bleuler in 1911 from the Greek words schizein (split) and phren (mind), referring to fragmented thinking.
• It is a psychotic disorder that usually begins in adolescence or young adulthood and disturbs thoughts, emotions, perception, and behaviour.
• It is a complex cluster of disorders involving withdrawal from reality and problems in attention, perception, motivation, and social relationships.
• Important theorists include Meyer (life stresses), Sullivan (social isolation), Langfeldt (types of schizophrenia), and Schneider (first-rank symptoms).
• Symptoms include positive symptoms (delusions, hallucinations, disorganised thinking), negative symptoms (alogia, flat affect, avolition, social withdrawal), and psychomotor symptoms (catatonia).