Tags: #notes
Links: Dashboard General Psychology

Psychological Disorder (Mental Illness)

Myths

• Myth 1: Psych disorders are rare
  • 18-25% of American adults have a psych disorder in any 1 year period we look at
• Myth 2: Crazy (Psychotic)
  • Majority of people with psychological disorders are not psychotic

Abnormal

• Behavior is disturbing
  • Hallucinating
  • Bed ridden

History of Dealing with mentally Ill People

Stone age

• Trephining: cut/chip a hole in skull
  • Based on assumption of an evil spirit possessing the person
  • Shape of # (Some had 1,2 or 3)
  • Most didn't die and recovered
• Ritual- Cast out evil spirit

Europe, American Colonies

• Witch hunts
• Believed mentally ill persons were witches
• Many were drown
• 1450-1700
• Salem, MA, 1692
  • Teen girls acted strangely
  • some people thought they learned witch craft from indian tribes
  • Spread to other women
  • Bacteria had infected the grain supply
    • odd behavior was because of the brain damage bc of bacteria
    • Judge said later we shouldn't have been forceful against "witches"

16th Century -> early 20th century

• "Insane asylums" "Mad houses" people were locked up or chained up for people acting strange
• Filthy, dark, cold in winter, people weren't treated as humans
• Believed to be insane cause of sin

Philippe Pinel

• France Doctor
• Sympathetic to people who are mentally ill
• Head of asylum in Paris
• Cutting off chains
• Let them out doors (sun/exercise)
• Healthy diet
• Kindness
• This lead to a reform movement around the western world

Current view

• Medical model (term mental illness)
• Psychologists & Psychiatrists work together
• DSM (Diagnostic & Statistic Manual) Now in the 5th major version
• 17 categories of psychological disorders, >300 disorders

Depression (Unipolar Disorder) (Major Depression)

• Mood Disorder
• 10-15(20)% of people have it
• Self Disgust
  • Sadness
    • Deeper/Darker
    • Persistent
    • Emptiness
    • Anxiety
    • Overwhelming
  • Eating Disturbances
    • Decrease in apatite (usually)
    • Cravings for foods high in carbs (carbs increase serotonin)
  • Lack of interest/enjoyment
  • Fatigue
  • Difficulty Thinking, making decisions, remembering
    • ruminate: think the same negative thoughts over and over again
  • Iritibality
    • Men express as anger than sadness
  • Sleep disturbances
    • Insomnia
    • Hypersomnia
  • Guilty feelings
    • Blame self-
    • self esteem issues
  • Untreatable aches and pains
  • Slowed movement or physical agitation (can't sit still)
  • Thoughts of suicide or death
    • Expressed wanting to commit suicide, take it seriously.
    • Ask: plan?
    • Get them help
• Treatment
  • Combo of meds and therapy