Introduction to Psychology

Introduction to Psychology

Chapter Ten: Psychological Disorders and Therapies Learning Objectives After completing this unit, you should be able to: 1. Discuss the scope and nature of psychological disorders 2. Discuss the different types of anxiety and how it is manifested in psychological disorders 3. Discuss the biological, psychological, and environmental causal factors common in mood disorders 4. Discuss the features and causes of schizophrenia 5. Discuss the principles of therapy applied to families and groups 6. Discuss the different therapy approaches utilized in psychotherapy 7. Discuss how biological approaches, including drugs and psychosurgery, are applied to the treatment of behavior disorders 10.1 Abnormal Psychology The branch of psychology that deals with psychological disorders is called abnormal psychology. The classic way to define abnormality, or disorder, is in terms of patterns of thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that interfere with a person’s ability to function at work, in relationships, or at leisure activities. Stress- The term stress appears regularly in our everyday discourse. Psychologists have conceived of stress in three different ways: as a stimulus, as a response, and as an ongoing interaction between and organism and its environment. Some scientists define stress as events that place strong demands on us. These demanding or threatening situations are stressors. Physiology- Sensory feedback from our body’s response can cause us to reappraise how stressful a situation is and if our resources are sufficient to cope with it. Endocrinologist Han Selye described a physiological response pattern to strong and prolonged stressors. The general adaption syndrome (GAS) consist of three phases: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. In response to a physical or psychological stressor, organisms exhibit an immediate increase in physiological arousal, as the body mobilizes itself to respond to the threat. This alarm reaction occurs because of the sudden activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the release of stress hormones by the endocrine system. During resistance, the body’s resources are mobilized by the continued outpouring of stress hormones by the endocrine system, particularly the adrenal glands. If the stressor is intense and persists too long, the body will eventually reach a stage of exhaustion, in which there is increased vulnerability to disease and, in some extreme cases, collapse and even death. Optimism and Pessimism- Our beliefs about how things are likely to turn out also play an important role in dealing with stressors. Recent research indicates that optimistic people are at a lower risk for

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