Abnormal Psychology Essay

Abnormal psychology is the study of unusual patterns of behavior, emotions and thought. This branch of psychological studies two types of behaviors, adaptive and maladaptive behaviors. Maladaptive poses that there is an existing problem, whereas adaptive is the ability for an individual to change an unconstructive behavior into a constructive one. Although some abnormal psychology is linked with mental disorders not all of the disorders belonging in this category belong.

Through history abnormal psychology has been approached in three main ways, the supernatural, biological and logical traditions. There are two main ideals explaining how mental disorders work. These include the physical and biological paradigms. The physical paradigm puts more emphasis on humanistic, cognitive and behavioral causes mental illness, while biological explains the theories that focus more on substantial aspects like genetics. In the supernatural tradition abnormal behaviors are said to be caused by demons, spirits and other things like the moon and the planets.

Those with psychological disorders were thought to be possessed by evil. If exorcism failed the proper authorities would attempt to beat the problems out of the person and various other forms of torture. Biological explanations say that mental illness and psychological problems are caused by biological reason. Hippocrates, also known as the father of western medicine attributed a lot in the studying of the biological tradition. Between 450 and 350 BC Hippocrates suggests that just like other diseases mental illness can also be treated.

Asylums were invented for those of who were mentally ill and weren’t killed. The earliest forms of asylums were seen in the year 1547. King Henry VII of Engla...

... middle of paper ...

...s.’ Axis 1 is confined to clinical disorders which would consist of major mental and learning disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, substance dependence and schizophrenia. Mental illness’ belonging to the axis are of vital importance because they more than likely affect the sufferer in other axis.’ Axis 2 contains personality disorders such as bi-polar disorder. This axis is very vast including disorders that relate to how the individual behaves with the world and by themselves. The third axis consists of physical disorders and general medical conditions. Axis 3 is also used in conjunction with axis 1 diagnosis. An example of these two axis’ used together is when an individual suffers from depression and also suffers from pain due to a medical condition. Axis 4 pertains to environmental problems that contribute to a specific disorder