Psychopathology

Welcome to Psychopathology!

Welcome to one of the most fascinating parts of your Psychology course. In this chapter, we explore what it means to be "abnormal" and look at three specific conditions: phobias, depression, and OCD. We will look at how we define these conditions, why they happen, and how psychologists try to treat them. Don't worry if some of the terms seem a bit "medical" at first—we will break them down step-by-step!

1. Defining "Abnormality"

How do we decide if someone's behaviour is abnormal? Psychologists use four main definitions. Think of these as four different "lenses" to look through.

A. Statistical Infrequency

This is the "numbers" approach. If a behaviour is rare (mathematically unusual), it is considered abnormal.
Example: Most people have an IQ around 100. If someone has an IQ below 70, they are statistically infrequent.

B. Deviation from Social Norms

Every society has unwritten rules (norms) for how to behave. If you break these rules, you are seen as abnormal.
Example: If you stood on a chair and started shouting in a quiet library, you would be deviating from social norms.

C. Failure to Function Adequately

This looks at whether a person can cope with ordinary day-to-day living. Can they hold down a job? Can they maintain relationships? Can they look after their hygiene?
Memory Aid: Think of the "FFS" rule – Failure to Function Successfully in life.

D. Deviation from Ideal Mental Health

Instead of looking at what is "wrong," this approach looks at what is "right." If you don't meet the criteria for perfect mental health (like having high self-esteem or being able to handle stress), you are considered abnormal.

Quick Review Box

• Statistical: Is it rare?
• Social Norms: Is it socially "wrong"?
• Functioning: Can they cope with life?
• Ideal Health: Do they lack mental "wellness"?

Key Takeaway: No single definition is perfect. Some rare things (like high IQ) are good, and some social norms change over time!

2. Phobias, Depression, and OCD

To understand these disorders, we look at three types of "characteristics":
1. Behavioural: How the person acts.
2. Emotional: How the person feels.
3. Cognitive: How the person thinks.

Phobias (Anxiety Disorders)

• Behavioural: Panic (crying, screaming) and Avoidance (going out of your way to stay away from the object).
• Emotional: Excessive fear and anxiety.
• Cognitive: Selective attention (can't look away from the object) and irrational beliefs.

Depression (Mood Disorders)

• Behavioural: Changes in activity levels (too much sleep or no energy) and changes in eating/sleeping.
• Emotional: Lowered mood, feeling "empty," and anger.
• Cognitive: Focusing on the negative and "black-and-white" thinking.

OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder)

• Behavioural: Compulsions (repetitive actions like hand washing) used to reduce anxiety.
• Emotional: Extreme anxiety and guilt.
• Cognitive: Obsessions (reoccurring, intrusive thoughts).
Analogy: If an obsession is a "broken record" playing a scary thought in your head, the compulsion is the action you take to try and stop the music.

Common Mistake to Avoid: Don't confuse Obsessions with Compulsions! Obsessions are the thoughts (in the head); Compulsions are the actions (what you do).

3. Phobias: The Behavioural Approach

Behaviourists believe phobias are learned from our environment.

Explaining Phobias: The Two-Process Model

1. Acquisition (Starting): We learn a phobia through Classical Conditioning (learning by association). If you are bitten by a dog, you associate the pain with the dog.
2. Maintenance (Staying): We keep the phobia through Operant Conditioning (learning by consequences). By avoiding the dog, you feel less anxious. This "reward" of feeling safe means you keep avoiding dogs forever.

Treating Phobias

1. Systematic Desensitisation (SD): A gradual process.
• Step 1: Learn relaxation techniques.
• Step 2: Create an Anxiety Hierarchy (a list from "seeing a picture of a spider" to "holding a spider").
• Step 3: Work through the list while staying relaxed.
2. Flooding: No gradual buildup. The patient is exposed to their greatest fear immediately until the anxiety disappears because the body cannot stay in a state of panic forever.

Key Takeaway: SD is like wading into a cold pool slowly; Flooding is like jumping into the deep end!

4. Depression: The Cognitive Approach

This approach says depression is caused by faulty thinking.

Beck’s Negative Triad

Aaron Beck argued that depressed people have a "negative schema" (a negative mental framework). They have negative views of:
1. The Self ("I am a failure")
2. The World ("The world is a cruel place")
3. The Future ("It will never get better")

Ellis’s ABC Model

Albert Ellis said it’s not the event that causes depression, but how we think about it.
• A - Activating Event: You fail a test.
• B - Belief: You believe you are stupid (Irrational Belief).
• C - Consequence: You feel depressed.

Treating Depression: CBT

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is the most common treatment. The therapist and patient work together to identify "stinking thinking" and challenge irrational thoughts. The patient is often given "homework" to test their negative beliefs in the real world.

Key Takeaway: CBT helps patients become their own scientists, testing whether their negative thoughts are actually true.

5. OCD: The Biological Approach

This approach says OCD is caused by physical factors in the body and brain.

Genetic and Neural Explanations

• Genetic: OCD can be inherited. Researchers look for "candidate genes" that might make someone more likely to develop it.
• Neural: This looks at brain chemistry. People with OCD often have low levels of Serotonin (a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood). They may also have "worry circuits" in the brain that don't turn off.

Treating OCD: Drug Therapy

The main treatment is SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors).
How they work: Usually, serotonin is reabsorbed by the brain cells. SSRIs block this reabsorption, leaving more serotonin available to send messages. This helps reduce the anxiety symptoms of OCD.

Did you know? It can take 3 to 4 months of daily use for SSRIs to start making a big difference to symptoms! Don't worry if this seems like a long time—it's a very standard biological process.

Final Quick Review

• Phobias: Learned behaviour (Treat with SD or Flooding).
• Depression: Negative thoughts (Treat with CBT).
• OCD: Biological/Genes/Brain (Treat with Drug Therapy).