John P

1. Psychology 1100Introduction to PsychologyChristopher Gade, PhDOffice: Bertrand 27Office hours: MW 1:30-3:30 and by apt Email: christopher.gade@dominican.edu Class MW 9:25-10:40 Angelico 226

2. John P • John has recently developed a debilitating fear for his life. He sees every stranger on the street as a possible threat to his life, and is constantly vigilant for any behavior around him that might be reflective of hostility. He has also developed a desperate need to remove himself from his surroundings whenever possible. Whereby, he hides himself in his room, the only place he feels mildly safe nowadays. This fear of his environment has resulted in John lashing out at times, and has caused him to almost hurt several innocent bystanders that have passed him on the street. John is so distraught by his new life. He is thinking of running away. Running away from the fear and the threat of violence.

4. Gary C • Gary is so very tired. He’s been off to war for longer than he can remember. He sees death and pain all around him. Even in his dreams Gary encounters gunfight and tragedy. He tries to stay as calm as possible in this horrid environment that he finds himself in, but Gary is always on edge, and always prepared to fight, or even kill, at only a moment’s notice. Anything can set him off, but Gary understands that this is how it must be in this world. He just hopes that some day, he can go home.

6. Susan O • Susan is a 33 year old mother of three. She lives in a small, suburban home with her loving husband and children. Susan has a lucrative and promising job at her local bank, and has been climbing the ladder of success for years. Susan has also recently learned that she is the daughter of God and the messenger of his renewed communication with mankind. However, with the understanding of the dangers associated with this status, Susan is aware of the fact that this truth can never be revealed to anyone. So in her free time, Susan writes alone in solitude. These writing look like letters, but they are in fact a message, THE message from her heavenly father. That way, one day, long from now, God’s message will be heard by all, and mankind will be saved.

7. Outcome 1 Outcome 2 Susan O, devoted mother, grandmother, and wife, was found dead today in her assisted living apartment. Family members and friends gathered to mourn the loss of this beloved and generous woman. “It was as if she was a direct descendent of our Lord” one mourner remarked, drawing upon the quirky, but heartfelt and selfless life that this great woman led. Susan O will remain in all of our hearts for generations to come. A family of five was discovered in their house early yesterday morning. All but one of the bodies were found mutilated on the floor of their kitchen. The fifth body, belonging to a woman named Susan O, was found in the front lawn, with a gunshot wound to the head. In her hands were the gun that was used in the attack, a collection of scribbled notes containing unintelligible communications and ramblings, and a letter stating that her actions were the work of God.

8. Defining Abnormal Behavior • Any behavior that leads to distress (including distress to others), disability (impaired functioning), or an increased risk of death, pain, or loss of freedom. • APA • A display of undesirable thoughts and behaviors that is significantly different from the average and interferes with one’s life. • Textbook

9. The influence of culture • To determine if one’s behavior is “abnormal”, we must first examine the culture that the behavior is occurring in • Football players • Female “demonic possessions” in Sudan • Different cultures also may illicit certain “abnormal” behaviors through their customs and shared learning • “brain fag” syndrome in sub-Saharan Africa • “multiple personalities” in Western cultures

10. The Job of Therapists • Detect individuals that are displaying abnormal behavior • Describe and define the abnormal behaviors of the individual • Identify when these individuals will be a danger to the community • Provide help for the individuals

11. How do we define abnormal behavior in the clinical community? • Early Attempts: • List of characteristics based on case studies • Individual definitions • New Attempts: • Uniform definitions and standards for diagnosis • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) • Lists the accepted labels for all identified psychological disorders and describes their most widely used and beneficial treatments

12. Problems with the DSM • Differentiating normal from abnormal (most people often fall on a continuum of sanity, not into a category) • The manifestation of disorders often vary across individual (both in the intensity and the symptoms of the disorder), the DSM doesn’t take this into account • An X number of symptoms are required • Symptoms must last X number of months

13. Other Problems with the DSM • A number of the disorders listed are extremely arbitrary • Homosexuality example • Autism and Aspergers example • Situational factors are often not taken into account • Almost anyone seeking help is diagnosed with a mental disorder • The DSM only detects disorders, it doesn’t tell us everything important about the individuals being diagnosed

14. But regardless of its shortcomings… • The DSM is used in almost every reputable clinic today • It has provided us with a time saving, extremely effective way of diagnosing and treating mental disorders • It is continually adapting and changing in order to be more accurate, effective, and reflective of our society and the mental disorders that are found in it • There is no sign that we will discontinue the use of this manual in the near future

15. Onto The Next Step • In the first half of class we’ve discussed • the means of defining abnormal behaviors and mental disorders • Now we’ll discuss current treatment of mental disorders • Biomedical approach • Psychological approach

16. Biomedical Approach • Main goal: changing some aspect of our physiological functioning in order to treat a disorder • Belief: certain mental disorders are disease and/or biologically based. Therefore, treatment must be physical or biological in nature.

17. Main forms of Biomedical Treatment • Medication • Based on the notion that there is a neurochemical cause behind a disorder • Prevalence of medication in the community • Questions about the long term value of medication • Overmedication problems • Addiction problems • Psychosurgery • Based on the notion that disorders are caused by physical abnormalities • Used to treat severe mental problems • Lobotomies, removal of tumors, growths, etc.

18. Psychological Approach (Psychotherapy) • Psychotherapy: a treatment of psychological disorders by methods that include a personal relationship between a trained therapist and a client. • Based on the belief that a number of mental disorders can be treated through a therapeutic/conversational approach. • Main goal: changing some aspect of our thinking/thought processing to treat a mental disorder.

19. Psychoanalysis • Based on identifying unconscious thoughts and emotions and bringing them to consciousness to help people understand their thoughts and actions. • Exploration of present and past • Different techniques • Free associations • Dreams • Hypnosis • Interactive, expensive, and long process

20. Behavior Therapy • A treatment technique that begins with clear, well-defined behavioral goals, and then attempts to achieve those goals through learning and the strengthening of behavioral connections. • Classical conditioning • Operant conditioning • Used only for specific disorders • e.g. anxiety disorders, drug abuse, and anorexia/bulimia

21. Cognitive Therapy • A treatment technique that seeks to improve people’s psychological well-being by changing their thoughts and beliefs • Rational-emotive behavior therapy – assumes that thoughts lead to emotions. The problem therefore is not the unpleasant emotions themselves, but the irrational thoughts that lead to them. • Cognitive-behavioral therapy – a form of behavioral therapy that also includes an emphasis on changing one’s interpretation of their situation that they are experiencing.

22. Humanistic Therapy • Based on the belief that people can fix their own mental disorders, and that they are often a product of misperceptions or an incongruence of selves • Assumes that patients are the only ones that can detect and reach their full potential • Person-centered therapy • Pioneered by Carl Rogers • Incorporate total acceptance and unconditional positive regard of the patient in therapy sessions

23. Other Kinds of Psychotherapy • Family systems therapy • Eclectic therapy • Brief therapy • Group therapy • Self-help groups • Hypnosis • Virtual reality therapy?

24. Therapy related questions • Read the text in order to look at answers to the key questions listed below. • Does therapy help? • What is the best therapy technique? • Why even see an experienced therapist? • What is essential for a successful therapy experience?

25. That’s all for today… • In the next class, we’ll be discussing specific disorders. • See you then.