What is the study of psychopathology concerned with?
*A search for the reasons why people behave, think, and feel in unexpected, sometimes odd, and possibly self-defeating ways.
What is an important consideration when working with people who have a mental illness or disorder?
*To recognise there is often a stigma attached with having a mental disorder and to attempt to reduce the associated stigma
What do psychologists consider when evaluating whether a behaviour is part of a mental disorder?
Psychologists consider several different characteristics including personal distress, disability, violation of social norms, and dysfunction.
- The DSM definition includes all these
- Each characteristic tells us something about what can be considered a mental disorder, but no one by itself provides a satisfactory definition.
List some of the various explanations for mental disorders.
- Supernatural e.g. demonology, (possession & exorcism), witches, lunatics
- Biological e.g. Hippocrates and eugenics
- Psychological causes e.g. disordered thinking
What were some of the treatments for mental illness across history?
*Exorcism
*Burning / drowning
*15th Century - Bethlehem asylum
*Psychoanalysis
*Behaviourism: Conditioning
*Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
Psychopharmacological treatments
What are some of the health care professionals who work with people experiencing mental health issues?
*Clinical Psychologists
*Psychiatrists
*Counselling Psychologists
*Psychiatric Nurses
*Social Workers
*Counsellors including Marriage guidance and family therapists
Some will have an emphasis on research, psychological assessment, psychotherapy, or Psychopharmacology
