Psychiatric Abnormality

Abnormal behavior relates to the influence of psychological factors, biological factors as well as the social factors referring to inadequate relationships. In the face of diverse definition, abnormal behavior refers to the deviating from norm, which norm is the typical behavior or characteristic of the population. As such, Jim behavior is abnormal because it violates moral and conventional mores of the society (Violates societal standards), as such causing social discomfort to others. For instance, Jim fails to recognize the social cues in conversation thereby annoying other interlocutors. Jim is this case is behaving in a manner counterproductive to his own well being by

Sexual orientation has also caused considerable bias. Homosexuality was listed in the DSM as a mental disorder up until 1974. Even law had identified homosexual behavior as criminal; for instance, sodomy laws. Although homosexuality is no longer listed in the DSM, therapists still have the option of considering homosexual behavior as a sexual disorder not otherwise specified. The ability to still classify homosexuality as a

Abnormality may be defined as behavior that causes distress, loss of freedom, physical or emotional pain, and increased risk of death or injury to self or something that causes a disability of some sort. Abnormal behaviour is however difficult to diagnose because it is, to a large extent, based on the symptoms people exhibit. Psychiatrists and psychologists use a standardized system called a diagnostic manual to help them but this system isn’t without faults. Since there is no clear definition of normality or abnormality – and symptoms of the same psychological disorders may vary not only between individuals but also between social and cultural groups, it is clear that a

Since the discrete nature of the DSM relies on a yes-no approach to classification, patient is either afflicted with a certain mental illness, or not. On the discussion of the not criminally responsible individual, this means that if an individual answers incorrectly or does not provide the right information, they may not be properly characterized under a certain disorder. This may not necessarily mean that the individual does not possess this certain disorder. Furthermore, disorders that have not yet been discovered by psychiatrist will not be found within the DSM manual. The obvious consequence for this would mean that individuals who have special types of disorders might not be diagnosed at all and if they are, they may be diagnosed under incorrect categories due to a lack of understanding. A second criticism of the DSM-IV is that the cut-off points for each disorder are often chosen with little empirical justification. Merely relying on the number of symptoms and the duration of which they appear could mean that those who do not meet the cut-off points for a given category are simply funnelled into the criminal justice system without receiving the quality of mental health attention that they may require. In certain cases, having only two symptoms instead of the required three to possess a certain mental disorder would mean that you do not have that disorder at all. This sort of information should be considered as potentially being sufficient to leave someone in a position where they do not appreciate the nature and quality of their actions. Even if these factors are insufficient to warrant an acquittal based on an entry of NCRMD, it should at the very least be used as a mitigating

The term ‘abnormal’ means deviating from the average. Therefore, if we were to adopt a literal approach to defining abnormality, we would conclude that any rare behaviour or ability was abnormal. This, however, is not a useful way of defining abnormality as it doesn’t take into account whether or not the behaviour is desirable. There are three ways of defining abnormality; deviation from

Being able to form a diagnosis properly for a client is a process that is wide-ranging and broad. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013) supports recommendations and standards for identifying a diagnosis for a client. The procedure of diagnosing is more than skimming for symptoms in the DSM; one must assess, interview and identify issues, as well as refer to the DSM for a diagnosis.

The very definition of personality is “the combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual’s distinctive character.” But what does that mean for those who don’t have any distinctive character, or those who can’t separate their individual qualities from the qualities of others? It could mean they are just experiencing normal fluctuations in their perceived personality, common to everyone because people are constantly changing. It could also be the presence of a psychiatric disorder, depending on the length one experiences these fluctuations, which would be referred to as “symptoms.” Psychiatric disorders are a class of mental disorders that have maladaptive behaviors, poor cognition, and poor inner

From my perspective, it is hard to define being abnormal. Above all, the judgments of whether an individual is abnormal or normal depend on the specific culture. What seems to be unusual in one culture might be normal in another culture. Therefore, the first criterion of abnormality is that an individual’s behavior or thinking pattern is against the social norms and the values of the culture he/she belongs to. The second criterion of abnormality is that one’s daily functioning may be disrupted and it puts one at the risk of self-harming and harming others. Personally, the concept of abnormality is based on the comparison with the majority of the society. If a person is very different from most of the people and behave not aligned with the social

An explanation of your rationale for assigning the diagnosis on the basis of the DSM

It is hard to say if the human mind is a fragile or resilient thing. On the one hand, humans are able to grow and adapt and take on struggles, while on the other, their minds can crumble beneath pressure from the stressors of life on earth, resulting in a variety of psychological disorders. One such disorder is post-traumatic stress disorder. According to the Encyclopedia of Psychology, post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, occurs after an individual experiences a particularly traumatic event, usually one where there is physical harm or an extreme threat of physical harm (Kazdin, 2000). The disorder was formally recognized for the first time in 1980 when the American Psychology Association added it to its new edition of the Diagnostic

Abnormality is a term that should be used with extreme caution due to its subjective nature. What's defined as normal or abnormal is generally determined by the standard of behavior that is expected in regards to a specific community or group. Human societies tend to gravitate towards norms, correct ways to behave, standard ways to look, socially acceptable attitudes that we deem as ordinary. To be judged abnormal is to be rejected, to be regarded as faulty; in need of repair. This contrived idea is all about conformity, what the average is, about what we believe the absolute measure of reality is. In observation you shall see that in many cases society's problems arise from the mismatch between what we really are and the social myths that

The American Psychiatric Association published the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) in 2013. There have been eight publications of the manual (APA, 2013). Regardless of theoretical background clinicians need to understand the DSM. It is now the industry standard for evaluation and diagnosis. The DSM-5 comprehensively covers most behavioral mental and emotional concerns. Expertise and knowledge of the DSM-5 is necessary to obtain reimbursement from insurance companies. The complexity of the human mind and all of the working of psychopathology cannot be limited to a single book. Practitioners are bound by the DSM-5 as a universal communication system. The DSM-5 is a medical approach to a bio-psycho-social-spiritual malady. Diagnosis in the DSM is the classification of a mental illness or other problem by interpretation of the symptoms. Pathology of medical ailments is characterized by and organ, defect, and symptoms. Psychiatry seems to only have the handle on one component. Psychiatrists will openly admit that they know almost nothing in regards to the cause of most diagnoses (Whitaker, 2010 & Allen, 2013). Some clinicians and authors have been outspoken about their criticisms of the DSM-5. Frances (2013) states “our classification of mental disorders is no more than a collection

Abnormal behavior is defined as a psychological dysfunction within an individual associated with distress or impairment in functioning and response that is not typical or culturally expected (Durand, 2005). There are

Abnormal is a different behavior from a majority of the society, such as mental disorders, anxiety, mood swings, rage, over sleeping and withdrawal from everyone.

The gay personality has long been a scrutinized myth. Many psychologists have described homosexuality as a mental disorder or a treatable complex. However, recently homosexuality was removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and is no longer considered a disorder. The American Psychiatric Association believes that “the causes of sexual orientation (whether homosexual or heterosexual) are not known at this time and likely are multifactorial