Psychology: Psychology:
Psychological
Psychological Disorders Disorders
Nature of psychological disorder:
According to the mental health continuum model [Keyes
2002], there are two opposite poles of the same
continuum sequence in which two adjacent points are
not different from each other.
STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3 STAGE 4
STAGE 1: Times when there is nothing to worry
Positive and are functioning well
Stable mood
Calm, peaceful, and satisfied
Motivated and energetic
Physically and psychologically healthy
Satisfied
STAGE 2: Times while facing the examination
Neutral but reactive
Nervous and worried
Get affected by the stressors of life
Anxiety affects performance
Feel tired and may lack energy
If individuals become more realistic and accept
their limitations, they can manage to reduce stress,
Following a healthy diet and lifestyle
Engaging in more social activities
STAGE 3: Show signs of Mental illness
Negative feelings
Sadness, fear, inadequacy, restlessness, or
irritability
Psychological damage and moderately ill
Lack of motivation
Feel tired even while completing their daily routine
Relationships get strained
They turn towards drug abuse or alcohol
They may be productive and function properly, but
find difficulty in doing so
It is reversible
Find the realistic root cause of the stress, and with
the help of emotional support, such individuals can
fight the moderate illness they are facing.
STAGE 4: Major psychological disorder
Extreme distress and impairment in all three areas
of functioning:
– Mental
– Emotional
– Social
Criteria for Psychological Disorders:
Individuals keep shifting from one stage to another
depending on their life circumstances.
Mental health professionals use standardized
diagnostic procedures.
Main tools:
– DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders)
– ICD (International Classification of Diseases)
DSM-5 outlines five criteria for diagnosing
psychological disorders.
[Link] significant syndrome:
– In psychological disorders, there are certain
patterns of important behaviour or psychological
syndromes.
– certain symptoms occur in a disorder
– These clusters of symptoms are called a syndrome.
– Psychologists rely on these syndromes to diagnose
the disorder
[Link] and impairment:
– Distress is psychological pain. The pain may rise
due to negative feelings like sadness, fear,
inadequacy, restlessness, and irritability, or due to
stress.
– Impairment is the inability or difficulty to perform
appropriate duties and roles in personal, social, and
work-related situations.
[Link]
– If the symptoms lead to an underlying
psychological, biological, or developmental
dysfunction, then it leads to the diagnosis of a
mental disorder.
– Inability to remember or learn, etc
4. If any response given to stressors or losses is
accepted as a response to that situation, it is
not considered a sign of mental disorder.
– It should not be a response that is normally given
to common stressors and losses
(e.g., sadness experienced at the death of a loved one is
not a sign of any mental disorder).
– It should not be a culturally sanctioned response
to a particular event
(e.g., trance state in certain religious rituals should not
be considered a sign of mental disorder).
[Link] behaviour that is just deviant or
conflicting with society but not producing
dysfunction or distress, or disability, then it
does not become a sign of mental disorder
– Behaviour should not solely be a result of social
or cultural deviance or conflicts with society or
the political system.
Example: In certain cultures, homosexuality is
considered abnormal, but according to DSM-5, it is not a
sign of disorder.
– In short, psychological disorder or mental illness
is a condition or clinical syndrome involving:
changes in emotions, thinking, behaviour, or a
combination
leading to distress, dysfunction, and/or impairment
Mental wellness:
"A state of well-being in which the individual realizes his
or her abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life,
can work productively and fruitfully, and can contribute
to his or her community."
Mental wellness is not just the absence of mental illness.
It means:
Having hope and a sense of purpose in life.
Being able to face challenges and persevere.
Having the motivation to enhance yourself.
Being able to set goals and work toward them.
Maintaining a positive outlook, even during difficult
times.
