Mental Disorder Research Paper

WHAT IS MENTAL DISORDER?
Distinguishing "normal" from "abnormal" is no simple task. Three classic symptoms suggest severe mental disorder: hallucinations, delusions, and extreme affective disturbances. Hallucinations are false sensory experiences, such as hearing nonexistent voices. Delusions are extreme disorders of thinking that involve persistent false beliefs. If you think you are the President of the United States (and you are not), you have a symptom of psychopathology. Similarly, those whose affect (emotion) is, for no apparent reason, depressed, anxious, or manic–or those who seems to have no emotional response at all–have yet other signs of mental disorder. Beyond such signs of distress, the experts do not always agree, however. What
The feeling is one of’ "free-floating anxiety." Attacks usually last for only a few minutes and then subside (McNally, 1994). Because of the unexpected nature of these "hit-and-run" attacks, anticipatory anxiety often develops as an added complication. The dread of the next attack and of being helpless and suddenly out of control can lead a person to avoid public places, yet fear being left alone. Cognitive–behavioral theorists view panic attacks as conditioned responses to physical sensations that may have initially been learned during a period of stress. Biologically, we have evidence of a genetic influence in panic disorder. However, the brain mechanism responsible for this condition lies in the limbic system – especially in the amygdala, which appears abnormal on PET scans of many patients. Overstimulation of these circuits can produce lasting physical changes that make the individual more susceptible to anxiety attacks in the future. To complicate matters, many victims of panic disorder have additional symptoms of agoraphobia. This condition involves panic that develops when they find themselves in situations from which they cannot easily escape, such as crowded public places or open spaces. Fortunately, the treatment outlook is good, Medical therapy involves antianxiety drugs to relieve the panic attacks. Purely psychological treatment is also
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde has become a misleading stereotype of dissociative identity disorder. In reality, most cases of dissociative identity disorder occur in women, and most display more than two identities. Unlike the homicidal Mr. Hyde, rarely do they pose a danger to others. Once thought to be rare, some specialists now believe that dissociative identity disorder has always been common, but hidden or misdiagnosed. It usually first appears in childhood, and its victims frequently report having been sexually abused. The formation of multiple identities or selves may be a form of defense by the dominant self to protect itself from terrifying events. In some cases, dozens of characters emerge to help the person deal with a difficult life situation. These alternate personalities, each with its own consciousness, emerge suddenly usually under stress. What lies behind this mysterious disturbance? Psychodynamic theories explain it as a fracturing of the ego, as a result of ego defense mechanisms that do not allow energy from conflicts and traumas to escape from the unconscious mind. Cognitive theories see it as a form of role-playing or mood-state dependency, a form of memory bias in which events experienced in a given mood are more easily recalled when the individual is again in that mood