🕷️ Psychopathology

• DSM System

  There are a number of systems for classifying and diagnosing mental health problems. We are going to look at a frequently used one called DSM.

  DSM stands for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and is published by the American Psychiatric Association.
• "Abnormality" is a difficult term to define: each culture, time period and society has a unique set of standard norms: any departure from these could be seen as abnormal.
• Deviation from these norms can easily be used to justify hatred, prejudice and cruelty.
• Social norms and rules also change over time: the accepted role of women in society has changed and evolved over time periods, and many "abnormal" behaviours, such as women having a career, are seen as normal today.
• Abnormality can be defined as a "deviation from statistical norms", such as having a low IQ or showing statistically infrequent behaviours. However, this does not take into account the desirability of behaviour: having a very high IQ is abnormal but not a negative quality.
• It also makes no distinction between rare but harmless behaviour and rare but dangerous behaviour: having an IQ twenty points above average is rare but harmless, but showing aggressive behaviour outside the norm is rare but dangerous.
• Failure to function adequately

  this gives various criteria for diagnosing

  abnormal behaviour, such as

  •Dysfunctional Behaviour: Behaviour that goes against prevailing social norms

  •Observer Discomfort: Behaviour which causes others to be uncomfortable or embarrassed

  •Unpredictable Behaviour: Behaviour which seems to not be under control and cannot be predicted

  •Irrational Behaviour: Behaviour which has no logical basis or explanation

  •Personal Distress: Behaviour which is excessively informed by emotional state
• Failure to function adequately

  In reality, it is hard for any single individual to meet all six of these: they are also a subjective list of what constitutes "ideal" mental health
• Antisocial personality disorder. An example of a disorder defined largely by deviation from social norms.