Question

QUESTIONS: 500 words for each question

1. In defining abnormality, the criteria of “deviance”, “distress” and “dysfunction” are used. Based on your understanding of various mental disorders, do you think these criteria are necessary and sufficient? Discuss your stance by referring to the diagnostic symptoms of an eating disorder OR a psychotic disorder. Illustrate the symptoms with examples.

2. What are the differences between unipolar depression (i.e. the depressive episode in Major Depressive Disorder) and bipolar depression (i.e. the depressive episode in Bipolar I Disorder)? With reference to DSM-5, do you think the current diagnostic criteria are adequate in differentiating them? Please justify your stance.

Answer 1

1) The word 'abnormal 'literally means ''away from the normal'', it implies deviation from some clearly defined norms or standards. Although many definitions of abnormality have been  used over the years, none has won universal acceptance. Still, most definitions have certain common features, often called the 'four Ds' : deviance, distress, dysfunction and danger. In psychology, we have no 'ideal model' or even 'normal model' of human behavior to use as a base for comparison. Various approaches have been used in distinguishing between normal and abnormal behaviors. From these approaches, there emerge two basic and conflicting views : The first approach views abnormal behavior as a deviation from social norms. According to this approach abnormal behavior, thoughts, and emotions are those that differ markedly from a society's ideas of proper functioning. The second approach views abnormal behavior as maladaptive. Many psychologists believe that the best criterion for determining the normality of behavior is that whether it fosters the well-being of the individual and eventually of the group to which s/he belongs.

Eating Disorders : There are two kinds of eating disorders : Anorexia Nervosa, and Bulimia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is a life-threatening disorder unaccounted for by any known physical disease. The term anorexia means severe loss of appetite, and nervosa indicates for emotional reasons. In anorexia nervosa the person avoids eating and becomes emaciated, often because of an intense fear of becoming fat. An essential feature of anorexia is a distorted body image. Despite their protruding ribs and hipbones, their skull like faces, their broomstick limbs, anorexics do not view themselves as being too thin. Rather, in frequent scrutiny of their figures in mirrors, they either continue to see themselves as too fat or feel that they have finally arrived at an attractive weight. Onset of the weight loss most commonly begins during early adolescence. Amenorrhea, failure to menstruate regularly, is a characteristic feature of anorexia nervosa, often startinf before weight loss has become noticeable. Other physiological changes include dry, cracking skin, fine downy hair on the face and neck, brittle fingernails, yellowish discoloration of the skin, increased heart rate, constipation, etc.

Bulimia Nervosa : In bulimia nervosa, there are frequent episodes of binge eating coupled with compensatory activities such as self- induced vomiting and heavy use of laxatives. Unlike the enorexic, the bulimic does not necessarily have abnormally low weight, but patients with both disorders do share an abnormal concern with body size, having a morbid fear of becoming fat. Individuals in whom aspects of both disorders are found are sometimes referred to as bulimarexics.