Abnormal Psychology and Common Mental Disorders

• Definition of abnormality includes deviation from social norms, failure to function adequately, statistical infrequency, and deviation from ideal mental health.
• Social norms are unwritten behavioral expectations that vary across cultures, time, and contexts.
• Failure to function adequately refers to individuals who struggle with day-to-day challenges like personal hygiene.
• Psychopaths may function well in society despite lacking empathy.
• Statistical infrequency defines abnormality based on behaviors that are rare in the population.
• Deviation from ideal mental health involves characteristics like environmental mastery and self-actualization.
• Common mental health disorders like anxiety do not always fit the statistical infrequency definition of abnormality.
• Phobias, depression, and OCD are characterized by behavioral, emotional, and cognitive symptoms.
• The behavioral approach to phobias involves the two-process model of acquisition and maintenance.
• Treatment for phobias includes systematic desensitization and flooding which are more effective for specific phobias than social phobias.
• Depression is explained by the cognitive approach focusing on negative schemas and irrational beliefs.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) are effective in treating depression by challenging negative schemas and irrational thoughts.
• OCD is explained by genetic factors, neural explanations, and the role of serotonin in the brain.
• The primary drug therapy for OCD involves SSRIs and benzodiazepines to control symptoms.
• Evaluations suggest that SSRI drug therapy is effective in reducing OCD symptoms in the short term but may have potential side effects.

Explore the concept of abnormality, social norms, ideal mental health, and common mental disorders like anxiety, phobias, depression, and OCD. Learn about different approaches to understanding and treating these conditions.