CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY:PSYCHOPATHOLOGY BYSYSTEMATICALLY EXAMINING THEHISTORY, CLASSIFICATION, CAUSESAND TREATMENT OFPSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS

An Academic presentation byDr. Nancy Agens, Head, Technical Operations, PubricaGroup: www.pubrica.comEmail: sales@pubrica.com

Today's Discussion

Outline

IntroductionHow to Examine Whether Someone is a Patient of Mental Illness or Not How to do a Patient’s History Examined SystematicallyClassification of PsychopathologyThe Main Classes of Mental Illness areCause of Psychological DisorderTreatment for Psychological DisorderThe Categories of Treatment are as Follows

Introduction

Our emotions, manifestation of behavior, emotions, and feelings are related to our mind and the scientific study of our mind is called Psychology.

This is the broad branch of psychology that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders.

This is also known as experimental or behavioral science.

Psychopathology is a common term in the study of clinical psychology.

How to Examine Whether Someone is a Patient of Mental Illness or Not?

For this, a comprehensive assessment or systematic examination of History is required.

This assessment consists of two sections.

The first one is a section of History that includes how the present symptoms have evolved, review of past treatments, past and present medical conditions, family history of psychiatric problems and treatment, personal history of the patient.

How to Examine Patient’s History Systematically

Identification: Information about patient’s age and sex, mainly racial or ethnic information, and sometimes includes religious affiliation.

Chief Complaint: a voice recording of the patient that describes why he or she seeks treatment.

History of the Present Illness : a chronological description from when and how the symptoms have progressed.

Past Psychiatric History : includes previous incidents and symptoms, treatment, etc.

Contd..

Medical History: Medical history is also important because sometimes a person's illness or major surgery may cause mental disturbances.

Family History: mental disorders can be genetic so family history may help to diagnose and proper treatment.

Personal History: it has a very significant role as it describes events throughout a person’s life.

Classification of Psychopathology

In ancient ages, it was believed that unusual and strange behaviour was due to the possession of evil spirits.

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, physicians began to identify symptoms and classified them as a disease.

In the twentieth century, two new approaches were contributed by German physician Emil Kraepelin and Sigmund Freud which have major influences in the understanding and classification of psychopathology.

Main Classes of Mental Illness

Mood Disorders:

Includes disturbance of mood, this is divided into depressive and bipolar disorder.

A new diagnosis of mood disorder has been reported which is called Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder.

Anxiety Disorders:These are characterized by excessive worry about some imaginary outcome,these may be general,social anxiety or panic disorder.

Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders: These include trichotillomania, bodydysmorphic disorder, hoarding disorder, and excoriation disorder.

Contd..

Trauma and Stressor Disorders: These occur due to guilt, rage, and shame, stressful events, etc.

Somatic Disorders:

Acute pain that does not have any anatomical or neurophysiological origin is labeled as psychopathological.

Feeding and Eating Disorders: These disorders affect the normal food habits that impair physical health and also psychosocial functions.

Sexual disorder:

This is distorted sexual behavior which is very difficult to differentiate from normal sexual behavior.

Contd..

Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders:

This is a very complicated syndrome affecting 1% of the population.

Personality Disorders:

These orders are related to a persistent pattern of behavior, emotions, etc and these affect social relationships.

Sleep-Wake Disorders:

This has been reported that up to 60% of adults are suffering from sleep problems due to different stress, lifestyle, physiological conditions etc.

Contd..

Neurodevelopment disorders:

Usually begin in infancy or childhood.

Examples are attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and learning disorders.

Neurocognitive/Organic Disorders:

The two main categories of these disorders are Delirium and Dementia that occurs due to brain injury.

Impaired consciousness and cognition are the main characteristics of Delinium.

Causes of Psychological Disorder

It is very difficult to detect the exact cause of psychological disorders, but several factors influence their development they are,

Inherited traits: psychological disorder is common in people who have relatives having the same problem.

Environmental exposures before birth: Exposure to some factors like environmental stress, toxins, alcohol, drugs can cause mental illness.

Brain chemistry: Neurotransmitter is a chemical that transmits signals from one part to another part of the brain.

Analyzed Data has been suggested at the highest rate of premature death due to both natural and unnatural causes.

Treatment for Psychological

Disorder Treatment depends on the type of

psychological disorder.Treatment from a primary care provider may be sufficient for a patient of mild mental illness.

But in severe mental illness like schizophrenia team approach is very much important to meet psychiatric, medical and social needs.

Categories of Treatment

Medications: psychiatric medication never cures mental illness but improves symptoms.

Psychotherapy: this is the talking therapy through which one can learn his or her moods, thoughts, feelings, behavior, etc.

Brain-stimulation Treatments: These include deep brain stimulation and vagus nerve stimulation. repetitive transcranial, electroconvulsive therapy, magnetic stimulation.

Hospital and Residential Treatment Programs: in case of severe condition patients have to be admitted to hospital or kept under residential care.

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