1.

What are the causes of Psychological Disorders according to biological and

Psychological Perspective? Explain the view points of our society about the causes of
psychological disorders.
 Biological perspective

The study of physiology and biological processes has played a significant role in
psychology since its earliest beginnings. It was Charles Darwin who first introduced the
idea that evolution and genetics play a role in human behavior. Natural selection
influences whether certain behavior patterns are passed down to future generations.
Behaviors that aid in survival are more likely to be passed down while those that prove
dangerous are less likely to be inherited.

The biological perspective is essentially a way of looking at human problems and actions.
Consider an issue like aggression, for example. Someone using the psychoanalytic
perspective might view aggression as the result of childhood experiences
and unconscious urges. Another person might take a behavioral perspective and consider
how the behavior was shaped by association, reinforcement, and punishment. A
psychologist with a social perspective might look at the group dynamics and pressures
that contribute to such behavior.

The biological viewpoint, on the other hand, would involve looking at the biological
roots that lie behind aggressive behaviors. Someone who takes the biological perspective
might consider how certain types of brain injury might lead to aggressive actions. Or they
might consider genetic factors that can contribute to such displays of behavior.

Current researchers believe that abnormalities in the working of chemicals in the brain,
called neurotransmitters, may contribute to many psychological disorders. For example,
over activity of the neurotransmitter dopamine, perhaps caused by an overabundance of
certain dopamine receptors in the brain, has been linked to the bizarre symptoms of
schizophrenia.

 The Biological Perspective in Psychology

 The medical or biological perspective holds the belief that most of or all of abnormal
behaviors can be attributed to medical factor; assuming all psychological disorders are
diseases.

This medical approach to abnormal psychology focuses on the biological causes on

mental illness.

This perspective emphasizes understanding the underlying cause of disorders, which

might include

 Genetic inheritance
 Related physical disorder
 Infections (pathogens)
 Chemical imbalances
 Injuries
 Problem during gestation or birth and
 Substance abuse
This field of psychology is often referred to as biopsychology or physiological
psychology. This branch of psychology has grown tremendously in recent years
and is linked to other areas of science including biology, neurology, and
genetics.

What Sort of things are Biological Psychologists Interested in?

Biopsychologists study many of the same things that other psychologists do, but they are
interested in looking at how biological forces shape human behaviors. Some topics that a
psychologist might explore using this perspective include:

 Analyzing how trauma to the brain influences behaviors

 Investigating how degenerative brain diseases impact how people act

 Exploring how genetic factors influence such things as aggression

 Studying how genetics and brain damage are linked to mental disorders
  Assessing the differences and similarities in twins to determine which characteristics are
tied to genetics and which are linked to environmental influences
Reasons to Take a Biological Perspective
One of the strengths of using the biological perspective to analyze psychological
problems is that the approach is usually very scientific. Researchers utilize rigorous
empirical methods, and their results are often reliable and practical. Biological research
has helped yield useful treatments for a variety of psychological disorders.
The weakness of this approach is that it often fails to account for other influences on
behavior. Things such as emotions, social pressures, environmental factors, childhood
experiences, and cultural variables can also play a role in the formation of psychological
problems.
For that reason, it is important to remember that the biological approach is just one of the
many different perspectives in psychology. By utilizing a variety of ways of looking a
problem, researchers can come up with different solutions that can have helpful real-
world applications.

Psychological Perspectives

According to this there are three psychological perspectives:

 psychoanalytic perspective,

 learning, and

 Cognitive behavioral perspectives

A. Psychoanalytic perspective

Sigmund Freud, the founder of the psychoanalytic approach, believed that the human mind
consists of three interacting forces:

 the id (a pool of biological urges),

 the ego (which mediates between the id and reality), and
 the superego (which represent society‘s moral standards).
Abnormal behavior, in Freud‟s view, is caused by the ego’s inability to manage the conflict
between the opposing demands of the id and the superego.

Especially important is the individuals‘failure to manage the conflicting of id‟s sexual impulses
during childhood, and society’s sexual morality to resolve the earlier
childhood emotional conflicts that determine how to behave and think later.
B. Learning perspective

Most mental and emotional disorders, in contrast to the psychoanalytic perspective, arise from
inadequate or inappropriate learning.

People acquire abnormal behaviors through the various kinds of learning.

C. Cognitive perspective

Whether we accept it or not, the quality of our internal dialogue either builds ourselves up or
tears ourselves down and has profound effect on our mental health.

The main theme of this perspective is that self-defeating thoughts lead to the development of
negative emotions and self-destructive behaviors.

People's ways thinking about events in their life determines their emotional and behavioral
patterns.

Most of the time our thinking patterns in one way or another affects our emotional and
behavioral wellbeing in either positive or negative ways.

Hence, if there is a disturbance in on our thinking, it may manifest in our display of emotions and
behaviors.

Our environmental and cultural experiences in our life play a major role in the formation of our
thinking style.

Our societies believe that the causes of psychological disorders are due to:

 the influence of supernatural forces,

 the possession by evil spirits,
 incantation(‘digimt’ or ‘mart’)
The influence of super natural force our society believe that the cause of psychological disorder
is because of super natural force. This means that when someone committees in repeatedly his
creator will give him/her punishment of psychological diseases because of his sin. They assume
that super natural force determine the disease or not the disease rather than other causes.

Because of Evil spirits (‘shaytan’ or ‘ganin’)

Our societies also believe that the cause of psychological disorder is because of evil spirit. They
assume that when Sheytan or Ganin kick some one he/she becomes a mad man.

Incantation

Some societies also believe that incantation (digimt) will bring psychological disorders.

2. List and explain the most common psychological disorders (anxiety, mood and
personality disorders) and their adverse effects on students?
I. Anxiety Disorders

• Anxiety: An unpleasant emotional state characterized by physical arousal and feelings of

tension, apprehension, and worry.

• ADs: Category of psychological disorders in which extreme anxiety is the main

diagnostic feature and causes significant disruptions in the person’s cognitive, behavioral,
or interpersonal functioning.

• Although it is unpleasant, optimal anxiety is sometimes helpful.

• 3 distinctive features characterize pathological from normal anxiety:
 Irrational: It is provoked by exaggerated or nonexistent threats.
 Uncontrollable: Lack of control of the reaction, albeit unrealistic.
 Disruptive: Interference with everyday activities i.e. work & education.
Types of Anxiety Disorders
• The common types of anxiety disorders are:

 Generalized anxiety disorder

 Panic disorder
 The phobia
  Social phobia
 Agrophobia
 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
 Obsessive compulsive disorder
A. Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• Is characterized by excessive, global & persistent symptoms of anxiety.
• It’s also called free-floating anxiety.

• It’s worrying about anything and everything.

B. Panic Disorders
• An anxiety disorder in which the person experiences frequent and unexpected panic
attacks.
• Panic attack- A sudden episode of extreme anxiety that rapidly escalates in intensity.

• It is characterized by sudden episodes of extreme anxiety.

C. The Phobias
• Persistent and irrational fear of a specific object, situation, or activity.
• It is characterized with fear and loathing.

• It can include specific phobias, social phobia, and agoraphobia.

• Objects/ situations producing phobias tend to fall into 4 categories:

o Fear of particular situations: Such as flying, driving, bridges, elevators, or crowds.

o Fear of features of natural environment: Such as heights, water, thunderstorms, or

lightning.

o Fear of injury or blood: Such as fear of injections, needles, and medical or dental
procedures.

o Fear of animals & insects: Such as snakes, spiders, dogs, or cats.

D. Social Phobia
• Also called Social Anxiety Disorder.
• It’s an extreme and irrational fear of being embarrassed, judged, or scrutinized by others
in social situations.

• It is an extreme fear of social situations: Eating in public, speaking in front of people, or

using a public restroom.

• It goes well beyond the shyness that everyone sometimes feels at social gatherings.

E. Agoraphobia
• It’s characterized by anxiety about being in places/ situations from which escape might
be difficult or embarrassing if a panic is to occur
• It is an intense fear of open spaces or leaving once home.

F. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

• Chronic and persistent symptoms of anxiety developing in response to an extreme
physical or psychological trauma.
• Anxiety triggered by memories of a traumatic experience.

• Events producing such feelings include war, car accident, or other environmental
catastrophes.

G. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
• It’s characterized by symptoms of anxiety triggered by intrusive, repetitive thoughts and
urges to perform certain actions.
• Obsessions: Repeated irrational thoughts or mental images that cause extreme anxiety
and distress.

• Compulsions: Repetitive behaviors or actions that are performed to prevent or reduce

anxiety.

II. Mood Disorders

• A category of mental disorders in which significant and persistent disruptions in mood or

emotions cause impaired functioning.

• Such mood disruptions are characterized by depression or mania.

• They are also called Affective Disorders.

 Types of Mood Disorders

• The two most common types of MDs are:

A. Major Depression: Also called Unipolar Disorder.

• It’s characterized by extreme & persistent feelings of despondency, worthlessness, and

hopelessness, causing impaired emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and physical
functioning.

• People with Major Depression may lose appetite and have no energy, cry uncontrollably,
have sleep disturbances, and be at risk for suicide.

• They may experience such feelings for months or even years.

B. Bipolar Disorders: MDs involving both depression and mania.

• It causes unusual shifts in mood, energy and activity level.

• Bipolar disorder can be divided into:

1. Bipolar I Disorder:
• MD in which a person has episodes of mania (excited, hyperactive, energetic, grandiose
behavior) & also periods of deep depression.

2. Bipolar II Disorder:
• MD in which a person is mostly depressed (sad, despondent, guilt) but has also had one
or more episodes of mild mania (hypomania).

For college students, some common stresses and therefore potential risk factors for
depression include:

 Homesickness
 The challenge of new establishing new social net work
 Academic difficulty
 Relation break- ups
 Death of relatives or friends
 Financial problems
 Conflict with parents
 Worry about the future(finding work after graduation)
III. Personality Disorders
• PDs: Heterogeneous group of disorders defined by problems in forming positive sense of
self &sustaining close &constructive relationship.
• They are characterized by extreme, inflexible & maladaptive traits.

• People with PDs experience difficulties with their identity & r/s in multiple domains of
life sustained for years.

Types of Personality Disorders

• DSM-IV-TR has identified 6 types of PDs, but they have been reduced into 5 in DSM-5.

 Antisocial personality disorder

 Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder
 Narcissistic Personality Disorder
 Schizotypal Personality Disorder
 Avoidant Personality Disorder
 Borderline Personality Disorder
A. Antisocial Personality Disorder
• A PD characterized by pervasive pattern of disregarding & violating the rights of others.
• Informally referred as Psychopathy or Sociopathy.

• Such people are impulsive, irresponsible, deceitful, manipulative, and lacking guilt or
remorse.

B. Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder

• A PD characterized by an intense interest in being orderly, achieving perfection, and
having control.
• Such people are conscientious & excessively need to do everything “right.”

C. Narcissistic Personality Disorder

• PD defined by extreme selfishness, grandiosity & craving of admiration

• Such people lack empathy and are exploitative of others.

 D. Schizotypal Personality Disorder
• PD defined by eccentricity, oddity of thought and perception. Many of such people
appear psychotic as they experience magical thinking, illusions, depersonalization, or
derealization.

E. Avoidant Personality Disorder

• PD defined by aloofness and extreme sensitivity to potential rejection, despite an intense
desire for affiliation and affection.

• Such people fear criticism & worry of being embarrassed in front of others.

F. Borderline Personality Disorder

• A PD characterized by instability of interpersonal relationships, self-image, and
emotions, and marked impulsivity.

• Such people are erratic in their self-image; have feelings of emptiness; and self-
destructive tendencies.

Adverse effects of anxiety disorder and depression on students

 Depression and anxiety affect all areas of an individual’s well-being including:
 Sleep
 self esteem
 Diet
 Mental and physical health
 Social interaction and academic performance
 Students who have these disorders are at risk of suffering from poor academic
performance and resistance to anything school related. This can include:
 Lack of engagement in classroom
 Poor relationship with peer and teachers and,
 Disinterested in pursuing passion and planning for future
3. Explain the existing treatment options of psychological disorders in our society?
Give real examples considering our university in specific and our country in
general?

Treatment of mental illnesses can take various forms like:

  The psychological approach to reducing disorder involves providing help to individuals
or families through psychological therapy, including psychoanalysis, humanistic-oriented
therapy, cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), psychodynamic therapy and other
approaches have been found to successfully treat many disorders including disorders with
severe symptoms.
 The biomedical approach to reducing disorder is based on the use of medications to treat
mental disorders such as schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety, as well as the
employment of brain intervention techniques, including electroconvulsive therapy
(ECT), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and psychosurgery.

 The social approach to reducing disorder focuses on changing the social environment in

which individuals live to reduce the underlying causes of disorder. These approaches
include group, couples, and family therapy, as well as community outreach programs.
The community approach is likely to be the most effective of the three approaches
because it focuses not only on treatment, but also on prevention of disorders.

The treatment options of psychological disorders in our society are:

 Reading selected holey Quran’sayas (ruka treatment)

 Spraying mineral water on patient’s of psychological disorders
 Taking them to sacred places
 Praying and
 Taking to health institutions
For example in our university when students become stressed especially, during exam
period they become hysteric. At that time their friends assume this disorder as bad sprit.
They took them on above listed options instead of thinking it as psychological disorders.