Biological Model of Psychopathology

Assumption of Biological Model

Psychological disorders result from biological causes.

 Biological Causes

1.         Brain

2.         Nervous system

3.         Genetics

4.         Endocrine System

 Brain

1.         Brain Structure – The malfunction in brain due to its faulty structure can lead to psychological disorders. For example, the schizophrenics have 25% less brain volume of gray matter in temporal and frontal lobe. These areas deal with episodic memory, processing of auditory information, and short-term memory/decision making, etc. They are found to be hereditary. Lesions in limbic system leads to mood disturbances. Non-invasive techniques for studying brain fFMRI, MRI, PET scan.

2.         Neurotransmitters – Disturbance in neurotransmitter synthesis, degradation, or transport.          Excess or low quantity neurotransmitters can lead to several disorders. For example, increase amount of dopamine and norepinephrine can lead to mania.

3.         Neural transmission – Abnormal neural activity can lead to mental disorders such as disruption in the movement of serotonin or norepinephrine can lead to depression, anxiety or mood disorders.

 

Nervous System

           It contains two major components i.e. Central Nervous System (CNS) and Peripheral Nervous System (PNS).

CNS – Consists of Brain and Spinal cord. It receives, process and transfer information received through senses. Even stores information for later use (memory).

PNS – Also it of two types i.e. Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) [Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous System] and Somatic Nervous System (SNS).

Mental Disorders due to abnormality in Nervous System – Lack of attention, Balint’s syndrome (inability to see more than one object at a time) visual attention disorder, dysfunctional memory, failure in executive functionality, perceptual problems (hallucinations).

 

Genetics

            It means inheritance of disorders. The genes encode the building blocks of cells, i.e. proteins. The variation in genesis the major contributory factor for mental disorders. The genes alter the functions and structures of neurotransmitters that leads to several disorders. The Mental disorders occurs due to interaction of multiple genes.

Mental disorders due to Genetics – Schizophrenia, autism, manic depressive illness, major depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), panic disorder (Hyman, 2000) and bipolar disorder.

Endocrine System

             The abnormal chemical activity i.e., hypo or hyper secretion of certain hormones can lead to various psychological disorders. Hormones are active chemical messengers that establishes communication between brain and other body organs and vice versa. The imbalance in their secretion can lead to several psychological disorders.  

Mental disorders due to abnormal secretion – Secretion of cortisol is directly related to anxiety, Stress and mood disorders. Depression, insomnia and other sleep problems, memory problems and psychosis.

 

References:

1.         Verma, L. P. (1965). Psychiatry in ayurveda. Indian J Psychiatry. 1965;7:292.

2.         पांडेय, जगदानंद. (1956). असामान्य मनोविज्ञान. पटना: ग्रंथमाला प्रकाशन कार्यालय।

3.         Coleman, J. C. (1981). Abnormal psychology and modern life.

4.         Karlsgodt, K. H., Sun, D., & Cannon, T. D. (2010). Structural and Functional Brain Abnormalities   in Schizophrenia. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 19(4), 226–            231. doi:10.1177/0963721410377601. 

5.         https://www.who.int/bulletin/archives/78(4)455.pdf.

 

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असामान्यता की अवधारणा Concept of Abnormality

 स्वास्थ्य की परिभाषा

Definition of Health    

            पतंजलि के अनुसार, "पर्यावरण के साथ पूर्वव्यस्तता के बिना आत्म से सामंजस्य बनाये रखने के लिए शारीरिक, बौद्धिक और संवेगात्मक संसाधनों  के इष्टतम उपयोग को स्वास्थ्य कहा जाता है" (वर्मा, 1979)।

             According to Patanjali, “health is the optimal utilisation of one’s physical, intellectual and emotional faculties to maintain harmony with self without undue preoccupation with the environment’ (Verma, 1979).

 असामान्य मनोविज्ञान के उद्देश्य

Objective of Abnormal Psychology

            असामान्य मनोविज्ञान जीव के असामान्य एवं विचित्र व्यवहार और अनुभूतियों का नियंत्रित अवस्था में अध्ययन करता है। इसका एकमात्र लक्ष्य असामान्यता के कारणों को जानकर उनका निराकरण करना और मनुष्य को अभियोजन सीन बनाना होता है। इस कारण यह अचेतन मन के विभिन्न पहलुओं का अध्ययन करता है।

         Abnormal psychology studies the abnormal & strange behavior and experiences of the organism in a controlled state. Its sole aim is to address the causes of the abnormalities and to solve them. For this it studies various aspects of the unconscious mind.

 Disciplines that Study Abnormality

 1.         Abnormal Psychology (असामान्य मनोविज्ञान)

2.         Psychopathology (मनोव्याधि मनोविज्ञान)

3.         Clinical Psychology (नैदानिक मनोविज्ञान)

4.         Psychiatry (मनश्चिकित्सा)

 

Abnormality: Different Perspectives

 
1.         प्राचीन काल (आत्मनिष्ठ दृष्टिकोण) – इस दृष्टिकोण के         अनुसार यदि निर्णयकर्ता के विचार और व्यवहार के अनुरूपकिसी व्यक्ति विशेष का विचार और व्यवहार हो तो वह सामान्य व्यक्ति है लेकिन उसके प्रतिकूल व्यवहार उसकी असामान्यता का परिचायक है।

1.         Ancient Times (Subjective Perspective) – According to this if the thought process, ideas and behaviour of an individual is in consonance with the thought process, ideas and behaviour of decision maker than it is Normal otherwise Abnormal.

 

2.         नैतिक दृष्टिकोण – इसके अनुसार जो मनुष्य उचित-अनुचित का ध्यान रखकर व्यवहार करता है वह तो सामान्य है लेकिन जिसे इसका विचार नहीं है वह असामान्य है इसके अनुसार अनैतिक व्यवहार ही असामान्य होता है।

2.         Ethical Perspective – According to this, a person who behaves considering right and wrong is

normal but he who does not is abnormal. Hence, unethical behavior is abnormal.

 

3.         धार्मिक दृष्टिकोण – इस दृष्टिकोण के अनुसार जिस व्यक्ति का व्यवहार किसी धर्म शास्त्र के अनुकूल हो तो वह व्यक्ति सामान्य है लेकिन उस धर्म के प्रतिकूल व्यवहार करने वाला व्यक्ति असामान्य माना जाता है।

3.         Religious Perspective – According to this view, a person whose behavior is compatible with any

religious scripture is a normal, but a person who behaves contrary to that religion is considered abnormal.

 

4.         सामाजिक दृष्टिकोण – इस दृष्टिकोण के अनुसार यदि किसी मनुष्य का व्यवहार किसी संस्कृति और सामाजिक रहन-सहन के अनुरूप है तो वह सामान्य व्यक्ति है और संस्कृति तथा समाज के प्रतिकूल व्यवहार उसकी असामान्यता का द्योतक है ।

4.         Social Perspective – According to this viewpoint, if a man's behavior is in conformity with a culture and social norms, then she/he is a normal person and behavior contrary to culture and society indicates abnormality.

 

5.         दैहिक दृष्टिकोण – इस दृष्टिकोण के अनुसार जो सामान्य लंबाई से अधिक लंबा या छोटा होता है या असामान्य होता है या यह उसका शरीर का कोई अंग सामान्य व्यक्ति से अत्यधिक बड़ा या छोटा हो को असामान्य माना जाता है।

5.         Physiological Perspective – According to this perspective, one who is taller or shorter than the normal height or abnormal or any part of his body is larger or smaller than the normal person is considered abnormal.

 

6.         वैधानिक दृष्टिकोण – इस दृष्टिकोण के अनुसार जो मनुष्य ऐसा व्यवहार करता है जो उसके या उसके समाज के लिए घातक है और जिसके लिए उसका उत्तर दायित्व नहीं है तो वह मनुष्य असामान्य माना जाता है।

6.         Statutory Perspective – According to this perspective, a man who behaves in a manner which is dangerous to him or his society and for which he is not accountable is considered as abnormal.

 

7.         सांख्यिकी दृष्टिकोण – इस दृष्टिकोण के अनुसार जो व्यक्ति अपने समूह के अन्य व्यक्तियों के किसी शीलगुण के मध्यमान से कम या अधिक है वह असामान्य है और जो मध्यमान के समान है वह सामान्य है। यह दृष्टिकोण मानता है कि सभी सील गुणों का माप संख्यात्मक हो सकता है।

7.         Statistical Perspective – According to this perspective, a person who is less than or greater than the mean of any trait of other individuals in his group is considered as abnormal and who is similar to the mean is normal. This approach assumes that the measurement of all traits can be quantified.

 

8.         मनोव्याधि दृष्टिकोण – इस दृष्टिकोण के अनुसार जो व्यक्ति मनोवैज्ञानिक व्याधियों से ग्रस्त होने के कारण इस प्रकार अपने समाज में प्रभावहीन है कि उसे कोई समाज का समर्थ व्यक्ति मानने को तैयार नहीं है तो उसे असामान्य व्यक्ति कहेंगे।

8.         Psycho-pathological Perspective – According to this perspective, a person who suffers from psychological ailments is ineffective and unproductive in his society, then he will be considered as an abnormal.

 References:

1.         Verma, L. P. (1965). Psychiatry in ayurveda. Indian J Psychiatry. 1965;7:292.

2.         पांडेय, जगदानंद. (1956). असामान्य मनोविज्ञान. पटना: ग्रंथमाला प्रकाशन कार्यालय।

3.         Coleman, J. C. (1981). Abnormal psychology and modern life.

 

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Criterion and Characteristics of Abnormality

 Abnormality: Indian Historical Perspective   

            Indian Bhoot vidya, refers to the study of psychological and emotional disorders (Verma 1965). Abnormality was characterized in terms of mental disorders. ‘Self’ is the center of abnormality which is more than merely a complex of body and mind. The nomenclature of mental disorders was based on the names of Gods and devils (Abhyankar, 2015). The contributory factors of abnormality are:

Preoccupation with shat ripus [षत रिपु] (Six foes),

(i)         Kama (lust),

(ii)        Krodha (anger),

(iii)       Lobha (greed),

(iv)       Mada (Pride or aggression),

(v)        Moha (desire), and

(vi)       Matsar (jealousy).

             Arjuna (पार्थ) faced a peculiar situation (विषाद) that led him to disoriented state (Temporary abnormality) of being. Then Krishna comes to his rescue and helped him regaining his normal state of mind.

 How to deal with abnormality?

(i)         Spiritual stimulation,

(ii)        Treatment by insight, and

(iii)       Mind management through deep meditation and integrating with Self.

 Abnormality: Western Historical Perspective

             Abnormality in terms of mental disorders was considered as the handy work of demons. The individual suffering from mental disorders were considered as possessed by some evil spirit. That has its own methods to deal with such as exorcism. The treatments were administered by priests.

             Hippocrates decried this view and considered it a disease that needs proper cure.

             Plato advocated humane treatment for such patients.

             Philippe Pinel (1745-1826) strongly advocated that mental patients should be treated with kindness and consideration as sick people and not as vicious beasts or criminals (Coleman, 1988). His work led to emergence of mental hospitals in the France.

 Characteristics of Abnormality

1.         Abnormality is an absence of normal state mental health.

2.         It is the indicator of inadequacy in mental functioning, adjustment and interpersonal relationships.

3.         Abnormality manifests the disturbed state of the mind leading to disoriented thought process.

4.         It significantly interferes with cognitive, behavioral and emotional well-being of an individual.

5.         Abnormality considerably inhibits the ability to cope with the life stressors.

6.         It weakens resilience and optimism while enhances pessimism, hopelessness and negativism.

7.         It results in mental inadequacy resulting in significant decline in productivity.

8.         Emotional imbalance is the decisive indicator of abnormality.

 Criteria of Abnormality

1.     
Unable to use individual cognitive capacity for various activities such as observation, imagination, learning, thinking etc.

2.         Expression of deficiency in mental efficiency.

3.         Inadequacy in rationalized, flexible and logical thinking.

4.         Frequency of expression of frustration and other behavioural manifestations is higher.

5.         Find difficult to perform day-today activities effectively.

6.         More often suffers from negativism, insecurity and guilt.

7.         Find it difficult to solve problems and deal with common life stressors.

8.         Lack responsibility, self-discipline and live-in unreal world.

9.         Poor interpersonal relations.

10.       Lack in situation specific appropriate emotional expression.

 

References:

1.         Verma, L. P. (1965). Psychiatry in ayurveda. Indian J Psychiatry. 1965;7:292.

2.         पांडेय, जगदानंद. (1956). असामान्य मनोविज्ञान. पटना: ग्रंथमाला प्रकाशन कार्यालय।

3.         Coleman, J. C. (1981). Abnormal psychology and modern life.

 

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