Understanding Mental Health and Disorders

This assignment delves into the complexities of mental health and disorders. It defines psychopathology, explores cultural perspectives on mental illness, and discusses models of mental health care like the diathesis-stress model. The assignment also analyzes the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and its advantages and disadvantages. Finally, it examines schizophrenia, highlighting its potential causes, symptoms, and impact.

Running head: TASK A
TASK A
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TASK A
Answer 1:
Psychopathology may be defined as the term which helps in referring the study of mental illness
as well as mental distress. It also incorporates the manifestation of the different behaviors and
experiences which help in indicating that a person is suffering from mental illness or
psychological impairment (Carli et al. 2013). There has been both etic and emic perspectives for
such disorders. From etic perspectives, researchers try to identify the different types of universal
elements but emic perspectives are also associated with it. This may help in development of
different culture specific therapies and may also help to provide valuable information regarding
different psychological problems in different cultures. It also involves the development as a
function of the different important demands which cultures place on individuals. Moreover
culture bound syndromes may also help in illuminating more general patterns of different
cultural values.
Answer 2:
Mental health can be defined as the state of health that includes emotional, social as well as
psychological well being of individuals. It involves how an individual handle stress, relate to
others as well as make choices, think, feel and act.
Mental health problems take place when an individual faces problem that affects the way he
thinks, feels and behaves which might be due to different biological factors as well as social
determinants of health. Different cultures have their own ways of treatment and diagnosis of sch
problems (Jones 2013). It may result from common mental health problems like anxiety and
depression to more rare problems like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

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Mental disorders can be described as the health conditions which involve certain changes in
thinking, behavior as well as emotions or may be a combination of all. They mainly remains
associated with distress and problems functioning in work, family or social activities. It may be
mild affecting daily life activities in a milder ways like abnormal fears; others may be severe and
needs hospitalizations for treatment.
Answer 3:
The diathesis-stress model of mental health care may be defined as the attempt taken in the
psychological theory which helps in explaining and dissection of a disorder as the result of an
interaction between predispositional vulnerability and also stress that occur due to life
experiences (Swearer and Hymel 2015). A diathesis can take the form of different genetic,
biological, psychological as well as situational factors. This interacts with a individuals’ stress
response to cause a disorder. The popular social model of healthcare which economic,
environmental and social determinants to be the main reasons that lead to mental problems. Both
the models stresses on the similar principles.
Answer 4:
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders is published by the American psychiatric
association and mainly helps by offering common language and also standard criteria for the
classification of different mental disorders. The main advantages are that this helps in
standardization of the diagnosis, helps in communication Shorthand allowing symptoms to be
referred quickly, helps in developing the aetiology (that helps in knowing the diagnosis which
can help in research in underlying causes). It also helps in having therapies. The disadvantages
are that historical and cultural context have heavy influences on them like in case of 1973 when

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homosexuality was removed from DSM as social attitudes changed. It sometimes also lead to
misdiagnosis leading to negative effects on patients and wring institutionalization.
Answer 5:
Schizophrenia is mainly caused due to hereditary factors. Researchers state that of a single
parent, brother or sister has it, there is chance of 40% and if both a presents have it, there is a
chance of 40 % of the individual being affected. Certain environmental triggers like viral
infections, improper nutrition form mother, mind altering drugs like methamphetamines or LSD
all can contribute to such disorder. Ventricles being larger, medial temporal lobes being smaller,
fewer connections among brain cells are noted by researchers as causes of this disorder (Frith
2014). Some of the symptoms are delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking and speech,
abnormal motor behaviors, suicide tendencies and others.

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References:
Carli, V., Durkee, T., Wasserman, D., Hadlaczky, G., Despalins, R., Kramarz, E., Wasserman,
C., Sarchiapone, M., Hoven, C.W., Brunner, R. and Kaess, M., 2013. The association between
pathological internet use and comorbid psychopathology: a systematic
review. Psychopathology, 46(1), pp.1-13.
Frith, C.D., 2014. The cognitive neuropsychology of schizophrenia. Psychology Press.
Jones, P. B. (2013). Adult mental health disorders and their age at onset. The British Journal of
Psychiatry, 202(s54), s5-s10.
Swearer, S.M. and Hymel, S., 2015. Understanding the psychology of bullying: Moving toward a
social-ecological diathesis–stress model. American Psychologist, 70(4), p.344.