Understanding Mental Disorders: Causes, Classification, and Types
Causes of Mental Disorders
The etiology of mental disorders is approached through several theoretical frameworks:
Psychoanalysis and Related Theories
These theories suggest that disorders express unconscious conflicts generally arising from trauma experienced in childhood.
Behaviorism and Cognitive Psychology
Mental disorders are acquired when learning processes lead to inappropriate interpretations or behaviors.
Biologically Inspired Theories
These theories emphasize genetic and hormonal factors, as well as possible damage to the nervous system.
Integrative System Theories
These theories attempt to provide a comprehensive explanation of causes. The Diathesis-Stress Theory explains disorders as the combination of two factors (predisposition and environmental stress). Systems Theory takes a further step in integrating explanatory factors, including mental disorders within the broader concept of ‘lifestyle diseases.’
Classification of Mental Disorders
Mood Disorders
These involve a reduction in the range of emotions, often resulting in stagnation at one end of the emotional spectrum. Depression is characterized by intense sadness. Conversely, Mania is a state of great euphoria, loquacity, and extreme activity. Mania normally occurs within a disorder that alternates episodes of depression and mania (Bipolar Disorders). Causes include biological disturbances, usually alongside psychological and social stressors.
Anxiety Disorders
These disorders involve exaggerated or unmotivated fear reactions. Examples include Specific Phobias (irrational fears of certain situations, e.g., agoraphobia, fear of public places) and other less specific forms of anxiety.
Somatic Symptom Disorders
These disorders are characterized by a series of physical symptoms occurring without any identifiable physical cause. Examples include Hysteria (Conversion Disorder), such as false paralysis or false blindness, and Somatization (nausea, vomiting, dizziness, chest pain).
Dissociative Disorders
Dissociation means separation. A dissociative disorder is a framework where part of a personality separates or dissociates from the rest. In extreme cases, this is called Multiple Personality Disorder. The origin of this is often viewed as a defense mechanism. The most common phenomenon is Depersonalization, where one views oneself from outside. Dissociative Amnesia occurs when someone forgets a traumatic episode of their life, and Dissociative Fugue is when forgetting extends to the entire previous existence.
Sexual Disorders
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Personality Disorders
Schizoid Personality
Characterized by the lack of desire or inability to form social relationships.
Paranoid Personality
Manifests as suspicion and distrust toward others, whose intentions are always interpreted as malicious. These individuals typically reject criticism.
Dependent Personality
Occurs in those who are unable to make decisions on their own and lack a minimum of personal autonomy.
Avoidant Personality
Superficially similar to schizoid personality due to a tendency toward isolation. However, these individuals desire friends and social relations, but their shyness and fear of rejection prevent them from forming them.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Characterized by an overly positive self-image, accompanied by fantasies of success, arrogant behavior, and a lack of empathy toward others.
Borderline Personality Disorder
Found in impulsive and unstable subjects, often with a strong tendency toward self-destruction.
Antisocial Personality Disorder
Also called Psychopathy or Sociopathy. Characterized by manipulating others for personal advantage, cheating, stealing, and acting without guilt.