Abnormal Psychology - By: Antony Cheetham

I'm an abnormal psychologist; I guess you can say I do experiments on people and so much more.
The word abnormal is derived from the Latin "abnormis" meaning, "departing from normal" or "deviating from the usual". Behavior which is considered abnormal can be debated because of disagreement about what "normal" or "the usual" is. Abnormal psychology is the study of mental health problems.
Abnormal psychology requires a vast degree of knowledge within different levels of scientific disciplines such as medical fields which study healthy human responses. An abnormal psychiatrist must have a broad understanding of all levels of study in the behavioral science fields.
There are many cultural differences which separate groups of people and their beliefs about normalcy. What some people feel is normal makes no sense to others from another region, country, or social system. The abnormal psychiatrist has a firm grasp of the many perspectives of determining what is mentally unhealthy. There are statistical, sociocultural, psychosocial, and integrative definitions of abnormal human functioning.
The causes of abnormal psychological behavior could be stemmed from biological, cultural, or psychological or factors. There is a scientific model of explanation for each type of cause of mental illness. Perhaps some mental health issues occur because of sudden unpredicted events which happen in the environment. Our reactions to circumstances can be an indicator of our mental health. Physical trauma can affect our psyches. Depriving the body of nutrition, sleep, and comfort could cause the onset of abnormal behavior. The biological model of understanding links the function of the brain to mental disorders. The medical model of understanding explores an entire branch of abnormal psychology called psychopathology. Diseases of the mind can be diagnosed and potentially cured with proper treatment. The psychosocial model of explanation bases mental behavior directly on environmental causes and reactions from interactions in the physical world. Sigmund Freud created the first and most well known detailed explanation of the psychosocial model. Other models of determining causes of abnormal behavior include; cognitive, behavioral, humanistic, and the controversial biopsychosocial definitions.
The abnormal psychologist is very familiar with the DSM or Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. This publication is accepted by the American Psychiatric Association. It is used as reference material by nurses, doctors, psychiatrists, and psychologists to classify and diagnose patients.
Psychological assessments made by an abnormal psychiatrist are important for various reasons such as legal proceedings, mental health treatments, research subjects, and other uses. The client generally undergoes an interview to gather important information. From behavioral observation the psychologist can study the individual’s activity to determine the validity of a diagnosis or to do research. A case study can be formed to help.
There are many types of disorders that an abnormal psychologist studies and helps to treat. Adjustment disorders such as post-traumatic stress. Mood disorders like bipolar or manic depression. Anxiety disorders such as phobias, panic disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorders or OCD. More serious diseases such as schizophrenia and its sub-categories. Dissociative multiple personality disorders that can be very hurtful to those patients diagnosed with them.
I'm more than happy to help the people I work with and sort of ‘experiment’ on as an abnormal psychologist.

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