1
Introduction to Psychopathology
1. Psychopathology: Past and present
Psycho-patho-logy:
Psyche = mind
Pathos = suffer
-logy = study
Scientific study of mental disorders
Mental disorder
A mental disorder is a syndrome characterised by clinically significant
disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotion regulation, or behaviour that
reflects a dysfunction in the psychological, biological, or developmental
processes underlying mental functioning. Mental disorders are usually
associated with significant distress or disability in social, occupational, or
other important activities (APA, 2013, p. 20).
Stone age
Human body and mind: Battleground between
external forces of good and evil
Abnormal behaviour: work of evil spirits
Severe mental disorders:
o Hallucinations
Seeing or hearing things that are not there
o Melancholia
Extreme sadness, immobility
Treatment for severe mental disorders: Trephination
o Procedure: Opening of skull
o Purpose: Release evil spirits
Ancient Greece
Origins of the medical model
Hippocrates (ca. 460-377 B.C.)
Naturalistic explanations
Illness of body and mind
o Melancholia
Excessive depression
o Mania
Exceptional excitement
, 2
Result of natural causes
Not possession by supernatural spirits
Renaissance
No more demonological views on abnormal behaviour
Dutch physician Weyer (1515-1588):
o Mind susceptible to sickness just as body is -> Psychopathology
Asylums
o Converted hospitals and monasteries
o Designed to care for individuals with mental illness
o Prisons, confinement, cruelty
19th century
Reform and moral treatment
Physician Pinel (1745-1826)
o Sick people should be treated with sympathy and kindness
o No chains and beatings
Improvement of conditions
o Humane treatment
o Transfer from dark dungeons into fresh air and hospitals
o No chains
Remarkably successful approach
National institute of mental health
Largest research organisation in the world specialising in mental illness
Supports research on mental health
o Grants to investigators at institutions and organisations throughout USA
o Own internal research effort
Formally established in 1949
Mission:
o "to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses
through basic and clinical research, paving the way for prevention,
recovery, and cure” (NIMH, 2013)
3. Psychopathology: present
Present Day – Mental health System in the UK
Children and Adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) – up to 18 years
Early intervention in (psychosis) teams (EIP) – 18-35 years
Community mental health teams – 18+ years of age
Forensic mental health services
Psychiatric liaison teams
IAPT services
GP referrals
Inpatient units
Introduction to Psychopathology
1. Psychopathology: Past and present
Psycho-patho-logy:
Psyche = mind
Pathos = suffer
-logy = study
Scientific study of mental disorders
Mental disorder
A mental disorder is a syndrome characterised by clinically significant
disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotion regulation, or behaviour that
reflects a dysfunction in the psychological, biological, or developmental
processes underlying mental functioning. Mental disorders are usually
associated with significant distress or disability in social, occupational, or
other important activities (APA, 2013, p. 20).
Stone age
Human body and mind: Battleground between
external forces of good and evil
Abnormal behaviour: work of evil spirits
Severe mental disorders:
o Hallucinations
Seeing or hearing things that are not there
o Melancholia
Extreme sadness, immobility
Treatment for severe mental disorders: Trephination
o Procedure: Opening of skull
o Purpose: Release evil spirits
Ancient Greece
Origins of the medical model
Hippocrates (ca. 460-377 B.C.)
Naturalistic explanations
Illness of body and mind
o Melancholia
Excessive depression
o Mania
Exceptional excitement
, 2
Result of natural causes
Not possession by supernatural spirits
Renaissance
No more demonological views on abnormal behaviour
Dutch physician Weyer (1515-1588):
o Mind susceptible to sickness just as body is -> Psychopathology
Asylums
o Converted hospitals and monasteries
o Designed to care for individuals with mental illness
o Prisons, confinement, cruelty
19th century
Reform and moral treatment
Physician Pinel (1745-1826)
o Sick people should be treated with sympathy and kindness
o No chains and beatings
Improvement of conditions
o Humane treatment
o Transfer from dark dungeons into fresh air and hospitals
o No chains
Remarkably successful approach
National institute of mental health
Largest research organisation in the world specialising in mental illness
Supports research on mental health
o Grants to investigators at institutions and organisations throughout USA
o Own internal research effort
Formally established in 1949
Mission:
o "to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses
through basic and clinical research, paving the way for prevention,
recovery, and cure” (NIMH, 2013)
3. Psychopathology: present
Present Day – Mental health System in the UK
Children and Adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) – up to 18 years
Early intervention in (psychosis) teams (EIP) – 18-35 years
Community mental health teams – 18+ years of age
Forensic mental health services
Psychiatric liaison teams
IAPT services
GP referrals
Inpatient units
