Abnormal psychology is a branch of psychology that focuses on psychopathology and abnormal behavior, particularly in a clinical setting. It has broad coverage for disorders including personality, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Abnormal psychology is important as it not only focuses on abnormal behavior but also ensures that people fit into what can be defined as normal. That is, it helps in the identification and treatment of problems believed to cause impairment or distress at some point in a person’s life. Understanding the aspects of abnormal psychology allows researchers and therapists to find ways that can enable individuals to live healthily and in good conditions.
In the clinical context, abnormal psychology can be used to identify and treat a number of psychological disorders. Some of these disorders include substance use, mood, anxiety, neurodevelopmental, neurocognitive, and personality disorders. It is common for people to experience these disorders at one point in time although how to deal with them remains a challenge for many people. For instance, a number of people usually experience mood disorders such as depression, anxiety, or panic attacks. Abnormal psychology can best be used in helping people deal with or manage these issues.
The most interesting thing about abnormal psychology is that mental health professionals have to rely on elements from multiple areas in order to help their patients. For instance, they can use the psychoanalytic, behavioral, medical, or cognitive approach to explain and understand a person’s abnormal behavior.
It is, however, hard to understand what abnormal behavior entails. Many people believe the term refers to something very bad or undesirable, while others simply view it as a way of saying someone is different from the majority. For instance, a person with an extraordinary level of intelligence can be described as abnormal. As a result, understanding all the issues that can lead to abnormal psychology is a challenge to many. This is the one area where I feel I myself need to improve. By gaining a better understanding on how different factors, mental health professionals can help patients dealing with this issue live normal lives.