Examples of Psychopathology

There is a very broad range of psychological disorders. The DSM-IV-TR lists
more than two hundred psychological disorders that differ in symptoms and
the degree to which they affect a person’s ability to function.
It is normal for someone to feel anxious on occasion. Generalized anxiety
disorder is diagnosed when a person engages in excessive worry about all
sorts of things and feels anxious and tense much of the time. Most people
who have this disorder function quite well. They can do well at work, have
good relationships, and be good parents. It is the fact that they suffer so
much from their anxiety that leads to a diagnosis. In contrast, schizophrenia
can be completely debilitating. Many people with schizophrenia cannot
hold a job, are hospitalized frequently, have difficulty in relationships, and
are incapable of good parenting. Common symptoms of schizophrenia include
delusions (a system of false beliefs, such as believing there is a vast conspiracy
among extraterrestrrial beings to control the government); hallucinations
(seeing things that are not there or hearing voices that other people
cannot hear); incoherence (talking in a way that no one can understand);
or emotions that are expressed out of context (laughing when telling a sad
story). The symptoms of schizophrenia make it difficult or impossible for
the person to function normally.
Many disorders are marked by both subjective distress and impaired functioning.
One such disorder is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). An obsession
is a recurrent, usually unpleasant thought, image, or impulse that intrudes
into a person’s awareness. Some examples are believing that one is
contaminated by germs, picturing oneself stabbing one’s children, or thinking
that every bump hit in the road while driving could have been a person
struck by the car. Obsessions cause a great deal of distress. Obsessions typically
lead to the development of compulsions. A compulsion is a repetitive
act that is used by the person to stop the obsession and decrease the anxiety
caused by the obsession. People who believe they have been contaminated
may wash themselves for hours on end; those who believe that they have hit
another person while driving may not be able to resist the urge to stop and
look for someone injured. Behavioral compulsions can sometimes occupy
so much time that the person cannot meet the demands of everyday life. 676