Well, I reckon if you’re lookin’ to pass that abnormal psychology exam, ya gotta start by knowin’ some basics. Now, abnormal psychology is just a fancy term for studyin’ things that don’t quite seem right in folks’ minds. Ya know, like when people act a little strange or when they got thoughts or feelings that ain’t quite normal. There’s a lot to it, but I’ll try and make it as easy as pie to understand for ya.
First thing’s first, let me tell ya about the main types of disorders people get. There’s five main ones that come up the most, and ya best know ’em if you want to pass that test. So, here they are:
- Mood Disorders – This here includes things like depression and bipolar disorder. People with mood disorders have their feelings all over the place, like one minute they’re real happy, and the next minute, they’re feelin’ low and sad for no reason.
- Anxiety Disorders – This one’s about worryin’ too much. People with anxiety disorders might feel scared or nervous about things, even when there ain’t nothin’ to be afraid of. It’s like bein’ scared of goin’ outside or talkin’ to people for no good reason.
- Eating Disorders – Well, now, this one’s about how folks eat, or don’t eat. Some people can’t stop eatin’, while others don’t eat enough. It’s all a way of tryin’ to deal with things that are wrong in their heads, but it ain’t healthy.
- Neurocognitive Disorders – This one happens when a person’s brain don’t work like it used to. It can cause forgetfulness or trouble thinkin’ straight. Alzheimer’s disease, for example, is a neurocognitive disorder.
- Psychotic Disorders – This is when people lose touch with reality. They might see things that ain’t there, or hear voices that don’t exist. It’s a pretty serious one, and it’s scary for the person goin’ through it.
Now, there’s also a thing called dissociative amnesia. Sounds real fancy, don’t it? But it’s just when a person forgets things—big things, like parts of their life, or even whole memories. Some folks think it’s like self-hypnosis, where the person makes themselves forget somethin’ unpleasant that happened. It’s like your brain’s way of protectin’ ya from stuff you can’t handle, even if it ain’t the best way to do it.
Now, some people might feel like they’re bein’ watched all the time. Like Marcia, for example. She feels like a thousand eyes are on her, just waitin’ for her to mess up. She’s so worried about how people think of her that she avoids big groups of folks, thinkin’ she might do somethin’ wrong. That’s what we call a social anxiety disorder. It makes a person too scared to be around others, always worried about messin’ up.
If ya want to do well in your exam, you gotta know the basics of these disorders and how they mess with people’s lives. It ain’t always about just memorizin’ things—it’s about understandin’ how a person feels when they got one of these disorders. Take anxiety, for example. Someone with it might feel like their heart is beatin’ too fast, and their breathin’ might get all quick. They might get dizzy or even feel like they’re gonna faint. It ain’t just about feelin’ scared. It’s a real physical thing too.
There’s also some stuff about treatment. People with these disorders often need help. And that help can come in all sorts of ways. Some folks go to therapy, where they talk to someone who knows a lot about the mind. Other folks might need medicine to help them feel better, especially if they got something like depression or anxiety. But don’t think that’s the only fix. Some people also need to make big changes in their lives—like how they eat, sleep, or handle stress.
Now, let’s talk a little about the exams. When you’re sittin’ there with that paper in front of you, don’t get too nervous. Most times, the test will ask about different types of disorders and what causes ’em. They might ask about the symptoms too, so you gotta remember the signs of each disorder. For example, if they ask you about depression, you better know that people with it feel sad a lot, lose interest in things they used to enjoy, and might even have trouble gettin’ out of bed some days.
Pro tip: Make sure you study the treatments, too! If they ask you about what to do for someone with an anxiety disorder, you better know that therapy and medicine can help. Same with other disorders. If you can remember that, you’ll be good to go!
Finally, just remember this: abnormal psychology is all about understandin’ that people’s minds don’t always work the way they should. And that’s okay—there’s help for folks, and they can get better with the right support. So, study hard, take your time, and don’t forget that understanding how people feel is just as important as memorizing facts for that test.
Tags：[Abnormal Psychology, Mental Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, Mood Disorders, Eating Disorders, Psychotic Disorders, Treatment of Mental Disorders, Social Anxiety Disorder, Neurocognitive Disorders]
