{"id":1229,"date":"2023-03-31T17:37:53","date_gmt":"2023-03-31T17:37:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontopsychology\/chapter\/putting-it-together-psychological-disorders\/"},"modified":"2026-02-12T16:12:36","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T16:12:36","slug":"putting-it-together-psychological-disorders","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontopsychology\/chapter\/putting-it-together-psychological-disorders\/","title":{"raw":"Defining Psychological Disorders: Apply It","rendered":"Defining Psychological Disorders: Apply It"},"content":{"raw":"<section class=\"textbox learningGoals\">\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Describe how psychological disorders are defined, and the challenges in defining them<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Describe the basic features of the <em>Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition<\/em> (DSM-5-TR) and how it is used to classify disorders<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Discuss perspectives on the origin of psychological disorders<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/section>\r\n<div align=\"left\">\r\n<h2>Distinguishing Between a Psychological Abnormality and Eccentricity: The 4 Ds<\/h2>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p>It can be difficult, even for trained experts to distinguish between a psychological abnormality (psychological disorder) and eccentricity. Psychologist, professor, and licensed clinical social worker (LSCSW) Tim Davis developed a helpful mnemonic to remember the criteria for diagnosing psychological disorders. He identified four main D\u2019s to help make distinctions between behavior that is merely eccentric or odd and behavior that may be indicitive of a psychological disorder:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Deviance<\/strong>: the behaviors, thoughts, or emotions experienced by the individual deviate from societal norms or expectations.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Dangerous<\/strong>: This aspect considers whether the individual\u2019s behavior or symptoms pose a danger to themselves or others. This could include self-harm, suicidal ideation, or aggressive behavior towards others. Note that this needs to be considered during diagnosis, but people with mental disorders are\u00a0<em>not<\/em>\u00a0generally dangerous.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Distress<\/strong>: this considers whether the individual is experiencing significant personal distress as a result of their symptoms. This could include emotional pain, anxiety, or other forms of suffering that negatively impact their well-being.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Dysfunction<\/strong>: this looks at whether the individual\u2019s symptoms are interfering with their daily life and functioning. This could include impacts on work, relationships, or basic self-care.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">Some models also include additional considerations such as <span class=\"s1\"><b>duration<\/b><\/span> (how long symptoms last) and <span class=\"s1\"><b>disturbance<\/b><\/span> (disruptions in thinking, emotion, or behavior).<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">Consider a simple example. Imagine someone who prefers wearing mismatched socks. This behavior may be considered <span class=\"s1\"><b>deviant<\/b><\/span> because it differs from what most people typically do, but it is harmless. Deviance alone does not indicate a disorder. However, if the person becomes extremely upset about sock choices and cries for hours, this suggests significant <span class=\"s1\"><b>distress<\/b><\/span>. If they refuse to go to work or school because they cannot find mismatched socks, their behavior now reflects <span class=\"s1\"><b>dysfunction<\/b><\/span>, as it interferes with daily responsibilities. If they threaten to harm themselves or someone else over the situation, concerns about <span class=\"s1\"><b>danger<\/b><\/span> arise.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">The key idea is that psychological disorders are not defined simply by eccentricity or difference. Instead, clinicians look for patterns in which thoughts, emotions, or behaviors cause meaningful suffering, interfere with daily life, or create risk of harm. In other words, diagnosis is based on impact and impairment\u2014not quirks or individuality.<\/p>\r\n<section class=\"textbox interact\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/content\/1292023410068040438\/embed\" width=\"1089\" height=\"807\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" aria-label=\"Psychological dysfunction and disorders\"><\/iframe><script src=\"https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/js\/h5p-resizer.js\" charset=\"UTF-8\"><\/script><\/section>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2>Be Stigma Free<\/h2>\r\n<p>Hopefully, your reading from this module will also help you to better understand mental illness and be less inclined to judge or stigmatize those who are managing an illness. While we often refer to people experiencing a mental disorder in general terms and say \"They may experience this or that...\" you should be careful not to make blanket statements or false assumptions about those with mental disorders as every person has a unique experience. You, or classmates, friends, or family members close to you, are likely dealing with one or more of the mental disorders discussed in this module. Try to be understanding, kind, and open-minded as you learn about and talk about mental illness.<\/p>\r\n<p>Also note that there is often a tendency while reading through this material for students to self-diagnose, as it is easy to identify with various descriptions of mental disorders. Be wary of self-diagnosis; if you do think you may be suffering from a mental illness (defined as significant disturbances in thoughts, feelings, and behaviors causing impairment in one\u2019s life), then please seek help from a counselor, doctor, or other trained professional. If you or someone you know is dealing with suicidal thoughts, please seek help or call the national suicide and crisis lifeline using the number 988.<\/p>\r\n<section class=\"textbox watchIt\">\r\n<div class=\"watchItDiv\"><iframe src=\"\/\/plugin.3playmedia.com\/show?mf=1793545&amp;p3sdk_version=1.10.1&amp;p=20361&amp;pt=573&amp;video_id=Gzk7sSOHGSQ&amp;video_target=tpm-plugin-tje2sdog-Gzk7sSOHGSQ\" width=\"800px\" height=\"500px\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0px\" marginheight=\"0px\"><\/iframe><\/div>\r\n<div>You can <a href=\"https:\/\/oerfiles.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/Psychology\/Transcriptions\/StigmaFreeMayimBialik.txt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">view the transcript for \"#StigmaFree: Mayim Bialik\" here (opens in new window)<\/a>.<\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n<h2>Content Review<\/h2>\r\n<section class=\"textbox interact\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/content\/1291932663271039068\/embed\" width=\"1088\" height=\"637\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" aria-label=\"(15.2) A bit of Vocab\"><\/iframe><\/section>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>","rendered":"<section class=\"textbox learningGoals\">\n<ul>\n<li>Describe how psychological disorders are defined, and the challenges in defining them<\/li>\n<li>Describe the basic features of the <em>Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition<\/em> (DSM-5-TR) and how it is used to classify disorders<\/li>\n<li>Discuss perspectives on the origin of psychological disorders<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<h2>Distinguishing Between a Psychological Abnormality and Eccentricity: The 4 Ds<\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>It can be difficult, even for trained experts to distinguish between a psychological abnormality (psychological disorder) and eccentricity. Psychologist, professor, and licensed clinical social worker (LSCSW) Tim Davis developed a helpful mnemonic to remember the criteria for diagnosing psychological disorders. He identified four main D\u2019s to help make distinctions between behavior that is merely eccentric or odd and behavior that may be indicitive of a psychological disorder:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Deviance<\/strong>: the behaviors, thoughts, or emotions experienced by the individual deviate from societal norms or expectations.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li><strong>Dangerous<\/strong>: This aspect considers whether the individual\u2019s behavior or symptoms pose a danger to themselves or others. This could include self-harm, suicidal ideation, or aggressive behavior towards others. Note that this needs to be considered during diagnosis, but people with mental disorders are\u00a0<em>not<\/em>\u00a0generally dangerous.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Distress<\/strong>: this considers whether the individual is experiencing significant personal distress as a result of their symptoms. This could include emotional pain, anxiety, or other forms of suffering that negatively impact their well-being.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Dysfunction<\/strong>: this looks at whether the individual\u2019s symptoms are interfering with their daily life and functioning. This could include impacts on work, relationships, or basic self-care.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p1\">Some models also include additional considerations such as <span class=\"s1\"><b>duration<\/b><\/span> (how long symptoms last) and <span class=\"s1\"><b>disturbance<\/b><\/span> (disruptions in thinking, emotion, or behavior).<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Consider a simple example. Imagine someone who prefers wearing mismatched socks. This behavior may be considered <span class=\"s1\"><b>deviant<\/b><\/span> because it differs from what most people typically do, but it is harmless. Deviance alone does not indicate a disorder. However, if the person becomes extremely upset about sock choices and cries for hours, this suggests significant <span class=\"s1\"><b>distress<\/b><\/span>. If they refuse to go to work or school because they cannot find mismatched socks, their behavior now reflects <span class=\"s1\"><b>dysfunction<\/b><\/span>, as it interferes with daily responsibilities. If they threaten to harm themselves or someone else over the situation, concerns about <span class=\"s1\"><b>danger<\/b><\/span> arise.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The key idea is that psychological disorders are not defined simply by eccentricity or difference. Instead, clinicians look for patterns in which thoughts, emotions, or behaviors cause meaningful suffering, interfere with daily life, or create risk of harm. In other words, diagnosis is based on impact and impairment\u2014not quirks or individuality.<\/p>\n<section class=\"textbox interact\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/content\/1292023410068040438\/embed\" width=\"1089\" height=\"807\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" aria-label=\"Psychological dysfunction and disorders\"><\/iframe><script src=\"https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/js\/h5p-resizer.js\" charset=\"UTF-8\"><\/script><\/section>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Be Stigma Free<\/h2>\n<p>Hopefully, your reading from this module will also help you to better understand mental illness and be less inclined to judge or stigmatize those who are managing an illness. While we often refer to people experiencing a mental disorder in general terms and say &#8220;They may experience this or that&#8230;&#8221; you should be careful not to make blanket statements or false assumptions about those with mental disorders as every person has a unique experience. You, or classmates, friends, or family members close to you, are likely dealing with one or more of the mental disorders discussed in this module. Try to be understanding, kind, and open-minded as you learn about and talk about mental illness.<\/p>\n<p>Also note that there is often a tendency while reading through this material for students to self-diagnose, as it is easy to identify with various descriptions of mental disorders. Be wary of self-diagnosis; if you do think you may be suffering from a mental illness (defined as significant disturbances in thoughts, feelings, and behaviors causing impairment in one\u2019s life), then please seek help from a counselor, doctor, or other trained professional. If you or someone you know is dealing with suicidal thoughts, please seek help or call the national suicide and crisis lifeline using the number 988.<\/p>\n<section class=\"textbox watchIt\">\n<div class=\"watchItDiv\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/plugin.3playmedia.com\/show?mf=1793545&amp;p3sdk_version=1.10.1&amp;p=20361&amp;pt=573&amp;video_id=Gzk7sSOHGSQ&amp;video_target=tpm-plugin-tje2sdog-Gzk7sSOHGSQ\" width=\"800px\" height=\"500px\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0px\" marginheight=\"0px\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<div>You can <a href=\"https:\/\/oerfiles.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/Psychology\/Transcriptions\/StigmaFreeMayimBialik.txt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">view the transcript for &#8220;#StigmaFree: Mayim Bialik&#8221; here (opens in new window)<\/a>.<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<h2>Content Review<\/h2>\n<section class=\"textbox interact\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/content\/1291932663271039068\/embed\" width=\"1088\" height=\"637\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" aria-label=\"(15.2) A bit of Vocab\"><\/iframe><\/section>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"menu_order":7,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Putting It Together: Psychological Disorders\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"Lumen Learning\",\"url\":\"\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"copyrighted_video\",\"description\":\"#StigmaFree: Mayim Bialik\",\"author\":\"NAMI\",\"organization\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Gzk7sSOHGSQ\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"other\",\"license_terms\":\"Standard YouTube License\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"H5P review\",\"author\":\"Rose M. 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