Psychological abnormalities in humans: types, signs and symptoms

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

Speaking about the presence of certain psychological abnormalities in a person, we mean that there is some kind of opposite state, which is the norm. But it’s quite difficult to clearly define what it is.

After all, there is no specific concept of psychological deviations or psychological he alth of a person. There is nothing unusual or strange about this. Such a concept directly depends on a large number of factors, which, as a rule, are subjective.

Defining "normal" personality

First of all, it is necessary to answer the question of what factors have a significant impact on the very understanding of the norm in psychology. There are only two of them. Among these factors is the personality itself, as well as the society in which the person lives. Let's take a closer look at them.

Social stereotypes

Those or other psychological deviations of the personality become obvious if we consider the behavior of a person from the side of society. After all, there are certain social stereotypes in it. They define the line that exists between the abnormal and normal behavior of an individual.

Nevertheless, here you can find many nuances. As in every specific segment that is part of society, the norm of behavior can have significant deviations. For example, for those who live in the Russian outback, it is quite natural to know not only by sight, but also by name, all the neighbors in the house. The situation is quite different in large cities. Here it is not necessary and even simply not customary to say hello to a neighbor on the porch.

Thus, the social stereotype is the most common view of a particular group of people. They decide what should be the behavior of a member of the specified group or someone who is not part of it. Often such views extend both to the external manifestations of a person's behavior and to his psychological state in a given situation.

Personality factor

Each person also has his own attitude to the reaction that he shows to specific life events. Such a factor is a personal stereotype, expressed in the individual's idea of how he should behave in a certain situation and how he should feel in this case.

For example, if a person, seeing the suffering of another, begins to experience pleasure, and at the same time he does not have a desire to help, then this person himself can be perceived as a deviation from the norm. In this case, there may be disappointment. A person believes that he is bad, and should be different. Such a situation can be explained by stereotypes that prescribe not only correct behavior, but also sensations. Thus, if the question relates to a certain person, then the basis for understanding psychological deviations from the norm and the norm itself lies in the expectation of a certain type of behavior. Everything that meets such expectations is regarded by the individual as the norm, and what is not - as a deviation from it.

If we consider this issue from the point of view of society, then everything happens in a similar way. The only difference is that the judge in this case is society, not an individual.

Criteria for determining the psychological norm

When considering the above, it becomes clear that personality deviations are revealed both from the point of view of society and from the position of the person himself. However, in both cases, the most important sign of non-conformity to the norm is the disappointment that arises due to non-conformity with expectations. It is the discomfort resulting from the conflict between reality and social expectations that is considered the factor that distinguishes the norm from what psychologists call a personality disorder.

The origin of the problem

In psychology, personality disorder is considered in twoaspects. One of them is the social interaction of the individual with society. What is meant by this concept? These are the features of the behavior of a particular person that lead to social problems or psychological discomfort. The second aspect is the deviation from the norm of the personality itself. Similar features of human behavior also lead to problems and psychological discomfort. However, in this case, the individual suffers the most.

Of course, the concepts of "discomfort" and "problem" in this case have fairly wide boundaries. Thus, an individual may experience a state of either mild anxiety or severe depression. From the point of view of society, everything looks completely different. For him, the problem is seen as a real threat in the case of an openly criminal behavior of the individual, or in the form of those small problems that are presented in the form of inappropriate behavior. In both cases, psychological deviations in a person will certainly be expressed in the personal characteristics of himself.

Causes of disorders

As a rule, psychological deviations of a person are manifested in her cognitive or mental activity. They are also visible in the sphere of perception of the surrounding world and in the emotional reaction to relationships with others.

Psychological deviations of the personality may be innate. In this case, their manifestation occurs in a person throughout his life. Certain socio-psychological deviations are formed in those orother periods of growing up of the individual. This may be, for example, early or adolescence. Deviations in the psychological characteristics of a person cause a variety of reasons. They are considered starting from pathologies of the brain and ending with those caused by the strongest stressful experiences, such as, for example, psychological or physical abuse.

According to statistics, in its mild form, personality deviations are detected in approximately 10% of adults. It should be borne in mind that such a problem requires the attention of a specialist.

Risk factors for personality pathologies

Psychological deviations carry many problems. One of the most common of these is psychological discomfort. In turn, it can be expressed in various degrees and cause negative consequences. Moreover, the emerging problems are both internal and behavioral. Among them, one can note an increased tendency to suicide, as well as to the formation of alcohol and drug addiction, antisocial, and sometimes even criminal behavior. Often, psychological problems cause severe depression, and sometimes they provoke specific mental pathologies, such as, for example, schizophrenia or obsessive-compulsive disorder. And, of course, such people create a lot of problems for themselves and others.

Signs of personality deviations

What are the symptoms of a person's inconsistency with the psychological norm? First of all, this refers to the behavior of the individual, which is inadequate ifconsider it from the point of view of the problem that has arisen. The main reason for this symptom lies in the fact that a person does not seek to solve the issue that concerns him. Sometimes it eliminates the problem only partially, and sometimes exacerbates it. This feature causes difficulties in the communication of the individual, not only in society, but also in the family. Often such a person is not even aware of his reactions to the situation or behavior in it. In this regard, he never seeks to see a psychologist, although he is dissatisfied with his life, and he often has problems in various social situations.

Not everything is in order with such people and in what concerns their inner world. This is expressed in symptoms such as mood swings, increased anxiety and anxiety, and depression.

Among the main signs of a personality disorder are:

• the constant presence of such negative feelings as anxiety and threat, awareness of one's own uselessness and worthlessness, as well as easily arising anger;
• negative emotions and control problems;
• constant emotional emptiness and avoidance of human contact;
• difficulties in communicating with loved ones, especially with a spouse, as well as with children;
• Continuous environmental problems due to inability to control negative feelings and aggressive behavior;
• partial, and sometimes complete loss of contact with the surrounding reality.

All of the above symptoms tend to get worse. Most often this happensagainst the backdrop of emerging stressful situations.

Types of psychological disorders

According to the international classifier, all personality deviations are divided into 3 main groups. Among them:

• Group A. It includes eccentric pathologies. These are disorders such as schizoid, schizotypal, and paranoid.
• Group B. Such deviations include theatrical, emotional sensations. This includes disorders - narcissistic and hysterical, antisocial and borderline.
• Group C. It includes panic and anxiety deviations in the form of avoidant and obsessive-impulsive disorders.

The pathologies described above can be detected in one person. But, as a rule, there is always one disorder that is most pronounced. It is by him that the type of pathological deviation of the personality is determined.

Psychological disorders in a child

Parents should always remember that they are responsible not only for the physical he alth of their child. The psychological component also plays an important role in the development of the baby. It will have a huge impact on the formation of his worldview. In addition, psychological he alth will be the basis of the behavior and actions of a small person. It will largely depend on him whether the baby, having matured, will benefit society or, on the contrary, become a socially dangerous person for him.

Today, science knows for certain that the mind of a baby, like a sponge, absorbs every word and every actionpeople close to him. This happens up to 5 years of age. The baby's picture of the world around him is formed on the basis of his usual communication styles, role models, the financial condition of the family and the problems of parents, violence, betrayal and betrayal that take place. All negative moments in the future can painfully backfire on an already grown up person in the future.

For example, if up to a year of life, a mother often ignored her child, did not respond to his tears and fed when she wanted, then the baby begins to reject the sensual sphere. In his mind, the futility of emotions is fixed, which he subsequently throws out as unnecessary.

In the same way, the deformation of the child's psyche occurs. In the event that at the age of 4-5 he is subjected to physical or sexual violence, then his still unformed consciousness begins to perceive what is happening as the norm. Moreover, he learns to imitate it. This is how psychopaths are born. But, by and large, they are simply giving back to the world what it has given them.

Manifestations of personality disorders at an early age

There are seven dangerous signs of psychological abnormalities in a child. Some of them were highlighted by J. MacDonald, a well-known psychiatrist who devoted his life to studying the behavior of criminals. This researcher even came up with a certain formula that adults in most cases simply ignore. But if at least three of the following dangerous signs of psychological abnormalities in a child are identified by the parents, then the baby should be taken for a consultation withpsychiatrist. Otherwise, the future is likely to reap negative benefits.

Psychological abnormalities in children may manifest:

• Zoosadism. This is the first and most striking sign of a deviation in the psychological development of the child. It is expressed in the fact that a small person tortures and kills animals. This does not include haircutting a cat, touching up its fur or pulling its tail, because this is how most children learn the world. Zoosadism is a rather serious phenomenon. It is a displacement of the internal aggression in the child, and in a cruel form. Often such psychological deviations appear in adolescents.
• Misunderstanding complex emotions. Psychological deviations in the development of the child are difficulties that do not allow him to understand such higher emotions as pity, sympathy, empathy and love. These children are emotionally unstable. Most often, they simply play the role in which others want to see them. However, they don't experience anything. Such children are cold to the suffering of people and are not able to describe their own emotions. Feelings without reflection allow you to turn a child into a good manipulator.
• Constant lies. There are children who lie out of fear of their parents' wrath, their father's belt, or any other punishment. In this case, lying is a natural defensive reaction of the psyche. But if the baby tells fairy tales without any specific goal, then this is a rather dangerous symptom. Sometimes such children, caught in a lie, even fall into hysterics, evenmore scaring others.
• Enuresis. Of course, not every preschooler who suffers from this disease will become a criminal element in the future. However, J. Macdonald deduced a certain pattern. According to her, more than 76% of criminals in the early years of their lives suffered from enuresis, from which they experienced constant humiliation from their peers and endured their ridicule, as well as bullying and beatings from their parents. Thus, the aggression of society forced these people to throw out a sense of inner inferiority on innocent victims.
• Deviant behavior. Of course, many children skip classes and do not keep promises. This does not indicate a psychological deviation in the development of the child. You should look at this problem in a completely different way if this happens quite often and is accompanied by deliberately defiant aggression, selfishness and disobedience on the part of a schoolboy or teenager. Such children often run away from home, wander, try drugs, steal other people's things. But the worst thing is that all this gives them pleasure. They do not seek to attract the attention of others. They love this lifestyle. And this is a serious cause for concern.
• Pyromania. Another sign of a psychological disorder in a child may be his desire to constantly set fires, subsequently watching the fires. This gives him real pleasure. Such a child is not able to resist the impulses and realize the consequences of the crimes that he has committed. Playing with fire allowschildren to release inner rage, as well as compensate for their social and physical humiliation with someone else's pain.
• Hit the weak. A psychological study of children with developmental disabilities made it possible to state that they already at an early age are engaged in emotional pressure of their peers, do not shun physical violence, humiliation and persecution. Thus, the child copies the behavior of the elders. It is important for parents not to confuse such signs with domestic hooliganism. In this case, the child becomes a bully in order to attract the attention of adults or imitate the behavior of a bad hero.

Diagnosis of personality disorders

Psychological examination of children with developmental disabilities has a specific goal. It consists in identifying the very structure of existing violations, which will determine the best ways to provide corrective assistance to the child.

Psychological examination of children with developmental disabilities is carried out in several stages. At the first of them, the psychologist studies the documentation and collects information about the child. The necessary data become available to the specialist after a survey of parents and teachers. By the beginning of the psychological diagnosis of developmental deviations in children, you will need to have information of a clinical, social and pedagogical nature. Only in this case, the specialist will correctly determine the objectives of the study and prepare all the necessary tools.

Psychological examination is conducted in a calm environment. For this, a separate room is suitable, in which there isa small number of items. This will allow the child not to distract his attention.

Examination usually starts with the easiest tasks. At the same time, it is important for the psychologist to behave kindly and calmly, carefully observing his patient. If the child made a mistake, then an adult needs to provide him with the help provided for by the task.

The psychologist records the results of observations in the protocol. It records the time for completing tasks, types of errors and assistance provided to the child. During the examination, the presence of the mother is desirable. This is especially important in cases where a small patient insists on it.

According to the results of the examination, the specialist prepares a conclusion. In it, the psychologist includes his conclusions about the level of development and features of the child's speech, his cognitive activity, as well as the emotional-volitional sphere. Here the issue of the nature of the corrective assistance that the little patient needs should also be resolved.