Neurosis vs.

Psychosis Neurosis the Greek roots (neuron, meaning "nerve," and -osis, meaning "disease") implies disorder, neurosis affects most of us in some mild form or other. Is a mental disorder usually characterized by anxiety and other uncomfortable and distressing symptoms for the individual while reality remains intact.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DSM) no longer lists "neurosis" as a category of mental illness, but disorders associated with the term have included obsessive-compulsive, chronic anxiety, phobias, and pyromania. Neurosis is commonly treated, rather controversially, by psychoanalysis or other psychotherapy, despite the debate over whether or not counselors of this sort are qualified to accurately diagnosis and treat what is defined as a disorder of the nervous system. People with Neurosis 1. Are aware that they are experiencing distress. 2. Are aware that their behaviors are maladaptive. 3. Are unaware of any possible psychological causes of the distress. 4. Feel helpless to change their situation. 5. Experience no loss of contact with reality. Psychosis is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state involving the loss of contact with reality, causing the detioration of normal social functioning. (Reference: Stedman's Medical Dictionary) The word was first used by Ernst Von Reuchtersleben as an alternative for the terms "insanity" and "mania," and is derived from the Greek psyche (mind) and -osis(diseased or abnormal condition). is a loss of ego boundaries or gross impairment in reality testing, severe personality disintegration and impairment in meeting the ordinary demands of everyday life.

A psychotic episode may involve hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and/ordisordered thinking. Psychosis is not necessarily permanent, and occurs in both the chronically mentally ill and otherwise healthy individuals. It is treated by the prescription of anti-psychotic medications, psychotherapy, and, in extreme cases, periods of hospitalization. The Three Primary Causes of Psychosis Functional (mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder) Organic (stemming from medical, non-psychological conditions, such as brain tumors or sleep eprivation) Psychoactive drugs (eg. barbituates, amphetamines, and hallucinogens).

People with Psychosis 1. Experience minimal distress (emotional tone is flat, bland, or inappropriate). 2. Are unaware that their behavior is maladaptive.

3. Are unaware of any psychological problems. 4. Are exhibiting a flight from reality into a less stressful world or into one in which they are attempted to adapt.

Acute and Chronic Mental Illness A mental illness is a psychiatric disorder that results in a disruption in a person's thinking, feeling, moods, and ability to relate to others. Mental illness is distinct from the Types of mental disorders Anxiety disorders Paranoid personality -a person feeling that everyone and everything is against them when in reality this is not true. Schizoid Personality - apathetic to others and no desire to socialize. Mood disorders depression, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorders, bipolar-affective disorder, PTSD, Panic disorders. These can be so mild that others might not even be aware that the patient has them, to affecting every moment of our daily life and leading to a total disability. Eating disorders Impulse control and addiction disorders Personality disorders Antisocial personality -avoiding people b. Borderline personality -erratic emotions and relating to people. c. Histrionic personality -attention seekers-manipulators - Tends to exaggerate relationships-"everyone loves me" d. Narcissistic personality -self centered person Acute Mental Illness Acute mental illness is characterized by significant and distressing symptoms of a mental illness requiring immediate treatment. This may be the person's first experience of mental illness, a repeat episode or the worsening of symptoms of an often continuing mental illness. The onset is sudden or rapid and the symptoms usually respond to treatment. Chronic mental illness Chronic mental illness refers to a behavioral pattern in the individual and causes distress and disability that may not be part of normal development. There are no specific causes of mental illnesses and these have become much common. Symptoms of chronic mental illness:

Distorted perceptions; loss of contact with reality; o Delusions. o Hallucinations. Disordered, disorganized and confused thinking. Unstable and inappropriate emotions. Bizarre behavior; impaired judgment.

Defense Mechanisms

Denial:

One of the most simplest defense mechanisms Failing to recognize obvious implications or consequences of a thought, act, or situation. Examples: (1) a person having an extramarital affair gives no thought to the possibility of pregnancy. (2) persons living near a volcano disregard the dangers involved.

Displacement: The discharging of pent-up feelings, generally hostility, on an object less dangerous than the object that aroused the feelings. Are often quite satisfactory and workable mechanisms Examples: (1) a woman is abandoned by her fiance; she quickly finds another man about whom she develops the same feelings; (2) a salesman is angered by his superior but suppresses his anger; later, on return to his home, he punishes one of his children for misbehavior that would usually be tolerated or ignored.

Intellectualization:

-The individual deals with emotional conflict or internal or external stressors by the excessive use of abstract thinking or the making of generalizations to control or minimize disturbing feelings. -The process of separating the emotion aroused by an event from ideas or opinions about an event because the emotion itself is too painful to acknowledge. -a defense mechanism leading to the temporary or long-term reversion of the ego to an earlier stage of development rather than handling unacceptable impulses in a more adult way -occurs when thoughts are pushed back out of our consciousness and into our unconscious

Regression:

Splitting:

-A "primitive" defense mechanism -This term is widely used today to explain the coexistence within the ego of contradictory states, representative of self and others, as well as attitudes to self and others; other individuals or the self is perceived as "All good or all bad. -Splitting can also apply to one's self. Patients with personality disorders often idealize themselves fantastically and grandiosely, only to harshly devalue, hate, and even harm themselves when they fail or are otherwise frustrated.

Defense Mechanism Undoing Is the attempt to take back behavior or thoughts that are unacceptable. Is a ritualistic effort to undo damage and reduce guilt over some action in the past. Nobody can change the past, so the act of undoing is usually symbolic. a person tries to 'undo' an unhealthy, destructive or otherwise threatening thought or action by engaging in contrary behavior. Or simply put : Doing the opposite of what have done Obsessive Compulsive Examples: 1. Excessively praising someone after having insulted them.\ 2. A girl sends a pleasant Valentine's Day card to an ex-boyfriend with whom she broke up. The girl who sends the card feels guilty about having hurt the other person's feelings. The message is, "I am really not such a bad person." A boy who received such a card thought his ex-girlfriend was being sadistic, trying to make him hurt. But Freud would probably say her unconscious purpose was to convince herself that she was not such a bad person. 3. After thinking about being violent with someone, one would then be overly nice or accommodating to them. 4. Sending flowers after embarrassing her in public Reaction Formation Is the converting of wishes or impulses that are perceived to be dangerous into their opposite. In reaction formation a person defends against unacceptable thoughts or impulses by converting them to their opposite on the surface. Opposite of intentiom Examples: 1. A woman who is furious at her child and wishes her harm might become overly concerned and protective of the child's health. 2. Treating someone you strongly dislike in an excessively friendly manner in order to hide your true feelings. 3. A student reported having a fistfight with his father, who he deeply resented for abandoning his mother. The student peppered his essay with statements about how much he loved his father, when it seemed he was having trouble dealing with the exact opposite emotion 4. Student who is hating her CI may act cautiously towards her. Fixation EGO DEFENSE MECHANISMS : Regression vs. Fixation Regression -Returning to an earlier developmental stage

 Fixation - occurs when a person is stuck in a certain developmental stage Permanent or persistence into later life of interests or behavior patterns appropriate to an early age Example: 1. Chain smoker, alcoholic-----> Oral fixated Acting Out Refers to repeating certain actions to ward off anxiety without weighing the possible consequences of those action. Unconscious wish turned into reality Example: 1. A husband gets angry with his wife and starts staying at work later. 2. molested childwants to be comfortedbecomes psychologistOPRAH Fantasy Fantasy, when used as a defense mechanism, is the channeling of unacceptable or unattainable desires into imagination. Refers to creation of unrealistic or improbable images as a way of escaping from daily pressures and responsibilities or to relieve boredom. Magical Thinking imagined events or mental images temporary flight from reality to decrease anxiety Schizoid Example: 1. Imagining being highly successful when he feels unsuccessful. Engaging in such activities makes him feel better for a brief period. 2. Daydreaming