Where do we draw the line between normal and abnormal? DSM contains one such definition, and others appear in various scholarly journals. Nevertheless, the issue is far from settled. Stepping into traffic is abnormal, but sky-diving or willingly going into combat is not? Why is hypo sexuality abnormal but hyper sexuality not? What about the person who has strange thoughts and perceptions but does not disclose them to others, or does so only through critically acclaimed art? If enough people experience something like depression does it become normal? Why is PTSD a disorder when it is explained by the trauma causing it?
Stepping into traffic is abnormal, but skydiving or willingly going into combat is not considered abnormal.
I would agree to this but with caution. The reason I state a cautionary clause is that if the subject is eager to go skydiving or into combat with the same thought processes as stepping into the line of fire of traffic. I would consider this incredible abnormal behavior. Stepping into on going traffic is not a social norm to any of us in modern society. This is something that will put your body into immediate danger and the threat of death is very possible. Even though, a subject that submits him/her self to skydiving or combat these activities can be consider a normal practice where one is putting themselves in the line of danger for entertainment and/or patriotic duties. It is all on how the subjects mind set looks into each activity and what the outcome might be.
As I look deeper into the question about hypo sexuality and hyper sexuality I come to a conclusion that society looks at sex in many different ways. A person that is hypersexual would be less looked at as a person with abnormalities towards sex because of his or her sexual drive for a partner or sexual activity. This type of problem can be looked at as almost a stud or a nymphomaniac. Which, in a sense can be a sexual abnormality; however, in the case of hypo sexuality the reverse can be determined that there is something psychologically stopping this person from enjoying a sexual drive. This person maybe looked on having an abnormal mind set towards sex. We really must look at the circumstances surrounding any diagnosis of abnormal vs. normal thought processes. In the other questions that same could hold true.
But, the question asking why would PTSD cause abnormal thinking. I could answer this question just by relating it to my own personal experiences. I would consider myself a pretty straight forward guy; however, I have had a major trauma happen in my life that has caused my to have somewhat abnormal thought processes on the ways I handle certain situations. It is something that I don't consciously see myself doing; however, because of this traumatic event. I think it has been wired or programmed into my psychological make up and through self-help and therapy those abnormal thoughts can be turned in positive energies to help me in that given situation. Since this is a forum I am not going to get into great detail; however, I believe that PTSD offsets abnormal thought processes that once before would have been normal thought patterns.
I also would like to touch on the question about if enough people experience something like depression, does it become normal. My answer to this is simply no. I believe depression is an abnormal thought process because of the elements of society that have caused it in many people. This could go into religious aspects of how God put us on this earth to enjoy one another in peace and harmony. Depression is because of our current environments and stresses we encounter throughout like. We can mask it by using drugs or trying to explore the reasons through therapy but the problem will still exist. I hope someday we all can live without abnormalities; however, since we live in an environment that causes much stress on our brains. We will just have to take it as it comes and deal with it the best possible ways we can.
All good therapists are good listeners, but what makes a good listener? A number of skills require professional training and extensive practice and feedback to perfect, but some seem to come naturally to some people. Can you think of a readily available person you consider a good listener? Why do you think they are so good? Next time you interact with them, observe them and pay particular attention to the specific behaviors making them a good listener. Share the behavior of the "good listener" that you know.
This particular assignment was difficult for me; because I know many people. But, a lot of people I know tend to gravitate towards being excessive talkers and sometimes not the best listeners. I had to put on my thinking cap and evaluate friends and relatives and place them on a scale of 1 to 10. After I did this self exploration, I came up with more people than I thought that shared "good listening" habits. The person I would like to shine the light on is my best friend "Ursu". Over the years, we have been through several situations that I have needed his advice and wisdom to help me through difficult times. He has always been there to make sure I had an open ear to vent my frustrations, thoughts, concerns, and even my sorrows. He has never shown any negative attitudes or shunned anything I have ever said to him. The most incredible thing that he is able to do is retain all the information that I have told him and the ability to bring up ideas and thoughts that I had said many years earlier. Just to remind me and keep me on track and in check.
I would consider Ursu, not only, a great friend, but somewhat of a close personal spiritual leader. It's easy to see that the media encourages an unhealthy focus on being thin, and that it thereby contributes to eating disorders, but is there more going on here? Inherent to the media influence theory of eating disorders is the presumption that the media can profoundly affect attitudes and behaviors, causing us to do extremely unhealthy things. But is the media is powerful enough to cause people to literally starve themselves to death, why is it so ineffective at other things? Why can't the power of the media be harnessed for good? What makes the thin message especially powerful? Conversely, how are healthy media productions such as anti-smoking campaigns being hampered? What makes the two messages different?
I have struggled with this weight for the majority of my life. I have even surrendered that I am genetically programmed to carry some excess baggage. However, to answer your question about weight and how the media has handled it throughout the years we have to look back to even the start of mass media. Over the years it has the media has made it clear to be successful in life you need to be thin, healthy, and beautiful. Taking a look back to fashion industry in the 1960's and the explosion of "Twiggy", young girls saw that if you wanted to be a model or someone on TV you needed to be picture perfect. It has not been since this millennium that we are starting to see the media turning the corner and exposing that this is a real problem in American society. Especially, in teenagers and young adults, and its unfortunate that the mass media might have caused more damage that good over the past 40 years.
Mass media may have missed the boat when it comes to the need of educating people on the importance of maintaining healthy weight, and that anyone can be beautiful in there own way. Most people have a preconceived notion that you need to look a certain way to get acceptance in modern day society. This is especially true in high school and college environments, which cause young adults to put there emotional and psychical health on standby just to gain social recognition. I believe the mass media is starting to become more of an influence and trying to reverse the damage they have done; however, there is a lot of work here to be done.
Enuresis may be co morbid with many childhood disorders including ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, and conduct disorder. The classic Bell-and-Pad approach to treating enuresis is quite effective and has been a popular treatment and self-help technique for decades. The actual device is inexpensive, and simple to operate and demonstrate. It is also readily available in most department stores. A common alternative to the bell-and-pad is imipramine (Tofranil), which is also used as an adult antidepressant. Adults taking imipramine for depression have reported as a side effect difficulty initiating a urine stream. It was then tried as a treatment for bed-wetting and subsequently received FDA approval for that purpose. What you think of an adult antidepressant being used to treat childhood bed-wetting? It is a situation similar to the present in which SSRIs are being used for more and more things other than their original purpose as antidepressants (e.g., eating disorders, anxiety disorders, premature ejaculation, and anger/aggression). What do you think of a drug being used as a first line treatment for enuresis when behavioral treatments, with no side effects, have been shown to be just as effective, if not more so?
I have a close relationship to this question. I was a bed wetter up until I was around 6 or 7 years old. I don't believe it was a psychological problem; however, I wish that my grandparents would have looked into this problem earlier in life and found something to help solve the problem. I believe it has effects on a child's ego as he grows older not being able to understand why he/she is doing this in their sleep
If a medication was available to help curb this in a young child's life and the side effects where minimal, I would highly recommend the parent taking this direction. I think it would only help the child to increase their self-esteem and ego during early childhood. Bed-wetting can have major effects on the growth of a young child. Coming from personal experience it was somewhat traumatic for me when I was scared to go to bed because I knew that I would wake up and not being able to make it to the bathroom or not realizing it at all till the morning. A young child needs to know that there is help and to be able to use a medication that could curb this problem would be a godsend for younger children. The only thing I would be scared about maybe the long-term effects that a SSRI might have on a young brain. Could it have addictive tendencies? I am not sure I would have to research this further; however, my first conclusion would be to go for it!
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