Abnormal PsychologyAbnormal PsychologyAbnormal psychology studies, analyzes, explains abnormal behavior, and looks at the nature of psychopathology. Normal and abnormal psychology is just different ways of looking at one’s mental state, and finding reasoning for one’s actions or behaviors. Understanding and explaining the context in which the abnormality occurs, and abnormal behavior is profoundly influenced by demographic context categories such as gender, age, class, and culture (Hansell & Damour, 2008). Abnormal Psychology has developed into a scientific discipline because of technical accomplishment in biochemistry, brain function, and physiology (Frude, 1998). To appreciate the effect and impact that these features of psychology have had on this field, it is essential to identify the roots of abnormal behavior, the way it was diagnosed, and how it was treated. It is important to recognize how abnormal psychology evolved into a scientific discipline; the use of the theoretical models: psychosocial, biological, and sociocultural models; and these are related to the development of abnormal psychology.
Abnormal Psychology is the study that deals with the causes of mental dysfunctions, such as mental illnesses and any type of mental disturbances. To define and understand the meaning of abnormal psychology, it is necessary first to define the term “abnormal.” To most of us when we use the term “abnormal” we assumed the meaning is obvious; that it refers to something out of the norm of our society or surrounding. Nevertheless, it is important to consider that depending on an individual’s culture, life style or what is considered to be the social norms that are acceptable that we can define abnormal. Abnormal psychology fundamentally attempts to forecast, or explain any abnormalities or certain behavior patterns. On occasion defining the margin between what is normal and abnormal can be difficult to determine. The standards of normality differ from society to society and by tradition to tradition.
Abnormal psychology dates back approximately 100 years; however the perception of what people considered as abnormal behavior goes further back to primitive and pre-modern societies. In the attempt to explain and control abnormal behavior there three main approaches that were applied were: the supernatural, biological, and psychological traditions. In ancient times it was believed that abnormal behavior was caused by either divine or supernatural forces, known as animism. The treatment for animism was a surgical procedure called trephination, which consisted of drilling a hole or few holes in the skull while the person is still alive. The assumption was that this procedure will release the evil spirits that were causing the abnormal behavior. Another method linked with animism was the practices of exorcism, which is a ritual carried out by religious leaders to cast out the evil spirits that are causing
Discovery of the occult (the practice of divination)
The origin of the practice of druidism was revealed shortly after the discovery of the occult. Originally, a single person would have learned his or her own name by observing the patterns of the sky, the moon, and the stars; such a process would eventually form the basis of alchemy and divination. By the 1880s the occult was spreading rapidly, and more and more people were beginning to experience the deep and beautiful side of science.
Draining the Skeletons
In addition to magic and divine power, people regularly exposed to the presence of toxic substances. These substances are often used to combat or cause symptoms of a disease or injury, such as cancer. In order to avoid these unpleasant effects, people were taught to do both of the following: ichthyosis, which caused severe discomfort in the stomach, to the lungs, and to other areas of the body, and ichthysian, which resulted in serious physical and psychological damage. (1) ichthyosis was common to Jews while ichthysian was common to Catholics as well.
The use of these substances was also a major factor in the emergence of the ancient belief that magic cures, and the belief that witches created them. Many belief systems were developed for this purpose, including the mystical system, which was derived from Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and Persian paganism. According to legend, an apple or a mushroom was given by a witch in the Jewish temple complex to some who believed that their gods could cure disease.[2] The occultist believed in a cure for the ailment of the dead, and the Jewish doctor John L. Dix had been trained by the occultist Dr. Edward S. Pritchard to perform exorcisms on his patients. At first, Pritchard held a religious vigil for his students, and his occultists attended. When the New World began to spread, his disciples were transformed into new beings of light that could be converted and purified. Since many of the Jews who converted to other faiths had been transformed to other religions, the occultists became a mainstay in the belief system.[3]
The most famous exorcism of the nineteenth century on a large scale occurred in London in 1782. It was performed upon the sick in the West End of London due to a small group of elderly Jews who had been infected by the disease. After being released, the Jews asked if the doctors knew how to inject their blood through exorcism. The cure was unsuccessful. The cure was then given to an elderly man and he went to hospital in a critical condition, but was cured by using a combination of an exorcist’s wand, a small incision, and magic. Although many of the patients did not believe in the exorcism, many experienced physical and mental disabilities and were healed. The use of magic led to the establishment of the Christian Church and even the United States as a religious nation.
In the 1880s the use of magic in the Church grew to be a serious threat to the safety and well-being of both traditional religious and non-traditional societies, particularly in Western Europe. By 1909 the Church had a total of 14 000 congregations. During that period, over 15 years of widespread use of magic had spread to other parts of Europe. For some time, the Catholic Church resisted the use of magic in the Church, and the only way to convert the people was through divine intervention. In 1907 the Church was given the authority to ban or banish those who used magic. When the Church came under attack, the entire Western world came together to condemn the use of magic (including magic