The Beautiful Mind Essay

Abstract
      This paper will examine five disorders of Abnormal Psychology. It will provide a brief definition, statistics, treatment, theories, and possible causes for each disorder.   Abnormal psychology is the scientific study of abnormal behavior in order to describe, predict, explain, and change abnormal patterns of functioning. It studies the nature of psychopathology, its causes and its treatments. What constitutes "abnormal" has varied across time and across cultures. Individuals also vary in what they regard as "normal" or "abnormal" behavior, or merely idiosyncratic (New World Encyclopedia). When examining abnormal psychology it is important to look at the conditions that are influencing the person and how they react. There are four contributing factors that are looked at in order to tell how well a person will adapt to that environment are their genetic makeup, physical condition, learning and reason and socialization.
        Nearly fourty-four million Americans have experienced or have been affected by mental illness at some point in their life. Mood disorders rank among the top 10 causes of worldwide disability (Murray & Lopez, 1996). Unlike mood disorders which can cause a disturbance and an imbalance in a person’s mood for a period of time, anxiety disorders interfere with day-to-day activities and relationships and can make it hard for an individual to enjoy life. More than nineteen million Americans suffer from anxiety disorders, which include panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, phobias, and generalized anxiety disorder (Supreme State). When anxiety becomes an excessive, irrational dread of everyday situations, it has become a disabling disorder. Schizophrenia is a disorder that affects the minds ability to be in touch with reality. People with the disorder may hear voices other people don't hear. They may believe other people are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts, or plotting to harm...