Essay On Abnormal Psychology

Abnormal psychology deals with unusual patterns of thought and behavior that are considered as a mental disorder. Scholars and prominent academicians have attempted to explain the psychological and biological causes of mental disorders. Abnormal psychology can be classified as normal, abnormal and supernormal. Clinical psychology and psychopathology are some of the branches of medicine that deal with abnormal psychology. It is a complete departure from the traditional and archaic methods of diagnosing and treating mental disorders. A case in point for these treatment methods was the trephining method. Stone Age physicians believed that evil spirits caused mental disorders. They drilled a hole into the head of the victim to release evil spirits. Religious extremist used exorcism to cure mental ailment. When the exorcism failed the physicians and witch doctors resulted to torture of the victim. Modern and postmodern psychologists have developed effective models of treating mental ailments.
In the ancient times, mental disorders were associated with a curse from the deities. The mental patients were thought to have committed a moral anathema, and hence their mental incapacitation was an act of restitution and atonement for their wayward deeds. They self-righteous society cast the unfortunate ‘simpletons’ into dark dungeons and asylums to act as deterrence from perturbing the society. There is a paradigm shift in the way mental patients are treated. They have been accepted as normal patients and decent hospitals have been constructed to provide for specialized treatment. The television shows and motion pictures have incorporated them into their cast. There are hardly any shows that neither do nor portray a character or two who are suffering from a mental disorder. In the famous prison break that role was played by Silas Mitchell. Mitchell acted as Haywire in the series.
Prison Break is a television show that was produced between 2005 and 2009 by the Fox entertainment. The American television serial drama was produced by Paul Scheuring and due to its popularity; the television series has been produced up to four seasons. The television series got its popularity due to the ability of Michael Scofield; a role played by Wentworth Miller, to break from the prison settings of Fox River Penitentiary. The plot depicts the political corruption of the Washington politician and the subsequent fabrication of evidence to convict anyone who was at their disfavor. Lincoln Burrows was arrested and sentenced to death for the murder of a brother to the vice president. Michael Scofield robs a bank in order to be imprisoned in the same prison with his death row brother. Scofield succeeds in convincing the judge to send him to the same prison his brother was held. In prison, he planned to help his brother escape. He plotted with fellow inmates to escape from Fox River through a series of tunnels they had dug in the prison walls. Haywire who was a mentally unstable prisoner was once a cellmate to Michael Scofield. He assisted Michael Scofield to redraw the map on his body in order to facilitate the escape of the cellists. The escapees had planned to leave Haywire in the escape, but he threatened them that he would alert the security. The group, together with Haywire escaped from Fox River Prison and proceeded to their hideouts. Haywire broke away from the group before they could escape. Haywire is featured as a supporting cast in the story.
Haywire suffers from disturbances in thought. His emotional disturbances navigated him towards criminal tendencies. He was unable to consistently control his emotions. Haywire was convicted of the arson. He suffered from multiple personalities, anxiety disorder and depressive disorder. These mental incapacitations are recorded in the North American registry for Psychiatry. His conditions are listed under Axis one and Axis two in the DSM-IV TR. He suffers from mental disorders and personality disorders.
Haywire came to live with Michael Scofield when Sucre did not agree to Scofield plan to dig a hole in their prison cell. He appeared confused and stood at the entrance of the cell staring blankly into the space. He remained motionless for some time before proceeding to his bed. Haywire took a special interest at Michael Scofield’s tattoos. This got because he thought he would tell the prison guards about his escape plan. He started drawing the tattoos on a piece of paper. At one time, he claimed that it was a pathway to hell. Michael immediately notified the authorities that he had been attacked by his cell to prevent further investigation from Haywire. He was transferred to a rehab for specialized medication.
The mental prisoners at the rehab were given drugs to create the illusion of chains around their bodies. In the General Population Haywire looked out of place. He appeared lonely and did not have any friends. He spent most of the time trying to figure out what Scofield was doing. He looked disorganized with a shaggy hair. He repeatedly pronounced some words over a long period. Michael Scofield got burned, and part of his tattoo was erased. He pretended that he was mentally unhealthy and was taken to the asylum. In the asylum, he refused to take the normal medication. He convinced Haywire to stop doing the same in order for him to remember the part of the prison map that was erased. He drew the map again and in the process learned of the plan to break out.
Haywire will have to undergo Psychosurgery or electroconvulsive treatment. The drugs being administered to him only alleviate the effects of the symptoms. Medical therapy has a risk of creating drug dependency and other withdrawal symptoms. Psychosurgery can also help Haywire overcome his mental disorder. The fibers in his brain that are responsible for the brain will have to be cut out or the nerves that cause the problem burned. He is a risk of remaining in a vegetative state or acquiring a flat personality. Electroconvulsive treatment is the safest with the risk of memory loss if it fails.
His psychiatric disorders fall within three DSM IV-TR axes. A close scrutiny of his behavior would unearth the clinical disorders outlined in Axes 1 of DSM IV-TR. His stay in prison was riddled by major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder. He had bouts of fear, uncontrollable restlessness and obsessive thoughts. He was obsessed with Michael Scofield’s tattoos. Closely tethered to Axis1 are the personality disorders outlined in Axis II. DSM IV-TR states that mental disorders in this are associated with decrease in intellectual ability. Hay wire had trouble with concentrating on mentally involving tasks. Maladaptive personality traits and anti- social disorders could be concluded from his blank social life. Another personality disorder classified in Axis II in the DSM IV- TR is paranoid personality. Haywire continually shouted that Scofield’s tattoos were a pathway to hell. Haywire suffered from chronic medical problems associated with Axis III of DSM IV- TR. He suffered from chronic insomnia and therefore spends most of his times awake. In reaction to his chronic medical condition, the doctors gave him medication to alleviate his excessive insomnia. He saw a picture from one of the houses he visited after breaking out of prison and took it. It was a picture of a windmill that was in Holland. He started building a raft to travel to Holland. When he was found by FBI agent Alexander Mahone, he was convinced that the only way to go to Holland was jumping from a tower. He jumped, and that led to his death.
Abnormal Psychology can be behavioral or psychological. Behavioral affects the though and cognitive faculties of the mind producing anti-social behavior. It makes the individual act in a queer manner. Biological can be as a result of medical illnesses. Mental illnesses can be genetic. Thy can be inherited from a family line. The biological causes of abnormal psychology range from neurotransmitter imbalances, constitutional liabilities to brain plasticity. Deprivation from physical or psychological needs can also be a cause of mental instability. Sigmund Freud suggested causing an emotional catharsis in mental patients in order to cure them of mental instability. His psychoanalytical theory was disapproved because it required the mental patients to keep a record of their dreams. Cognitive behavioral theory aims at eliminating the negative schemas that cause stress and replace them with positive realities. The theory focuses on the patient as a human being. Abnormal Psychological research lacks the funding that other fields of medicine get. With adequate funding, psychologist can come up with medical breakthroughs that can cure the planet of mental ailments.