Psychology is a scientific field of study focused on human and animal behavior analysis; it seeks the understanding, controlling and predicting of such behavior. There are many areas of psychology. Social psychology is an area that focuses on the means in which an individual’s feelings, thoughts and behaviors are subject to the influence of other individuals. The impact determines factors such as; person perception, self, attribution process, altruism, attitudes, aggression, and group psychology.
Developmental psychology focuses on human development. It analyzes the milestones throughout childhood, adolescence and adulthood stages of development and growth. It studies the developmental changes throughout a lifespan; conception to adulthood (NIMH, 2013). It also analyzes the structural, functional, and behavioral changes occurring through maturation.
Cognitive psychology is a branch focusing on the role of mental processes of determining human behavior. It determines human characteristics like altruism, memory, and language acquisition. It studies manners in which people think, perceive, learn and remember.
Behavioral psychology analyzes the behavior patterns exhibited by individuals in various situations; this involves the causes, effects, and influences on behavior. It provides insight on how to reinforce good behavior and eliminate negative ones.
Personality
Personality is a significant part of every individual’s existence. It sums up the feelings, unique patterns of behavior and thought. An analysis of definitions by various theorists describes it as a combination of a person’s motives,attributes, behaviors and values; these factors are unique to the individual, thus set him/her apart. It focuses on how personality develops, its characteristics, and effect on psychology and life in general. Among the theories include; psychoanalytic, social learning, and trait theory.
In psychoanalysis, they are; Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development and Freud’s psychosexual development theory. Trait theorists view personality as a relatively stable factor or aspect of life. The main ones are; openness to experience, neuroticism, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and extraversion. Social learning theorist view personality as dependent on an individual’s environment(NIMH, 2013). For instance, characteristics such as aggression can be eliminated if it is no longer reinforced. Social interaction thus shapes personality. Personality depends on factors such as heredity, gender difference and other occurrences. They determine how personality develops.
The main measurement methods include those of; interviews, self-assessment. Personality inventory, projective and objective tests. Projective tests involve the presentation of ambiguous visual stimuli to an individual; this individual then responds to questions in regard to whatever comes to mind. First, the Rorschach Inkblot Test attempts to help the client project his/her personality. He/she describes the images seen in the abstract inkblots. Thematic Apperception Test lets the individual tell a story about a picture. Several images of settings, things, and people help the client in projecting his/her personality.
Objective tests can also be used. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory involves the use of 567 questions. These are used in creating ten major measurement scales such as; neuroticism, depression, paranoia and schizophrenia. Other tests focusing on the use of scales include; Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory and California Personality Inventory
Psychology involves the understanding of actions thought processes, feelings and motives. It helps in comprehending the cause of a variety of mental and behavioral disorders; it provides a means of selecting effective treatment and coping strategies. It helps in understanding the uniqueness of individuals attributed to personality traits; they learn how to cope with these differences in a health and positive manner.
Importance of understanding brain and nervous system, when studying psychology
An individual’s mental processes play an important role in his behavior, thoughts and feelings; this makes the brain a significant part of the psychological processes. Mental illnesses and disorders that affect the brain affect how an individual believes, feels and interacts with his environment.
A focus on understanding the brain functioning and nature helps in coping with the disorder. Most of the disorders include; anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar disorders, and ADHD. Previous studies reveal that most mental disorders are affected by anatomical, physiological and chemical changes in the nervous system overall wellbeing depends on the brain’s ability to coordinate the body cells through the nervous system(NIMH, 2013).
An individual’s actions depend on how his/her neurons communicate. The chemical signals and electrical impulses transfer messages across various parts of the brain and nervous system. Neurotransmitters are in charge of sending messages between neurons. If this process does not occur appropriately, mental illnesses like depression occur. In case, the electrical impulses facilitating the communication between the neurons changes its results in tremors and symptoms usually evident in Parkinson’s disease.
The chemical Serotonin regulates sleep, appetite and mood. Research shows that lowered levels of serotonin increases depression. There is a need for adequate serotonin in the neuron’s synapse; it improves functioning. Dopamine, on the other hand, controls movements and the flow of information to the parts of the brain controlling thought and emotion. Inadequacy of dopamine in the system results in; schizophrenia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and other disorders(NIMH, 2013). Glutamate is a neurotransmitter with several roles in the nervous system. It is significant in early brain development, learning and memory. Problems in its production and use results, in mental disorders such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, autism, schizophrenia, and depression. Understanding the brain functions helps the therapist in selecting appropriate means of coping with mental disorders. It also helps patients in knowing coping strategies and preventing relapses after treatment.
Major psychological disorder: depression
One of the major disorders is depression. Depression is not the occasional sadness or feeling blues. It is a progressive state that interferes with the normal life and causes pain. It not only affects the individual, but also the lives of people around him/her.The treatment plans for depression include; psychotherapy, medication and others. The choice depends on the depression disorder. Major depressive disorder elicits symptoms that affect the individual’s daily activities such as sleep, work, and studies eating habits and involvement in enjoyable activities. Minor depression, on the other hand, shows symptoms for 2 weeks or more. If not dealt with, it can develop into major depression(NIMH, 2013).Psychotic depression occurs when severe depression combines with a form of psychosis; the patient experiences delusion and hallucinations. Postpartum depression affects women right after birth; it results from the hormonal andphysical realization of the new challenges of caring for a baby.
Depression results from biological, genetic, psychological, and mental factors. Stress-triggering situations such as loss of a loved one, trauma, accidents, and difficult relationships result in depression. Some of the primary symptoms include; persistent anxiety, sadness, loss of interest in once pleasurable activities, restlessness, irritability, appetite loss, poor concentration, and persistent pain.
The main treatment methods include; medication and psychotherapy. Antidepressants influence the brain neurotransmitters, serotonin and norepinephrine, regulating moods. They include; Zoloft, Lexapro, Prozac, and Paxil.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a process involving the treatment and management of psychological disorders. It focuses on the systematic use of a relationship between the patient and the therapist; this influences a change in the thoughts, feelings and social behavior. In psychotherapy, the therapist treats the patient by helping him/her understand the illness. It equips the patient with tools and strategies to cope with and prevent psychological illnesses(NIMH, 2013).
Psychotherapy may be used alone or alongside other treatment plans and medications. The decisions on which strategies to use depends on the cooperation between the therapist, client and client’s family. The treatment plan thus depends on the patient’s needs. The most common types of psychotherapy include; Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy and Family-focus Therapy.
CBT emerges from a blend of behavioral therapy and cognitive therapy. CT has its focus on the client’s beliefs, and thoughts and how these influence his/her actions andmoods. It attempts to alter the individual’s thinking into a healthy one. BT mainly deals with the client’s actions and attempts to make them positive. The CBT process requires active involvement by both the therapist and client.
In depression, CBT helps restructure negative thoughts, though this, they recognize the causes of depression and change negative thoughts and behavior(NIMH, 2013). It helps a patient with anxiety disorder acquire an adaptive response to fears. It occurs through exposure therapy in confronting a specific memory of fear while the patient is in a supportive and safe environment. Some of the disorders are Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, phobias and OCD. The anxiety lessens through the development of a coping strategy.
Conclusion
Psychology provides insight into the causes of human behavior and nature. It helps in understanding a variety of factors about attitudes, beliefs, characteristics, and actions. Through the knowledge on psychology, helps in coping with a variety of illnesses related to mental processes.
Reference
National Institute of Mental Health (2013). What is Depression? Retrieved October 22, 2013 from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/heaalth/topics/depression/index.shtml
National Institute of Mental Health (2013). Brain Basics, Retrieved October 22, 2013 from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/educational-resources/brain-basics/brain-basics.shtml
National Institute of Mental Health (2013). Psychotherapies, Retrieved October 22, 2013 from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/psychotherapies/index.shtml
