Psychological Disorders: Crash Course Psychology #28

CrashCourse9 minutes read

Journalist Elizabeth Cochran exposed US psychiatric hospital conditions in 1887, leading to reform, while psychologist David Rosenhan demonstrated flaws in the system in 1975 by sending mentally sound individuals to institutions. The experiment raised questions about diagnosing mental illnesses, with the WHO reporting 450 million people globally suffer from such disorders.

Insights

  • Elizabeth Cochran, also known as Nellie Bly, exposed the dire conditions in US psychiatric hospitals in 1887, sparking reforms in mental health treatment.
  • David Rosenhan's 1975 experiment revealed flaws in psychiatric institutions, highlighting the ease of admission but difficulty of release, questioning the diagnosis and classification of mental disorders.

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Recent questions

  • What did Nellie Bly expose in 1887?

    Harsh conditions in US psychiatric hospitals

  • What did David Rosenhan's experiment reveal in 1975?

    Flaws in the psychiatric system

  • How many people globally suffer from mental or behavioral disorders?

    Around 450 million

  • What are psychological disorders defined as?

    Deviant, distressful, dysfunctional patterns affecting function

  • How does the Medical Model view psychological disorders?

    As physiological problems with diagnosable symptoms

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Summary

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Mental Health Exposed: Reform, Diagnosis, and Evolution.

  • In 1887, journalist Elizabeth Cochran, under the alias Nellie Bly, exposed the harsh conditions in US psychiatric hospitals, leading to mental health reform.
  • American psychologist David Rosenhan conducted an experiment in 1975, sending mentally sound individuals to psychiatric institutions, revealing flaws in the system.
  • Rosenhan's experiment showed that it was easy to be admitted to a mental institution but challenging to be released, with participants staying an average of 19 days.
  • The experiment highlighted issues in diagnosing mental illnesses and raised questions about defining, diagnosing, and classifying mental disorders.
  • The World Health Organization reported in 2010 that around 450 million people globally suffer from mental or behavioral disorders.
  • Psychological disorders are defined as deviant, distressful, and dysfunctional patterns of thoughts, feelings, or behaviors, impacting individuals' ability to function.
  • The Medical Model of Psychological Disorder views mental health issues as physiological problems with diagnosable symptoms, while the Biopsychological Approach considers biological, psychological, and social-cultural influences.
  • The American Psychiatric Association's DSM-5, used for diagnosing mental disorders, evolves with research and societal understanding, reflecting changing attitudes and new disorders like Internet Gaming Disorder.
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