Differences between normal and abnormal psychology

Psychology

Abnormal Psychology

Normal psychology (or psychoanalysis) is what most people think of when they think of the term psychology. It treats people with mild stresses or troubles, such as dissatisfaction with their work or home life, or some other aspects of their life or personality, and they seek professional help from a psychologist to help them understand themselves and their feelings with more depth. Psychology has five main perspectives: biological, learning, cognitive, sociocultural, and psychodynamic, and for the most part, psychologists study all of these areas and blend at least one or two into their own specialization. However, psychologists do more than treat patients. Psychology covers teaching, research, psychoanalysis, and much more, and there are many specialties inside psychology for psychologists to choose from, such as abnormal psychology.

Abnormal psychology, however, is the study of behaviors that deviate from the "norm," and so they are abnormal. Very simply, abnormal can be defined as "personal stress," but many people are stressed and that does not make them psychologically abnormal. What does make them abnormal is their inability to adapt to these personal stresses of their lives, and this is where abnormal psychology can help them. The abnormal psychologist is trained to treat people with social and physical disorders such as schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and delusional disorders. Usually, the disorders have become so aberrant the patients may no longer be able to function in society, or at least function normally. Abnormal psychologists may also study the causes of the abnormalities in some people, and develop research to understand why some people develop these disorders and others do not. They may create behavioral studies, personality tests, case studies, or surveys to help them in their research, and eventually, they may be able to solve the mysteries of what causes much abnormal behavior in the brain.