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You must have come across people who are unhappy, troubled and dissatisfied. Their minds and hearts are filled with sorrow, unrest and tension and they feel that they are unable to move ahead in their lives; they feel life is a painful, uphill struggle, sometimes not worth living. Famous analytical psychologist Carl Jung has quite remarkably said, “How can I be substantial without casting a shadow? I must have a dark side, too, if I am to be whole and by becoming conscious of my shadow, I remember once more that I am a human being like any other”. At times, some of you Introduction may have felt nervous before an important examination, tense and concerned about your future career or anxious when someone close to you was unwell. All of us face major problems at some point of our lives. However, some people have an extreme reaction to the problems and stresses of life. In this chapter, we will try to understand what goes wrong when people develop psychological problems, what are the causes and factors which lead to abnormal behaviour, and what are the various signs and symptoms associated with different types of psychological disorders? The study of psychological disorders has intrigued and mystified all cultures for more than 2,500 years. Psychological disorders or mental disorders (as they are commonly referred to), like anything unusual may make us uncomfortable and even a little frightened. Unhappiness, discomfort, anxiety, and unrealised potential are seen all over the world. These failures in living are mainly due to failures in adaptation to life challenges. As you must have studied in the previous chapters, adaptation refers to the person’s ability to modify her/his behaviour in response to changing environmental requirements. When the behaviour cannot be modified according to the needs of the situation, it is said to be maladaptive. Abnormal Psychology is the area within psychology that is focused on maladaptive behaviour – its causes, consequences, and treatment. CONCEPTS OF A BNORMALITY AND way), and possibly dangerous (to the person or to others). P SYCHOLOGICAL D ISORDERS This definition is a useful starting point Although many definitions of abnormality from which we can explore psychological have been used over the years, none has abnormality. Since the word ‘abnormal’ won universal acceptance. Still, most literally means “away from the normal”, it definitions have certain common features, implies deviation from some clearly defined norms or standards. In psychology, we often called the ‘four Ds’: deviance, distress, dysfunction and danger. That is, have no ‘ideal model’ or even ‘normal psychological disorders are deviant model’ of human behaviour to use as a (different, extreme, unusual, even bizarre), base for comparison. Various approaches distressing (unpleasant and upsetting to have been used in distinguishing between the person and to others), dysfunctional normal and abnormal behaviours. From (interfering with the person’s ability to these approaches, there emerge two basic carry out daily activities in a constructive and conflicting views: 70 Psychology Reprint 2026-27