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Psychological Disorders

Definition

Psychological disorders, also known as mental disorders, are patterns of behavioral or psychological symptoms that impact multiple areas of life and create distress for the person experiencing these symptoms.

Analogy

Think of a psychological disorder like a computer virus. Just as a virus disrupts the normal functioning of a computer, causing it to behave in unexpected ways or even crash, a psychological disorder disrupts an individual's thinking, feeling, mood and ability to relate to others.

Related terms

Abnormal Psychology: This is the branch of psychology that studies unusual patterns of behavior, emotion and thought which may or may not be understood as precipitating a mental disorder.

Anxiety Disorders: These are types of mental disorders characterized by feelings of anxiety and fear including panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Personality Disorders: These are enduring patterns of inner experience and behavior that deviates from the expectations of the culture. Examples include antisocial personality disorder and borderline personality disorder.