behavior that is atypical or statistically uncommon within a particular culture or that is maladaptive or detrimental to an individual or to those around that individual. Such behavior is often regarded as evidence of a mental or emotional disturbance, ranging from minor adjustment problems to severe mental disorder.

Some definitions of abnormality Abnormality has been defined in a number of ways, including: Unusual behaviour that is different from the norm. Behaviour that does not conform to social expectations or demands. Statistical infrequency. Failure to function adequately.

Behavior is considered to be abnormal when it is atypical or out of the ordinary, consists of undesirable behavior, and results in impairment in the individual’s functioning. Abnormality in behavior, is that in which is considered deviant from specific societal, cultural and ethical expectations.

Terms in this set (8)

• Is there a universal agreement for what is considered abnormal? no.
• Suffering.
• Maladaptiveness.
• Statistical Deviancy.
• Violation of the Standards of Society.
• Social Discomfort.
• Irrationality and Unpredicatbility.
• Dangerousness.

DSM-IV notes that mental disorders are associated with distress, disability, or a significantly increased risk of suffering death, pain, disability, or an important loss of freedom. It also gives an example of distress and defines disability as impairment in one or more important areas of functioning.

Negative symptoms include decreased thought and speech productivity (alogia), loss of ability to experience pleasure (anhedonia), decreased initiation of goal-directed behavior (avolition), and speech with little or no change to their tone, little or no change in their facial expression, even if they are talking about …

Medications used to treat avolition may include atypical antipsychotics, such as Zyprexa (olanzapine) and Risperdal (risperidone).

Abulia is most often caused by an injury to the brain. These injuries are seen mostly in the form of brain lesions. Motivation is triggered by environmental factors that release neuron signals. When areas of the brain are damaged, these neuron signals don’t function properly.

Adults and children with ADHD have lower levels of dopamine, which limits their brains ability to both recognize rewards and seek them out. This results in a lack of motivation.

A person with ADHD has trouble falling asleep because of an active mind and not feeling tired, while a person with depression may feel tired but unable to sleep due to negative thoughts and insomnia, may wake up through the night, or may sleep too long.

Adults with ADHD rarely fall asleep easily, sleep soundly through the night, and then wake up feeling refreshed. More often, ADHD’s mental and physical restlessness disturbs a person’s sleep patterns — and the ensuing exhaustion hurts overall health and treatment.

“The typical person will be wide awake at 3 or 4 a.m. and have to get up at 7 to go to work.”Like everyone else, ADHD adults need seven or eight hours of sleep a night to promote health and prevent fatigue during the day, says psychiatrist Clete Kushida, M.D., Ph.

Symptoms

• Impulsiveness.
• Disorganization and problems prioritizing.
• Poor time management skills.
• Problems focusing on a task.
• Trouble multitasking.
• Excessive activity or restlessness.
• Poor planning.
• Low frustration tolerance.

Three hours short on sleep Adolescents who score high on ADHD symptoms say they need about nine hours of sleep each night. But on average they only manage to sleep 5.5 hours on weeknights, resulting in a 3.5 hour sleep deficit.