Understanding Psychology (10th Ed)

D I V E R S I T Y
DSM
and Culture—
and the Culture of 
DSM
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 Module 
48 
Psychological Disorders in Perspective 
539
After you’ve considered the range and variety of psychological 
disturbances that can affl ict people, you may begin to feel that 
you suffer from one (or more) of the problems we have 
discussed. In fact, this perception has a name: medical student’s 
disease . Although in this case it might more aptly be labeled 
“psychology student’s disease,” the basic symptoms are the 
same: feeling that you suffer from the same sorts of problems 
you are studying. 
Most often, of course, your concerns will be unwarranted. As we have discussed, 
the differences between normal and abnormal behavior are often so fuzzy that it is easy 
to jump to the conclusion that you might have the same symptoms that are involved in 
serious forms of mental disturbance. 
Before coming to such a conclusion, though, keep in mind that from time to time we 
all experience a wide range of emotions, and it is not unusual to feel deeply unhappy, 
fantasize about bizarre situations, or feel anxiety about life’s circumstances. It is the 
persistence, depth, and consistency of such behavior that set normal reactions apart 
from abnormal ones. If you have not previously had serious doubts about the normality 
of your behavior, it is unlikely that reading about others’ psychological disorders will 
prompt you to re-evaluate your earlier conclusion. 
On the other hand, many people do have problems that merit concern, and in such 
cases, it is important to consider the possibility that professional help is warranted. The 
following list of symptoms can serve as a guideline to help you determine whether 
outside intervention might be useful (Engler & Goleman, 1992):
• Long-term feelings of distress that interfere with your sense of well-being, 
competence, and ability to function effectively in daily activities
• Occasions in which you experience overwhelmingly high stress accompanied by 
feelings of inability to cope with the situation
• Prolonged depression or feelings of hopelessness, especially when they do not 
have any clear cause (such as the death of someone close)
• Withdrawal from other people
• Thoughts of infl icting harm on oneself or suicide
• A chronic physical problem for which no physical cause can be determined
• A fear or phobia that prevents you from engaging in everyday activities
• Feelings that other people are out to get you or are talking about and plotting 
against you
• Inability to interact effectively with others, preventing the development of friend-
ships and loving relationships
This list offers a rough set of guidelines for determining when the normal problems of 
everyday living have escalated beyond your ability to deal with them by yourself. In 
such situations, the least reasonable approach would be to pore over the psychological 
disorders we have discussed in an attempt at self-diagnosis. A more reasonable strategy 
is to consider seeking professional help.