Chapter 16 Introduction

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A theme coursing through this book is that psychological processes are usually adaptive; they usually promote survival and well-being. Our drives and emotions, including those we experience as uncomfortable or painful, typically motivate survival-enhancing actions. Our perceptions usually provide useful information, and our thoughts usually produce effective plans.

But sometimes these processes, which normally work so well, break down and become maladaptive. Drives become too strong, too weak, or misdirected; emotions become overwhelming; perceptions become distorted; thoughts become confused; and behavior becomes ineffective. All of us experience such disturbances occasionally, to some degree, and accept them as a normal part of life. But sometimes such disturbances are so severe, prolonged, or recurrent that they seriously interfere with a person’s ability to live a satisfying life. Then the person is said to have a mental disorder.

This chapter begins with general discussions of the nature and causes of mental disorders and then moves on to separate sections devoted to some of the most familiar classes of disorders—including anxiety disorders, mood disorders, schizophrenia, and personality disorders.