Pathology

Pathological psychology focuses on studying the onset, expression, and impact of mental and behavioral disorders on an individual. In psychology, pathology is concerned with negative behavioral and emotional patterns that are ongoing and inflict dysfunction on an individual’s life. Conditions such as major depression, schizophrenia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder are all recognized psychological pathologies. Pathology encompasses biology and psychology with the social sciences to determine the role of heredity, the brain, trauma and the environment in the development of disorders. Pathological psychology is the basis for an accurate diagnosis, appropriate therapy, and the mitigation of mental disorders. Pathological psychology clarifies the distinction between normal human difficulties and psychically significant problems needing professional help. To therapists, researchers, and clinicians, the value of psychology pathology is that it enables the detection and determination of unhealthy behavioral patterns, and assists those in need of help to recover and improve their life quality.