PSY 350 by Mackenzie Bowen

Padlet #1: Anorexia Nervosa Movie Scene

kenziebowen215 — 2024-02-09 19:00:13 UTC

For my first padlet post, I decided to do a media source. The picture above is a image from the movie To the Bone, by Mirti Nixon. I was unable to put specific scenes because the movie is quite graphic, but To the Bone is about a girl, named Ellen, who struggles with an eating disorder and how she lives her everyday life. The movie depicts scenes that include Ellen checking the scale after every meal, and constantly exercising. Ellen is allowing her weight to determine her mental state for that day. Therefore, one of the criteria that is present in this scene is the idea that "Persistent eating of nonnutritive, nonfood substances over at least 1 month,"(American Psychiatric Association[APA], 2013). Throughout, the movie, Ellen is a young woman who is portrayed as someone who struggles with eating enough food for more than one period at a time. In another scene of the movie, Ellen is shown while she counting the calories on her plate with no hesitation or help from a nutrition label and then excessively doing sit-ups after she has eaten. This brings to light another criteria point that is present in the DSM IV, which is also present in the movie. This point of criteria includes, "Intense fear of gaining weight or of becoming fat, or persistent behavior that interferes with weight gain, even though at a significantly low weight,"(American Psychiatric Association[APA], 2013). Ellen is depicted as having the restricting type of anorexia nervosa where during the last three months she has been seen over-exercising and dieting to the extreme. However, some of the criteria that are not present in the movie would be the other type of anorexia nervosa known as the Binge/purging type. Ellen is shown as an individual who undereats and counts her calories but she is never seen participating in purging activities. Therefore, in the end, the movie accurately depicts the aftermath of remission that is present in Ellen's story. The end of the movie shows Ellen going through treatment after having an episode after not eating enough and passing out. Full remission is predicted and accurately shown as the movie ends. Full remission refers back to the idea that all previous eating habits are no longer present and the individual is no longer suffering. Sadly, some stereotypes were depicted in To the Bone. The movie prompts the stereotype that one can tell if someone has an eating disorder from their appearance. It is apparent that Ellen has an eating disorder in this movie but that is not always the case. "Many people who have eating disorders have a normal weight, and many are even larger-bodied" (Foundations, 2020). Even though, some individuals may not look as if they are suffering the movie depicts the idea of the stereotype that eating disorders are all present in smaller more unhealthier-looking individuals which, is not the case. Some individuals who are suffering may not always look the part of a normal "eating disorder". Another stereotype that is present in the movie that is the idea only woman have eating disorders. "Contrary to popular belief, eating disorders can affect anyone, regardless of their sex, age or socioeconomic status"(Foundations, 2020). Ellen was the one character who seemed to portray an eating disorder and did not include another gender in the scenario. It is less common, but 20-30% of men can have an eating disorder even if it is less common. The movie highlighted the female point of view and disregarded the male side of an eating disorder.

References:

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Foundations Counseling, LLC. (2020, December 1). 5 common myths and stereotypes about eating disorders. https://www.foundationscounselingllc.com/blog/myths-and-stereotypes-about-eating-disorders.php

Nixon. Marti (Director) (2017). To the Bone. AMBI Group, Mockingbird Pictures, Bonnie Curtis, Foxtail Entertainment

Padlet #2: Dissociative Personality Disorder

kenziebowen215 — 2024-02-26 01:12:49 UTC

For my second padlet post, I decided to use a video clip for the TV series, Criminal Minds. In this episode of Criminal Minds, the team is trying to find a killer but for some reason, the description of the unsub is describing a woman and all prof leads to individuals with masculine qualities. As the episode goes on, the team learns that their unsub is a man with multiple personalities and one of his personalities is the killer. The Killer switches personalities and genders when he kills so he becomes unaware of what he has done. After rewatching this episode the criteria that were met are as follows: " Recurrent gaps in the recall of everyday events, important personal information, and/ or traumatic events that are inconsistent with ordinary forgetting"(American Psychiatric Association[APA], 2013). In this scene above, the killer is unaware of what his friend is discussing with him. He does not recall any of the events that she is describing to him and he does not know where he is. This leads us to other criteria that were met. Individuals who suffer from Dissociative Identity disorders also are "characterized by two or more distinct personality states, which may be described in some cultures as an experience of possession. The disruption in identity involves marked discontinuity in the sense of self and sense of agency, accompanied by related alterations in affect, behavior, consciousness, memory, perception, cognition, and/or sensory-motor functioning. These signs and symptoms may be observed by others or reported by the individual"(American Psychiatric Association[APA], 2013). As mentioned before, in the scene above, there is a disagreement between the killer and his friend which ultimately leads to him switching personalities and revealing himself as a woman who is the true killer. However, I could not find any criteria that did not match this individual. Throughout the episode, the individual was distressed and not aware of what he was doing. The killer also showed some cognitive distress that was quite present towards the end of the episode when he was arrested. This leads me to believe that this episode of Criminal Minds accurately depicts Dissociative Identity disorder. In the DSM-IV, Dissociative individuals "may experience discontinuities in identity and memory that may not be immediately evident to others or are obscured by attempts to hide dysfunction,"(American Psychiatric Association[APA], 2013). Understanding that, we can see in other clips of the episode that the killer clearly loses his memory and has no recollection of killing. This thought leads to the discussion of some stereotypes that are associated with this disorder. One stereotype that I found that this episode of Criminal Minds seemed to take place is the idea that "It is widely understood that the portrayal of dissociative identity disorder in movies and TV is sensationalized,"(Recovery Village, 2023). Even though Criminal Minds did a fantastic job at portraying this disorder in general, there were obviously some issues with the acting and making sure that the audience was able to understand the switch in personalities. Some scenes were very dramatic and obvious that the killer switched personalities but that is not always the case. This leads us to the stereotype that, "Dissociative identity disorder is always obvious,"(Recovery Village,2023). it is common for individuals who suffer from this disorder to make it known that they have switched personalities. However, that is not always the case. Some individuals who suffer from this disorder may not even get diagnosed with Dissociative Identity disorder the first time they experience symptoms because medical professionals are unable to truly predict what may be happening cognitively. Therefore, this episode made it very obvious about this diagnosis when that is not always the case. Some cases are mild and these individuals who suffer from milder cases make it less known that they have switched personalities.

References:

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

7 myths about Dissociative Identity disorder: What you should know. The Recovery Village Drug and Alcohol Rehab. (2023, May 8). https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/mental-health/dissociative-identity-disorder/did-myths/

YouTube. (2015, May 10). Multiple personality disorder criminal minds. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr_5lfPnLik

Padlet #3: Obessive Compulsive Disorder Tik Tok:

kenziebowen215 — 2024-03-24 16:33:50 UTC

For my third pallet discussion, I found a video of a song from the Artist, Telco Music. I have come across his songs a couple of times now on TikTok and when he mentioned his Struggles with OCD and how he wrote a song about them, I knew I had to write a pallet about them. This song is about his life and how he is constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. He has no control over his life and he is waiting for the worst to happen. There seems to be no hope behind his lyrics, but the artist went into detail about how he wrote this song to spread awareness about the condition and how it affects his own life. Therefore, one of the criteria that was met in this media outlet is the fact that this artist is constantly obsessing over the thoughts of others. He can live his own life based off of worrying about how the people around him think of him. In the DSM, " Recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges, or images that are experienced, at some time during the disturbance, as intrusive and unwanted, and that in most individuals cause marked anxiety or distress,"(American Psychiatric Association[APA], 2013). in this song, the artist is constantly talking about his obsession with others' thoughts and how he has to dissociate from his current feelings because of how they affect his everyday life. It is as if he has an obsession with living his life the correct way. However, one of the criteria that is not as present in this song is the convulsions that are most time present during the diagnosis of OCD. Compulsions are defined by "Repetitive behaviors (e.g., hand washing, ordering, checking) or mental acts (e.g., praying, counting, repeating words silently) that the individual feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or according to rules that must be applied rigidly,"(American Psychiatric Association[APA], 2013). The artist Telco is singing more about his obsessions about his current life and how he will turn out. Therefore, even though I believe that the artist is trying to bring awareness to OCD, his song lacked detail but still was able to accurately describe his feelings through this song. Telco mentioned "disruptions" and "Dissociations" from his everyday life which is depicted in the DSM-IV. Stating that there were not any prominent stereotypes emerging from this source, but some of the stereotypes I believe would be interesting to understand after hearing this song. Some may believe that OCD only affects our lives every day through urges and actions. OCD is not always about being clean and excessively tidy. Sometimes it is more than that. Sometimes it involves our thought process and how we are thinking every day. In most OCD cases, urges are not present. OCD is most defined as obsessive thinking about how an individual chooses to address the situation. Another myth that is not quite present but could be important to understand is the idea that individuals with OCD just have to live with it. OCD is a serious diagnosis with a prevalence rate of 1.3% and living with it is not always the option. Cognitive therapies are needed in most cases to help these individuals live a somewhat normal life. Sometimes living with the diagnosis is not easy and further help is needed.

References:

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Make your day. TikTok. (n.d.-b). https://www.tiktok.com/@telco_music/video/7224339124528991534

OCD: Myths vs reality. Benenden Health. (2022, February 11). https://www.benenden.co.uk/be-healthy/mind/ocd-myths/

Padlet #4:Substance Abuse Disorder Clip/Comic Art

kenziebowen215 — 2024-03-27 17:39:22 UTC

For my fourth Padlet post, I decided to find clip art that represented the mind of someone who is struggling with a Substance Abuse Disorder. The art above depicts what is going through an individual's mind when they are struggling with drugs or alcohol on a day-to-day basis. The clip art also includes a barbed wire that connects all of these ideas behind a Substance Abuse Disorder. The barbed wire in the picture can also represent how an individual feels when they are struggling with this type of Disorder. The Barb wire is a sense of conflict and keeps this individual in a place where they feel as if they are stuck. Therefore, contents behind Substance Abuse Disorder includes: "encompass 10 separate classes of drugs: alcohol; caffeine; cannabis; hallucinogens (with separate categories for phencyclidine [or similarly acting arylcyclohexylamines] and other hallucinogens); inhalants; opioids; sedatives, hypnotics, or anxiolytics; stimulants (amphetamine-type sub-stances, cocaine, and other stimulants); tobacco; and other (or unknown) substances"(American Psychiatric Association[APA], 2013). The criteria here that seem to be met is the idea of constantly juggling with thoughts of these substances. In the DSM- IV, a Substance Use Disorder," is an underlying change in brain circuits that may persist beyond detoxification, particularly in individuals with severe disorders. The behavioral effects of these brain changes may be exhibited in repeated relapses and intense drug craving when the individuals are exposed to drug-related stimuli'(American Psychiatric Association[APA], 2013). In the art above, there is an image of barbed wire that represents the idea of the brain circuit and how all that is contained is the idea of drugs and alcohol. However, the picture does not show the effect of a Substance Use Disorder and the aftereffects of what happens when one lets it take over their life. There is not a certain pattern of behavior that is taking place here. This picture is more of an overall image of what is going through someone's mind. However, I do believe that this picture accurately describes the inner feelings of an individual who is struggling with this type of disorder. On the other hand, one stereotype that emerges is the idea that "Some Substances Are “Safer” Than Others",(Gateway, 2023). When an individual has a Substance use disorder they will use other "nonthreatening" substances to justify the use of a mental state enhancer/depressor. All substances that change your mental state are dangerous for anyone who may share a Substance Use Disorder. There is no exception and some individuals may think there is. Another stereotype that may emerge is the differences between men and women who use these drugs. For example, "For example, a paper on managing stigma among women who use drugs noted that women who smoke or use cocaine or methamphetamine are often regarded as “trash.” Meanwhile, the perceptions of men who use the same substances tend to be more positive, such as being “more masculine.”(Gateway, 2023). This idea separates the dangers and the consequences by gender when in all reality they are all the same and have the same effects and consequences.

References:

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Gateway Foundation. (2023, September 19). Substance use stereotypes. https://www.gatewayfoundation.org/addiction-blog/stereotypes-of-addiction/

PrettyVectors. (n.d.). Depression Mental Illness Medication Drugs Pills Dependence Concept.... iStock. https://www.istockphoto.com/vector/depression-mental-illness-medication-drugs-pills-dependence-concept-vector-cartoon-gm1410698455-460804214

Padlet #5: Major Depressive Disorder and Suicide Song.

kenziebowen215 — 2024-04-03 16:14:07 UTC

In this song, the artist We Three is alluding to their suicidal thoughts and how they are feeling during the moments they struggle the most. The artists sing lyrics that include "out of control thoughts'', "they should be feeling pretty but instead they feel alone", and "I feel alone when his friends are home and they notice it". Lyrics like this express the feelings such as feeling neglected and a feeling of isolation. The song then goes on and describe how they hide their scars of self-mutilation to feel better about themselves. In the DSM-IV, suicide is not highlighted as a disorder but is highlighted as being comorbid with Major Depressive Disorder and any Neurodevelopmental disorder. The DSM-IV criteria for these disorders mention the symptoms, "Individuals with The common feature of all of these disorders is the presence of sad, empty, or irritable mood, accompanied by related changes that significantly affect the individual’s capacity to function (e.g., somatic and cognitive changes in major depressive disorder and persistent depressive disorder).intellectual developmental disorder can be at risk for suicide associated with a comorbid mental disorder, higher intellectual and adaptive function, and immediate past stressors. Comorbid mental disorders may manifest atypically in intellectual developmental disorders; thus, recognizing comorbidity and screening for suicidal thoughts is important in the assessment process, with particular attention to changes in the behavior of the individual (American Psychiatric Association[APA], 2013). However, even though this is not directly talking about suicide like the song is, Major Depressive Disorder and Neurodevelopmental Disorder are what lead to suicidal thoughts just like in the song. Most disorders can lead to suicidal thoughts or actions but these are the major disorders that stem from this. Therefore some of the criteria that are associated with Depressive Disorder include, " the presence of sad, empty, or irritable mood, accompanied by related changes that significantly affect the individual’s capacity to function (e.g., somatic and cognitive changes in major depressive disorder and persistent depressive disorder,"(American Psychiatric Association[APA], 2013). Throughout this song, multiple lyrics include feelings of sadness and changes in their mental state as they are around others who do not share the same feelings. However, the song does not allude to any aggression or mood swings. Just the idea of how their depression leads to suicidal thoughts and sadness. Therefore, I understand and believe that this song accurately represents Major Depressive Disorder and suicidal tendencies. In this song, there are multiple times where the artist mentions their struggles with no one knowing or understanding what is going on in their lives. For example, one lyric of the song includes, "Scared of it and wearing shirts that hide it", and this lyric is referring to the hiding of their self-mutalation, which is a big teller in Major depressive and suicidal disorders. However, the song title "Secrets" also alludes to the idea behind their struggles and how the secrets that these artists are hiding are much deeper than anyone can understand which is typically how individuals feel with they are struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts.

On the other hand, some stereotypes that emerge from Major Depressive Disorder and Suicide are the ideas that include, "Depression isn’t a real illness, and You can simply ‘snap out of it’',(Healthline, 2024). These stereotypes are not only not true but introduce the idea that depression is less of a disorder and is composed of only sadness. That is not the case. Major Depressive Disorder is found differently in everyone and everyone can have different symptoms. Some symptoms can be treated easily but others take many sessions of therapy and medication to help the individual. Depression is not always about being sad and alone. Depression is a real illness that can overtake one's mental state and can lead to suicidal thoughts and actions.

References:

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Spotify, We three, (2022). Secrets[Song]. Happy [Album]. Independent artist

Stokes, V. (2024, February 15). Depression can be eased with walking, yoga, or strength training. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health-news/walking-yoga-strength-training-ease-depression#Takeaway