the psychodynamic explanation

• abnormality is caused by unresolved, unconscious conflicts in the mind formed in childhood.
• mental illness is not a result of phyisical abnormality (biological approach)

• Id- always seeks pleasure and demmands immidiate satisfaction
• Superego- insists on the morally right choice
• Ego- mediates the opposing demands of the id and superego

• the mind uses defense mechanisms to protect the ego, for example denial and repression
• early childhood experiences will later effect adult behaviour, for example if a child suffers bereavement, they may repress the feeling, but if a similar incident occurs to the adult, those repressed feelings from childhood will effect how the adult will deal with the latest loss
• the unconscious defense mechanisms can affect our behvaiour and it they cannot be controlled they can lead to mental illness

examples

• denial can lead to schizophrenia
• regression can lead to schizophrenia
• repression can lead to depression