The Development of Psychiatric Disorders from Adaptive Behavior to Serious Mental Health Conditions

In this paper we look at the manifestation of different psychopathologies and propose that the disorders are on a continuum with normal behavior which, when exaggerated, becomes maladaptive. The basic paradigm of adaptation consists of cognition, affect, motivation, and behavior. Maladaptation occurs when there are errors in cognition involving the four domains of gain, loss, threat, or offense, thus triggering positive or negative affect, motivation, and subsequent behavior. Behavior is traditionally focused upon when we evaluate and treat psychopathology, but the root of disorders is the exaggeration of commonplace thoughts. We argue that treating the exaggerated expectation of pleasure or apprehension of pain will result in the return of the normal processes as the superordinate monitors discrepancies between maladaptive beliefs and reality.