Analysis Through the Principles of Abnormal Psychology, Essay Example

 Dr. Gregory House, more commonly known as “House” is a fictional character from the TV series that goes by the same name. Relatively, his character represents an excellent yet problematic doctor who is able to save lives through logically solving puzzles and specifically going against the ethical measures of medical practice. In the series, one of the constant elements noted to affect Dr. House’s decisions and medical convictions is that of his personal physical condition. He is suffering from muscle decay due to the medication that was implicated on him in the past when he incurred a particular accident. With the choice taken by his girlfriend, he got to keep his leg but he had to suffer pain from its current state. Due to this, he has been regularly taking vicodin [a pain relieving medication] ever since the beginning of the series; imposing that one of the factors pushing him to go through each case is his vicodin intake. Bordering on addiction, his colleagues and his best friend Wilson believe that such condition of intake does impose a great impact on how he practices his profession. According to Bennett (2003), the collaborative impact of such massive stressors on an individual could affect both his acts and his behavior towards himself and others (110).

Basing from this fictional character, several issues arise. One is that of the capacity of the individual [as a doctor] to perform his duty of life and death to his patients while under the influence of particular drugs. While he tries to justify his condition through solving cases successfully and giving second life chances to his patients, there were instances in the series when his behavior has been highlighted to have been affected directly by his addiction. He is even presented to have relationship problems because of such condition (Hansell, et al, 2005). Not only does vicodin serve as a pain reliever to the doctor, it also tries to mask every emotional pain that he tries to avoid.

To further note the possibilities of the character developing abnormal behavior, the four factors of influences under the principles of abnormal psychology shall be presented herein:

• Biological influences

The overall story that presents Dr. House’s character shows a distinct dependence on how he was in search of his real father. Apparently, the father he thought was his was not his biological dad. Instead of the ‘preacher guy’ [as he himself addressed], his real father was another person whom his mother dated for a while [presented as a family friend in the story]. This part of the story represents a particular course of conflict that caused House to question his identity. Such doubt could directly affect his thinking process as well as to the manner by which he responds to situations during the time that the idea looms in his mind (Hans, et al, 2013). Being the sarcastic person as he is, he tried to deny being affected by the news for a long time. Nevertheless, his closest friend Wilson knew that it was not so as he has been displaying confusing attitudes for a while in connection to the time when he first knew about the truth.

Although this was not a direct implication of biological connection between him and his parents having a great impact on his genes causing him to behave abnormally, the series never tackled what the actual attitude of the real father was; if he was as insensitive and unrelenting as his son was. The question of influence then remains as a question to be answered.

• Behavioral cognitive influences

Getting used to his environment as the head diagnostician in the hospital, he has been able to experience several encounters with near-death situations which he was able to resolve properly. Saving his patients’ lives, he has learned so much from the practice and decided to create a personal code of professionalism apart from what regular doctors follow. One of which is that of this decision to not talk nor create personal connections to the patients. As a result of this, he often treats patients with disrespect. Justifying his actions through saying that he is not interested in them, he is interested in their ailment and how to save them, he tries to bring out truths from his patients in the most unconventional manners that other doctors might find unethical. Such behavior is also considered as a coping mechanism by most depressed individuals (Schacter, et al, 2010). Relatively though, it is with such behavior that he is able to get the information he wants to solve the medical puzzle that his patients present.

• Emotional influences

Stacy and Cuddy, women included among the main characters of the series, served as his love-interests at one time. Although separately considered as his supposed source of inspiration, both women had affected him deeply, causing him to act abnormally on certain cases especially when he had to deal with the breakups that both women had subjected him to. His best friend Wilson posses the same danger to his being destructive. Nevertheless, it could be noted that through the turnout of events, Wilson was able to bring out some sense from House every time he loses control. Perhaps the emotional impact of their friendship plays a more positive effect on House than it is with the women he dated.

• Social, cultural and interpersonal influences

His colleagues, or the members of his department, present him with several challenges. From Foreman, such challenge often comes in the form of dealing with protocols, with Cameron, the challenge comes in the form of ethical values and with Chase, the usual challenge is to win over himself as this doctor adapts to his character and decisions most of the time.

These influences from around his environment sometimes break or make him depending on how he receives the challenges they present to his being. Remaining professional in his position as a medical practitioner has often been challenged by the idea that his personal relationships with these individuals contested his desire of remaining solitary as a person.

In an overall context, it could be realized how Dr. House’s environment and individual character brings him to a conclusive state of presenting abnormal behavior on certain circumstances. His desire to deal with the situation on his own, not involving other people or at least not asking for help [as obvious as expected] has caused him to withdraw from others while his profession asks him to do otherwise (Kvarstein, et al, 2012). With this thought specifically affecting him personally, his decisions as a doctor are also affected by the same factor in his being. Based on psychological tradition, the character of doctor House remains solitary and abnormal, although these are the very elements that work for him in his desire to survive his own points of physical and emotional weaknesses.

References:

Bennett, Paul (2003). Abnormal and Clinical Psychology. Open University Press.

Hansell, James; Lisa Damour (2005). Abnormal Psychology. Von Hoffman Press.

Hans, Eva; Hiller, Wolfgang (2013). “Effectiveness of and dropout from outpatient cognitive behavioral therapy for adult unipolar depression: A meta-analysis of nonrandomized effectiveness studies“. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 81 (1): 75–88.

Kvarstein, Elfrida Hartveit; Karterud, Sigmund (2012). “Large Variations of Global Functioning over Five Years in Treated Patients with Personality Traits and Disorders”. Journal of Personality Disorders 26 (2): 141–61.

Schacter, Daniel L.; Gilbert, Daniel T.; Wegner, Daniel M. (2010). “Identifying Psychological Disorders: What is Abnormal?”. Psychology (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers. pp. 550–8 [553].