PSY 101 - Downtown - Introduction to Psychology (Rangel): Selecting a Topic

Different from the routine ups and downs of life, the symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe—even to the point of being life-threatening. In this insightful program, patients speak from their own experience about the complexities of diagnosis and the very real danger of suicide, while family members and close friends address the strain of the condition’s cyclic behavior.

BDD, as it is called, afflicts people by causing them to become obsessed with the idea that they must drastically and constantly alter their appearance. Two apparently normal, attractive women discuss their experiences with BDD. An expert attempts to unravel the mysteries behind this unusual condition. (15 minutes)

Like most addictions, this one starts as a way of coping with emotional pain. But cutting—the habit of self-injury on the rise among teenagers, especially girls—is a sign of deep-seated anxiety and self-hatred that no one can cope with alone. This video examines the distressing, ritualized behavior and explores how parents, friends, guidance counselors, and those who cut themselves can work together to stop it.

Often viewed as a weakness, dyslexia actually means that a person processes information differently, and many with the disorder have learned to see it as a strength. This program illustrates the challenges faced by Amanda, Carmen, and Gio—three young people living with dyslexia—through personal interviews with them and those close to them.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is characterized by developmentally inappropriate impulsivity, inattentiveness, and, in some cases, hyperactivity. In this program, therapists, teachers, parents, and patients offer their insights into living with and overcoming AD/HD.

In this program, ABC News anchors Diane Sawyer and Sam Donaldson study the causes and key signs of dissociative identity disorder and the fragmented lives of two people dealing with its effects.

Does addiction have a genetic factor? Can any type of addiction be treated medically? What steps can family members take to help a loved one struggling with addiction? This program provides answers to several addiction-related questions, focusing on the complexities of the addictive personality.

What does it take to be popular? Quite often it has nothing to do with being nice. In this ABC News special, correspondent John Stossel visits middle and high schools to discover why kids dish out abuse, why they take it, and what parents and school administrators can do to make it better.

Millions of children in America are being diagnosed with learning disorders and depression. While many say medications such as Ritalin, Dexedrine, and Prozac are the answer, others recommend counseling, social skills training, or dietary changes.

Over the last three decades, science has been advancing the understanding of stress—how it impacts the human body and how social standing can make a person more or less susceptible. Through studies of baboons on the plains of Africa and research in the neuroscience labs of Stanford University, scientists are discovering just how lethal stress can be.

When people decide whether or not to follow the crowd, what happens inside their brains? This ABC News program explores that question, highlighting neurological research that helps explain conformity and sheds light on the complex relationship between group and individual behavior.