An internalizing disorder ( or internalising disorder) is one type of emotional and behavioral disorder, along with externalizing disorders, and low incidence disorders. People who have an internalizing disorder will keep their problems to themselves, or

internalize Internalization ( or internalisation) is the process of making something internal, with more specific meanings in various fields. It is the opposite of externalization. Psychology and sociology In psychology, internalization is the outcome of ...

the problems.

Signs and symptoms

Behaviors that are apparent in those with internalizing disorders include depression, withdrawal,

anxiety Anxiety is an emotion which is characterized by an unpleasant state of inner turmoil Turmoil may refer to: * ''Turmoil'' (1984 video game), a 1984 video game released by Bug-Byte * ''Turmoil'' (2016 video game), a 2016 indie oil tycoon video ...

, and loneliness. There are also behavioral characteristics involved with internalizing disorders. Some behavioral abnormalities include poor

self-esteem Self-esteem is confidence in one's own worth or abilities. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs about oneself (for example, "I am loved", "I am worthy") as well as emotional states, such as triumph, despair, pride, and shame. Smith and Mackie (2007) d ...

, suicidal behaviors, decreased academic progress, and social withdrawal. Internalizing one's problems, like sadness, can cause the problems to grow into larger burdens such as social withdrawal, suicidal behaviors or thoughts, and other unexplained physical symptoms.

DSM-5

The internalizing disorders, with high levels of negative affectivity, include depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, trauma and stressor-related disorders, and

dissociative disorder Dissociative disorders (DD) are conditions that involve disruptions or breakdowns of memory, awareness, identity, or perception. People with dissociative disorders use dissociation as a defense mechanism, pathologically and involuntarily. The in ...

bulimia Bulimia nervosa, also known as simply bulimia, is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by purging or fasting, and excessive concern with body shape and weight. The aim of this activity is to expel the body of calories eaten ...

, and anorexia come under this category, as do

dysthymia Dysthymia ( ), also known as persistent depressive disorder (PDD), is a mental and behavioral disorder, specifically a disorder primarily of mood, consisting of similar cognitive and physical problems as major depressive disorder, but with longe ...

, and somatic disorders (in Huberty 2017) and

posttraumatic stress disorder Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental and behavioral disorder that can develop because of exposure to a traumatic event, such as sexual assault, warfare, traffic collisions, child abuse, domestic violence, or other threats on ...

(in Huberty 2004).

Treatment

Some treatments for internalizing disorders include

antidepressants Antidepressants are a class of medication used to treat major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, chronic pain conditions, and to help manage addictions. Common side-effects of antidepressants include dry mouth, weight gain, dizziness, heada ...

electroconvulsive therapy Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a psychiatric treatment where a generalized seizure (without muscular convulsions) is electrically induced to manage refractory mental disorders.Rudorfer, MV, Henry, ME, Sackeim, HA (2003)"Electroconvulsive t ...

, and psychotherapy.

References

Source

{{cite book , last= , first= , author-link= , date=2011 , title=Internalizing Disorder , url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/internalizing-disorder , location=Encyclopedia of Adolescence , publisher=sciencedirect.com , page= , isbn= - Huberty 2004, 2017

External links

Depression
at

National Institute of Mental Health The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is one of 27 institutes and centers that make up the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NIH, in turn, is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and is the prima ...