Understanding that psychological disorders are very important in human development, the first step is to define what is meant by a disorder. How do psychologists determine that there is something psychologically wrong with a person? What behaviors are abnormal? A psychological disorder, also known as a mental disorder, is a pattern of behavioral or psychological symptoms that impact multiple areas of life and/or create distress for the person experiencing these symptoms. A clear sign of abnormal behavior or mental state is when an individual's behavior is destructive to himself or his social group, such as family, friends. Above all, psychological disorders create a maladaptive pattern of thoughts, feelings and behaviors that lead to damage in relationships and other areas of life. There are several ethical issues in the treatment of psychological disorders. There are two ways to treat psychological disorders; Psychotherapy This form of treatment involves social interactions between a trained professional (therapist) and the client. This is provided in a one-on-one, face-to-face meeting. Another way to treat psychological disorders is through pharmacological treatments. This is the use of proactive medications to treat certain ailments. This essay will aim to highlight the pros and cons of using pharmacological and psychological treatments. The phrase primum non nocere (“first, do no harm”) is an ideology well accepted by the medical and mental health professions. Although developing research data indicate that various psychological treatments can produce harm in significant numbers of individuals, until recently psychologists have paid little attention to the ethical issues of harmful treatments. America's Code of Ethics... middle of the paper... of the medical profession, therapists are expected to maintain confidentiality about their clients. A psychologist must be able to gain the client's trust to maintain quality confidentiality between the two parties. Only in serious cases should patient data be shared, under certain other conditions a minor's psychotherapy data may be examined by others without prior written consent. Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), psychologists can usually release patients' medical records to parents or legal guardians. Some of the ethical rules that apply to the practice of child and adolescent psychiatry are clear and generally agreed upon. For example, rules against sexual contact or harsh or abusive treatment are coded as boundary violations. A psychotherapist must be able to respect the client's boundaries.