Read the text carefully and answer the questions:
Rahim is a 25 - year old young man. His parents are very popular among the residents of the colony in which they live because they are gentle, soft spoken and always ready to help anyone facing problems.
Rahim's parents are religious by nature and think that helping people selflessly is part of religious value. They have taught Rahim about the importance of helping behaviour right from the childhood.
One day when Rahim was going to his office by his car, he noticed a middle aged person had been hit by a vehicle and was bleeding. Rahim stopped his car and went upto the injured person to help. Soon few more people gathered there and started discussing what to do. However, no one took any initiative in helping the injured person as each thought that it is not her/his responsibility to help. Later Rahim came to know that this man was hit by the driver of a car with an intention to rob him. The car driver was also found to be an alcoholic who often drank excessively.
The car driver who hit the middle aged man can be said to be suffering from which disorder?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Substance-related and addictive disorder
Option (1) Antisocial Disorder — Incorrect. Antisocial behaviour means actions and attitudes that violate societal norms and the personal or property rights of others, such as aggression, deceitfulness or theft, shown as a lasting pattern of conduct. The passage reports only one act by the driver, hitting a man to rob him; the habit it actually describes is his drinking.
Option (2) ADHD — Incorrect. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is a disorder of childhood whose two main features are inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity: the child cannot sustain mental effort, is easily distracted and cannot sit still. Nothing of this kind is said about the driver.
Option (3) Anxiety Disorder — Incorrect. Anxiety is a diffuse, vague, very unpleasant feeling of fear and apprehension, and anxiety disorders are marked by such fear and worry. The driver shows no fear or worry at all.
Option (4) Substance-related and addictive disorder — Correct. These disorders relate to maladaptive behaviours resulting from the regular and consistent use of a substance such as alcohol, cocaine, tobacco or opioids, which alters the way people think, feel and behave. The driver was an alcoholic who often drank excessively, the very pattern of regular abuse of alcohol.
Note: The case study is taken from the chapter ‘Attitudes and Social Cognition’, but this question is based on the chapter ‘Psychological Disorders’. However, since it is a case-study based question, all the questions on this case study are tagged to the chapter the case study is taken from.
NCERT (2025-26): “Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders … Addictive behaviour, whether it involves excessive intake of high calorie food resulting in extreme obesity or involving the abuse of substances such as alcohol or cocaine, is one of the most severe problems being faced by society today.…” “…These disorders include problems associated with the use and abuse of alcohol, cocaine, tobacco and opiods among others, which alter the way people think, feel and behave.…” “Alcohol … People who abuse alcohol drink large amounts regularly and rely on it to help them face difficult situations. Eventually the drinking interferes with their social behaviour and ability to think and work. Their bodies then build up a tolerance for alcohol and they need to drink even greater amounts to feel its effects. They also experience withdrawal responses when they stop drinking. Alcoholism destroys millions of families, social relationships and careers. Intoxicated drivers are responsible for many road accidents.…” “Disruptive, Impulse-Control and Conduct Disorders … The terms conduct disorder and antisocial behaviour refer to age-inappropriate actions and attitudes that violate family expectations, societal norms, and the personal or property rights of others. The behaviours typical of conduct disorder include aggressive actions that cause or threaten harm to people or animals, nonaggressive conduct that causes property damage, major deceitfulness or theft, and serious rule violations.…” |