Examine the Concepts of Normality and Abnormality

As defined by experts, a mental illness is a clinically significant behavioral or psychological syndrome or pattern that occurs in an individual and involves changes in thinking, emotion, behavior, interpersonal interactions, daily functioning, or a combination. The causes of mental illness are complex and vary depending on the theories associated to the different biological, psychological, and environmental factors. The etiology of mental illness is based on five broad models: biological, psychological, behavioral, cognitive, and social.

Mental health is defined as the state of satisfactory use of mental function, which results in productive activities, interactions, adjustment to change and coping with challenges (Healthy People 2020, 2012). It is fundamental to one's personal well-being, his interpersonal relationships, and fruitful participation in, and contribution to, society in general. Mental illness or mental disorder refers as a whole to all diagnosable disturbances of the mind. These disturbances are characterized by changes in thinking, mood, and/or behavior, which produce pain, discomfort, abnormal functioning or death. Mental illnesses are serious medical conditions, which cannot be overcome by simple will power. They are not caused by personality weakness or intelligence (Healthy People 2020; NAMI, 2012).

When using this approach to define abnormality you would first have to consider what is normal behaviour for that particular culture otherwise a person could be incorrectly diagnosed as abnormal. Cultural differences are also a problem for the 'Failure to Function Adequately' definition of abnormality. This classification of abnormality involves a person who conforms to their 7 characteristics of the abnormal as having ill mental health. Examples of these characteristics are vividness, unconventionality and observer discomfort.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness a mental illness can be defined as “a condition that impacts a person 's thinking, feeling or mood and may affect his or her ability to relate to others and function on a daily basis.” Mental illness can be the result of multiple factors such as lifestyle, socioeconomic status, and genetics. There are a few mental illness that we primarily associate with people that commit these malicious acts such as; Bipolar Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Depression, Dissociative Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Schizophrenia.

Mental illness is a condition characterized by emotions, thoughts, or behavior that are substantially abnormal for a given time and place in history (p. 514). Historically, it has been broadly been defined by self-harm, unrealistic thoughts and perceptions (delusions, hallucinations, magical thinking, etc.), inappropriate emotions, and rapid shifts in moods or beliefs. All these criteria compare the

A mental illness is any condition which disrupts a person’s mental health. A mental illness or disorder can stem from physical causes such as disease, or any combination of environmental, psychological, and genetic factors. The most commonly recognized mental illnesses include: depression, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (Gale, 2015). In the United States, the legal

The term ‘abnormal’ means deviating from the average. Therefore, if we were to adopt a literal approach to defining abnormality, we would conclude that any rare behaviour or ability was abnormal. This, however, is not a useful way of defining abnormality as it doesn’t take into account whether or not the behaviour is desirable. There are three ways of defining abnormality; deviation from

Depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and an endless list of other mental issues transcend one’s upbringing. But how exactly do they factor into the equation? First, we have to discuss the basics of mood disorders. Essentially, all the illnesses mentioned above are classified as mood disorders. Although scientists are still conducting extensive studies on the subject to gain further information, the general understanding is that an imbalance of chemicals in the brain such as, serotonin and norepinephrine, can negatively alter one’s thoughts, emotions and perception of reality (SAVE). The symptoms can be devastating, adversely affecting all areas of a person’s life. SAVE weighs in, “Many people who suffer from depression report feeling as though they've lost the ability to imagine a happy future, or remember a happy past.” Friends of mine, suffering from destructive mood disorders, have described depression as a feeling of being “stuck,” as if they are frozen in time, watching the rest of the world move on around them. Did they inherit these issues from their family? Through extensive studies, Douglas Levinson and Walter Nichols of the Stanford Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences aimed to find an answer. They found that around 50 percent of depression cases are caused by genetic factors. Individuals with a parent or sibling that suffers from major depression are at a “2 or 3 times greater risk of developing depression compared with the average person” (Levinson) The scientists make sure to specify that one parent isn’t solely to blame for passing the genes down. Often times, it is often a genetic blend of both that causes the illness. Overall, scientists have come to a firm agreement that individuals can, in fact, have a predisposition to mental illness. Some of these individuals are blessed with a healthy upbringing,

Mental illness was first introduced in the mid-19th century. Mental illnesses are medical conditions that interrupt a person's thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning, they are medical conditions that reduced one’s ability to cope with the daily activities such as going to work or raising a family.

A Mental illness is any condition which causes disorders in a person's behaviour and/or thinking. 1 in 5 Australians are affected by mental illness. this means that 5-6 people in this classroom will have or have had a mental illness. Not to worry though, mental illness can be treated with the right medication, and with support from friends and loved ones. Mental Illness is usually not caused by the person, but is caused by Biological, psychological, and environmental factors. A Biological factor includes genetics, a psychological factor includes a loss of a family member, and an environmental factor includes a dysfunctional family. Biological mental illnesses include autism, down syndrome and depression. Psycological

There are a wide array of mental illness one could have: Eating Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, Personality Disorders, Addiction Disorders, and many more. These illnesses can obviously injure a person’s mental/ psychological state as it makes a more person more pessimistic It leads their minds to a more dark and gloomy path, pushing them towards negative thoughts/emotions. When someone experiences a mental illness, there is a usually a noticeable change within their behaviour and mindset. Depending on the person, the impact of a mental illness is visible for the rest to witness. Additionally, there are statistics which further push the existence of mental illnesses. For instance, the CMHA revealed that young with mental disorders was the second most hospital care expenditure in this nation. If not treated immediately, these mental illnesses will damage oneself and the people around

Genetics also play a major role in depression. While some people become depressed for no easily identified reason, depression tends to be hereditary and the

For many years scientists, including doctors, psychologists, and psychiatrists, have been interested in trying to understand human behaviour, in particular behaviour that is described as being ‘abnormal’. It is difficult to define ‘abnormal’ in terms of behaviour because there are many differing descriptions which have radically changed over the years. ‘Abnormal’ behaviour is widely categorised as being persistent and in a serious degree contrary to the continued wellbeing of the individual and/or the surrounding community. Cultural beliefs and expectations determine which behaviour patterns are deemed as being ‘abnormal’.

Abnormal behavior is defined as a psychological dysfunction within an individual associated with distress or impairment in functioning and response that is not typical or culturally expected (Durand, 2005). There are

Mental illness is a disorder that is considered to be a type of interruption in a person’s emotions, thoughts, or behavior. Mental illness signifies to a wide variety of disorders which can range from mild distress to impairing a person’s ability to function in daily life. Signs and symptoms of mental illness can vary, depending on the particular disorder, circumstances and other factors. Whether a behavior is considered normal or abnormal varies on the person’s situation surrounding their behavior. Throughout history there’ve been three overall beliefs for the causes of mental illness. These three theories are known as supernatural, somatogenic, and psychogenic. Each one of these stands for how one is viewed when seen as having a mental illness.