Abnormal Behavior
Mental illness is common. There are over 200 classified forms of mental illness, from widely known disorders like depression and anxiety to less recognizable diseases such as dissociative identity disorder. Yet, mental illness is often largely misunderstood. Oftentimes, people think they understand them, but in reality, they believe and fuel the countless misconceptions about mental illness. In order to stop stigma, we need to debunk these myths and learn the facts.
In a paragraph or two (minimum 200 words), as a reply to this prompt, answer the following questions:
· Think about something you have seen a person do recently that you considered truly abnormal aka atypical. Remember, abnormal does not mean wrong in someway, just different from the ‘norm.’ If you know it, do not mention the person’s name.
· Describe what happened, and the specific rules or criteria – such as statistical infrequency, norm violation, personal suffering, or impaired functioning – that you used in deciding that this person’s behavior qualifies as abnormal.
· Compare the criteria you used to the criteria in the textbook.
· Do you think this person should be treated for his or her abnormal behavior?
