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¶ … working definition of abnormality.
Abnormality is defined as 'atypicality' or a deviation from the norm (McLeod 2008). Deviation may be viewed in a positive or negative light. In our culture, someone who has a high IQ is viewed as deviant in a positive manner, while someone who is deviant because he or she is bipolar is viewed as deviant in a negative manner. But some modes of deviancy, such as depression, are so common a large percentage of the population suffers from the condition (McLeod 2008). Other forms of abnormality, like seeing visions, are considered highly deviant today in a negative fashion, but were viewed in a positive light as a form of divine insight in ages past, and still are in some cultures.
Defining abnormality merely as violation of social norms can be a poor way to judge a patient, given that homosexuality was once classified as a mental disorder and women dissatisfied with their suburban lifestyles in the 1950s...
A state of being that causes distress to the individual is often said to be the best way to define clinical abnormality. However, this is not necessarily the best way to define the condition, either. While it may be an acceptable method of identifying depressed individuals, who are often dissatisfied with their current mental state, individuals suffering from mania or schizophrenia may believe themselves to be 'special' in a positive fashion. Some persons exhibiting certain types of personality disorders, such as schizoid personality disorder, may not feel as if there is something missing in their life because they feel no need to 'connect' with people, emotionally. However, in these instances, difficulties with basic functioning in society, such as maintaining adequate hygiene or obtaining and keeping a job, suggest that such conditions fall under the designation of abnormal mental disorders.
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Works Cited
Dryden-Edwards, Roxanne. "Schizophrenia types and symptoms." Web MD. 4 Dec 2011.
[2 May 2012] http://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/guide/schizophrenia-symptoms
McLeod, Sean. "Abnormal psychology." Simply Psychology. 2008. [2 May 2012]
http://www.simplypsychology.org/abnormal-psychology.html
32) The overall diagnostic and symptomatic patterns described by these points indicate that BPD is a serious disorder and is "...classified as a major personality disorder involving dramatic, emotional, or erratic behavior; intense, unstable moods and relationships; chronic anger; and substance abuse." (Boucher, 1999, p. 33) There are a number of criteria which, in line with DSM-IV, are used to identify and characterize this disorder. The first of these criteria refers
Drama is tragic not only because of Willy Loman's suicide, but because he has left his family with nothing, and his sons with no hopes and abilities of their own. Brief overview of the play Miller's work Story Characters Obstacles Argument for tragedy Aristotle's definition Pro argument for tragedy Con argument against tragedy Own conclusions What the critics say Death of a Salesman as Tragedy This paper analyzes the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller. Specifically, it discusses the definition of
Tips for Teaching or Working with a Child that has Childhood Apraxia of Speech According to Gretz (2005), research into effective methods for providing treatment to children with Apraxia is inadequate but in the professional literature a variety of techniques illustrated, including PROMPT method, Integral Stimulation, Adapted Cueing, Touch Cue, Melodic Intonation Therapy, Rate Control Therapy, etc., even though these therapeutic methods varies to some extent, they have shared characteristics that
sociological debate between scientific knowledge and religious knowledge has been occurring for most of the last few centuries (Anesi, 2003a). While the concept of "knowledge" is broad, and the definitions for "knowledge" even more broad (Meja & Stehr, 2000), this paper will only examine the concepts of religious and scientific knowledge, and the debate among modern sociologists between the two. This paper will present a definition of religious knowledge,
Drug dosing is often based overall on the "volume of distribution for the loading dose and on the clearance for maintenance, with volume of distribution being increased if drug is distributed among lean and fat tissues (Casati & Putzu, 2005). Coe, Saleh, Samuel & Edwards (2004) report that multiple problems related to anesthesia and obesity exist. The level of obesity defined by MBI has a significant impact on the type
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