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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
This 6 page paper provides an overview of the changing views of mental illness and abnormal behaviors over time. This paper considers how different societal constructs determine the views of mental illness. Bibliography lists 5 sources.
Page Count:
6 pages (~225 words per page)
File: MH11_MHhismenil.doc
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
societys views of mental illness suggest that behaviors that were considered disordered or "mad" in some cultures and during different periods in time may not still fit the criteria for
mental illness. Similarly, abnormal behaviors that were once attributable to incurable manifestations of mental illness are now treated through a variety of systems, and mental illness has a less
degree of stigmatization than just a half century ago. The historical view of abnormal behaviors and the manifestation of mental illness outside of the developed diagnostic criteria indentified in
the relatively new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders suggest that views of mental illness are influenced by social culture, which translates into varied levels of stigmatization.
Madness and Mental Disorders The broad nature of the term "mental disorder" has influenced perceptions of its use. The term mental disorder
was developed in contrast to early terms used for psychiatric maladies, which included concepts like madness and insanity. Researchers, including Clausen & Huffine (1975) maintained that describing something as
a mental disorder often had social implications because of the range of disorders for which this term is applied. Some behaviors or characteristics that clinicians would place within the
scope of mental disorders would not necessarily be perceived as problematic from a public scope, while others reflect extremely disordered characteristics. As a result, the stigmatization relating to mental
disorders often focused on the worst case scenarios (Clausen & Huffine, 1975). For centuries, the focus on psychiatric or mental illness
followed a medical model, one that sought to apply strategies to "cure" mental illnesses through the application of medical strategies. From a historical perspective, this approach resulted in the
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