Abnormal and Maladaptive Behavior - Essay Example

It is evident that people range in the middle when facts such as intelligence, height versus weight are taken in a population. Few people are usually located at the extremities. Consequently, one concludes that few people are stupid or intelligent. According to this definition, an extremely intelligent person would be classifiable as abnormal. Consequently, it is necessary to consider other criteria besides statistical deviation (Farrell, 2010).

Deviation from social norms also determines abnormal behavior. Every society has a particular standard for acceptable behavior. These standards vary from one society to another and can evolve over time. Such behavior that varies from the normal is considered abnormal.

Maladaptive behavior is evident when an individual’s behavior directly or indirectly affects his or her well-being or society. A good example is an alcoholic who cannot retain a job because of heavy drinking. This behavior affects him as he or she ends up jobless and becomes a burden to the society.

Personal distress considers an individual’s emotions and feelings. Most distressed people suffer from insomnia, anxiety and depression. These feelings normally trigger certain behavioral changes. Medical or biological injury also determines abnormality. Some disease and biological conditions are equated with abnormality. For example, brain tumors, epilepsy, stroke and other genetic disorders. These conditions exhibit symptoms that cause mental illness.

In theoretical approach, normal behavior is established. Consequently, failure to develop in this way is classifiable as abnormal. For example, going to the lavatory is a normal human act. However, doing it in public is illegal and indecent.

People with mental health conditions are often discriminated and stigmatized due to public fear and misconceptions. Some individuals miss jobs and health insurance due to their history of mental illness. People with mental illnesses are viewed as aggressive, unpredictable, violent and dangerous. The media has also influenced the public negatively by featuring stereotypes about people with mental health conditions. These unfounded irrational misconceptions have greatly impeded efforts of rehabilitation as people avoid psychiatric help.

Mental illness diagnosis is feared because people are labeled as mentally ill. According to the labeling theory, this in turn causes one to be mentally ill. The effect is self-fulfilling prophesy. A self-fulfilling prophecy is a positive or negative prediction that if strongly held, influences people so that their reaction becomes a reality. This is regardless of the fact that the belief is true or not. Stigmatization can have a negative impact by lowering self-efficacy and reducing self-esteem and the quality of self- conceptualization. It is noteworthy that diagnosis and labeling may cause self- stigmatization and foster dysfunctional coping styles as an individual tries to understand the situation (Farrell, 2010).

Schizophrenia is a brain disorder characterized by paranoia, delusions, hallucinations and incoherent thinking. People with schizophrenia lose touch with reality. They have an altered discernment of certainty and may notice or hear things that do not exist. Schizophrenia is caused by an interaction between environmental factors and genetics. Genes make a person more vulnerable to the disorder and the environmental factors trigger the disorder (Farrell, 2010).

Obsessive compulsory disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by repetitive behaviors to seek relief from anxiety. It is caused by biological and psychological factors. It is linked with anomalies in the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain. It affects an individual’s thought and actions. Common examples include fear of germs and dirt, unacceptable religious or sexual thoughts, excessive cleaning and arranging rituals (Farrell, 2010).