Question One
Behavior is the manner in which a person conducts himself or herself. The term “norm” refers to something that is typical or standard. These standards are usually set by society. A society is a group of people who are characterized by ethnic diversity, religious practices, and language spoken. Hence, normal behavior is behavior that abides by these standards while abnormal behavior is conduct that does not conform to these standards (Allport, 1958). One factor that determines if a behavior is normal or abnormal is if behavior causes distress. If it does cause distress then such behavior is viewed as abnormal but if it does not cause distress then the behavior is viewed as normal. Another factor that determines whether the behavior is normal or abnormal is if it is considered a cultural and social norm. Society has set standards of what they think is acceptable and what is not acceptable. By taking into account what is the cultural and social norm one can determine if the behavior is normal or abnormal by looking at whether the behavior conforms or deviates from these norms. If the behavior deviates from these norms then it is considered abnormal but if it conforms to these cultural and social norms then it is considered normal.
Question Two
Culture, race, and mental health services have affected the way mentally ill are treated and cared for. Each society determines how mental health is treated by the type of mental health services set up. Racism and discrimination also affect how mentally ill are treated as it can be carried out by individuals or institutions. Culture has the greatest effect as it determines what mindset individuals bring to the clinic. It accounts for which symptoms consumers of the mental health services report and how they communicate their symptoms. For example, Asians are likely to report their somatic symptoms and not report their emotional symptoms, yet when more inquiries are made they do admit to having emotional symptoms (Keh-Ming Lin, 1999). Culture also determines whether a person will try to find help in the first place, what sort of help they will seek out, how much stigma they attach to mental illness and how they will cope. The culture of the clinicians also plays a major role as it determines the relation with the mental health patients through diagnosis and treatment. It is not until one travels outside the United States to seek medical attention for their deteriorating mental health and find themselves stranded due to miscommunication or seemingly unorthodox treatment, that they realize the importance of culture.
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Question Three
It is important to understand what is normal or an abnormal behavior so that these behaviors can be addressed in the right manner. What is typical normal is determined by societal norms. It keeps on changing depending on the society one abides in. Most people with mental illness have lower self-esteem and do not seek treatment as they fear being labeled as a psychiatric patient. This is particularly problematic because it discourages people in need of treatment from seeking or sticking with the treatment. When families understand the difference between normal and abnormal behavior they can immediately identify abnormal behavior and ensure that the individual with the abnormal behavior gets the proper treatment required. Also, people in the workplace can prevent critical situations by ensuring that the individual with the mental illness or abnormal behavior seeks proper medical treatment and is able to carry out his or her duties without causing serious distractions. It also helps everyone, in general, to be more sensitive to mental health patients and reduce the stigmatization as people now get to understand that it is a medical illness just like any other illness that can be treated with the proper medical attenti on.
References
Allport, G. W. (1958). Personality: normal and abnormal. The Sociological Review , 167-180.
Keh-Ming Lin, F. C. (1999). Mental health issues for Asian Americans. Psychiatric Services , 774-780
