PSY410
Historical Perspectives of Abnormal Psychology Paper

Over the time the definition for abnormality have changed over time. Abnormal behavior can be explained as behavior that significantly differs from some consensually agreed upon norm and is in some way harmful to the person or to others (Meyer, Chapman, & Weaver, 2009). If the stress of your daily active lead you to drink, some may see it as abnormal. When you consider killing yourself because life is too stressful. It will be label as being abnormal. A Normal behavior is a behavior that allows you to function in a natural way that does not interfere with your daily life. When you are able to do day to day task without letting it affect you. That is considered normal. If you go along with everything others are doing. That too is considered normal. To be normal you have to be able to adapt to what your environment or situation you are in. In life we do not know what tomorrow may bring. Normal and abnormal behavior is determined in consideration of the continuum between normality and abnormality. You also have to keep in mind that social context or historical context must be taken into account when answering the question as each culture and social structure has its own consideration of the two different facets of human behavior or thinking.

1. Help seeking- Abnormality can be identified by simply seeing who seeks treatment for emotional problems.
2 .Irrationality/Dangerousness-Mental illnesses is often associated with irrational, dangerous, or out-of-control behavior.
3 .Deviance-This refers to differentness, which is behavior or feelings that are extreme or statistically unusual.
4 .Emotional distress-This can be in the form of sadness or anxiety, it is associated with most forms of psychopathology and is a useful criterion for defining and identifying mental illness.
5. Significant impairment-The inability to function, most forms of psychopathology involve some form of impairment.

The study of Normal and abnormal behavior did not come about until one hundred years ago. There were cases that were recorded of mental illness throughout history. There are stories from biblical times that talks about suffering that is common to contemporary sickness like depression and schizophrenia (Bark, 1988; Kahn, 1975, as cited by Hansell & Damour, 2008). Animism is one of the earliest known explanations mental illnesses in primitive cultures. The belief of the Spirit World. (Hansell & Damour, 2008). Which evolve possession by an evil spirit? There is documental evidence of treatment that were being use known as trephination. To them that was a logical was for them remove any sprit that posses someone. This was seen as a normal reaction to a problem, according to the historic relativism. It’s hard for us not to judge. In the past they did not know all the things we now. Even in the bible it stated that Jesus himself had to remove evil spirits from people. You can say around that time it was normal. We cannot say the same thing here. The moment someone says they think they have an evil spirit in them. First they will have to go through seeing a psychologist. If that does not work. They will be given medication. The reason for that is, in our society this person will be label as abnormal. If the medications do not help they will be put through a whole lot of medical test to see if there is any kind of tumor that is causing it. If none of these things work. That person gets lock up in an institute. There are many people today around the world who are being Taboo because of their condition. Postpartum Depression is now one of the most common medical term that are being use today. But it has to be watch very closely. It’s normal to have mood swings and cry on and off. It normally happens during pregnancy. During and after giving birth. The nurses and doctors will question you to make sure it stays on the safe side. The minute you feel like killing yourself and the baby everything changes.
It is always said to always get a second opinion when you see a doctor. And its true Medically. If you go to doctor he/she might tell you this is what is wrong with you. Than the next one might say something different.
In conclusion we all have our different views on what is Normal and what’s Abnormal. In the United State what we may conceive as normal to use my be seem as abnormal to China. That is why when you visit other country. You should do your research on them so you do not offend them or cause yourself to be put away. The meaning of normal and abnormal behavior has a wide range of factors, and cannot be decided as one particular abnormality. In relationship to the behavior, the “strength and limitations” (Hansell, 2008) of different approaches should be weighed before deciding what possible treatment to use.

Comer, R. J. (2007). Abnormal psychology. New York: Worth.

Feist, J., & Feist, G. (2009). Theories of personality (7th ed.). New York: McGraw Hill.

Hansell, J., & Damour, L. (2008). Abnormal psychology (2nd ed.) [PDF]. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.