The Myth of Mental Illness
The Myth of Mental Illness
Mental illness has existed since the dawn of humanity, but has since been perceived and understood in various ways. This essay will examine the contemporary現代人definition of mental illness and how the definition is shaped more by the contemporary society that creates it rather than by real experience and understanding of the state itself. Unavoidably, this examination of a largely misunderstood subject leads to an investigation of the societal and philosophical influences causing the misunderstanding. Indeed, since the subject of mental health and illness is inextricably and directly related to the nature of reality, the nature of mental illness must be considered not in isolation but in conjunction with the nature of reality.
Contemporary understanding of mental illness is exemplified by the first two results obtained from a quick search of its definitions on www.dictionary.com. The first definition comes from The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, and the second from The American Heritage Stedman 's Medical Dictionary:
"Any of various conditions characterized by impairment of an individual 's normal cognitive, emotional, or behavioral functioning, and caused by social, psychological, biochemical, genetic, or other factors, such as infection or head trauma. Also called emotional illness, mental disease, mental disorder."
"Any of various disorders characterized chiefly by abnormal behavior or an inability to function socially, including diseases of the mind and personality and certain diseases of the brain. Also called mental disease, mental disorder."
These definitions of mental illness are very revealing. The first definition explains mental illness through contrast with ?normal cognitive, emotional, or behavioral functioning?, and the second labels it as ?abnormal behaviour?. Of primary relevance to both definitions, therefore, is what supposedly normal behaviour is considered to be. Society?s
Mental illness has existed since the dawn of humanity, but has since been perceived and understood in various ways. This essay will examine the contemporary現代人definition of mental illness and how the definition is shaped more by the contemporary society that creates it rather than by real experience and understanding of the state itself. Unavoidably, this examination of a largely misunderstood subject leads to an investigation of the societal and philosophical influences causing the misunderstanding. Indeed, since the subject of mental health and illness is inextricably and directly related to the nature of reality, the nature of mental illness must be considered not in isolation but in conjunction with the nature of reality.
Contemporary understanding of mental illness is exemplified by the first two results obtained from a quick search of its definitions on www.dictionary.com. The first definition comes from The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, and the second from The American Heritage Stedman 's Medical Dictionary:
"Any of various conditions characterized by impairment of an individual 's normal cognitive, emotional, or behavioral functioning, and caused by social, psychological, biochemical, genetic, or other factors, such as infection or head trauma. Also called emotional illness, mental disease, mental disorder."
"Any of various disorders characterized chiefly by abnormal behavior or an inability to function socially, including diseases of the mind and personality and certain diseases of the brain. Also called mental disease, mental disorder."
These definitions of mental illness are very revealing. The first definition explains mental illness through contrast with ?normal cognitive, emotional, or behavioral functioning?, and the second labels it as ?abnormal behaviour?. Of primary relevance to both definitions, therefore, is what supposedly normal behaviour is considered to be. Society?s
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