Abnormal Psychology DB Unit 1 and DSM-5
The labeling of human beings or human behaviors as normal or abnormal has consequences on human relations as well as on the mental and emotional state of a person. Sari, Arkar & Alkim (2005) noted that individuals labeled abnormal internalize the negative conceptions that society has of mental disorders. Ultimately, the labeled individual’s identity solidifies around the assigned label. Additionally, the negative reactions or attitudes that society has towards people labeled abnormal produce self-devaluation as well as expectations of devaluation by other people. On the other hand, it appears there are no real concerns about labeling people or human behavior as normal.
Labeling people in the workplace has some negative consequences that researchers have noted. One consequence of labeling people in the workplace as abnormal is that it can overshadow the ability of the labeled individual to perform their work effectively. For instance, an employee could be one of the best at performing certain tasks that require special skills. However, if the employee has a mental disorder such as a personality disorder, other employees may find a hard time working with the labeled employee on team-based activities because of their unstable mood. The other consequence of labeling people as abnormal in the workplace is that it can cause the labeled individual to distance themselves from other colleagues (Children’s Hospital Colorado, 2017). For instance, coworkers may label the same employee with a personality disorder as a “know it allâ€� who thinks he is better than others in the office simply because he keeps to himself and effectively completes complex tasks on time.
The way specific abnormal behaviors such as depression were viewed in the past has changed. For instance, Law & Tiah (2022) noted that in the past years, companies have increased interventions to address the mental health of their employees. In the recent years, organizations have heightened interventions with the aim of preventing, reducing, and managing mental health issues faced by employees, especially anxiety, stress, and depression. Bender & Farvolden (2008) mentioned that in the past, the effects of depression were largely overlooked by employers as a result of stigma, the absence of effective interventions in the workplace setting, and uncertainties about the effectiveness and cost of treatment. Fortunately, employers nowadays acknowledge that depression is treatable using a mix of therapy, medication such as antidepressants, and exercise. In the past, depression, anxiety, and stress were viewed as mental disorders caused by lifestyle choices or genetic disposition. However, employers now view the causes of depression as the result of work-related stress, and the lack of work-life balance due to changing working conditions and generational differences.
Unusual behaviors can be identified and classified without negative impacts to individuals by offering the right resources for informing people about mental disorders. One reason that people label others abnormal is that they lack proper knowledge and understanding why an individual may display behavior that seems unusual or the impact that labeling might have on an individual.
References
Bender, A., & Farvolden, P. (2008). Depression and the workplace: a progress report. Current psychiatry reports, 10(1), 73-79.
Children’s Hospital Colorado. (2017, May 24). Break the stigma around children’s Mental Health. YouTube. Retrieved February 23, 2023, from
Law, K. L. S., & Tiah, B. J. W. (2022). The perception of mental health issues that affect workplace productivity in Klang Valley, Malaysia. International Business Education Journal, 15(1), 30-43.
Sari, O., Arkar, H., & Alkin, T. (2005). Influence of psychiatric label attached to a normal case on attitude towards mental illness. In Yeni Symp (Vol. 43, pp. 28-32).