Failure to Function Adequately
Abnormality is failing to achieve some sense of personal well-being and failing to make some contribution to a larger group.
(1) Personal distress or discomfort as a ‘failure to function adequately’
e.g. hearing voices telling you to do things you don’t want to
e.g. hearing voices telling you to do things you don’t want to
(2) Distressing/discomforting others as a ‘failure to function adequately’
e.g. A family member who is abusing alcohol or some other substance
e.g. A family member who is abusing alcohol or some other substance
(3) Maladaptive behaviour as a ‘failure to function adequately’
e.g. Being unable to leave home to go to work
e.g. Being unable to leave home to go to work
(4) Behaving bizarrely as a ‘failure to function adequately’
e.g. A man dressing up as a woman
e.g. A man dressing up as a woman
Limitations:
- Some states that cause us personal distress are actually appropriate responses in certain circumstances (e.g. depression is not abnormal unless it persists)
- Some behaviours that are classified as mental disorders do not cause personal distress
- It is impossible to measure ‘personal distress’ and ‘maladaptiveness’ in an objective way
- Whether a behaviour is an example of failing to function adequately depends on the context in which that behaviour occurs
- A behaviour which might be considered a failure to function adequately in one culture might be viewed as functioning adequately in another culture
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