20. Defining Mental Illness: Are Suicide Bombers Insane? (audio only)

TL;DR

Mental illness has multiple causes, including biological factors, environmental factors, and societal influences.

Transcript

The following content is provided by MIT OpenCourseWare under a Creative Commons license. Additional information about our license and MIT OpenCourseWare in general, is available at ocw.mit.edu. PROFESSOR: Good afternoon. Now that all you turkeys are back from Thanksgiving. I shouldn't have said that. How was Thanksgiving? Good. As I'm wrapping up ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🧑‍🏭 Mental illness can have multiple causes, including biological, environmental, and societal factors.
• ❓ The boundaries between normal and abnormal are often blurry and context-dependent.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is an example of a mental illness caused by an outside pathogen?

One example is dementia paralytica, which is caused by late-stage syphilis infection.

Q: Can extreme stress or trauma lead to mental illness?

Yes, exposure to extreme stress or trauma can increase the risk of developing mental illnesses like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Q: Can societal influences affect the diagnosis of mental illness?

Yes, societal norms and expectations can influence the definition and diagnosis of mental illness, as seen in the case of drapetomania, a disorder that was used to diagnose runaway slaves.

Q: What are some factors that contribute to the development of mental illness?

Factors such as genetic predisposition, environmental stressors, and societal influences can all contribute to the development of mental illness.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Mental illness can be caused by biological factors, such as infections or genetic predisposition.

• Environmental factors, like extreme stress or trauma, can also contribute to the development of mental illness.

• Societal influences, such as cultural norms and societal expectations, can impact the definition and diagnosis of mental illness.