Mental Illness Sociology

Mental illness is a multi-faceted category filled with multiple variations to its definition. When people are vulnerable and need an understanding of their symptoms, they look to medical professionals for direction. As a start, diagnosis provides a key stepping stone leads to the development of effective treatment plans. While diagnosis can help clinicians understand the roots of an illness and administer a treatment that has been replicated on other similar patients, it can be detrimental to the patient who is at risk of developing social-psychological manifestations associated with their classification on a personal and social level.

What people consider to be abnormal in society is an essential aspect of mental illness and contributes to