dysfunction Archives - From Insults To Respect From Insults To Respect

Mental Illness As Distress, Abnormality, and Dysfunction

by Jeffrey Rubin, PhD

Welcome to From Insults To Respect. In our society, many assume psychiatrist can accurately diagnose mental illness, also referred to as mental disorder or psychopathology. Why do they? Sometimes we respect what a group of people do because of their association with something we highly value. Thus, in a commercial, we might see people purchasing a particular brand of car with a highly respected athlete,…

Dr. Jeffrey Rubin April 3, 2023 21 min read

The Pathologizing of Human Experience

by Jeffrey Rubin, PhD

Today, if your behavior, thoughts, or feelings begin to concern you or a family member, for a fee many doctors will translate your experiences into mental illness terminology. Synonyms for mental illness, are mental disease, mental sickness, mental disorder, and psychopathology. These terms, as metaphors for experiences someone doesn’t like, have been with us for centuries. When used in this way, it can communicate something about…

Dr. Jeffrey Rubin September 12, 2016 11 min read