Chapter ch01. Critical Thinking Exercise

Before beginning this activity, reflect on the following questions: What comes to mind when you hear the terms attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or autism spectrum disorder? How about bipolar disorder? Most likely, you automatically think of the characteristics or stereotypes associated with those disorders. Maybe you know someone with one of the disorders, or you yourself have one of them. Most individuals approach and have different perspectives when regarding what are considered medical disorders and what are considered psychological disorders. Now, what comes to mind when you think of high blood pressure or diabetes? Which type of disorder do you think is worse—a psychological disorder or a health-related disorder?

Despite many decades of research on psychological disorders, false beliefs about mental illness continue to persist (Mayo Clinic, 2014). Compared to most health-related disorders, mental illness is often associated with stigmatizing, or reflecting negative attitudes and beliefs toward people who have mental health disorders. Stigmatization, in turn, can lead to prejudice and discrimination. People tend to fear or avoid what they do not understand, which further perpetuates misunderstanding and misinformation regarding mental illness.

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