The Michael Shermer Show 161. Roy Richard Grinker — Nobody’s Normal: How Culture Created the Stigma of Mental Illness
Mar 2, 2021
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Mental Illness Complexity
- Mental illnesses are not solely brain disorders, but complex interactions of genes, environment, and experiences.
- Identical twins with different mental health outcomes demonstrate that genes alone don't determine these conditions.
Drapetomania Example
- Historically, drapetomania was a "diagnosis" for enslaved Black people's desire for freedom.
- This demonstrates how societal biases can pathologize normal human behavior.
Cultural Differences ADHD
- Children with the same energetic behavior were viewed differently across cultures.
- In some cultures, they were seen as energetic and curious, while in others as difficult.