Deviant Minds

Miriam A Marvin

Deviant Minds

Sociology 360

Professor Williams

     Borderline personality disorder: the name itself insinuates that the personality of the patient diagnosed is somehow flawed. This disorder has been laden with sever gender bias from the very first study around the 1970's. This disease carries a package of assumptions which are taken as the absolute truth, when in all actuality they are nothing more than skewed half truths perpetuated by societal misconceptions and disdain of the unknown and different. All mental health disorders carry a different level of stigma as they are focusing on the mind, and any deviance of the mind can not be trusted and those damn "crazy people" must be kept at a safe distance from all of us "normal" people. Borderline personality is a grossly misunderstood disease, one which has symptoms/manifestations which are only amplified by societies negative reactions. It would be idealistic for the stigma surrounding this disease to decrease over time, but this has yet to occur. While there are various treatments for this disorder and the prognosis for those diagnosed has become much more positive over time, the only real winner in this situation is the pharmaceutical companies raising their quarterly profits. 

 

    The first published theory of borderline personality disorder (BPD) was written by Mahler in 1971, and was quoted as follows by Nadine Nehls PHD: "the disorder was a developmental arrest that occurred during the process of separation and individuation." This implies that BPD somehow impedes upon the individuals maturation process and they are then an incomplete person. Just a few years later, Masterson (as quoted by Nehls) stated "....the mother of a person with borderline personality disorder was herself a borderline." With the assumption that BPD is based upon the genetic make up of the mother, it also stands to reason that more women would then be diagnosed with this disorder. This disorder first appeared in the 1994 DSM-IV, and since it's publication there was a noticeable rise in diagnoses of this disorder across all data compiled and available. 

 

    The symptoms of this disorder are best described by the DSM, as quoted by Hall-Flavin, MD:

- Intense fears of abandonment

- A pattern of unstable relationships

- Unstable self image

- Impulsive and self-destructive behaviors

- Suicidal behavior or self injury

- Wide mood swings

- Chronic feelings of emptiness

- Inappropriate anger

- Periods of paranoia and loss of contact with reality

This author went on to state that "A diagnosis of BPD is usually made in adults, not children or adolescents. That's because what appear to be signs and symptoms of BPD may go away with maturity" (Hall-Flavin 2012). Just glancing at the list of symptoms it becomes quite clear why this disease has been considered so deviant. All of the behaviors which make up the disease are already considered deviant by main stream society. These symptoms are also more commonly feminine personality traits, which by societal standards makes the males diagnosed with this disorder that much more deviant. 

 

     Information about this disease is spread by the medical community and the internet. Just using Google, millions of articles, blogs, and research documents are available expressing a variety of view points. The medical professionals making the diagnoses are the main source of information on this disease as it is their statistics which are later used to form numbers and data used for polls. In this way, the medical profession has a great deal of influence over the process of information gathering on BPD. While some researchers for a pool of various persons diagnosed with BPD, those persons are still operating under the belief of their practitioners beliefs about their disease. How the information is given to them and what they are told can greatly impact how the patients view themselves. Think for a moment, if they were treated by a psychologist who firmly believed BPD was caused by a childhood trauma. The patient would then begin searching their past for any event which would validate their psychologist's beliefs as this would be necessary in order to progress in therapy/treatment. When this patient then participates in a study, they are still perpetuating their doctors beliefs and opinions more than their own. In this way, the medical field as a whole maintains a choke hold on the mental illness data, as well as the ebb and flow of information. 

 

     Stone (1990) as quoted by Nehls (1997) stated "... nearly one third of the population of people with borderline personality disorder reports a serious dysfunctions over a long period of time." Because the characteristics of this disease are quite severe, the sick label seems to go hand-in-hand. Throughout all of the various sources, there was a lack of any which did not assume that all persons diagnosed with BPD are sick as well. The number of inpatient cases which are considered severe are not helping this in any way. The mental hospitals and treatment facilities maintain the perception that those with BPD are sick, as well as the diagnosticians asserting the criteria for the disease itself. There is an entire system of various persons and health care facilities devoted to maintaining that those with BPD are sick. 

  

    The group who benefits the most from this disease are the pharmaceutical companies. For every person diagnosed with BPD, there are generally a great deal of various psychotropic medications prescribed to treat the disorder. These various companies are greatly invested in making a profit from various mental illnesses. According to Bitch Media, "...the pharmaceutical industry ... spends an estimated 2.5 billion annually on reaching the public through advertising "(2011). If this industry is willing to spend billions on advertising alone, consider how high of a profit margin is required to just such an expenditure. Another group who stands to gain from this disease are the scientists investigating and studying the disease. Each discovery lends a great deal of notoriety and respect to the scientist. This can lead to greater advancement in the field as well as their employment outlook/prospects. The patients may benefit some, if they are able to obtain disability benefits and insurance coverage for treatment. 

 

     The group who stands to lose the most in these diagnoses are the patients themselves. There are many social stigma surrounding all mental illness, but BPD has received an especially bad reputation. This may be in part to the severity of the diagnostic criteria used, as well as the symptoms being deviant themselves. Those persons also have to try and sort out the affects of having the disease. If a newly diagnosed patient were to try to obtain information about the disease, there is an overwhelming amount of information and opinions. Just imagining the effect of a misdiagnosis lends a very uncomfortable feeling. Allen Frances was quoted as saying "Anticipate the worst. If something can be misused, it will be misused. If diagnosis can lead to misdiagnosis and over-treatment, that will happen" (2010). This would seem to indicate that there are many people with a diagnosis of BPD who do not actually have the disease. Because there is such a small margin of positive aspects to having this diagnosis, it would seem that there are many persons who have been handed a plate of struggles and difficulties and then expected to fix the problem they were given. 

 

     There is one group who is the most heavily represented in having BPD: Women. Across multiple research, the number remains approximately 77% (Bjorklund Ph.C 2006). Because many of the symptoms of this disease are typically female characteristics, it is not surprising that this disease is more prevalent in females. Horsfall, as quoted by Bjorklund, stated " gendered assumptions are embedded in psychiatric knowledge and that BPD is essentially a gendered construct arising from a psychiatric classification system that is itself a social construction." This speaks volumes, as there is no way state that even the diseases themselves are a result of the socially constructed beliefs and practices shaping society. 

 

     The stigmatization of BPD is no different from any other mental illness. As Wyckoff stated, "...Some research has suggested that emphasizing the science behind mental illness- that it's a brain disorder and not a defect in character- could be powerful enough to help shake the stigma of the condition. But a study just published online by the American Journal of Psychiatry found that isn't paying off all that well"(2010). Despite efforts to enlighten society to the facts of mental illness, very few are willing to acknowledge the validity of the argument. It would seem that because changing and challenging the deep set beliefs of society is such a great challenge, many chose to simply believe the assumption that all mentally ill persons are dangerous, deviant, and less than the default group. There is also a lot of assumptions that the person who is sick is simply faking it. 

 

     BPD is a very complex mental illness, with just as many opinions regarding best treatment practices as there are patients. The social constructs and stigmas surrounding this illness make things that much more difficult, as there is very little social tolerance for this illness. There are many factors which play a role in the over diagnosis of this disease, the most prevalent of these being the greed of pharmaceutical companies. This disease has been made out to be scary and horrible, when in actuality it is only scary and horrible for the person dealing with the disease. It leads to the question: If there was no corporate gain to be had from this illness, how different would the disease and the patients with this disease be treated?

Word Count: 1594

References

Bjorklund, Ph.C., RN, CS, PMHNP-BC, P. (2006). No Man's Land: Gender Bias and Social Constructivism in the Diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 27(), 3-23.

Wyckoff, W. B. (2010, September). Despite Deeper Understanding of Mental Illness, Stigma Lingers. NPR Blogs, (), . Retrieved from  http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2010/09/17/129937437/still-a-stigma-for-mental-illness

Nehls, PhD, RN, N. (1997, January). Borderline Personality Disorder: Gender Stereotypes, Stigma, and Limited System of Care. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 19(), 97-112.

Hall-Flavin, Daniel K. (2012, January). Borderline Personality Disorder - A Clinical Perspective.

Facing The Facts. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from:

http://bpdfamily.com/bpdresources/nk_a103.htm

Smith, s.e. (August 2011). We're All Mad Here: Pharmaceutical Advertising and Messaging About

Mental Illness. Bitch Magize.org. Retrived from:

http://bitchmagazine.org/post/were-all-mad-here-pharmaceutical-advertising-and-messaging- about-mental-illness

Spiegel, Alex (December 2010). What's A Mental Disorder? Even Experts Can't Agree. Retrieved from:

http://www.npr.org/2010/12/29/13407384/whats-a-mental-disorder-even-experts-cant-agree

Generation RX Film Review

1. What is the main thesis of this film?

The main thesis was that the greed and corruption of pharmaceutical companies extends to over diagnosis of children and continuing to market drugs with known fatal side effects.

2.  What were the main arguments in support of the thesis?

- 1990's; 10 million children diagnosed with mental illnesses
- Pharmaceutical company made 69 billion dollars in drugs for children.
- Coloring books describing common situations which would make young children sad were pushed to diagnosis depression such as a friend moving away
- 400% increase in 2000 anti-psychotic prescriptions to kids and teens
- Pushing Prozac, Ritalin and Zoloft despite multiple cases of suicidal attempts or successes while on the medication
- Approximately 2000 suicides related to Zoloft alone
- Many more cases of severe and harmful personality changes, suicide attempts, random acts of violence, and other related behaviors
- Many of the most violent attacks on the public such as Columbine and Virginia Tech, the perpetrators were taken SSRI medications.

3. How does the thesis of the film relate to the course?

The theis of the film relates to the course because these diagnoses greatly change the lives of those children/people who have been diagnosed with them. We have discussed on numerous occasions that while some diagnoses can be a good/positive thing for medical or treatment purposes there is an incredibly large amount of negative stigmatization which accompanies these diagnoses even in school.

4. Which arguments/points did you find the most convincing?

- Everything covered under the arguments supporting the thesis.
- The personal stories shared in the meetings with the FDA from both those who attempted suicide themselves or those who lost someone because of the drug(s) being discussed.
- OSU Concluded that the prescriptions being taken were doing more harm than good for the diagnosed conditions
- Ritalin is prescribed for children just being children
- There is a clear relationship between the people determinig the criteria for various diseases listed in the DSM and those who stand to make a profit from those diagnoses

5. Which arguments/points did you find the least convincing?

None.

6. Choose one argument, point, or question that stands out for you. How would you study that point? Briefly design a research study around that point.

The most interesting point was the adverse effects of Ritalin. In order to further study this, I would conduct an unbiased study of children who were completely free of the drug (throughout their entire life) to be given  nothing and attempt to correct the target behaviors through positive and negative reinforcement. Another group of children would be given a placebo and the same type of reinforcement. The third group would receive Ritalin and no type of reinforcement.

Tough Guise Film Review

Miriam Marvin

Tough Guise Film Review

Sociology 360

Professor Williams

1. The thesis of the film is that mainstream society has linked masculinity and overt aggression and/or violence.

2. The main arguments in support of this thesis were:

-This ideology is one which was learned from three main sources: family, media, and peers.

-Minorities are shown as/given primarily violent roles in the me.

-The statistics regarding perpetrators of violent crimes; 85% of murders were committed by men, 92% of physical assaults were men, 95% of domestic violence was men, 95% of dating violence was men, 85-95% of sexual abuse was men, 99.8% of rape was men.

-cases and examples in which men's violence was simply swept under the rug as "men being men"
Men have a set of expectations regarding their behavior, and they are policed by other men as well as society in general.

3. The thesis relates to the course quite well, because masculinity is yet another social construction which changes by context, time, location and from person to person. The media would have men as violent types who will fight to defend themselves or their loved ones. If the only basis men and young men have for their behavior is the men portrayed in movies very few men actually met the criteria.

4. The arguments I found the most convincing were the comparisons regarding toys years ago and today and how they have changed. GI Joe from the 70's had a much smaller musculature than the toys today. Even the toys show how societies comprehension of masculinity has changed over the years.

5. There were no arguments I found useless or unnecessary.

6. If I were to design a research study around masculinity it would be to determine where the ideals of what makes someone manly stem from and how they can change within various groups. For instance, is this concept the same in other countries? What constitutes the differences and what is the best explanation of them?

A Whore by Any Other Name

Miriam A Marvin

Deviant Blogging

Sociology 360

Professor Williams

A Whore by Any Other Name

There are quite a few words in the English language that have multiple meanings and connotations and some are being reclaimed by the group which they refer to. Whore is one of the words which has not been attempted to redefined or re-appropriated. In the available definitions, not once was a positive light placed upon whore or the person being described by it. Whore has always been used with the intent of belittling or shaming the person to whom it is being applied. Being a whore not only implies the exchange of sex for monetary gain, but also that the person is able to be bought and immoral. Always used as a demeaning word the intent in any context is intended to hurt or embarrass the recipient. Much like the word tra**y, this is a word that should be retired from every day usage. 

According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, whore is defined as: 1. A woman who engages in sexual acts for money; 2. A man who engages in sexual acts for money; 3. A venal or unscrupulous person (2012). Aside from the obvious of accepting monetary compensation for sexual acts, this also implies that the person performing the acts is immoral and lacking integrity. As the attributes of a whore are so negative, it would seem this word would not be likely used in today's society, because we (society as a whole) have progressed so far, right? Okay, sure. If you believe that, I have beachfront property in Arizona to sell you, too. Perhaps this would be an opportune time to explore the history of the word. 

Whore first appears in the Bible, referencing the Whore of Babylon. According to Got Questions Ministries, she is "....the great harlot who sits on many waters , with whom the kings of the earth commit fornication.....made drunk with the wine of her fornication" (2002). This article describing the whore of Babylon sums it up as such: "The whore of Babylon is an evil world system, controlled by the Antichrist, during the last days before Jesus' return.... also has religious connotations - spiritual adultery with the beast being the focus of an ungodly, end-times religious system" (2002). If these interpretations are taken apart, the religious take on whores is that they are the root of evil and the undoing of men. To have the whore related to the Antichrist in such a direct manner was quite shocking. Vagina, apparently, is one of the main causes of the end of the world. A woman is capable of intoxicating the great kings or leaders of the world and distracting them from a holy path. As history progresses, the connotation stands still, seemingly in defiance of every movement to the contrary. 

The etymology of the word whore is quite interesting. In old English, the closest word was hore and only included persons who actually were trading sexual contact for money. The original base was qar, which was later used in old English to create carus or dear and used in Irish as cara or friend. German influence found its' way into the language, and the negative aspects of the word emerged encompassing any person engaging in what was deemed "loose" sex in its wake. The article Whore and Whoreson (2012) cited instances where the word whore was avidly avoided or forbidden to be used because of the offensive nature of the word as far back as the 1930's by the Motion Picture Association. This has been a loaded word with a negative meaning for quite some time. 

 

In other languages, the word whore has no positive meaning. In Spanish, for instance, the word puta is translated as prostitute or whore. The word puta does not only refer to a woman with allegedly loose morals. The website Language Realm states that in the Spanish language, it also becomes a common explicative used to say equivalencies of mother fu**er and son of a bi**h. Speaking Spanish myself, I know firsthand that this word can mean f**k and d**m just as easily as whore. While they may not have the same meaning all of the time, the feelings expressed with these words remain offensive much like the word of the day. 

 

In The Whore Mythology, a television show found on Showtime entitled Gigolos is mentioned. This show explores the various daily tasks and activities of the life of a male prostitute or gigolo. The author states ..."Image the popularity of such a show featuring female escorts and everyone thinking it starts to twitch." "...the word 'whore' breaks land-speed records in coming out of everyone's mouths" (Gwynn 2012). This is, unfortunately, all too true. It is socially acceptable for men to have as many sexual encounters with as many women as they see fit and this is commendable behavior. When a women engages in the same acts with the same number of people, she is seen as a dirty whore and the behavior is reprehensible. The most obvious difference is that in society, men are given a greater value and worth than women are. As discussed in class on Thursday February 23, 2012 this is in large part because women are the party being penetrated, thus their behaviors are dirtier and worse. Apparently penetration is such an important factor that it determines the value of the sexual acts. Being penetrated makes you the subordinate party and therefore the lesser party while being the penetratee makes you superior and immune to judgments over your sexual acts/conquests. 

 

Currently, whore is used to describe a woman who exchanges sexual acts for monetary items as well as a person who over indulges in anything. Some examples of this would be a shoe whore, referring to a person who has an abundance of shoes, or an attention whore referring to a person who goes to extreme lengths to obtain the attention of all those around them. Using the word in these contexts makes little to no sense, as this would imply the person has given a part of themselves in exchange for the item. In this instance, a shoe whore would have to exchange sexual acts for the shoes which they possess. An attention whore would exchange sex for the attention, which arguably may happen but this is not the case for every person accused of being an attention whore. The word is being used today out of context with all of the negative implications being misdirected to draw attention to another type of behavior. 

The connotation of the word whore began negative and shame laden and remains essentially unchanged today. The word is only spoken or used to convey disapproval and cause the recipient to feel shameful of their actions or behaviors. As stated by Chloe in the article regarding reclaiming "slut", "One of the most effective ways to fight hate is to disarm the derogatory terms employed by haters, embracing them and giving them positive connotations" (2011). Slut has been utilized as a milder form of the word whore, meant to convey the person is sleeping around in a manner which is inappropriate and considered "slutty". While reclaiming the word slut is a wonderful movement, whore is a bit more complicated, as the first thought associated with this word is exchanging of sexual acts for some type of compensation. The movement to reclaim slut has made no mention whatsoever of the word whore, keeping them separate. It would seem that not only are those deemed whores undesirable to society, the word itself remains unclaimed and untouched like an abandoned rabid animal. 

 

Another type of words that should simply not be used outside of their intended context is called Ableist language. An article published by Bitch Media states that "... there is a plethora of words which rely on a shared assumption that to be disabled is inherently bad, inherently less than a person without a disability, inherently unworthy of attention, consideration or care" (2009). This is a very solid statement, as it clearly outlines how using this type of language is the dehumanization of the group affected. While whore (considered to be an achieved quality) is not related to an ascribed quality such as a disability, the negative connotations are very much the same. A whore is treated and seen as less than anyone without this label and they also inherit a large amount of assumptions which come with the label handed to them. 

 

These assumptions can be anything from all women and men deemed whores sell their bodies to all women and men deemed whores have an abundance of sexually transmitted diseases. Erich Goode quoted Erving Goffman as such: "the stigmatized are 'disqualified from full social acceptance.' They have been reduced 'from a whole and usual person to a tainted, discounted one'"(1996). This is very true of any person who has received the stigma of a whore. Even if it is only within a subgroup of larger society, the person may be ostracized from the group with which they felt most comfortable in. Creating distance is the only way for the remainder of society to remain free of the negative stigmas of the "other" group. This is very similar to the way people as a whole deal with any individual or group labeled as different. By making them seem or feel as though they are less than, they will perhaps either change the behavior or simply hide it better. This shaming approach to behavior modification is doing more harm than good. Perhaps as time moves forward, society will catch up.

Word Count: 1584

Works Cited

Chloe(2011). A Few words about reclamining slut. Retrieved from http://feministing.com/2011/05/16/a-few-words-about-reclaiming-%E2%80%9Cslut %E2%80%9D/

Got Questions. (2002-2012). Retrieved from http://www.gotquestions.org/whore-Babylon

Gwynn, M. (2012). The "Whore" Mythology. Retrieved from http://www.examiner.com/sex-and- relationships-in-san-antonio/the-whore-mythology

Jean, A. (2009). The Transcontinental Disability Choir: What is Ableist Language and Why Should You Care?. Retrieved from http://bitchmagazine.org/post/the-transcontinental-disability-choir-what- is-ableist-language-and-why-should-you-care

Puta. (n.d.). In Language Realm. Retrieved from http://www.languagerealm.com/spanish/puta/php

Thio, A., Calhoun, T. C., & Conyers, A. (2010). Readings in Deviant Behavior (6th ed.). Pg. 163. Boston, Mass: Allyn & Bacon.

Whore. (2001-2012). In Online Etymoogy Dictionary. Retrieved from http://www.etymologyonline.com/index.php?term=whore

Whore. (2012). In Merriam Webster. Retrieved from

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whore

Whore and Shoreson. (n.d.). In JRank Encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/articles/pages/842/Whore-and-Whoreson.html

Film Review Two- Murderball

1. The main thesis of this film was that being in a wheel chair or having a physical impairment does not automatically make you disabled by definition.

2. The main arguments in support of this thesis were examples of the lives of the men in the video. They were able to dress themselves, go to the grocery store, have sex, and all other types of activities. The only thing which was unattainable was the ability to walk. The sport of Quad-Rugby, deemed Murderball in its' origination, requires a great deal of skill, agility, and psychical ability. The sport itself seems to be the exact opposite of the term/label "disabled".

3. The thesis of the film relates to the course as it completely obliterated many of the stereotypes and beliefs regarding persons in wheel chairs. It challenged the very definition of able bodied, as there are many allegedly able bodied persons who would find Quad-Rugby very challenging. Also, there is the assumption that all persons in a wheel chair wish that they could walk. This may be the case for the first few years, but in time a certain level of acceptance sets in. Not every person who cannot do something wishes that they could.

4. The arguments I found most convincing were the stories the men themselves had to tell. There are so many stigmatized beliefs about those who have been deemed "disabled" and this film was constantly showing why this belief is inaccurate. In the very beginning of the film, Mark Zupan was shown fully dressing himself. This is something even I had not thought plausible by a person in a wheel chair. The movie also allows for your own beliefs and assumptions to be addressed.

5. There was not any one point of this film which was not interesting or relevant to the thesis.

6. If I were to conduct a research study, it would have to be in regards to adjusting to live in a wheel chair within the first year. I would want to learn what made the process easier, and which factors hindered it. Did large amounts of moral support play a role? If someone was left to their own devices and coping mechanisms, would they have a favorable outcome? How did the reason for their needing a wheel chair factor into their initial recovery?

Film Review One

Miriam A Marvin

Film Review 1 – Middle Sexes Redefining 'he' and 'she'

Soc 360

Professor Williams

1. The thesis of the film was that all people, regardless of their gender identification, were human beings and deserved to be treated and regarded as such.

2. The main arguments in support of the thesis all showed examples of acceptance or of fear leading behaviors. Noah was a good example, as his parents only wanted him to have a good life. Noah's mother contradicted all of the religious arguments with one simple statement: “ I can't believe in a God that doesn't have love for Noah”.

Judy, who later became Max, is another good example. Max's intersex identity was kept from him while growing up, which led to many complications. Once he requested medical records from his doctor and discovered he was intersex, a lot of things became more clear. Has this condition not been dehumanized, Max would have known sooner and could have received the gender identification he chose, not one which was given to him in an attempt to make things easier.

In each and every situation and country which the film visited, there was the reoccurring theme that regardless of why someone is a transgender man or woman, that they are still deserving of respect. Western Culture is very strict and rigid in their beliefs and concepts of right and wrong. The only to country which remained untouched by western ideals was the only country which was accepting of variations- Bangkok, Thailand.

3. The thesis of this film relates to the course quite well as it addressed quite a few of the topics and discussions we have had in class. It all comes down to the fact that deviant people make other, non deviant people uncomfortable and thus must be made to feel badly about themselves. Society expects everyone to fit inside of their box, and when you don't it bothers them. This all points very clearly back to the fact that deviations are socially constructed, as are the consequences.

4. The arguments I found most convincing were:

- The findings of the Dutch Institute of Brain Research; the discovery that the central brain can have a gender identification separate from that of the external genitalia.

- Indian Weddings are a way for men to meet up and release tensions- male male sexual encounters are normal

- The Hizra of India- a subculture devoted to allowing transgender women to live peacefully amongst themselves.

- The Katoi of Bangkok- not only socially accepted, but revered as well.

5. I did not find any of the arguments presented in the film to be non convincing or relevant to the discussion.

6. The argument which stood out the most to me was everything the Katoi send and everything that societal acceptance represents. I would study this by examining the social constructs which make the intersex individuals of Bangkok acceptable in Thailand, but not in America and other Western influenced countries. I would want to determine how this is currently viewed in America and what the attitudes surrounding it are.

It would also require obtaining uninfluenced opinions of the intersex community, as well as if the popularization/infamy of the Katoi had any effect on the level of acceptance demonstrated.

I could not BELIVE this

While looking through you tube, I found a video which is completely appalling. This clearly shows that racism is alive and well in America today, perhaps even more than ever now. As much as what was said makes me physically ill, I felt the subject matter was appropriate to our discussions thus far in class.