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What can we say on the first day of a new year, when we have had, at least for me, the worst year of our lives? It seems senseless to even realize that a year where we have seen corruption at the highest level of our country, including more violence caused by one man, within our borders, than could ever have been imagined in the United States of America! We have built a country full of diversity, growth, and caring... But we discovered that many people here hated, feared, or just didn't understand that God had created all people and that we were asked to love each one...
How do we have a year where our President of four years full of major accomplishments, especially in Infrastructure which most leaders choose to ignore during their tenure, causing problems for ALL Americans throughout our land... A man who closed each presentation with "God Bless Our Troops..." I could go on, but the heartbreaking part that much of what was accomplished was immediately stopped or prevented in one way or another, and the destruction of our government began based upon Project 2025, which was written by--not the Congress--but by a group of men most of whom none of us even know...and certainly didn't vote for... Yet, Trump declared it his mandate and proceeded without any type of review process as required by law and/or the Constitution... It has been as if a cloud of black thunder/rain has poured out into the streets and countries across our land and blanketed us with hate, violence, and, yes, murder, without control! Like the Journalist above, who speaks out, how can we explain how this has happened? And, how can it continue for nearly a year without much done to stop it?! For me, I'd arrived at the conclusion that Michael Smith recently posted on LinkedIn... The thing is, how can a new year begin...with...madness? Surely, there is hope somewhere... Listen!
Abnormal...
Key criteria include statistical rarity, violating social norms, maladaptiveness, and personal suffering.
Key aspects of abnormality:
Statistical Infrequency: Behavior that is rare or far from the average (e.g., extremely low IQ).
Violation of Social Norms: Actions that go against the unwritten rules of a society or culture.
Maladaptiveness: Behavior that hinders daily functioning, goal achievement, or adaptation to life's demands.
Personal Distress: Significant psychological suffering, anguish, or discomfort experienced by the individual.
Observer Discomfort: Behavior that causes significant unease or concern for others.
The field of study:
Abnormal Psychology: The branch of psychology dedicated to studying these unusual patterns to understand, predict, explain, and treat mental disorders.
Psychopathology: A less stigmatizing term for the scientific study of psychological disorders, focusing on mental illness.