ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY DISCUSSION 2022

Running head: ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY
ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

1ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY
1. What are your reactions to Larry’s behaviors (and/or to these mental health/criminal
justice system conflicts in general)? What are your reactions to the responses he’s gotten
from the people in the neighborhood where Larry spends much of his time?
My reactions to Larry’s behaviors is mixed based on his condition as well as the way
he behaves with others. He is suffering from paranoid Schizophrenia because of which his
behavior gets unpredictably violent or aggressive. He spends his monthly 3000 dollars on
drugs and ends up on the streets. His sheer size and physical strength is a matter of concern
for everyone on the streets. Thus my reactions to him in particular is mostly of sympathy and
compassion, but also of fear. As far as the people in his neighborhood are concerned, they are
scared of him and for the right reasons. There are a few individuals, like Lisa, who want to
help him, so I see that in a positive light. I also feel that Larry being kept under police
observation till the drugs are out of his system is a justified action.
2. If Larry is not is not being directly violent towards other people, does he (or should he)
have the same rights as others to live as he chooses, even if he is making poor choices?
Why or why not? Should Larry’s mental health issues affect our ideas about what rights
he is entitled to (and why or why not)?
Thomas Szasz, a critic of the mental health system argues that based on the nature of
a free society, people should be free to make decisions on and of their own, even if that
decision is not in the best interest of that individual. Based on this argument, we can state that
Larry should have the same rights to live as others do, if he is not being directly violent
towards people. If his actions turn violent, as Szasz further states, if the actions directly harm
an individual or pose a serious threat to individuals nearby, he should be subjected to the
criminal justice system instead of psychiatric commitment (Nevid, Rathus, & Greene, 2018).
Larry’s mental health issues should make us understand the need for a thorough research,
discussion and possible amendment of existing policies on dealing with homeless people with

2ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY
mental health issues. It should not bias us into thinking that his rights are limited because of
his condition. We can argue that since self-degrading practices can range from consumption
of drugs to committing suicide and no clear line exists that demarcates something as an
accepted right and something else as not, we cannot let our precondition cloud our judgement
(Nevid, Rathus, & Greene, 2018).
3. Larry’s repeated releases back into the community seem to occur because he is deemed
not to be at imminent risk of harm to himself or others. If you were called on to evaluate
whether Larry posed a danger to himself or to others, on what criteria would you base
your judgment?
I would base my judgement on three aspects. Firstly, his past tendencies or actions
that showed whether or not he was a threat. Secondly, his current trends of action and if they
show any form of similarity or correlation with the past actions. Thirdly, the consensus of the
people who are at the closest proximity to Larry in order to understand what they feel when
Larry is close by and if or not they sensed immediate dangers from him. I would also base my
judgement on his repeated use (or abuse) of illegal drugs and how under an intoxicated state
his behavior posed a threat to people. This would give a general idea of what to expect from
him in future cases.
4. If Larry’s behaviors escalated, what criteria would you use to evaluate whether he should
be subjected to an involuntary hospitalization (i.e., a civil psychiatric commitment)?
Based on Larry’s actions, I will identify the following criteria to evaluate if he should
be subjected to involuntary hospitalization. Firstly, if or not he is on illegal drugs. Secondly,
how often in the past twenty four hours has he committed or come close to committing acts
potentially harmful for other individuals. Thirdly, does his current behavioral status pose an
imminent threat to those around him? Finally, has all his actions been committed