Sociology of Health: Illness as a Form of Deviance

SOCIOLOGY OF HEALTH

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
Illness can be understood as a form of deviance.........................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Sociological perspective of health is a state of complete well being physical mental and
emotional. It lies emphasis on that the health of an individual totally depends upon the
environment and stability of mind. It also analyses the impact of society on health aspect of
community, group or individuals. Sociological perspective also explains the influence of social
factors on life style pattern of people. Deviance can be defined as the action which violated
social norms. It is basically a state of diverging from usual or accepted standards. It studies
society with the wide variety of focuses. Present report will lay emphasis on Illness can be
understood as a form of deviance.
MAIN BODY
Illness can be understood as a form of deviance
As per the view of Hippisley-Cox, Coupland and Brindle, (2017) it has been analysed that
illness has various facets. Deviances which are based on illness are being divided in various
types of categories. It includes madness, insanity, and lunacy, mental and psychiatric disorder. It
has been evaluated that the individual or patients who are going through this type of diseases or
illness can be behaving in a way which is not socially or psychologically acceptable. Author has
described that service seers who are going through problem of bipolar disorder, depression,
anxiety or any type of mental health illness are considered as dangerous in the society. They can
be involved in doing any type of crime which can cause a threat to the society. The social
response to mental illness can be called the “pharmaceuticalization” of mental illness.
Many mental health patients can be involved in doing crime as no proper medication and
care is being provided to them. The author has stated that illness can be a cause of deviance. It
has been analysed that mental health illness is linked with user being violent and causing serious
type of deviances. Further, it can be explained with the help of Differential association theory. In
this the author has explained that the behaviour of an individual totally depends upon their
environment as well as mental health capabilities. Environment plays a major role in deciding
about which norms the individuals who are ill tend to violate. It has also been analysed that
behaviour pattern of people who are mentally incapable can also be influenced because of
various causal factors. People can learn deviance from other individual with whom they are
associated with.