HealthAugust 31, 2026

pathologized

puh-THOL-uh-jyzd

Definition

To treat or categorize a normal behavior, condition, or experience as if it were a physical or mental disease.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek 'pathos' (suffering) and 'logos' (study of), it entered English through the medical field to describe the process of viewing conditions through the lens of pathology or disease.

In the news

The author notes that the lack of objective diagnostic tests in psychiatry leads critics to suggest that mental disorders are simply normal human behaviors that have been wrongly pathologized.

A Nation's Shame, a Family's Tragedy

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Psychology Today

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