Definition
pathologizing
verb
- treating or regarding something as a disease or disorder; diagnosing or classifying as pathological
Usage: present participle of pathologize; often used critically to describe the tendency to label normal behavior or conditions as abnormal or diseased
Examples
- Critics argue that the mental health field is pathologizing everyday stress and sadness.
- Pathologizing grief as depression can prevent people from processing loss naturally.
- The doctor was accused of pathologizing normal adolescent behavior.
- Some educators worry about pathologizing children who simply learn differently.
- Pathologizing poverty as an individual failing ignores systemic economic issues.
- The tendency toward pathologizing has expanded the definition of mental illness significantly.