What is Normosis?
The term normosis emerged from the studies of Jean-Yves Leloup, Pierre Weil and Roberto Crema, who later published the book Normosis: The pathology of normality, released in 2013.
It is defined as a predisposition to follow habits and behavior patterns considered normal by society. Even if it causes something negative for the common good or individually.
Regardless of affecting mental, physical, family and professional health, these patterns are repeated.
The book brings reflection on the importance of not normalizing situations where it hurts and denigrates other people. Therefore, when society does this, it often contributes to the inversion of values.
According to Roberto Crema “the normotic suffers from a lack of commitment to make his gifts flourish and buries his talents in fear of his own greatness, fleeing his individual and non-transferable mission”.
“When we need, at all costs, to be like others, we do not listen to our own vocation”.
“The new model is still in its infancy, and the visionaries of this possibility of a non-normotic society are still a minority”, reports Crema.
From this we can see that it is a long road for a non-normotic society, but it is necessary to start the change today.
Over time, through small efforts day after day, we will reach the majority, towards a world that is not hostage to rooted normality.
norms and society
Many historical events reveal this to us, however in the present day these behaviors are still repeated.
Examples of normosis:
- Slavery: People suffered severe violence because of the color of their skin
- Holocaust: Jews were persecuted for their religious beliefs
- Massacre do Carandiru: Prisoners killed by the invasion of the military police in the prison
These are some examples of normosis, since these situations were supported by society even infringing human rights.
There are people who defend these actions and the weird one happens to be those who don’t support this kind of cruelty. Faced with this, those who do not agree with the majority are repressed and become the target of discrimination.
Due to having to fit into a place where one does not want to be, the individual begins to suffer to the point of becoming ill.
Normotic
Who am I? Many people ask themselves this question every day. Since this questioning is recurrent, we can identify the lack of self-knowledge in today’s world.
Normosis in many situations is unconscious and automatic, as a result, it is not even noticed by the person who “follows the herd”.
The consequences of following what everyone else is doing is very harmful. With the passage of time the individual loses the essence and once that happens the person comes to exist and no longer to live.
Limiting beliefs contribute to normosis, as well as laziness. As a result, he starts to not want to make efforts to go beyond, so he paralyzes.
Due to laziness, he prefers to follow what is already ready, that is, to choose what will save him the most from leaving his comfort zone. Therefore, he constantly lives in the area of normality.
Having knowledge of who we are, makes us move from being a spectator to being a protagonist and it is only possible to reach that place by ceasing to be normal, that is, like the majority.
We’re not fine all the time, but…
Normosis sells the idea that we have to be well all the time. Since society preaches that to be successful we have to work while others sleep. Does it really have to be like this?
It is obvious that success requires effort, but rest is necessary. In the era of normosis, it is normal to work without thinking about other things.
Therefore, rest, family life, travel, watching a series, chatting away are considered: “Activities that make me lose focus”.
As a result, the normality of overworked people and their consequences are everywhere. You probably know someone like that.
Consequences of normosis
One of the most common consequences of normosis is illness. Because of the constant search for being within the standard, the human being has a very great emotional wear.
No one will achieve “perfection”; “I can handle everything”; the “I do everything without errors”.
However, how not to charge yourself to be like this in a world that demands this from all people all the time? The way for you not to board this boat is: Don’t normalize yourself, be different! Make the difference!
the different bothers
To be different from the majority requires courage, it is necessary to pay a price that not everyone is willing to. Therefore, one of the consequences of not following what is considered “normal” is, on many occasions, being excluded from groups.
Accepting exclusion in the face of the decision not to normalize is difficult, however, the reward is guaranteed. Because of this, one of the areas of your life to receive feedback is your mental health.
Maintaining standards of normosis requires more than we can afford, so the price paid for maintaining it is high.
symptoms of normosis
The normotic is diagnosed through their behavior pattern, that is, people who live patterns in relation to beliefs, paradigms and excessive repetitions.
When the normotic leaves this sequence that was imposed, he feels lost, frustrated and begins to show physical symptoms such as:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Irritability
- Insomnia
Normosis treatment
For treatment to begin, a professional diagnosis is first necessary. After the diagnosis, the normotic is referred for therapeutic treatment.
Within the therapy options, there are several approaches that can be chosen by the normotic, but the most common is CBT – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Depending on the patient’s condition, there may be a need for drug treatment, but only a qualified professional is capable of making such prescriptions.
Be the change you want to see in the world
This phrase seems to be so “beaten up”, however, it expresses the attitude we must have to leave normosis and find our essence.
It’s challenging to assume who we really are, it takes courage. The rewards of being non-normotic are immense, the biggest of which is keeping your mental health up to date.
