WHAT'S NORMAL? WHAT ISN'T?

Is it normal to lash out at someone else in anger?

Sometimes it is very difficult to deal with stress. Most of us are upset occasionally. We fly off the handle now and then. We all know that these responses might not be the most desirable solutions to a given situation, they are part of most normal people's reactions to stress. However, to be continually in a rage, to lie constantly, to become hostile to every person who frustrates a goal are not normal responses to stress. These are signs of psychological problems, and most people are unable to resolve these problems without professional help.

Who decides what is normal and what isn't? To say that something is "abnormal" means that it differs from the norm, or standard, in some significant way. But what determines the norm? Before, normal behavior was "what most people do." It was a definition based on numbers. The difficulty with such a definition is that people are not numbers. Today society accepts behavior that once would have been considered deviant. In short, the norm itself has been redefined to include a wider variety of personal behaviors.

At work, we are dealing with a serious case of unacceptable behaviors. How to deal with an abusive, psychologically unbalanced co-worker right now is out of the question. How can we stop an abusive man who gets the backing of a high official, who is also showing similar signs of deviant attitudes. The effects of their unpleasant behaviors are harmful and destructive. Many employees are leaving the company for good. Is leaving the company the only option?