This document discusses Erving Goffman's critique of the positivist approach to mental illness. Goffman viewed mental illness as a social construct rather than a biological disease. He argued that behaviors are defined and labeled as mental illnesses based on social and cultural norms. Once labeled as mentally ill, individuals internalize this identity and are subjected to greater social control through institutionalization and the "stripping" of their personality. The document also discusses how social factors like class, gender, and family dynamics can influence who is labeled as mentally ill.