Conceptually, mental insanity also is associated with the biological phenomenon of contagion (that mental illness is infectious) as in the case of copycat suicides. In contemporary usage, the term insanity is an informal, un-scientific term denoting "mental instability"; thus, the term insanity defense is the legal definition of mental instability.
The meaning of INSANITY is a severely disordered state of the mind usually occurring as a specific disorder. How to use insanity in a sentence. On the Meaning of ...
INSANITY definition: (not in technical use as a medical diagnosis) the condition of being insane; a derangement of the mind. See examples of insanity used in a sentence.
INSANITY meaning: 1. a very stupid, unreasonable, or dangerous action or situation: 2. the condition of being very…. Learn more.
Definition of insanity noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
Formerly used as a technical term in law and forensic medicine, originally called insanity of mind, and used of those with cognitive disabilities as well as mental illness until the 19th cent. More recent use in law and forensic psychiatry often refers to the condition of being incapable of understanding or controlling one's own behaviour, esp. as a plea or mitigation in criminal proceedings ...
To appreciate what insanity actually is, it's important to grasp what it isn't. Contrary to popular belief, insanity isn't defined as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. And, while it is often used to describe certain states of mind, insanity is also not a medical condition. You won't find a diagnosis for insanity in the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of ...