Are mental disorders real?

General Discussion
1

The topic came up in a philosophy of emotion course. It was in regards to mass shooters and the like, stating that we are just calling them crazy in order to make sense of such a horrific tragedy. To make ourselves feel better that it was done by a deviant and not a normal person. It got me thinking as to whether or not mental disorders are real or just a way for us to label and control what doesn’t ft into our definition of what normal is. Especially since across cultures, what is deviant and odd varies so much.

2

Normal is a statistic.
It can still be stupid. But you would have to be abnormal to regard it as a mental disorder.

3
The topic came up in a philosophy of emotion course. It was in regards to mass shooters and the like, stating that we are just calling them crazy in order to make sense of such a horrific tragedy. To make ourselves feel better that it was done by a deviant and not a normal person. It got me thinking as to whether or not mental disorders are real or just a way for us to label and control what doesn't ft into our definition of what normal is. Especially since across cultures, what is deviant and odd varies so much.
What do you mean by "real"?