<P> Frantz Fanon, an early writer on postcolonialism, studied the conditions of objectification and violent oppression (lack of autonomy) believed to have led to mental disorders among the colonized in the Third World (in particular Africans) (Fanon, ((2004) 1961). </P> <P> A process of' malignant alienation' has been observed in regard to some psychiatric patients, especially in forensic units and for individuals labeled' difficult' or who aren't liked by at least some staff, which involves a breakdown of the therapeutic relationship between staff and patients, and which may end in the suicide of the patient . Individuals with long - term mental disorders, which may have originally stemmed from social alienation, can experience particular social and existential alienation within their communities due to other people's and potentially their own negative attitudes towards themselves and' odd' behavior . </P> <P> Differences between persons with disabilities and individuals in relative abilities, or perceived abilities, can be a cause of alienation . One study, "Social Alienation and Peer Identification: A Study of the Social Construction of Deafness", found that among deaf adults one theme emerged consistently across all categories of life experience: social rejection by, and alienation from, the larger hearing community . Only when the respondents described interactions with deaf people did the theme of isolation give way to comments about participation and meaningful interaction . This appeared to be related to specific needs, for example for real conversation, for information, the opportunity to develop close friendships and a sense of family . It was suggested that the social meaning of deafness is established by interaction between deaf and hearing people, sometimes resulting in marginalization of the deaf, which is sometimes challenged . It has also led to the creation of alternatives and the deaf community is described as one such alternative . </P> <P> Physicians and nurses often deal with people who are temporarily or permanently alienated from communities, which could be a result or a cause of medical conditions and suffering, and it has been suggested that therefore attention should be paid to learning from experiences of the special pain that alienation can bring . </P>

Anomie is a term used to describe feelings of being uprooted and estranged