Over- and mis- diagnosis of mental disorders (Was: Bipolar Disorder)

[Jackalope]

What makes it a disorder, Gilgamesh, is not just the presence of symptoms - there must also be a negative impact to one's life. People can be different, eccentric, or odd, and being so is not in and of itself clinically significant.

You may be correct that mental disorders are over diagnosed, and I might not disagree with you. But doing so in an unsupportive way in a thread such as this seems a bit dickish.

[Faith No More]

My original post here was meant to be food for thought. I've already said that I wasn't implying that creed didn't have bi-polar disorder or that I don't have any of the disorders I said I was going to get diagnosed with. Basically, a lot of people are diagnosed with disorders. A LOT of people. So much people are diagnosed with disorders, that maybe, these people aren't suffering from a disorder. Maybe they're exactly how they should be. That isn't to say the way their feeling loses credibility or that they shouldn't seek help, just because I refuse to call it a disorder. What it's called doesn't change the feeling. If you feel messed up and want help, go get it if you wish. I should've been more direct.

Well, I wish you had said like that, because you make a good point. Although I disagree with your belief that these "feelings" aren't disorders, I do agree that it is way over diagnosed. A kid with a little too much energy gets diagnosed with ADHD. A woman whose dog dies gets diagnosed with major depression and prescribed Prozac(I actually read about that happening in a book.)

It devalues the experiences of those who truly suffer, and gives people, such as yourself, that don't see it as an illness fodder for an argument.

[Gilgamesh]

there must also be a negative impact to one's life.

And that's another thing that anyone can argue for themselves with ease (and not necessarily be lying.) If you're not happy and you're not doing what you want, is your life considered impacted? Then certainly, almost everyone who's diagnosed with a disorder currently, is properly diagnosed =o

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It devalues the experiences of those who truly suffer, and gives people, such as yourself, that don't see it as an illness fodder for an argument.

I don't view it as a disorder. For it to be a disorder, it has to be disassociated from the order (the norm) but since so many people have these feelings or quirks (even excluding the ones who are wrongly diagnosed), I can't consider it a disorder. They're just people who feel bad for no 'apparent' reason (although it's apparent to me - I can give several reasons for why anyone may be depressed in a developed country) or they feel bad because they have quirks (OCD, SAD, ect)

[Faith No More]

I don't view it as a disorder. For it to be a disorder, it has to be disassociated from the order (the norm) but since so many people have these feelings or quirks (even excluding the ones who are wrongly diagnosed), I can't consider it a disorder. They're just people who feel bad for no 'apparent' reason (although it's apparent to me - I can give several reasons for why anyone may be depressed in a developed country) or they feel bad because they have quirks (OCD, SAD, ect)

It's not the feelings that make it a disorder. It's the intensity, length, and impact of the feelings that make it a disorder.

[Gilgamesh]

It's not the feelings that make it a disorder. It's the intensity, length, and impact of the feelings that make it a disorder.

And if I agree, my post is not effected. Just pretend I said "intense, lengthy and impactful feelings" instead of just "feelings" in my post.

[Jackalope]

Locking pending a thread split.

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Thread splt. Carry on.

[Faith No More]

Meh...We've had this discussion several times, and neither side seems poised to convince the other. I see no need to hash it out again...

[rexbeccarox]

I just don't even understand the point. Why should anyone care what you think about their disorders or lack-there-of, gil? You like to involve yourself in these discussions, but you're not a professional and you're not supportive, so what gives? Why do you care and why should we?

[Violet]

Meh...We've had this discussion several times, and neither side seems poised to convince the other. I see no need to hash it out again...

Another way of looking at is with 'order' separate from 'normal' (that is to say: does it work in a non-chaotic fashion vs chaotic)... but this usually isn't what people are going for when they use 'disorder'.

I'd like if people could get a definition down for 'disorder' that didn't trivialize it, or that didn't lock only the most severe forms of 'disorder' down as such whilst declaring the rest normative... and from there go to the arguments they might make. It's never actually been hashed out, because this was never actually established... maybe you'd have more luck with convincing someone if you could even define what a disorder is.

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I just don't even understand the point. Why should anyone care what you think about their disorders or lack-there-of, gil? You like to involve yourself in these discussions, but you're not a professional and you're not supportive, so what gives? Why do you care and why should we?

Does his being professional or supportive impact his arguments at all? Tea Partiests make plenty of supportive arguments for their party... should we who do not agree with them simply not question them?

Maybe some disagreement might help one to understand their subject a little bit better, maybe the dying won't stop the Blight, but we don't know that, Daveth. Don't we?

[Something completely different]

I'm going to go get diagnosed for bipolar disorder, OCD and depression. Already social anxiety avoidant personality disorder down. It'll be a piece of cake.

Is that your excuse for calling everyone a faggot?



If yes - it`s a pathetic excuse.