Are they really disorders?

ifonly... wrote:id like to approach it from a slightly different angle...
in a recent lecture on mental illnesses i was informed (by a professional in this area) that there is HUGE debate within medical communities as to whether or not personality disorders exist. I know its currently in the DSM-IV but apparantly many have argued for its removal in future revisions.

I found this really shocking. How can anyone believe that - i thought by definition they casue impaired functioning in everyday life or bring distress so how can u get rid of 'personality disorders' and call them variations of normal thus deeming them no longer worthy of treating?

Also, some psychiatrists and other professionals in mental health (or institutons as a whole) do not accept personality disorders exist therefore do not diagnose or treat them currently (despite them still being in the DSM-iV - not everyone sticks to it). so what r u do when ur pretty sure u have one (or two or three ) when ur scared of being laughed at 'cause ur local health team dont accpet them????? (and in england u cant pick and chose who u see or where u get treated)

ifonly...,
what a interesting view point. my pdoc and therapist work in the same office, because of this and my length of time with them, they have come to this after dx my PTSD which is severe, depression , mood disorder and this is LAST dx sums up everything.
They dont look at the numbers but symptoms and how over long term care the symptoms present them self. This dx is not given as a bandaid, it comes only after years of therapy and psych.

They really dont think any of them are disorders.
But since this is now and present in my life I promise myself to be open minded because it is all about personal growth and it has helped.

red

I was diagnosed with PD, NOS on Axis II.

I think it's because the way I view the world.

I am always fearing something bad is going to happen. I am afraid to leave home at times because I am afraid something will happen to my family when I'm gone (like fall, have heart attack, etc) because bad things have happened when I was away from home.

I believe my future is bleak, but I believe that is a fact. I'll never have a "normal" life. I will always be the outcast, the unwanted, and unloved. But I've learned to accept it. I will talk to people, but won't put much trust in them.

I also don't trust people, I think they all suck, and they are all selfish and self serving, unreliable, and unfaithful, ready to "stab me in the back" anytime I put any faith or trust in them.

I only trust pets to be there for me, besides my father and brother, unless something bad happens.

I found that the only person I can depend on is ME.

Also, I always felt like I did not fit in this world, and that is the reason I don't have many friends (only 2 at the most) but I was always treated like an outcast in school. I just did not fit in.

I have anger issues, and will swear like a sailor (enough to make a sailor blush) and I throw things and break them. I don't break anything important, though. At least I don't take my anger out on living things anymore.

TheLoneMonkey wrote:I hope I don't offend anybody or come off as ignorant but this has been bothering me for quite awhile. It seems to me that people just need to be more accepting of differences and themselves.

You really may want to

I know it's all popular and granola to be accepting of others' differences and what not but a degree of common sensical judgement is required. I have no problem with schizoids or borderlines as it's their own body, I'm not going to get riled up because some kid want to cut himself up,but people in general do have a problem accepting anti-social and narcissistic folks in their immediate environment, out of simple cost-benefit, and I see no reason why society should act counter to their own interests. Accepting NPDs and ASPD runs counter to your self-interests most of the time, and people having no responsability for the wellbeing of NPDs and ASPDs do not have the obligation of accepting them.

take schizoid for example, people with this are content by themselves, why change that? if a person is happy/content how can they be disordered?

I don't think that happyness is a factor in mental illness. There was a case study of a woman(I don't remember the name or place) where she got into a marriage where she was extremly unhappy. For X reason, she started having hallucinations of being married to British royalty and giving birth to children every 2 or 3 hours. By all standards she was happy,but was she sane?

Take antisocial, they only care about themselves, what's wrong with that?

It is wrong when you start breaking laws and violating the natural concept of property.

if they can tell that certain actions will get them places they don't want to be (jail) then they should be happy being antisocial,

Yes,only in real life it doesn't happen like this. One of the symptoms of ASPD is reccurent lawbreaking.

The police system is not as efficient as it is touted to be.

it's a great way to get what you want and not feel guilty.

Okay, how about the others outside of yourself,don't you think that they might be ehm...offended by the actions you pose that are deemed shameful?

If you don't feel guilt for $#%^, it basically means YOU CAN'T BE TRUSTED TO POLICE YOURSELF and YOU CANNOT BE TRUSTED,PERIOD. Why do you expect others to accept you as ASPD at great personal risk and detriment to their person?

Narcissistic, they might be annoying to the rest of society but sometimes I wish I had that high of a self esteem.

Sorry, I never seen somebody who was very successful be an NPD. Maybe mildly sucessful, but the people who REALLY succeeds are those that almost never brag about themselves.

There are other ways of gaining self-esteem, and having a mental illness at the expense of others around you is not one of them. Those with a loud mouth are usually the one posing.

why should the majority be considered normal? Society's unacceptance of differences is the disorder, not individuals' personalities.

How old are you?
Jesus kid, you don't live alone on a ######6 island. And I'm being way too kind here.

It's not some social conspiracy to squash whatever remnant of individuality there is. In most case,it is cost-benefit. In other cases, it helps the individual more than it helps society itself.

TheLoneMonkey wrote:take schizoid for example, people with this are content by themselves, why change that? if a person is happy/content how can they be disordered?

It may be true that I have zero empathy as a schizoid, but I'm still able to realize when I've hurt someone. I may not be able to care that I've hurt them but I'm still aware of it. Enough so to say with certainty that it is a disorder. I'm surprised my family still talks to me! I desire so much to be able to care, I try so hard but I'm broken! I'm disordered! It's a lot more than introspective complacency lone monkey.

Future Nihilist wrote:It may be true that I have zero empathy as a schizoid, but I'm still able to realize when I've hurt someone. I may not be able to care that I've hurt them but I'm still aware of it. Enough so to say with certainty that it is a disorder. I'm surprised my family still talks to me! I desire so much to be able to care, I try so hard but I'm broken! I'm disordered! It's a lot more than introspective complacency lone monkey.

I too don't really care about other people, I have an immature personality. Like Nihilist, I know when I hurt people, I feel guilt, but no empathy.

I am sure there are some advantages to being uncaring. I have to mask this side of me as best I can, in order to be able to function in society. However, some of it comes through and occasionally people close to me say that I am able to be quite objective and analytical about social situations and problems; this is because I am not burdened with empathy.

Of course, the lack of empathy is a disadvantage in many more situations than it is an advantage. I would like to change this but I can't, it impairs me, so it is a disorder.