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Why I Object To The Term "Disorder"
- Thread starter dandelions
- Start date
in this thread i am considering those who have been diagnosed with DID/OSDD and those who consider that they might have either. It can also apply to other uses for disorder.
my opinion is that to use the term disorder, you put the individual at a disadvantage. the point being that when a child suffers trauma the child does not know how to deal with it. itt can only use what the brain has evolved to be able to do. that is to try to cope with the situation. this is a positive step. it may not be the best solution, but it is a good first step. So calling it a disorder seems wrong to me. it seems to be the order that the brain is born with.
my opinion is that to use the term disorder, you put the individual at a disadvantage. the point being that when a child suffers trauma the child does not know how to deal with it. itt can only use what the brain has evolved to be able to do. that is to try to cope with the situation. this is a positive step. it may not be the best solution, but it is a good first step. So calling it a disorder seems wrong to me. it seems to be the order that the brain is born with.
I have accepted that some "disorders" are genuinely caused by the brain or body functioning in a way that is dysfunctional or wholly negative, but many "disorders" are not dysfunctional or negative at all, or just so in some cases and not others.
As my prime example, Autism Spectrum Disorder never struck me as a disorder. I have it and I consider it less of a disorder and more of a personality type. In fact, if anything it is an overly ordered mind. Neurotypicals always struck me as so messy and illogical. Calling ASD a disorder seems at best uncharitable and at worst factually incorrect.
I think the compulsion is to put "disorder" on the end of any diagnosis which is "outside the norm", which is as good as saying "If you're not like me, you're wrong" which is extremely unproductive unhelpful and unfair, and only serves to make people reject their diagnosis or worse, themselves.
As my prime example, Autism Spectrum Disorder never struck me as a disorder. I have it and I consider it less of a disorder and more of a personality type. In fact, if anything it is an overly ordered mind. Neurotypicals always struck me as so messy and illogical. Calling ASD a disorder seems at best uncharitable and at worst factually incorrect.
I think the compulsion is to put "disorder" on the end of any diagnosis which is "outside the norm", which is as good as saying "If you're not like me, you're wrong" which is extremely unproductive unhelpful and unfair, and only serves to make people reject their diagnosis or worse, themselves.
I agree with you so much Dante. There is a feeling amongst some people that this comes from a long established way of treating those who are "not like us". It appears to be choosing to punish rather that help (if help is needed) and to hate rather than feel empathy and compassion. It is unaccepting of those who differ. That unaccepting way is the cause of racism as well. Personally I call it dark ages thinking. And I think those who developed the DSM have good intentions, but are stuck in dark ages thinking. So terminology they use makes the whole of society think of those who have a different mental perspective as broken and bad.
I am not one to ban or censor words. I think all words are essential to thinking and communication and the more, the better. I even get upset when some people tell me I must not use certain words, even if they triggor or are supposedly hurtful. I experience the triggering and hurt myself but certainly in the case of "disorder" it has triggered me many times. And this thread is my response.
I am not one to ban or censor words. I think all words are essential to thinking and communication and the more, the better. I even get upset when some people tell me I must not use certain words, even if they triggor or are supposedly hurtful. I experience the triggering and hurt myself but certainly in the case of "disorder" it has triggered me many times. And this thread is my response.
Same. I used to have severe BPD (still have it but not as bad) and it always boggled the mind that it's called a disorder. Like how else are you supposed to behave if your life is just a chain of trauma and losses, if you didn't have stable fulfilling relationships where you were treated like you exist and matter? What is the non disordered response? The correct response implies good emotional intelligence, boundaries and self esteem. But if you had a life that naturally lead you to having these things you wouldn't have BPD.
In the UK they've begun calling it ASC - autism spectrum condition. Honestly I find that entertaining because however much I don't see it as a disorder what about adhd or any disorder that is just different wiring?
It's more the point that we shouldn't be looking at natural things as disorders when they aren't.
It's more the point that we shouldn't be looking at natural things as disorders when they aren't.
And they keep making things up. Like prolonged grief disorder.... erm, that's just grief? Where is the rule book that says how long grief should take or how it should be done? It's totally made up like all of these things. There is some mythical "normal", "happy" person which accounts for about .00001% of humans and all the rest are disordered in some way according to this thinking.
Disorder is definitely a negative word. Maybe syndrome would be a better word to use. I think when most professionals use the word "disorder", they're basically saying a person has something that a minority of people have. The problem with this is that there's so many different types of people. There's so many people that think differently. No two people think the same way really. And then there are many people whose bodies work differently. No two bodies work 100% the same. A medication could effect most people one way and effect others another way. For example, my sister once took a medication that caused really bad diarrhea. The doctors told her this was impossible and that it would cause constipation if anything. My point is everyone is different, and "disorder" just means someone thinks or works differently than most people. And what's considered a disorder changes over time. For example, at one time homosexuality was considered a disorder. I guess "disorder" is kind of an arbitrary term.
This feels relevant...
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1376114/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1376114/