People given DSM diagnostic labels get gaslit so hard, told something is “wrong” with them when their symptoms are often a result of trauma.
I’m not anti-medication, or 100% anti-label, but I think this is a serious problem.
For example, most ADHD kids have the experience of getting so much flak for their symptoms by adults and caregivers, while those (often well-meaning adults) contributed to its development via attachment trauma (a type of trauma that is more the norm than the aberration).
The symptoms of Borderline are basically textbook reaction to trauma—pathologizing the psyche’s natural response to adverse events. Depression and anxiety too, often have these deeper roots. There is evidence to suggest this is even the case for Bipolar.
A lot of DSM categories are there to put a label to a phenomenon—it’s always a work in progress. It’s not meant to look at the root cause of things. The problem is when the descriptive nature of what the DSM actually is becomes a dogmatic prescriptive.
Labels can be so helpful and so validating to put a framework or understanding to an experience. Receiving a diagnosis can also be helpful in practical ways, like getting prescriptions, needed accommodations, or disability benefits.
But the flip side of labels are that they can box you in, and cause those around you to box you in as well. “This is just the way I am, says so in my diagnosis.”
And lastly—I know I bring up this point a lot, but our society is based on thousands of years of colonization and war. (A rather recent phenomenon in the context of human history as whole.)
If you look closely enough, you know our society is deeply unwell. Modern psychology has given us so many benefits, but it also can’t be extricated from this fundamental unwellness.
It’s like a fish growing up in poisoned water without realizing it, trying to come up with reasons for why so many of their fellow fish are unwell. It’s bound to be skewed.
Originally published April 16th.