Why does there have to be a diagnosis for everything?

[Crazi]

Anyone else ever feel this way? Like oh your not nerdy, you've got AS. Oh you're not hyper, your ADD. Oh you're not flipping awesome- you're schizotypal.

Obviously those were all gross generalizations but anyone know what I mean?

It all used to be so simple!

 

[Sev]

In a society built upon the safety and security of labels, its not much of a surprise that such generalizations occur; though, I find it extremely frustrating when people judge my personality based on the labels I have, and I think most people do as well. I think its one of my benefits resulting from Aspergers (here I go again, using a label) is that I tend to look beyond general labels.

Like oh your not nerdy, you've got AS

I thought, in general, that Aspies are typically known as nerdy/geeky people?

 

[Crazi]

I thought, in general, that Aspies are typically known as nerdy/geeky people?

I know that's my point.

 

[Sev]

I know that's my point.

Ah....right.
*facepalm*

 

[Crazi]

*chuckles and grins*

 

[Ereth]

This type of thinking is far from new, though it's probably more prevalent today. People used to believe that four different "humors" (bodily fluids) contributed to a person's overall well-being, and illnesses would arise if they were out of balance. For example, if you were depressed, you had too much "black bile."

 

[142857]

When I was a kid, it seemed like you were either "retarded" (offensive now, but a pretty normal way to refer to some kids in the early 70s) or you were normal. When I was 5/6 my teachers thought I was retarded and I was pulled out of school and sent for testing. They did a whole bunch of tests over several days and sent me back to school, saying that I was "above average intelligence" or something like that. I clearly wasn't like the other kids and didn't learn things in the same way as the other kids, but I wasn't "retarded" so I was normal.

Fast forward 40 years and my son, who is a lot sharper and more sociable than I ever was, goes in for testing for ADHD and walks out with 2 diagnoses (ADHD and Asperger's Syndrome). I had kind of worked that out beforehand anyway.

My life, no doubt, would have turned out very differently if more diagnoses (such as HFA) had been available when I was a kid.

If more labels means that we can understand our kids better and give them the help they need, and give them coping mechanisms to be the best that they can be, then that is great. If those labels are just an excuse for those kids to be held back because they are not like other kids, then not so great.

 

[Crazi]

@142857 true. I guess like all technology it can be used for good or for worse. I'm a firm believer that the truth i beautiful and will set you free, but lables are limiting no matter how precise- to say one HUMAN is like another is always messy I feel. I suppose what I am hoping for is that dreamy day in the far future where people are genuine and understanding and see clearly, unmasking the unique beauty that lies in all of us.

 

[King_Oni]

I always feel that nowadays everything needs to be accountable. There needs to be a reason for someone to act a certain way. I'm all for "just because" but that seems to be the wrong answer in pretty much all cases. And that is why everything can be labeled and diagnosed.

On a related note; the entire issue about the team of professionals that worked on the DSM books that have shares in all these pharmaceutical companies clearly doesn't do them any favors when wondering why everything needs to be diagnosed. It's big business for them

 

[Archer36]

I don't agree with this. It used to be so simple, and it leaded to bigger problems. People that weren't treated properly, and people that didn't need to be treated that were treated improperly.

I think its great to have a a plethora of possible diagnostics now. They address potential problems more precisely and gives better results. I'd have loved to receive precise help for my precise problems. Instead I struggled very hard, and very often, uselessly. If a parent go to see a doctor and tells him "I feel my kid cannot communicate properly for his age, what should I do?" ... and the Dr. replies "Don't worry, he is just different or retarded. Go home." ... that would be a sad day.

Now, to treat or not a condition and the method employed to do so, and the perception of the society of all this. its a totally different topic/debate. But in my mind, it makes no doubts that precise diagnostics are very important and are a very good thing.

 

[Crazi]

@Archer36 , no I agree things weren't perfect; In fact I was being nostalgic almost for a period I was never alive for, - but I find language, especially labels, diagnostic or not, to be limiting as well- no matter how specific I believe there is a part of people and things that cannot be described At Least in a single word and I also don't like lumping different people into the same category because- well I think of everyone as individual and that as what makes them . . . great. And sooo yes. Like I said, I yearn for a day where appreciation for beauty meets the quest for understanding and we can all live happily ever after. *tear*

You may say I'm a dreamer . . .

 

[Aspieistj]

[QUOTE="142857, post: 85840, member: 35
My life, no doubt, would have turned out very differently if more diagnoses (such as HFA) had been available when I was a kid.
[/QUOTE]

Not having learned that I have AS until I was in my early 60s totally ruined my life. Now I understand WHY I am weird, but everyone who knows me believes I am a jerk. Very little of the general population seems willing to believe I can't simply realize I am almost always wrong, and just simply change my attitude and behavior. I believe someday NTs will understand enough about AS to be a little more tolerant of us. I can never accept that my mother believed I was a horrible person and didn't question WHY I saw the world so differently. If she had been told exactly what was "wrong" with me I believe she would have campaigned to make people aware of AS, and helped me in a positive way to understand I was so different and maybe should hide some of my most annoying behaviors. She was a teacher and I am astounded that she didn't "see" some of her students were very like me. I continue to wish that HFA could remain a separate diagnosis from Autism because those of us who are high functioning stand a chance of learning about ourselves and benefitting from early intervention. My entire life has been nothing but pain because I couldn't figure out how to be normal. I hate my life and wish I had never been born. I am an alien in a hostile environment. As long as "normal" people want so desperately for everyone to be alike, there is no place for me. I am very fortunate to be retired, self-supporting, and able to live like a hermit. I don't get hurt very often if I avoid people.

 

[Crazi]

Not having learned that I have AS until I was in my early 60s totally ruined my life. Now I understand WHY I am weird, but everyone who knows me believes I am a jerk. Very little of the general population seems willing to believe I can't simply realize I am almost always wrong, and just simply change my attitude and behavior. I believe someday NTs will understand enough about AS to be a little more tolerant of us. I can never accept that my mother believed I was a horrible person and didn't question WHY I saw the world so differently. If she had been told exactly what was "wrong" with me I believe she would have campaigned to make people aware of AS, and helped me in a positive way to understand I was so different and maybe should hide some of my most annoying behaviors. She was a teacher and I am astounded that she didn't "see" some of her students were very like me. I continue to wish that HFA could remain a separate diagnosis from Autism because those of us who are high functioning stand a chance of learning about ourselves and benefitting from early intervention. My entire life has been nothing but pain because I couldn't figure out how to be normal. I hate my life and wish I had never been born. I am an alien in a hostile environment. As long as "normal" people want so desperately for everyone to be alike, there is no place for me. I am very fortunate to be retired, self-supporting, and able to live like a hermit. I don't get hurt very often if I avoid people.

I'm so sorry to hear that. I've always considered myself blessed to have been able to become "normal."
All I can say is stick around; you never know what life can throw at you.
Also, you might want to check out my social skills tips thread in the social skills forum. Just in case. So far no replies- I guess it wasn't that useful.
But anyway, and I'm about to post thread right now about my theories behind autism and other mental disorders. I'm hoping you might find that helpful as well.
Edit: actually I changed my mind about making that thread. Sorry!

 

[AspieSam]

Having diagnosis's and clarity of traits is imp. But, yes, there are sometimes possibly a couple more diagnosis out there then I would like there to be.

 

[Crazi]

I just feel like Dxs are used to explain something away, and people get a false sense of that's all there is to something or someone with out 1) fully understanding the diagnosis and 2) even if they do, it drains their appreciation of the unique beauty of the individual. You become a label instead of a human being.

 

[Jimbo]

Normally there has to be a diagnosis for everything so that drugs can be prescribed to keep the drug companies profitable, but since there is no magic pill for our types they are doing away with the diagnosis. Hyperactive? You need narcotics. High cholesterol? Forget dieting, you need this expensive pill. Follow the money trail.