DSM classifications are bizarre. They are constantly
changing (every time a new model of the DSM is released, mental illnesses get
redefined and the boundaries moved). The internet gives us unfettered access to
ways to empathize with, criticize, or self diagnose many of these illnesses. As
illnesses are essentially invented, and individuals become aware of these
illnesses, it becomes more common for individuals to be ill. Every time I read
the symptoms of various things online I begin to think that I have ADD, OCD,
Depression, Anxiety, Multiple Personality Disorder/Dissociative Identity
Disorder, and might be on the autism spectrum. Honestly, only a handful of
these might even almost come close to actually applying to me, but because of
the lax diagnoses prevalent in modern day society I could be diagnosed and
prescribed medication for almost all of the above.
This is a fascinating shift in our society. Rather than
suffering in silence, we see the emergence of a nation of hypochondriacs self-acclaiming
that they are suffering from many ailments, often times mentally crippling
themselves when they could have been fine had they approached their situation
from a different mindset. And I am NOT claiming that the illnesses I listed
above are not real and that individuals don’t suffer from them. What I’m
claiming is that it makes it more difficult for individuals that are ACTUALLY
suffering from these ailments to get taken seriously and receive proper
treatment because of all of the falsely diagnosed individuals running rampant.
Stress is a normal, natural thing. How is it that every single college student
I know has “social anxiety, depression, and general anxiety disorder”??? It is
not because we don’t all feel extremely nervous occasionally about social
settings, or avoid social gatherings because talking to people is exhausting,
and we feel downtrodden quite often as well as panicked about our assignments.
No. It is because these common situations we as college students are forced
into are being looked at by medical professionals and called “close enough”
because they don’t want to turn someone away from treatment if they have
actively sought it out.
We as a society are far too quick to turn to pills for the
answer. I suggest that first we try alternative methods such as going to a
trained psychiatrist, beginning a mindfulness exercise program, and
reconnecting with loved ones/building stronger bonds with individuals we are
close to/seeking out people with similar interests and struggles. Popping pills
should be the last option, because they can have some extremely nasty side
effects and can leave lasting effects as well. I know this from personal
experience, and I wish I would have exhausted all other resources first before
becoming a drugged-up zombie and losing a year of my life. For people in
extreme cases, medication may be exactly what they need and they may need it
right away. But if there is not a life-threatening impending danger then
please, stray from the societal norm and seek other treatment that isn’t
over-the-counter. There are no such thing as happy pills.
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