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Over-diagnosed

There are some folks with serious and not so serious mental health issues. A lot of these seem over-diagnosed. But we’re working on that: Half of Us Are Mentally Ill (and the Other Half Are Undiagnosed).

In a lot of cases, a kid doesn’t really have ADHD or any other disease. They’re often just lacking in the amount of discipline and accountability at home.

17 Responses to “Over-diagnosed”

  1. wizardpc Says:

    In before the you just don’t understand crowd.

  2. Dragon Says:

    My belief is that the psychiatrists who think that they are *normal*, and that everyone else must have a mental problem, are the ones with the mental illness.

  3. jason Says:

    When the inmates are running the asylum……..

  4. Cargosquid Says:

    No, no, no, NO! They DO have ADHD.

    Otherwise, the free money dries up!

  5. Tam Says:

    In before the you just don’t understand crowd.

    QFT.

    I don’t have Asperger’s Syndrome and Social Anxiety Disorder, I’m just an antisocial introvert. Now leave me alone and get off my lawn.

  6. Max Slowik Says:

    The rate of diagnoses has leveled off since about 2000 and that by the age of 18, 1/5 kids is diagnosed with a clinical problem, with 1/10 requiring therapy. Which is -exactly- the same as adults.

    But whatever.

  7. Jake Says:

    There’s an interesting take on this debate here (last 3 paragraphs).

    Many hackers have noticed that mainstream culture has shown a tendency to pathologize and medicalize normal variations in personality, especially those variations that make life more complicated for authority figures and conformists. Thus, hackers aware of the issue tend to be among those questioning whether ADD and AS actually exist; and if so whether they are really ‘diseases’ rather than extremes of a normal genetic variation like having freckles or being able to taste DPT. In either case, they have a sneaking tendency to wonder if these syndromes are over-diagnosed and over-treated. After all, people in authority will always be inconvenienced by schoolchildren or workers or citizens who are prickly, intelligent individualists — thus, any social system that depends on authority relationships will tend to helpfully ostracize and therapize and drug such ‘abnormal’ people until they are properly docile and stupid and ‘well-socialized’.

  8. Ian Argent Says:

    That having been said, one of these days I really need to write up my “Omega-3 saved my …” post.

  9. Bubblehead Les Says:

    During the last years of the Old Soviet Evil Empire (not to be confused with the New Evil Russian Empire under Tzar Putin), Political Dissidents were Diagnosed by the State as “Mentally Ill”, then sent to the Gulag. After all, if one is Dissatisfied with the Gooberment, one must be Crazy.

    ‘Those who fail to remember History….”

  10. Tam Says:

    Max Slowik,

    You get off my lawn, too.

  11. Max Slowik Says:

    DSM-IV life, yo!

  12. Beaumont Says:

    I’m perfectly sane, and so am I.

  13. Stan Says:

    Some ADD and ADHD cases are really undiagnosed Chronic Hickory Deficiency.

  14. MJM Says:

    “Chronic hickory deficiency” has to be one of the great memorable quotes. (I always found that 1/4″ plywood worked best.)

  15. Ambulance_Driver Says:

    Stan stole my line!

  16. workinwifdakids Says:

    As an elementary school teacher, I’ve identified a disease, observed its symptoms, created a diagnostic criteria, and named it myself. The disease is called NBS (Never Been Spanked). Application of treatment causes near-instant reversal of symptoms in children under the age of 10. Often a single treatment works, but occasionally it may take several treatments the second symptoms manifest.

  17. comatus Says:

    I woik wit da yoots quite a bit. I’ve yet to find a medicated, psychologized ADHD victim who isn’t just a poor mad dreamer like myself at that age. My favorite problem child is on two, three drugs, has a “secret symbol” trigger, is in a special class at school, and is smart as a whip, a natural-born storyteller, only runs off on tangents about the subject at hand, and bullshits quite well, a high compliment from me. Dad’s a fed, and Mom’s rill purty. He’s going to be a politician, I’m sure of it.

    Every one of these kids learns fast, remembers well, and can apply new knowledge above the average. What is required to draw that out is close personal attention, reminders, coaching, and a sympathetic ear — in other words, what we’re paying through the nose for in The Establishment, and not getting. The teachers, they are overworked. Can’t manage it.

Remember, I do this to entertain me, not you.

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