ADD, ADHD, OCD. Medicate or maintain?

[Dee]

It is believed that a lack of serotonin can cause OCD. (Which the drug I took Luvox is supposed to help with that.)

I just want to comment on that quote up there first. A lack of serotonin in the brain is believed to cause many different disorders. For instance, I have panic disorder. Basically my issue is a fear of my heart stopping. I am hyper-aware of my body and what it's doing. I pay attention to each and every ache, pang, stabbing sensation, tingling, you name it. At first when I developed the disorder, I was visiting the hospital constantly, visiting my doctor constantly and on two different medications (a benzo and an SSRI). Long story short, after enrolling in a cognitive behavioral therapy group, I learned that these disorders are cause by several different factors: biological, physiological and environmental. Yes, the drug companies and doctors will tell you it's a 'chemical imbalance' but there's way more to it than you're being told. I assume, Rydia, that you are aware of this as you yourself had sought out some therapy for your OCD (at least I hope you are).

In any case, and perhaps this is just a matter of my individual situation, but when I was offered tools and techniques in order to gain control over my irrational thoughts that subsequently led to panic attacks, within about 4-5 months I stopped taking the SSRI and weened myself off of the benzo's. Honestly, the medication was not helping at all. It was merely masking the problem and this is my experience with medicating an individual who does not need to be medicated. Yes, I have the pills just in case, but it has been around 2 months since I've taken anything simply because I am educated about my condition and how to approach it in a different manner.

TL;DR answer to the thread question: Yes and no.

Why yes, you wonder? Well, the reason I say yes is because there is a small population of adolescents who truly do need to be on some sort of medication in order to bring them down to a 'normal' level of functioning. What I mean by that is the disorder, when properly regulated by medication, is under control enough for the child to perform basic daily tasks (washing, dressing, eating) and is able to function in school (not being a danger or a distraction to themselves or other children) and other avenues of their lives. IF the disorder is so bad that they cannot--after thorough testing and diagnosis--perform these basic skills/tasks/necessities, then I believe it is okay to consider medication. However, that is typically not the case. Many parents choose to medicate their children at even the slightest hint of some sort of deficit in attention including a lack of ability to contain themselves (let's face it: Most kids are a big ball of pent-up energy).

For years now, medication has been the "solution" to many problems and it's not getting any better. Why? For one, we're not educated enough. Science found what appeared to be a 'cure' or at least a temporary means to an end. They tested it, they patented it and they sold it and now all of these drug companies are banking on quite a few people who do not need to be on medication. Sad, really.

So let me get to the "no" answer. If a child is capable of functioning with support from parents, teachers, friends, perhaps even some sort of therapy, then there is no need for them to be on a medication at such a young age. The last thing we need is to get these kids hooked on pills, for them to suffer the sometimes horrid side-effects and, worst of all, to never learn that there are better ways of handling certain disorders. If we simply educated people and used funding to study different avenues of therapy, dietary, environmental effects, so on and so forth, then it is possible (and even shown in many studies now) to attack the problem in a healthier manner.

 

[Roland_Deschain]

Like I said previously, I am no psychiatrist, and the situation differs depending on each child. For example, a child who is so hyper-distracted that he prevents other children from learning as well as himself, could do with therapy to first address why he is hyper, then medication to help ease it a little. However, don't drug the kid into a stupor until he's 18 and then just drop them. That's why you need the advice and guidance of a counsellor/psychiatrist so the condition can be maintained as much as possible without the need for constant medication. This why the underlying issues can be addressed and sorted out, hopefully, before the child reaches adulthood and potentially carries them over into his adult life.
Again, this is just my opinion.

I agree, medication without counsel is a little pointless if you are genuinely concerned about the issue, instead of how the issue effects the enviornment.

 

[Rydia]

[/COLOR]I just want to comment on that quote up there first. A lack of serotonin in the brain is believed to cause many different disorders. For instance, I have panic disorder. Basically my issue is a fear of my heart stopping. I am hyper-aware of my body and what it's doing. I pay attention to each and every ache, pang, stabbing sensation, tingling, you name it. At first when I developed the disorder, I was visiting the hospital constantly, visiting my doctor constantly and on two different medications (a benzo and an SSRI). Long story short, after enrolling in a cognitive behavioral therapy group, I learned that these disorders are cause by several different factors: biological, physiological and environmental. Yes, the drug companies and doctors will tell you it's a 'chemical imbalance' but there's way more to it than you're being told. I assume, Rydia, that you are aware of this as you yourself had sought out some therapy for your OCD (at least I hope you are).

Yeah I do realize. That is why I said it is "believe" and not that "it is" . And I recieved psychotherapy a long time ago. It was kind of weird. I had to visualize myself doing weird things. I don't know if that was what was effective, or the medication. Several people in my family have had severe OCD including my dad and my brother, and sister. I am the only one who was ever treated for it. My brother could probably use treatment because he is constantly washing his hands. We he visits or we visit, we hardly see him because he is in the bathroom washing his hands. He also freaks out when ever his kids touch ANYTHING.

I remember when I first stopped taking the medication, there was a sudden increase in my OCD, but no where near the way it was years ago. Though I did stop it suddenly, so that probably didn't help anything. Eventually I was able to control the symptoms.

But here is the real false disorder. Oppositional Defiant Disorder

http://aacap.org/page.ww?name=Children+with+Oppositional+Defiant+Disorder&section=Facts+for+Families

 

[Davey Gaga]

I have OCD - namely for some video games where stuff is highly customizable, i get obsessive. as well as when I get into my car, everything has to be in the right place before I can drive comfortably. It's not severe like those who have to flip a light switch twenty times. Unless it affects your life severely, medication shouldn't be the first go-to, is what I believe.

I apologise if this sounds offensive but I think you're jumping on the bandwagon of having a cool disease (re: "aspergers is the new OCD"). I have to line up my aftershaves and toiletries in a certain order (by colour, size, use, brand) but I don't consider myself to have a disorder; it just looks nicer. My phone had to be on my dashboard in my car, my windows no higher or lower than a certain point...it wasn't because I have a disorder, it was just my preference. I think people underestimate the gravity that the words "obsessive" and "compulsive" carry in the disorder.

Thats the thing. Unlike obesity parents can not always stop their children from being naturally wild when they are at school or home.

Supernanny manages it.

And this is SLIGHT OCD, because it ISN'T crippling, and it DOESN'T apply to every little aspect of my life.

As far as I'm aware, there isn't yet a way of quantifying or measuring disorders like these, so it's technically incorrect to refer to someone as having varying intensities of it. Flipping a lightswitch 50 times is slight, so does that mean 51 times is intense? It's more complicated than that. What's terrible to you may not be terrible to me.

I put absolutely no faith in psychiatry or scientific research;

Problem #1.

I do not believe you can generalise a personality, or any aspect of it.

Well, they have, and your Doctor refers to it when medicating you...so listen up! It's called something like the DM-IV ... and I think there's an IM-X or something as well.

You're trying to treat something that does not exist: it may exist in some fashion, yes, but certainly not in the simplified form that you are thinking of. It goes much deeper than a simple label, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it either.

Physiology and Pharmacology don't care abouts labels.

Nobody ever gets drugged for lack of manners, or an overly optimistic/pessimistic attitude, or for laughing at inappropriate times.

They tend not to interfere with day-to-day work and/or haven't been attributed to wrong-doings of the body. That's why.

Yes, the drug companies and doctors will tell you it's a 'chemical imbalance' but there's way more to it than you're being told.

There's a big chicken/egg thing there. Are your hormones out of tune because of cognitive abnormalities or did neurotransmitter levels change the way you think?

I'm not sure where to go with this thread. It's hard to compare one person's OCD against another - maybe a severe trauma, like a rape, made Betty wash her hands every day, whereas Arnold has to flip a lightswitch or his family will die. One's rational (and almost expected); the other is irrational. Can you counsel the irrational, almost pointless OCD? Should you drug the traumatised? That's just OCD. The other conditions mentioned also vary in cause, the way that they effect the individual, etc. So there is no answer to this thread, nor will there ever be; it's very dependent on a case-by-case review.

I will say this; drugs alone are not good. Therapy alone is not good. Combination therapy attacks from all angles (where it's relevant) so I guess I'm in favour of doing both?

 

[CassinoChips]

It's hard to multi-quote on a phone, so I'm just gonna hit some points.

-- In the same way that there's a want to have/self-diagnose the "cool" disease, I think it's become just as cool to dismiss diseases as made up, or doctors as in the pocket of Big Pharma. People do have OCD, ADD, ADHD. They are legitimate diagnoses, and, left untreated, are life-altering disorders. I find it interesting that people with no medical training are dismissing the disorders out of hand.

-- Yes, it is possible to have varying levels of OCD. It's simply a part of the body malfunctioning. Just like you can have a slight cold, or a slight fracture, or mild insomnia, you can have mild OCD. I have no scientific data to corroborate this, but based on observation, I think OCD belongs on the Autism spectrum. Similar concept: multiple manifestations of a classification of diseases that are all linked at their core.

-- As to whether it should be medicated, each case is different. I think Dave is correct in saying that a combination is best, generally. But it just depends.

 

[Stoic Hero]

I know OCD exists because, to a certain extent, I have it. It's not life-altering or debilitating, but can be annoying in certain instances (like Tmoo mentioned, video games. I have to have everything perfect in RPGs, and multiple endings bug the piss out of me, because I feel I have to complete them all before it feels "right").

I don't take any medication at all, for anything, unless I absolutely have to. It's not that I don't trust doctors, I do, and it's not that I think medicine is bad, it's not, but I prefer to not take medicine. Whether I need any medication is another matter entirely.

As far as ADD and ADHD are concerned, I'm not sure if they exist. I know quite a few kids who are very, very hyper. One in particular always talks to himself and is constantly bouncing off the walls. Needless to say, he has been diagnosed with ADHD. He does not take medication. He used to, but it always made him slow and depressed.

Just from observation, I can tell he can follow directions when he wants to. He's impulsive, sure, but he's not stupid. He knows to say "yes sir" to his stepdad, and you can tell he tries his best to be a good son. He's just...quirky is the word I would use. And I don't think that's a bad thing. I think everyone just wants robotic and consistently obedient children, and that's just not how human beings work.

I believe medication is good, when there is a specific illness and a specific cure. Illnesses of the mind are very peculiar and hard to define. Even though I'm in the medical field, it's difficult to fully see how ADHD and the like even develop in the first place. I can name every little part of the spinal cord, I know every general part of the brain, as well as the basic functions. The mind is still a very complicated puzzle that even the most experienced and educated people are having trouble solving.

 

[Artemisia]

I apologise if this sounds offensive but I think you're jumping on the bandwagon of having a cool disease (re: "aspergers is the new OCD").

That IS offensive, especially to people who actually have the disorder. For some it is a very delicate and sensitive issue, and having a condition like Aspergers is NOT "cool" in any way, and those who think it is clearly have no knowledge of the suffering a person with the condition goes through whatsoever.

However I understand you were (hopefully) not implying that people with ASDs are "jumping on the bandwagon" or "trying to be cool and different", because we are not. And not everyone with OCD is either.

 

[unadulteratedawesome]

That IS offensive, especially to people who actually have the disorder. . . .

However I understand you were (hopefully) not implying that people with ASDs are "jumping on the bandwagon" or "trying to be cool and different", because we are not. And not everyone with OCD is either.

But plenty of people do jump on the bandwagon. For whatever reason, people self-diagnose themselves with various disorders; mainly aspergers and OCD. Look no further than this thread. More than one person mentioned how they have mild OCD to complete videogames all the way and collect everything; that's not OCD, that's a normal human impulse. Your brain gets high off of completing and succeeding or keeping things tidy. It doesn't mean you have OCD. And the people I see self-diagnose themselves with aspergers seem to be doing it for a scapegoat. They can blame their social failings on a disorder, so it's no "their" fault.

There's no reason to get offended at this. I chuckle whenever anyone complains about how their headache is a migraine - no, no it's probably not. I get them chronically. But I don't get my panties in a bunch over it.

As for the thread subject: there's no excuse not to use multiple treatment methods. You'll learn that in any psychology course. Many mental disorders are essentially physical ones - our brain is an organ, after all - so biological and psychological treatment is necessary. It's just that a lot of people are distrusting of medication or critical of therapy's effectiveness and screw over themselves or their children by only pursuing one.

 

[Roland_Deschain]

But plenty of people do jump on the bandwagon. For whatever reason, people self-diagnose themselves with various disorders; mainly aspergers and OCD. Look no further than this thread. More than one person mentioned how they have mild OCD to complete videogames all the way and collect everything; that's not OCD, that's a normal human impulse. Your brain gets high off of completing and succeeding or keeping things tidy. It doesn't mean you have OCD. And the people I see self-diagnose themselves with aspergers seem to be doing it for a scapegoat. They can blame their social failings on a disorder, so it's no "their" fault.



Saying people jump on a bandwagon and saying that a mental disorder doesn't exsist without any forward study are two completely different things though.


And the people without a slight ailment can never truly have perspective of how a slight ailments effects a diagnosed persons mind, so in your mind it is all a proofless idea. But please have faith in the people who do have moderate disorders, when they tell you that it indeed exsists, and that they can indeed feel it, and simulateously realize that it is not normal programmed behavior on their part, and sometimes do not even desire it.


There's no reason to get offended at this. I chuckle whenever anyone complains about how their headache is a migraine - no, no it's probably not. I get them chronically. But I don't get my panties in a bunch over it.



That is true, there is no real reason to get offended in a debate thread, its merely a conmparison of ideas.


As for the thread subject: there's no excuse not to use multiple treatment methods. You'll learn that in any psychology course. Many mental disorders are essentially physical ones - our brain is an organ, after all - so biological and psychological treatment is necessary. It's just that a lot of people are distrusting of medication or critical of therapy's effectiveness and screw over themselves or their children by only pursuing one.



If you indeed suggest multiple treatment methods, then you must also acknowledge that you think this disorder has different volumes within the illness, otherwise how could we maintain an order of testing and placement for many of these "disguissed" illness's. This orchestrates that you believe they are indeed not human personality, but different levels and extremities of a mental illness.

 

[Artemisia]

But plenty of people do jump on the bandwagon. For whatever reason, people self-diagnose themselves with various disorders; mainly aspergers and OCD. Look no further than this thread. More than one person mentioned how they have mild OCD to complete videogames all the way and collect everything; that's not OCD, that's a normal human impulse. Your brain gets high off of completing and succeeding or keeping things tidy. It doesn't mean you have OCD. And the people I see self-diagnose themselves with aspergers seem to be doing it for a scapegoat. They can blame their social failings on a disorder, so it's no "their" fault.

You have a valid point there. It's pretty much the same as "the devil made me do it". The first thing you must learn when dealing with such a disorder is to not use it as a crutch when you mess up in life. Learning to take full responsibility for your actions, regardless of whatever disorder you may have, is a key aspect to managing it effectively, as well as helping you build a stronger and better character.

 

[asm]

Threads like these are fucking awful, and depressing. Sorry to put it bluntly.

Some of you people posting in these threads about cute personalities that society just isn't willing to accept should just do yourselves a favor and visit a psychiatric hospital. Some things have absolutely nothing to do with overmedication or overdiagnosing. In essence, some of you assume everyone is like you. Everyone isn't like you.

 

[Roland_Deschain]

Threads like these are fucking awful, and depressing. Sorry to put it bluntly.

Some of you people posting in these threads about cute personalities that society just isn't willing to accept should just do yourselves a favor and visit a psychiatric hospital. Some things have absolutely nothing to do with overmedication or overdiagnosing. In essence, some of you assume everyone is like you. Everyone isn't like you.

What are you talking about man? From the sound of it, your the one who needs to see a doctor perhaps. If the thread depresses you then do not read it, and if you have somthing to say, please be clear with yourself, and participate.

I do not think one person in this thread said that everyone was the same. Did you even read the whole thread? Some people were debating the exsistance of the disease, and others the discussion of wether medication is a proper solution? It's hard to derive who exactly you are speaking towards with this off topical rant... the people with mental illness's or the people who do not?

I think its a bit unfair for you to burst in here and accuse everyone of passing blame and accuse us of generalizing, for simply opening up their hearts and experiences when you yourself may not understand. I have seen you in many debate threads, and honestly I thought you had a little more sense. At least give reasoning (that is interpretable) as to why you are openly attacking us.

 

[asm]

What are you talking about man? From the sound of it, your the one who needs to see a doctor perhaps. If the thread depresses you then do not read it, and if you have somthing to say, please be clear with yourself, and participate.

I do not think one person in this thread said that everyone was the same. Did you even read the whole thread? Some people were debating the exsistance of the disease, and others the discussion of wether medication is a proper solution? It's hard to derive who exactly you are speaking towards with this off topical rant... the people with mental illness's or the people who do not?

I think its a bit unfair for you to burst in here and accuse everyone of passing blame and accuse us of generalizing, for simply opening up their hearts and experiences when you yourself may not understand. I have seen you in many debate threads, and honestly I thought you had a little more sense. At least give reasoning (that is interpretable) as to why you are openly attacking us.

I didn't address everyone though (I wonder did you read the post actually), but feel free to be offended if that is your wish. "Some" isn't "everyone", though. I guess the use of the verb "visit" also escaped you. It isn't synonymous to "check in", either.

It's one thing to ponder about overdiagnosing and overmedicating populations. It's an entirely different thing to actually state a mental illness isn't just that, but a personality trait. I'm not sure why you're asking me to point out such things in this thread since you've spent time replying to said posts yourself.

Perhaps some people get a mushy feeling inside when they just like to consider it's a personality trait in a type cast society or something really emo like that. I really recommend visiting (notice again, visiting!) a psychiatric hospital for people who are under that impression. I don't know how many people in general that are commenting, have had the (dis?)pleasure of working or visiting one.

Rydia's post was an excellent post in this thread, as it kind of scratches how shitty OCD can be. There's actually a pretty established link regarding OCD and suicide. It can be so severe to the point where daily rituals consume pretty much all days to the point where you can't handle it. If someone finds it rude to point out it's not really an imaginary thing or a cute personality trait, I'll be glad to offend.


e: On overdiagnosis and overmedication, I'd like to add that is also a tricky issue. Mostly because while one can easily understand a drug company wants to sell a lot of drugs regardless, stating something is overdiagnosed and overmedicated in a population needs something more than a gut feeling over the stereotypical way of seeing kids raised, and medicine sales. Stating such things makes one assume he is not only qualified to diagnose such illnesses, but also assumes one is qualified to state does one need medication, therapy or both.


As an example, no one ever says common allergies are overdiagnosed and/or overmedicated. Diagnosis is of course different since allergies generally have somatic symptoms, but people can easily accept allergies are simply better diagnosed and better medicated over time. People are more sensitive to lots of things due to constant exposure to them, and physiology is better understood. There were gluten-intolerant people in the 1800's for example. There wasn't a diagnosis for it though.

Would it be overtly hard to accept ADHD and/or OCD and/or general disorders aren't overdiagnosed, but rather recognized better, and better diagnosed?

 

[Roland_Deschain]

I didn't address everyone though (I wonder did you read the post actually), but feel free to be offended if that is your wish. "Some" isn't "everyone", though. I guess the use of the verb "visit" also escaped you. It isn't synonymous to "check in", either.

Yes but it was a rather short and bland post that did not make points to anyone in particular, and I could not help but feel a condescending tone when you said "visit", because it was one sentance after the words "fucking terrible". I think its understandable that I could misconstrue your meaning.

It's one thing to ponder about overdiagnosing and overmedicating populations. It's an entirely different thing to actually state a mental illness isn't just that, but a personality trait. I'm not sure why you're asking me to point out such things in this thread since you've spent time replying to said posts yourself.

So which aide are you on here? I am confused. Do you think its all personality traits? Or are you actually going to take the word of some of the replies in this post who tell you that it is not.

Perhaps some people get a mushy feeling inside when they just like to consider it's a personality trait in a type cast society or something really emo like that. I really recommend visiting (notice again, visiting!) a psychiatric hospital for people who are under that impression. I don't know how many people in general that are commenting, have had the (dis?)pleasure of working or visiting one.

You do not know much about these disorders (I don't think). For most cases in medicating children with these drugs... it is required for them to see and deal with therapists. I spent many sessions at a therapist just to annalyze if the medication was right for me. Most of the time they hand you a prescription for a docter and a drug. Its not about a mushy emo feeling man, people were just sharing. The drugs are what makes the person emo... if anything

Rydia's post was an excellent post in this thread, as it kind of scratches how shitty OCD can be. There's actually a pretty established link regarding OCD and suicide. It can be so severe to the point where daily rituals consume pretty much all days to the point where you can't handle it. If someone finds it rude to point out it's not really an imaginary thing or a cute personality trait, I'll be glad to offend.

Its just assumptive to consider everyone else is making stuff up is all, without knowing yourself. You are not pointing anything out, you are saying that most of us are wrong about ourselves, based on nothing else besides words in a thread. Are you saying that these diseases are real or that people make them up... Its so hard to tell from your wording, just say it simply please.

e: On overdiagnosis and overmedication, I'd like to add that is also a tricky issue. Mostly because while one can easily understand a drug company wants to sell a lot of drugs regardless, stating something is overdiagnosed and overmedicated in a population needs something more than a gut feeling over the stereotypical way of seeing kids raised, and medicine sales. Stating such things makes one assume he is not only qualified to diagnose such illnesses, but also assumes one is qualified to state does one need medication, therapy or both.

Yes but parents are not all foolish enough to think that a doctor knows their child better then he/she does... and the ones that are, are the problem. Its a touchy subject indeed when it comes to diagnosing, there are many cases where the parents want the kid to have medication but the doctors refuse. However I am sure you know my stance by now anyway, I am agaisnt medication for the most part, like I stated.

As an example, no one ever says common allergies are overdiagnosed and/or overmedicated. Diagnosis is of course different since allergies generally have somatic symptoms, but people can easily accept allergies are simply better diagnosed and better medicated over time. People are more sensitive to lots of things due to constant exposure to them, and physiology is better understood. There were gluten-intolerant people in the 1800's for example. There wasn't a diagnosis for it though.

Allergys and mental disorders are a completely different thing though... one is a bit more predictable. Also I will add in the 1800's the world of medicine was not what it is today

Would it be overtly hard to accept ADHD and/or OCD and/or general disorders aren't overdiagnosed, but rather recognized better, and better diagnosed?

This sentance confused me a bit (as well as how you phrased some of the things in your post)... but I think we are on the same page. I think if you just started off with this post it would have been better. Saying that people are mistaken about their own issues and saying doctors are mistaken... well there is a world of difference. No one is saying that everyone is "just like them".

 

[asm]

Yes but it was a rather short and bland post that did not make points to anyone in particular, and I could not help but feel a condescending tone when you said "visit", because it was one sentance after the words "fucking terrible". I think its understandable that I could misconstrue your meaning.

You're right on that though, it was a bit condescending (and for a reason). I didn't mean everyone either way.

So which aide are you on here? I am confused. Do you think its all personality traits? Or are you actually going to take the word of some of the replies in this post who tell you that it is not.

I simply find it pretty repulsive that someone would classify pathological compulsive behaviour that can be considered involuntary (which OCD at it's finest can be), as a "personality trait". It's almost akin to saying "the voices in your head that tell you to kill aren't really a bad thing, it's just a personality trait and no one simply understands you", for a really bad and overblown example.

You do not know much about these disorders (I don't think). For most cases in medicating children with these drugs... it is required for them to see and deal with therapists. I spent many sessions at a therapist just to annalyze if the medication was right for me. Most of the time they hand you a prescription for a docter and a drug. Its not about a mushy emo feeling man, people were just sharing. The drugs are what makes the person emo... if anything

That's a pretty silly assertion. The emo phrase was hardly used to characterize any disorder mentioned in this thread. Perhaps I should construct sentences with more clarity, and perhaps you should read them as they were written.

While I don't mean to demean anyone's personal experience, that's hardly necessary to have when saying a disorder is a disorder. If it's any help, I do have an (partial) education on the matter? Does that make me qualified to state something in a message board?

Its just assumptive to consider everyone else is making stuff up is all, without knowing yourself. You are not pointing anything out, you are saying that most of us are wrong about ourselves, based on nothing else besides words in a thread. Are you saying that these diseases are real or that people make them up... Its so hard to tell from your wording, just say it simply please.

Except for the part where I said, you know ....none of the kind?

Yes but parents are not all foolish enough to think that a doctor knows their child better then he/she does... and the ones that are, are the problem. Its a touchy subject indeed when it comes to diagnosing, there are many cases where the parents want the kid to have medication but the doctors refuse. However I am sure you know my stance by now anyway, I am agaisnt medication for the most part, like I stated.

Regardless (and I assume this is the US way), you need a prescription from a doctor. Stating something is overdiagnosed is also an assertion the doctors are wrong in some way. Perhaps it is overdiagnosed and/or overmedicated, all I am simply saying is more frequent diagnosis and/or medicating isn't a sign of that. Other than of course the increasing marginals due to natural error.

Allergys and mental disorders are a completely different thing though... one is a bit more predictable. Also I will add in the 1800's the world of medicine was not what it is today

Not completely different, though. Both have plenty of (environmental) factors. Allergies increase because of constant exposure to allergens. Similarly you could claim (the western) society breeds ADHD, OCD and whatever the hell you can think of. Considering people seem to have less and less time and more and more information to process, it really doesn't seem that farfetched.

This sentance confused me a bit (as well as how you phrased some of the things in your post)... but I think we are on the same page. I think if you just started off with this post it would have been better. Saying that people are mistaken about their own issues and saying doctors are mistaken... well there is a world of difference. No one is saying that everyone is "just like them".

There isn't a post saying that. Unless you wish to count as "personal experience", someone stating a disorder isn't a disorder.

 

[bequiaboit]

Well, I think you, as the patient, should have a say whether to medicate or not your own medical condition.
In cases where the patient is too young, I think it is unnecessary to medicate him/her immediately. It's not like you're going to die if they don't "correct" you!

 

[Roland_Deschain]

I simply find it pretty repulsive that someone would classify pathological compulsive behaviour that can be considered involuntary (which OCD at it's finest can be), as a "personality trait". It's almost akin to saying "the voices in your head that tell you to kill aren't really a bad thing, it's just a personality trait and no one simply understands you", for a really bad and overblown example.

Ohhhhh. SO pretty much we feel exactly the same way. I think I misundersood what you were saying? I thought you were striking the people talking about their disorders, and were claiming that they didn't have any real disorders.... and its the opposite.

So you are striking the people who are claiming that these issues are BS... and you think medication is abused and not the correct approach to correction.

Soooo, pretty much we feel exactly the same, and just got confused with each other. I am sorry. Its just that the first post... I just couldn't really tell who you were talking to, or what you was saying.

Some things have absolutely nothing to do with overmedication or overdiagnosing. In essence, some of you assume everyone is like you. Everyone isn't like you.

This is the line that confused me, but I realize now that you were talking to the people without disorders.

Well, I think you, as the patient, should have a say whether to medicate or not your own medical condition.
In cases where the patient is too young, I think it is unnecessary to medicate him/her immediately. It's not like you're going to die if they don't "correct" you!

Thats true, but the problem with younger people is that they are so easily manipulated and controlled by parents who are so willing to take the high road and just, for a lack of better words "zombify" their children.