Down the Rabbit Hole
Jul. 10th, 2001 11:53 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rinueI just took this test to determine for which personality disorders I am at risk. It is not, obviously, a true diagnostic tool, but I throroughly enjoy that sort of thing, so I took it. I came out pretty well adjusted on all scales except for a moderate risk of being Schizotypal:
"Many believe that schizotypal personality disorder represents mild schizophrenia. The disorder is characterized by odd forms of thinking and perceiving, and individuals with this disorder often seek isolation from others. They sometimes believe to have extra sensory ability or that unrelated events relate to them in some important way. They generally engage in eccentric behavior and have difficulty concentrating for long periods of time. Their speech is often over elaborate and difficult to follow."
Raise your hand, anybody who's surprised.
I do not, of course, have Schizotypal Personality Disorder. Moreover, I do not believe in personality disorders. (The Psych minor rears its ugly head. If anybody's curious, I tend to agree with the cognitive school and take an approach grounded in family systems theory.)
The standard for diagnosing mental illness is a book called the DSM-IV. For each illness, there is an entry in the book which consists of a description and a numbered list of common symptoms. I have very mixed feelings about the ethical ramifications of such standards, but at the same time, it provides a common thread from which therapists can branch. (Whether this creates false confidence and an erronious belief that psychology is a hard science (due to the enforced internal consistency) is an argument for another time.)
Most psychological disorders are listed in a section known as "Axis I." This is where you'll find Schizophrenia, Depression, Multiple Personality Disorder, Anorexia . . . all the old favorites. The causes of and possible solutions to these problems are hotly debated among the theraputic communities.
The ten personality disorders, however, fall on a different axis, Axis II. They are thought of as both more and less serious than Axis I disorders; they're ordinarily not as damaging to the person who has them, and can pass permanently unnoticed. On the other hand, they never go away. They are thought of as incurable, an inherent part of who you are.
Because of this, very few psychologists are willing to work with people who have personality disorders. It's considered too draining. It's triage - they help the people they might be able to save, rather then these damned. Moreover, personality disorders, especially Antisocial Personailty Disorder, are often used to justify the death penalty (something to which I'm strongly opposed) - if we can't cure them, we might as well kill them.
If you read the descriptions of personality disorders in the DSM-IV or at Internet Mental Health, you will find that almost anyone can be diagnosed with one. Moreover, disorders like Antisocial Personality Disorder are slanted towards the poor and the disadvantaged, and may even be inherently racist.
Psychologists don't generally take advantage of this, and realize the limitations of any diagnostic manual. If they didn't have an interest in understanding and helping people, they wouldn't be attracted toward the profession. However, the legal system does use and manipulate the definitions. (Don't even get me started on psychologists in the courtrooms. It's also a good thing that I moved on from the death penalty. I mean, all the data suggests that it actually raises crime rates.) And it's all founded in the irresponsible idea behind Axis II.
Okay, that's my rant for the day. Oh, and the test also said I was a bit Narcissistic, but I discounted that because I really am superior.
"Many believe that schizotypal personality disorder represents mild schizophrenia. The disorder is characterized by odd forms of thinking and perceiving, and individuals with this disorder often seek isolation from others. They sometimes believe to have extra sensory ability or that unrelated events relate to them in some important way. They generally engage in eccentric behavior and have difficulty concentrating for long periods of time. Their speech is often over elaborate and difficult to follow."
Raise your hand, anybody who's surprised.
I do not, of course, have Schizotypal Personality Disorder. Moreover, I do not believe in personality disorders. (The Psych minor rears its ugly head. If anybody's curious, I tend to agree with the cognitive school and take an approach grounded in family systems theory.)
The standard for diagnosing mental illness is a book called the DSM-IV. For each illness, there is an entry in the book which consists of a description and a numbered list of common symptoms. I have very mixed feelings about the ethical ramifications of such standards, but at the same time, it provides a common thread from which therapists can branch. (Whether this creates false confidence and an erronious belief that psychology is a hard science (due to the enforced internal consistency) is an argument for another time.)
Most psychological disorders are listed in a section known as "Axis I." This is where you'll find Schizophrenia, Depression, Multiple Personality Disorder, Anorexia . . . all the old favorites. The causes of and possible solutions to these problems are hotly debated among the theraputic communities.
The ten personality disorders, however, fall on a different axis, Axis II. They are thought of as both more and less serious than Axis I disorders; they're ordinarily not as damaging to the person who has them, and can pass permanently unnoticed. On the other hand, they never go away. They are thought of as incurable, an inherent part of who you are.
Because of this, very few psychologists are willing to work with people who have personality disorders. It's considered too draining. It's triage - they help the people they might be able to save, rather then these damned. Moreover, personality disorders, especially Antisocial Personailty Disorder, are often used to justify the death penalty (something to which I'm strongly opposed) - if we can't cure them, we might as well kill them.
If you read the descriptions of personality disorders in the DSM-IV or at Internet Mental Health, you will find that almost anyone can be diagnosed with one. Moreover, disorders like Antisocial Personality Disorder are slanted towards the poor and the disadvantaged, and may even be inherently racist.
Psychologists don't generally take advantage of this, and realize the limitations of any diagnostic manual. If they didn't have an interest in understanding and helping people, they wouldn't be attracted toward the profession. However, the legal system does use and manipulate the definitions. (Don't even get me started on psychologists in the courtrooms. It's also a good thing that I moved on from the death penalty. I mean, all the data suggests that it actually raises crime rates.) And it's all founded in the irresponsible idea behind Axis II.
Okay, that's my rant for the day. Oh, and the test also said I was a bit Narcissistic, but I discounted that because I really am superior.
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Date: 2001-07-10 10:45 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2001-07-10 11:08 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2001-07-10 11:27 am (UTC)