AIBU to think we over-pathologise very nomal human behaviour?

[Breakawaygirl]

Other threads have got me thinking about this....

We all know that diagnosis of anxiety, depression, autism and other emotional/mental health/neurological conditions are on the rise.

My question is, is it true that we are just paying more attention to conditions that were swept under the rug, or are we over-diagnosing very natural human behaviour.

I've often thought depression, anxiety and other conditions are very natural reactions to our modern world.

Many people wake up early only to be overworked, fed bad food, underpaid, come home to more work, unable to foster connections with loved ones and children, feel lonely, cut off (no community), big uncertainty in the future, pollution, overpopulation, extinction of animals, little nature in some animals and a very aggressive media that seems to have an agenda - surely to feel bad is NORMAL in these circumstances.

I often think the diagnosis is a way of saying it's the PERSON who has the problem rather than the way we conduct our society/culture as a whole.

That is not to minimise that many conditions are the result of neurology and genetics, but a huge component is nurture and lifestyle.

I've often felt that we live in human zoos and are behaviour and neurosis stems from that.

For instance exercise is a natural anti-depressant but most of us don't get enough.

Anxiety is proven to be exaggerated by social media and the idea that everyone is doing better.

Is it that people individually are sicker, or is society sicker?

Curious for people's thoughts.

I agree entirely.

The elderly and sick are cared for by relatives.

They are cared for by women, usually a daughter-in-law or her female children, but females. And in places without such access to healthcare, usually die far more often than they do in Western places where a person can be alive with a deteriorating condition like dementia for over 20 years due to medical advances.

And yy to casual violence and other ills like malnutrition, institutional misogyny and the like.

I think the problem is having to meet multiple and often conflicting expectations. Eg have the perfect home, be the perfect mum, but also work full time earning the same salary as your partner so that you are truly equal. So much pressure to ‘choose’ things we don’t really have a choice over like which school you send your children to or where you live (affordable homes could be miles from family and/or work). The public safety net doesn’t feel quite so reliable these days. Young people being dependent for longer while elderly parents are also likely to become dependent, possibly for a long time.

Krakant - I was the one who said that, I don't know if you read my post (wouldn't blame you if you didn't, it was kind of an angry ranty post) but in case you didn't I'll explain, I was responding to someone who was going on about how lots of "great minds are thought to have been autistic" and that all autistic people need is to find their place in their world. Thus perpetuating the stereotype that autistic people are just misunderstood geniuses waiting to find their talent.
Too many people watch shows like the Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon, and think that autism is just "being quirky and socially awkward"
And they expect me to be that stereotype they have in their head, and they don't seem to understand why I might not be quite so happy about being autistic.
There's a reason I don't socialise on any of the major forums for autistic people anymore, and that's because you can't avoid those people with Aspergers (some who don't even have a diagnosis and merely "identify as an Aspie") that go on about autism superpowers, it being the next step in evolution and all that crap. And they harangue anyone who has the audacity not to feel positive or happy about being autistic.
Such people are the epitome of the stereotype of the "happy quirky autistic" and I hate it and them.

I don't agree there's no such thing as"severe autism" though. How else would you describe a non-verbal autistic person who's unable to communicate and has no ability to take of themselves?
Each person's autism is different and unique to them. Whilst I loathe the terms low and high functioning I don't see what the issue is in talking about severity, it's just a fact, some people are more severely affected by autism than others.
It's not as simple as saying "autism is autism."
On the ADOS scoring example there's two different cut off points for scoring, one for ASD and one for autism (It's 8 for ASD and 12 for autism).

the good ol' days weren't so good - a GM who was an alcoholic for at least 4 decades - nobody talked about it, ever. She never got any help. I think it started when she had children in the 30s, perhaps PND?

As for women in 3rd world countries not experiencing PTSD for labour, well, a fair % of women who have bad labours die don't they? I'd be dead if I'd had a baby outside of a hospital.

I think the issue is some people self diagnose on social media. There is a difference between feeling low or anxious or having these feelings so severely that you are unable to function anymore. Some people cope better than others, they could experience the same level of anxiety but have the coping strategies to manage it, but it could completely floor someone else.

Someone who has anxiety/schizophrenia/EUPD are most likely going to say they have the illness but could be having a very normal life at that point in their life and are managing symptoms really well. It doesn't mean if they stop using coping strategies and taking medication because they are well that they will be fine again. I've seen many people relapse when this has happened or there has been a major life event. Most people won't see people when they are at their worst, so sometimes it's hard to imagine they have an illness.

Personally, I know there are some 'quirks' with some members of my family, but diagnosing them, since they are functioning perfectly well, have capacity and would refuse medication if what they had required it, would not benefit them at all. They are quite happy as they are, but if I thought they were suffering I would think differently.

I agree about work/life balance and expectations though. Things do need to change there.

And they harangue anyone who has the audacity not to feel positive or happy about being autistic.

My personal hate is the people who say to me about DS "ah but you wouldn't have him any other way, would you?" nearly always said in a patronising tone. Now and then it's substituted with "you wouldn't ever change him, would you?".

Yes, I bloody would change him and have him another way. In a heartbeat. I'd keep my sweet, funny, loving boy but I'd remove every last trace of autism from him.

I think too many children are given a label or a syndrome when actually they mature, change and develop. They develop at different rates and our insane obsession with data and league tables has ignored this. Also children start school far too early.

Some syndromes are an excuse by affluent parents for the fact that their children are of average or below average intelligence.

I think in Britain we are brought up now to expect or aim for a happy life. That is unrealistic. I know in the recent past kids used to be brought up to think life was difficult, but to be grateful for what they did have. I do think the idea that we should be happy does not help.
The truth is life can be difficult, or even just boring at times, but with bits of happiness in between.

What is often not talked about so much is severe mental illness. The kind that leads to psychosis. Even in these cases we know that a supportive family and low stress environment can make a massive difference to outcomes.

Also a lot of what gets talked about on the internet as anxiety, is normal. Especially amongst young people. It seems that the message that a lot of us are faking confidence, is not getting through.

Some syndromes are an excuse by affluent parents for the fact that their children are of average or below average intelligence.

Care to elaborate orangecushion? Do you have any personal experience of this?

@M3lon, not disagreeing with you but to point something out - I grew up in a 3rd world country and did not experience starvation, sickness (without treatment) or rape. My first real life evidence of 'rape' was in the UK (not saying it didn't happen in those countries, just our experience). The '3rd world' doesn't mean poor and starving.

Still, anxiety and depression is not as it is here in the UK. It certainly didn't warrant mood altering medication. As a 'comfortable' woman with 'depression' following a miscarriage (after 2 or so weeks off), I still had to get up, go out, work, order 'staff' around and live life. What would be the alternative? I was a bit of a bitch at work!

@PlumpSyrianHamster no, they were cared for by relatives. My uncles AND aunts (and my dad) took it in turns to look after my grandpa (with help of maids and stewards) when he was ill. My mom had to remain in the city to look after us. My unmarried uncle eventually moved in with him till he passed. Either way, in the UK, it usually falls to women to do the caring so no real difference there.

I have had anxiety too several years ago and was prescribed medication which I never took. I think GPs are too quick to give medications. I was having a very stressful time and just needed life to ease off a little with the help of a therapist maybe.

I read some research where researchers went back and looked at assessment notes of children being assessed for autism. Many of them were diagnosed as not having autism. The researchers said if the assessments had taken place today, all would have been diagnosed with autism. The diagnostic criteria for autism has changed.

orangecushion - What a load of crap, do you know anything about how developmental disorders are diagnosed? And a diagnosis is not a "label" anymore than a diagnosis of any other medical condition. Given how long it can take to get a diagnosis of anything it's absurd to say that they're handed out too easily. For example my own brother was originally diagnosed as a toddler with global developmental delay, it wasn't until the last year of primary school that it was changed to an autism one. Now some kids with a GDD diagnosis don't go on to be diagnosed with anything else, others like my brother do.
If anything professionals misuse the "wait and see" approach to fob parents off when they have legitimate concerns about a child.
And FYI, autistic people "mature, change and develop" too, they're still autistic though.

Also I'm curious, what syndromes exactly do you think are used by affluent parents as an excuse for a child being of average intelligence?

There is also a LOT of self diagnosis. People who say they are "aspie" for example and if you ask them if they were diagnosed as kids say, oh no I have never been formally diagnosed. It is neo liberalism that leads to people adopting labels like this. The individual is king.

Also our culture blames individuals for their misfortunes. Got ill? You must have led an unhealthy lifestyle. Poor? You must be lazy. This naturally leads to some people seeking a "reason" or "excuse" they can give for their misfortune. Oh its not my fault I have...
I just wish we had a more compassionate society.

mrsfumble, yes parents saying their child is dyslexic, demanding and paying for very expensive diagnosis and additional help.

Not being able to spell their/there is not dyslexia.

Jan, thank you for your measured and respectful response. Yes I do know.

The idea that being Uber geeky is the same as being autistic is a popular ridiculous invention.

Where did I say that?

jan In fairness I have heard well off parents say their child's poor academic performance is down to undiagnosed dyslexia.

I'm curious to see where exactly, I said anything critical about autism and suggested people with this additional need do not develop?

I also never mentioned handing out labels too quickly.

zzz The professional research I mentioned suggested that it might indeed be part of the reason for the increase.
Western countries have very different rates of autism diagnosed in their population.