Sociopath Community

by hypercube

Obviously the "symptoms" are real, but is the concept of diagnosing a personality disorder real?

How many symptoms would one need to be diagnosed with a specific personality disorder?

Is there anything legitimately medical about this part of psychology?

 

Do you find the concept of personality disorders useful and if so why?

 I find them absurd and useless, just another way for society to put a label on people. What is the point in diagnosing? , i see none, as i dont care for the welfare of others. I use them sometimes as it is easier to say one word, rather then saying all the characteristics. I dont ever use them to categorize someone, unless i am taunting them. 

I find the groups rather random, but the same with other mental illness. It's like making cookies you cut out of a sheet of dough. In a way your cookie makes sense, but you always end up risking being between cookies or that your personal cookie has parts and not full parts of the cookies they decided are real.

The main issues I see with personality disorders is

1. The name. It implies who you are is disordered. If you are cured, you will also be someone else.

2. No cause is needed for a personality disorder. That groups people up with totally different backgrounds, it mixes people with brain dysfunction with people with bad childhoods. And claim that the effect is the same. I disagree. Even if nurture and nature cut into each other, cause must be considered.

3. Gender differences are too big between PD's. With the same behavior, a female can be diagnosed borderline or histrionic, while a male gets diagnosed ASPD. 

by hypercube

Obviously the "symptoms" are real, but is the concept of diagnosing a personality disorder real?

In my opinion, personality disorders don't mean much outside of a psychologist's office or courtroom, and even in a courtroom I would question how valuable they are.

How many symptoms would one need to be diagnosed with a specific personality disorder?

I think the average is 3 or more. It depends on the personality disorder.

Is there anything legitimately medical about this part of psychology?

I'm not entirely sure, but there has been a lot of research done on it, so I'd say it has some medical legitimacy.

Do you find the concept of personality disorders useful and if so why?

Personality disorders have a negative impact on people's lives. So, I think they're useful in identifying specific issues to figure out the most effective treatment available, assuming the patient has a willingness and desire to change.

I've come to view them as personality traits, hence why I use the terms colloquially sometimes. Though mostly they're more stereotypes than anything.

Why care about what the others think about you?

It's a "medical or society disorder" to find a name for every piece of other behaviour. It makes them feel more safe, it parts the people in sane and insane.

But I dont think, I'm insane, I'm better. My life proves that.