Rant on diagnosing others

[Ronin]

Better safe than sorry.

Okay, so how would you feel if others did the same to you (cut all contact) just because you were diagnosed with PTSD or had trauma history?

Because, after all, people tend to view mental health disorders as dangerous, altogether. Those resulting from (... and thus connected to) violence specially.

Are you comfortable with being judged that way, with only your health information as a reason?

 

[Dana1010]

This mentality of this or that disorder needs to be avoided at all costs is really dangerous, especially if you are working to influence others to have the same mentality.

It's not "this or that disorder." It's psychopathy and narcissism. In some ways it's helpful to not classify them so much as disorders but ways of being. They're not treatable like depression or PTSD, which aren't usually dangerous even untreated.

Your hypothetical harmless psychopath can cry me a river. People are better safe than sorry.

 

[Dana1010]

Okay, so how would you feel if others did the same to you (cut all contact) just because you were diagnosed with PTSD or had trauma history?

I would feel like this person is uneducated about PTSD. It's not dangerous in most cases. Psychopathy is dangerous in most cases.

 

[Kubash16]

It's not "this or that disorder." It's psychopathy and narcissism. In some ways it's helpful to not classify them so much as disorders but ways of being. They're not treatable like other depression or PTSD.

Your hypothetical harmless psychopath can cry me a river. People are better safe than sorry.

So my preschooler in my earlier example. I’m super curious, if you had been his teacher, how would you have approached him/the job?

 

[Kubash16]

I would feel like this person is uneducated about PTSD. It's not dangerous in most cases. Psychopathy is dangerous in most cases.

PTSD can be extremely dangerous

 

[Ronin]

Dana so what are you basing your whole view of those disorders on?

One (rather outdated, even though in his time quite useful) author?
So that would be it for psychopathy, and for narcissistic personality disorder???

... Agreed with Kubash.
Do not even get me started on the fun an untreated / badly compensated depression, alone, can be in relationships. :)

 

[Sideways]

If I knew someone was diagnosed a narc or path, I'd cut off all contact with them and advise others to do so too.

Right - I get that’s your position.

But realistically, there’s likely to be few (if any) occasions where you interact with a person and have access to their mental health diagnosis (if any).

So, perhaps recognising characteristics that you have experience with as indicating an abusive person might be more helpful? Because we can often see familiar traits in a person that remind us of our abuser. There doesn’t seem to be any need (or benefit) from trying to diagnose them - that requires a whole stack of information. Recognising abusive traits, though? That’s something you probably do have a pretty good radar for.

It seems to me that to keep ourselves safe, we recognise red-flags of abusive personalities and know to steer clear of them, long before we’d have enough info to have insight into their mental health status.

So, the helpful thing might be to avoid people woth abusive characteristics, rather than wait for (the incredibly rare) situation where we find out a person’s mental health diagnosis. It’s the abusive characteristics that are the concern, right?

 

[Dana1010]

So my preschooler in my earlier example. I’m super curious, if you had been his teacher, how would you have approached him/the job?

As his preschool teacher, I don't really think it's my responsibility to do anything with him. Perhaps, I would refer him to a pediatric psychologist so they could see if there is any early intervention treatment possible.

 

[Dana1010]

PTSD can be extremely dangerous

Well, what the hell? If you someone has dangerous PTSD, people can't be blamed for wanting to stay away from them.

 

[Kubash16]

My point is I’m not going to avoid everyone diagnosed with ptsd just because there are going to be a few who aren’t managing it and could fly into such a rage they kill me before they even realize what happened. That happens, many illnesses are that way when they aren’t managed.

Early intervention is a good idea, so is acceptance of how he is and operating within that to teach him. The way the rest of your comments have been I was worried you would say something along the lines of give up on him because he’s already hopeless.

 

[Dana1010]

I was worried you say something along the lines of give up on him because he’s already hopeless.

That might well be the case -- at least as far as his innate neuro-physiology, lack of empathy. I don't know enough at this time to say early intervention, education, etc. can't at least help manage these disorders.

 

[Kubash16]

That might well be the case -- at least as far as his innate neuro-physiology, lack of empathy. I don't know enough at this time to say early intervention, education, etc. can't at least help manage these disorders.

I’d be willing to bet they would go a hell of a lot further then ignoring him because he’s some kind of pariah.