Tuesday, January 28, 2014

No, They Don't Have a Personality Disorder

Doctors always complain about their patients coming in and reading off a list they got on Web MD and have self-diagnosed themselves with everything but hypochondria. Of course, they're wrong, the doctor tells them they are, and then they go to another doctor, who tells them the same thing. It is estimated (by myself) that 8 billion dollars (US) are wasted every year by people going in for check ups on illnesses they do not have. Since I am a learned man in the field of psychology, people often ask me for advice. I don't mind it, but I always tell them I am not a therapist and also not very experienced with assisting those in any type of mental distress, aside from relieving the stresses (I also cause) in women. Over just the past few years, more than a half dozen people have told me they think someone they know has a personality disorder. Believe it or not, psychiatrists usually don't consult Wikipedia before making a diagnosis. They're schooled, trained, and then gain the valuable experience by interacting with patients. Not saying some don't slip through the cracks, but most people with personality disorders, as in practically all of them, are harmless, except to themselves. Unless you met your boyfriend via prison pen pals, he probably doesn't have antisocial personality disorder, so stop with the bullshit assessments, since you're obviously projecting your own cognitive biases off on someone else. You know who you are. Well, unless you're paranoid, then it's probably not you. Probably. 

A classic example of ASPD.