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But the only definition we have for mental illness is whether your situation falls under some category that we have a name for. It’s a slippery (and fuzzy) enou
by ironmagma 6y ago
But the only definition we have for mental illness is whether your situation falls under some category that we have a name for. It’s a slippery (and fuzzy) enough slope having designations for illnesses that encompass a huge portion of the human condition (see Rosenhan). Much worse if we also include things that don’t have entries in the DSM. It would be trivial enough to say that anyone you have even mild distaste for has a mental illness.
- Sebb767 6y ago> But the only definition we have for mental illness is whether your situation falls under some category that we have a name for. The one I heard was a variation of "does the person suffer due to the condition or cause harm to other people". That was a side course in university. I actually like that one a lot, since there's really not a clear line between an illness and just being different.
- ironmagma 6y agoIt also doesn’t make a meaningful distinction from non-mental illness though, like chronic pain or even poverty.
- getlawgdon 6y agoThat doesn't make sense. Define harm. Carelessness can cause injury and isn't mental illness, etc.
- lazyasciiart 6y agoEven DSM-IV had "otherwise unspecified mental disorder" as a diagnosis. https://dsm.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.dsm20 https://dsm.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.books.9780...
- mannykannot 6y agoWe don't have to go down that slippery slope. It is not plausible that the specific issue here is something that encompasses a huge portion of the human condition. Alternatively, if it is a manifestation of something that is, but at a much lower level than with this individual, there are prominent things in the DSM for which this is also the case.